EYA Part 41
Michael flung the bathroom door open when he heard the commotion in the living area. He slumped back against the doorframe in intense relief when he saw that Max and Isabel were back alive. His worst fear was that he would be left alone again and he didn’t even want to think what that would have meant for him and Liz. He watched as Phillip and Isabel stumbled across the room holding Max upright. What happened to Max? The fevers were intense and uncomfortable, undoubtedly draining after sweating and shaking for so long, but they weren’t disabling for the men. Only Liz. He crossed the room to stand at the bedroom door and saw Max crawl up the bed to be closer to Liz.
Isabel turned and saw Michael. In two steps she collapsed on him. Michael’s strong arms caught her and he helped her to the couch. What is with all these fainting women lately? He knew something bad had happened to both of them and prayed that they had completed their mission before they were hurt. Isabel came to and sat up, holding her head. Diane rushed out of the bedroom to help her daughter.
“Michael…they…Max can’t…” Diane made a gesture down the front of her body and turned back to Isabel. “Can you help them? Please?” Diane pleaded.
Help them? Help them what? Surely, she doesn’t want me to…
Diane gave him an odd look as she noticed what appeared to be a turkey baster clutched tightly in his hand. “Is that my…?”
Michael’s face flushed even more, if possible and he pulled the baster behind his back and dropped it out of sight, intensely grateful that he hadn’t had to use it.
Michael looked warily at the bedroom door and swiftly crossed the room and went in. Phillip backed out of the room with an expression of extreme relief saying, “He’s too weak to undress. Could you just…?” At Michael’s nod Phillip quickly left them alone in the room. There were some things a father shouldn’t see.
Michael’s body was numb with relief that that was all he was required to do. Max and Liz were making incoherent sounds of frustration. He went to the bed and pulled off Max’s shoes and socks one at a time. Max was so absorbed in Liz that he didn’t even notice. He could see Max fumbling to undo the button on his jeans with no success. Max’s raging erection was obvious, and Michael winced in complete sympathy. He was just as affected himself. Part of the fever was a fierce desire, and he had had no outlet for that.
Michael rolled Max onto his back while Max protested weakly. He couldn’t be separated from Liz! Liz whimpered at the loss of Max’s lips and crawled up his chest to resume the contact. Michael quickly unzipped Max’s jeans and tried to pull them off of his friend. The sweat soaked material made it very difficult and slow, but at last Michael was successful. He grabbed one of the arms that was wrapped around Liz and pulled it away, quickly pulling the sleeve off of Max. He freed the other arm and paused briefly wondering how he would get them to separate long enough to get the shirt over Max’s head. Finally, he put his hands on Liz’s heated shoulders and pulled her away. She growled, actually growled, at Michael and fought against the intrusion with all her remaining strength. Michael could see no comprehension in her eyes; no recognition of who he was or why he was there. He ripped the shirt over Max’s head and tossed the sodden fabric to the floor.
Max rolled over on top of Liz and took her mouth again, his hands moving over the familiar paths of her body, his hips thrusting rhythmically. Michael fervently hoped these two would appreciate what a good friend he was and grabbed the waistband of Max’s boxers and pulled them down. Michael wiped sweat off his brow with his sleeve and squinched his eyes shut as he reached under Max to pull off Liz’s panties.
His task complete, Michael backed away from the bed until he ran into the door. Max and Liz were already joined, their sweat glistened bodies moving as one. Bodies melded together from head to toe, moans and soft outcries giving voice to their mutual need. Michael fumbled for the doorknob behind him and shakily opened the door a crack to slide out sideways. He slammed the door closed behind him and leaned back against it sliding bonelessly to the floor. He rested his arms over upraised knees and dropped his head, panting softly. He prayed that they would finish quickly so his body could be his own again.
“Are they…?” Maria gestured to the door.
“Yeah,” Michael answered huskily, raising his head to meet her concerned gaze.
“Mr. and Mrs. Evans took Isabel downstairs to make sure she’s all right,” Maria informed him. Michael nodded. He hadn’t even noticed they were gone.
“Are you…okay?” Maria asked awkwardly. She knew that he had been as affected as Max by everything that had happened.
“When they’re…I’ll be fine in awhile.” Michael wiped his brow on his sleeve again. Maria moved to sit beside him on the floor. She put her arm around his shoulders and something in him finally broke. Sobbing in relief and pain for all they had been through he leaned into her chest and soaked her shirt with his emotions. His shoulders shook and Maria completed the hug, wrapping her other arm across his chest. She held him there making soothing sounds and waited for the waves to subside.
“I…I want…I can feel them,” Michael whispered against her chest in misery. He sounded so broken.
Maria drew in a surprised breath. “You feel…you’re connected to them?”
“To Liz,” he confessed, face still hidden, not sure how Maria would take it.
“Oh,” she breathed softly. Wasn’t it bad enough that he had to suffer all of these terrible protective and health-affecting symptoms without adding the cruelty of making him feel the resolution without giving him his own? Maria was indignant over the entire unfair mess. “Do you want me to…Do you need to…” Maria stuttered in her uncertainty over what she was offering. Should she offer to comfort Michael in a way that would satisfy his body after all he had done today?
“No! Geez, Maria no!” He couldn’t see the hurt expression in her eyes at the rejection, but he felt her whole body tense. He looked up at last. “Our first time will be just about us. I won’t have you offering yourself up as some kind of pain reliever for my…my…I just don’t…we can’t be like that, okay?” Michael brought a shaky hand up and used his thumb to wipe away a track of tears that was trailing down Maria’s silky skin. She closed her eyes and nodded against his hand, immensely relieved that he wasn’t rejecting her, only the circumstances.
Michael’s body arched momentarily and the harsh sound of his inhalation filled the quiet room. They could hear Max and Liz moaning through the door, and then sudden silence.
“Was that…?” Maria started.
Michael nodded and, moving almost painfully, got to his feet. “I’m just gonna use the bathroom and then we’ll go down and find out what happened out there today okay?” Without waiting for a response he moved stiffly to the bathroom. He closed the door and leaned on the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. Had he done the right thing today? Had Max been distracted by the fever and gotten hurt as a result? Was it fair to have let them all suffer for so long when they knew the solution was simple? He shook his head, looking down at himself. Not simple at all.
He stood straight and unzipped his jeans. He waved a hand over the sticky mess to evaporate the evidence of his intense connection to Liz. When he had felt the incredible wave of her release, he just…he couldn’t stop it. Refastening the jeans he ran cold water over his hands and splashed it on his face to cool it down before rejoining Maria. The edge of the fever had eased considerably, but he knew that they needed to join again. Soon.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Max’s back stiffened as he thrust the last few strokes into Liz. He could feel her pleasure cresting and he followed her immediately into release, the life-giving juices spurting out of him in tremendous waves. He collapsed on top of her, vaguely aware that he should be more considerate of his weight crushing her small frame, but Liz’s arms were making sure he didn’t go anywhere, and he didn’t have the strength or will to resist.
His finally got his breathing under semi-control, and with a quick maneuver he rolled them so that Liz lay over his chest, their bodies still joined. Her eyes were closed and her hands couldn’t stop touching his body. She smoothed her fingers over his chest and down his side, changing the texture of her touch from feather-light strokes to deep massage.
“I’m so sorry,” Max’s voice was miserable.
Liz popped her head up and narrowed her eyes at him questioningly.
“For what?”
“For not being here. For not thinking that it might take longer. For not planning it right.” Max was overcome by the close call Liz and their son had suffered.
“Max! Please don’t say that! You did what we all agreed was right! We’re all here. Alive. And I don’t want anyone but you, Max, you know that,” Liz finished softly.
“I wish I could have been here sooner. She had some kind of alien device…I don’t know what it was. It sent this shock out to me and Isabel and it felt like it was ripping us apart. The alien part I mean.”
Liz’s eyes widened. “Is Tess still…? Did you…?”
“I don’t know,” Max confessed. “I heard her screaming in pain. I saw her fall. We were so messed up when we left the cave, I didn’t look for her body. Maybe Isabel knows. I’m sorry,” he said again.
“Are you okay, Max?? How did you survive it?” Liz’s hands on his body now were frantic, searching for injury. Max placed his hands over hers and stilled their nervous journey.
“We were connected to the Granolith. I think it absorbed most of the shock, but I also felt like it weakened the Granolith’s strike against Tess. I don’t know if it was enough. What she did…it knocked us out. I could feel it ripping through me, not my skin, but inside…it’s hard to explain. We were out for a long time I guess. When I came to, I realized right away that you needed me. We got here as fast as we could. I’m sorry.” He couldn’t stop apologizing.
“Please, Max, please don’t feel bad. You guys did everything you could. I know that. Maybe your dad saw something,” she mused.
“Maybe,” Max answered, his hips squirming unconsciously against hers as the need between them grew. “Liz, I…The need is still…,” he began huskily.
“I know,” she whispered against his lips, licking her tongue out to taste him. They began to move together again, slowly this time. Murmured words of love and devotion passed between them as their bodies rocked together. Max licked the sensitive area behind her ear and was rewarded with a low moan. His hands traveled up her back and he realized that she still wore her bra. He undid the clasp and tossed it on the floor. Funny, he couldn’t remember them undressing earlier. He shrugged it off. He wouldn’t have remembered getting hit by a car, the way he’d been feeling earlier. He could feel Liz’s racing pulse under his lips on her neck and he nipped and sucked gently down the column of her throat. Liz’s head arched back to increase his access and he obliged her unspoken request to pick up the pace.
Liz moved her hips over him frantically, milking each stroke to the end and plunging down on him again. Harder. Faster. More, more…
Max made that visceral growling noise that he always made just before he came and Liz moaned his name as she felt her body stiffen in exquisite pleasure. She continued her movements until Max stilled her body with his hands on her hips. He was going into sensory overload. She settled on his chest again. Soothed with his hands over her back and her ear to his heart she whispered, “Don’t ever leave me, Max.”
“Never,” he promised from the depths of his being. He turned his head to the side and let his tears soak the pillow.
TBC
Everything You Are (CC,M/L, Mature) AN PG 15 5/3/07 [WIP]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, ISLANDGIRL5, truelovepooh, Forum Moderators
EYA Part 42
Tuesday 8:47 p.m.
Max and Liz fell into an exhausted slumber after the fever finally released them from its sweaty grip. Even in sleep they could not let go. Their arms wrapped securely around each other and Liz’s head rested over his heart.
A gentle knocking at the door finally woke Max. He blinked his eyes open first, blearily looking for the bedside clock, and frowned in confusion before he realized he was in his new bed in their new apartment. He stoked his hand through Liz’s long hair where it lay across his chest and down the expanse of her naked back He frowned and pulled the sheet up to cover her before he called softly, “Come in.”
Michael opened the door a crack and, not meeting Max’s eyes, said, “Isabel and your parents are awake now and they wanted to know if you two are well enough to come down and go over what happened.” Michael was feeling awkward over what had taken place earlier. He wasn’t even sure they would remember judging from the disoriented state they had been in. He fervently hoped that they wouldn’t.
“Can you wait outside for a minute?” Max asked, gesturing to their undressed state. Michael flushed and nodded as he closed the door and went to wait on the couch.
“Liz? Liz? Wake up, baby,” Max gently coaxed. He rubbed her shoulder and behind her neck gently to ease her into wakefulness. She sighed and leaned into his touch before waking fully and blinking her eyes to clear them of sleep. She gasped softly at the sight of Max and flung herself into his arms.
“You’re here!” she cried out emotionally. “Don’t leave me again, Max!”
Max smoothed her soft hair down her back and rocked her gently. She had been through so much because of him. He could feel her fear for him and for their child and was deeply sorry that his life was so complicated and dangerous that they couldn’t have a normal relationship. “Sshhh…it’s alright. I’m here, baby. I won’t leave again. We’re safe, okay?” Liz nodded against his shoulder and took a deep breath. She was already sorry that she had reacted so emotionally. She could feel Max trying to struggle through all the guilt of not being there when he was desperately needed. She sat back and smiled through her sadness.
“I’m okay now. I…didn’t mean to…Sorry about that,” she stuttered in embarrassment. “I know you will always come for me; be there for me, for us. Please don’t think that I doubt you,” she reassured him.
“I know that you don’t blame me, but maybe you should. We didn’t think of all the angles before we just took off and…” Liz stopped him with a hand over his lips.
“How could you know that she would have an alien device to protect herself with? You couldn’t, so stop beating yourself up over it. Now we need to plan what to do about all this.” Liz shuddered at the memory of the flashes they had shared through their coupling.
“Michael’s waiting in the living room for us. I guess Is and my parents fell asleep downstairs, but now they’re awake and want to go over what we all know. Are you up for that?” His eyes searched hers for fatigue even as his mind reached out to assess her true emotional and physical status.
“I’m still a little weak from everything, and so tired, but yeah, I really want to hear Isabel’s take on what happened out there today, er…yesterday I guess. Oh my God! Max! My parents! I never went home last night!” Liz scrambled from the bed and started yanking on the clothes she found scattered about the room.
Max also got dressed and he hugged her close and knelt down for a moment lifting her shirt to kiss the spot over their son. Standing again, they opened the door and exited the room hand in hand.
Michael looked up nervously from the couch, rubbing his suddenly sweaty palms together as he searched for any sign of embarrassment or condemnation from his friends. He was shocked when Liz crossed the space between them and hugged him close to her. Max stood back for a moment, feeling the incredible wave of gratefulness that Liz felt for Michael. Michael had been her support for the entire time Max wasn’t there, and she didn’t know how she would have gotten through it without him.
Michael hugged her back awkwardly looking over her head at Max who stood back and watched them with a faint smile on his lips. Max moved forward and put his arms around both of them and they stood that way for several moments, sharing the joy of being together, of having survived something so horrific and coming out healthy and well.
“Michael what’s the pr…” Maria’s voice trailed off as she watched the three sharing an intense moment of togetherness. She averted her eyes, feeling like she was intruding on something private.
Michael reached out an arm and called her name. She touched his hand with hers and he pulled her in. Max and Michael both put an arm around Maria, including her in the circle of gratitude.
“Thank you,” Liz’s voice broke with emotion as she looked at her friends. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what would have even happened to me if you guys hadn’t been here to hold me together. I can’t say it enough. You two are the best friends we could ever have and I am so grateful you were there for me!”
“Liz! I’ve always got your back, you know that, right?” Maria reached across the circle and hugged her friend. Liz nodded with a trembling smile.
“I think you guys saved my life. I don’t know…” Liz leaned sideways into Max and drew comfort from his sure presence. Michael took Maria in his arms and hugged her, knowing that she was feeling left out a lot lately.
Maria pulled back after a moment. “We should get downstairs, the natives are getting restless and they sent me up to find out what was taking so long,” she reluctantly said. She wanted to bask in her feeling of inclusion for awhile longer, but she really needed to know what had happened in the desert and if they could stop worrying.
They trooped out the door and down the stairs.
They all shared hugs and looks of concern over the exhausted expressions on the teen’s faces. No one had slept well the night before and it had definitely taken a toll on everyone. Max gave Isabel a huge hug and a heartfelt thank you for all she had done to get him out of the cave and for backing him up when Tess had tried to kill him. If she hadn’t added her strength to his…
“You okay?” she asked with concern. The image of how she had last seen him haunted her still.
Max nodded. “You?” Isabel reassured him she had rested and was going to be fine.
Diane had a hard time letting Max go after Phillip had told her the state he was in when he found him. She touched his face and told him she loved him and was so proud of him for what he had done. Max’s face was filled with emotion at the realization that his parents would always love and support him.
“Liz is worried about her parents. Did they call last night?” Max voiced his top concern.
Diane nodded and touched Liz’s arm. “I called and told them that you stayed for dinner after you got done with work and that you fell asleep watching a movie with Isabel. They said that was okay. They don’t expect you back until about 9:30 tonight, because they think you get off work right after nine. You’ve only got about twenty minutes.” Diane’s eyes filled with sympathy when Max and Liz both whimpered and held each other tighter.
“We’ll think of something,” Max whispered for Liz’s ears alone. She took a deep breath and nodded against his chest.
“We better talk about what happened yesterday,” she said, pulling Max to sit on the lounge chair and making herself comfortable on his lap. Everyone else found seats on the couch and the floor.
Max filled them in on the events that occurred in the cave. They all gasped and asked questions he had no answer for when he told them of the alien device.
“I don’t know where she got it. It sent out this shock wave that I think would have killed us, except we were connected with the Granolith and it absorbed a lot of the blast. It attacked us inside, our alien side. Not like a bomb or anything I would have expected.” Max watched Isabel nod her head in agreement. It had been the same for her. “I think that’s what took us so long to come out of it. It inhibited our ability to heal ourselves while we were unconscious.”
“Wait a minute,” Michael interrupted. “Are your powers still affected? Is that why you two had to, uh,” he glance at all the others in the room, but really wanted to know, “…twice?” Michael almost winced when Liz’s face flushed hotly.
“How do you…?” Max shook his head, not really wanting the answer to that question. They would have to resign themselves to the fact that everyone already knew way too much about their sex lives. “No. I feel fine now. I think we just missed a feeding, so we had to make up for it.” Liz nodded her agreement, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
Max reached out to the arm of the chair and concentrated for a moment. The chair started to change to an ugly shade of puce. He changed it back before his Mom could freak out about his lack of decorating sense. Michael sat back, satisfied.
“I…I don’t remember seeing Tess’ body,” Max voiced his worst fear. He looked to Isabel.
Isabel shook her head. “I didn’t even look for her, I was too worried about you.” They turned to their father.
Phillip sighed and leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees. “I passed your Jeep on the road when I was heading out to the cave. I could see it wasn’t either of you driving. It was a short blonde. I’m sure now that it was her. She was veering all over the road, and I was so worried that she had done something to you that I kept going. I was stuck outside that cave all night, but I knew you still had to be in there, because I hadn’t seen you in the Jeep. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t leave you alone there in case she came back. I’m sorry,” he finished.
Isabel let out a low moan. She hadn’t yet considered that Tess had not been destroyed. Diane put an arm around her for comfort.
Max cradled Liz’s shuddering form into his arms. They were enveloped in the circle of each other’s emotions. Max shared that same fear and despair that it wasn’t just over, and that now it was a hundred times more dangerous for them because Tess was on to them. She was going to be looking for revenge. Max stiffened when he remembered Tess’ threat about never letting Liz see their son. That is never going to happen, he vowed silently to himself and Liz. Liz’s body shivered again as she shared the memory of Tess’ vow of revenge.
The phone rang shrilly in the hall and Diane rushed to answer it.
“Hello? Hi, Kyle. No, she’s not here, we haven’t seen her…Her stuff is all gone?” Diane flashed a desperate glance into the living room. What was she supposed to say about Tess? “His Jeep is parked at your house? I guess, maybe she borrowed it…No, Max and Isabel are both here. We’ll come pick up the Jeep in a little bit…Okay, yeah. Thanks for calling, Kyle. We’ll let you know if we see her. Bye.” Diane cradled the receiver and turned back to face the anxious faces in the living room.
“What?” Isabel questioned nervously, rubbing her damp palms down the legs of her slacks.
“Kyle said that he just woke up from a huge nap and that all of Tess’ things and her SUV are gone. He found Max’s Jeep parked outside their house and thought we might know what was going on.”
Michael and Max shared a stricken glance. She could be anywhere.
The phone rang again and Diane answered, somewhat out of breath from all the excitement.
“Hello?…Hi, Nancy,” she glanced back to Liz and watched her face pale. “She’s heading home right now. Yeah, she’ll be there soon…She’s doing really well, I don’t know what we’d do without her. Thank you so much for letting us hire her. We’ve been so busy and she’s been a wonderful help…All right, well, good night. We should get together for dinner soon…Okay, bye.” Diane put the phone down again.
Max was standing, holding onto Liz’s hand, balancing her weight against his side as she sagged against him. He watched his mother and started making plans.
“I’ll take you home in Mom’s car, and wait for you on your balcony. Spend a little time with your parents and then tell them you’re tired and need to get some rest since you have to be up early to tutor in the morning. They don’t check on you at night, do they?”
Liz shook her head, hope filling her eyes. She didn’t want to be away from Max anymore. “They stopped doing that when I started asking for more privacy last year. They respect it. And plus, they don’t ever wake up before seven, and I told them my tutoring starts at six thirty, so…they won’t be looking for me in the morning!”
“Michael could you and Maria come with us? We can pick up the Jeep and then you can drop Maria off at home before bringing it back here. You’ve got your motorcycle here right?” Max was pretty sure he had seen it, almost stumbled over it really, on his way to the house earlier.
“Yeah,” Michael answered.
“We’ll all go to school tomorrow and figure out what to do next, after we’ve rested. I think we need to bring in Kyle and Jim now that Tess isn’t living with them anymore, and Alex needs to know what happened too.” Everyone agreed.
Diane, Phillip, and Isabel watched from the doorway as the rest of the group pulled out of the driveway. It was strange to see them go, after all they had been through together, almost as if a part of them was leaving too. They closed the door and turned back into the living room, all wondering what was going to happen next.
TBC
Tuesday 8:47 p.m.
Max and Liz fell into an exhausted slumber after the fever finally released them from its sweaty grip. Even in sleep they could not let go. Their arms wrapped securely around each other and Liz’s head rested over his heart.
A gentle knocking at the door finally woke Max. He blinked his eyes open first, blearily looking for the bedside clock, and frowned in confusion before he realized he was in his new bed in their new apartment. He stoked his hand through Liz’s long hair where it lay across his chest and down the expanse of her naked back He frowned and pulled the sheet up to cover her before he called softly, “Come in.”
Michael opened the door a crack and, not meeting Max’s eyes, said, “Isabel and your parents are awake now and they wanted to know if you two are well enough to come down and go over what happened.” Michael was feeling awkward over what had taken place earlier. He wasn’t even sure they would remember judging from the disoriented state they had been in. He fervently hoped that they wouldn’t.
“Can you wait outside for a minute?” Max asked, gesturing to their undressed state. Michael flushed and nodded as he closed the door and went to wait on the couch.
“Liz? Liz? Wake up, baby,” Max gently coaxed. He rubbed her shoulder and behind her neck gently to ease her into wakefulness. She sighed and leaned into his touch before waking fully and blinking her eyes to clear them of sleep. She gasped softly at the sight of Max and flung herself into his arms.
“You’re here!” she cried out emotionally. “Don’t leave me again, Max!”
Max smoothed her soft hair down her back and rocked her gently. She had been through so much because of him. He could feel her fear for him and for their child and was deeply sorry that his life was so complicated and dangerous that they couldn’t have a normal relationship. “Sshhh…it’s alright. I’m here, baby. I won’t leave again. We’re safe, okay?” Liz nodded against his shoulder and took a deep breath. She was already sorry that she had reacted so emotionally. She could feel Max trying to struggle through all the guilt of not being there when he was desperately needed. She sat back and smiled through her sadness.
“I’m okay now. I…didn’t mean to…Sorry about that,” she stuttered in embarrassment. “I know you will always come for me; be there for me, for us. Please don’t think that I doubt you,” she reassured him.
“I know that you don’t blame me, but maybe you should. We didn’t think of all the angles before we just took off and…” Liz stopped him with a hand over his lips.
“How could you know that she would have an alien device to protect herself with? You couldn’t, so stop beating yourself up over it. Now we need to plan what to do about all this.” Liz shuddered at the memory of the flashes they had shared through their coupling.
“Michael’s waiting in the living room for us. I guess Is and my parents fell asleep downstairs, but now they’re awake and want to go over what we all know. Are you up for that?” His eyes searched hers for fatigue even as his mind reached out to assess her true emotional and physical status.
“I’m still a little weak from everything, and so tired, but yeah, I really want to hear Isabel’s take on what happened out there today, er…yesterday I guess. Oh my God! Max! My parents! I never went home last night!” Liz scrambled from the bed and started yanking on the clothes she found scattered about the room.
Max also got dressed and he hugged her close and knelt down for a moment lifting her shirt to kiss the spot over their son. Standing again, they opened the door and exited the room hand in hand.
Michael looked up nervously from the couch, rubbing his suddenly sweaty palms together as he searched for any sign of embarrassment or condemnation from his friends. He was shocked when Liz crossed the space between them and hugged him close to her. Max stood back for a moment, feeling the incredible wave of gratefulness that Liz felt for Michael. Michael had been her support for the entire time Max wasn’t there, and she didn’t know how she would have gotten through it without him.
Michael hugged her back awkwardly looking over her head at Max who stood back and watched them with a faint smile on his lips. Max moved forward and put his arms around both of them and they stood that way for several moments, sharing the joy of being together, of having survived something so horrific and coming out healthy and well.
“Michael what’s the pr…” Maria’s voice trailed off as she watched the three sharing an intense moment of togetherness. She averted her eyes, feeling like she was intruding on something private.
Michael reached out an arm and called her name. She touched his hand with hers and he pulled her in. Max and Michael both put an arm around Maria, including her in the circle of gratitude.
“Thank you,” Liz’s voice broke with emotion as she looked at her friends. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what would have even happened to me if you guys hadn’t been here to hold me together. I can’t say it enough. You two are the best friends we could ever have and I am so grateful you were there for me!”
“Liz! I’ve always got your back, you know that, right?” Maria reached across the circle and hugged her friend. Liz nodded with a trembling smile.
“I think you guys saved my life. I don’t know…” Liz leaned sideways into Max and drew comfort from his sure presence. Michael took Maria in his arms and hugged her, knowing that she was feeling left out a lot lately.
Maria pulled back after a moment. “We should get downstairs, the natives are getting restless and they sent me up to find out what was taking so long,” she reluctantly said. She wanted to bask in her feeling of inclusion for awhile longer, but she really needed to know what had happened in the desert and if they could stop worrying.
They trooped out the door and down the stairs.
They all shared hugs and looks of concern over the exhausted expressions on the teen’s faces. No one had slept well the night before and it had definitely taken a toll on everyone. Max gave Isabel a huge hug and a heartfelt thank you for all she had done to get him out of the cave and for backing him up when Tess had tried to kill him. If she hadn’t added her strength to his…
“You okay?” she asked with concern. The image of how she had last seen him haunted her still.
Max nodded. “You?” Isabel reassured him she had rested and was going to be fine.
Diane had a hard time letting Max go after Phillip had told her the state he was in when he found him. She touched his face and told him she loved him and was so proud of him for what he had done. Max’s face was filled with emotion at the realization that his parents would always love and support him.
“Liz is worried about her parents. Did they call last night?” Max voiced his top concern.
Diane nodded and touched Liz’s arm. “I called and told them that you stayed for dinner after you got done with work and that you fell asleep watching a movie with Isabel. They said that was okay. They don’t expect you back until about 9:30 tonight, because they think you get off work right after nine. You’ve only got about twenty minutes.” Diane’s eyes filled with sympathy when Max and Liz both whimpered and held each other tighter.
“We’ll think of something,” Max whispered for Liz’s ears alone. She took a deep breath and nodded against his chest.
“We better talk about what happened yesterday,” she said, pulling Max to sit on the lounge chair and making herself comfortable on his lap. Everyone else found seats on the couch and the floor.
Max filled them in on the events that occurred in the cave. They all gasped and asked questions he had no answer for when he told them of the alien device.
“I don’t know where she got it. It sent out this shock wave that I think would have killed us, except we were connected with the Granolith and it absorbed a lot of the blast. It attacked us inside, our alien side. Not like a bomb or anything I would have expected.” Max watched Isabel nod her head in agreement. It had been the same for her. “I think that’s what took us so long to come out of it. It inhibited our ability to heal ourselves while we were unconscious.”
“Wait a minute,” Michael interrupted. “Are your powers still affected? Is that why you two had to, uh,” he glance at all the others in the room, but really wanted to know, “…twice?” Michael almost winced when Liz’s face flushed hotly.
“How do you…?” Max shook his head, not really wanting the answer to that question. They would have to resign themselves to the fact that everyone already knew way too much about their sex lives. “No. I feel fine now. I think we just missed a feeding, so we had to make up for it.” Liz nodded her agreement, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
Max reached out to the arm of the chair and concentrated for a moment. The chair started to change to an ugly shade of puce. He changed it back before his Mom could freak out about his lack of decorating sense. Michael sat back, satisfied.
“I…I don’t remember seeing Tess’ body,” Max voiced his worst fear. He looked to Isabel.
Isabel shook her head. “I didn’t even look for her, I was too worried about you.” They turned to their father.
Phillip sighed and leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees. “I passed your Jeep on the road when I was heading out to the cave. I could see it wasn’t either of you driving. It was a short blonde. I’m sure now that it was her. She was veering all over the road, and I was so worried that she had done something to you that I kept going. I was stuck outside that cave all night, but I knew you still had to be in there, because I hadn’t seen you in the Jeep. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t leave you alone there in case she came back. I’m sorry,” he finished.
Isabel let out a low moan. She hadn’t yet considered that Tess had not been destroyed. Diane put an arm around her for comfort.
Max cradled Liz’s shuddering form into his arms. They were enveloped in the circle of each other’s emotions. Max shared that same fear and despair that it wasn’t just over, and that now it was a hundred times more dangerous for them because Tess was on to them. She was going to be looking for revenge. Max stiffened when he remembered Tess’ threat about never letting Liz see their son. That is never going to happen, he vowed silently to himself and Liz. Liz’s body shivered again as she shared the memory of Tess’ vow of revenge.
The phone rang shrilly in the hall and Diane rushed to answer it.
“Hello? Hi, Kyle. No, she’s not here, we haven’t seen her…Her stuff is all gone?” Diane flashed a desperate glance into the living room. What was she supposed to say about Tess? “His Jeep is parked at your house? I guess, maybe she borrowed it…No, Max and Isabel are both here. We’ll come pick up the Jeep in a little bit…Okay, yeah. Thanks for calling, Kyle. We’ll let you know if we see her. Bye.” Diane cradled the receiver and turned back to face the anxious faces in the living room.
“What?” Isabel questioned nervously, rubbing her damp palms down the legs of her slacks.
“Kyle said that he just woke up from a huge nap and that all of Tess’ things and her SUV are gone. He found Max’s Jeep parked outside their house and thought we might know what was going on.”
Michael and Max shared a stricken glance. She could be anywhere.
The phone rang again and Diane answered, somewhat out of breath from all the excitement.
“Hello?…Hi, Nancy,” she glanced back to Liz and watched her face pale. “She’s heading home right now. Yeah, she’ll be there soon…She’s doing really well, I don’t know what we’d do without her. Thank you so much for letting us hire her. We’ve been so busy and she’s been a wonderful help…All right, well, good night. We should get together for dinner soon…Okay, bye.” Diane put the phone down again.
Max was standing, holding onto Liz’s hand, balancing her weight against his side as she sagged against him. He watched his mother and started making plans.
“I’ll take you home in Mom’s car, and wait for you on your balcony. Spend a little time with your parents and then tell them you’re tired and need to get some rest since you have to be up early to tutor in the morning. They don’t check on you at night, do they?”
Liz shook her head, hope filling her eyes. She didn’t want to be away from Max anymore. “They stopped doing that when I started asking for more privacy last year. They respect it. And plus, they don’t ever wake up before seven, and I told them my tutoring starts at six thirty, so…they won’t be looking for me in the morning!”
“Michael could you and Maria come with us? We can pick up the Jeep and then you can drop Maria off at home before bringing it back here. You’ve got your motorcycle here right?” Max was pretty sure he had seen it, almost stumbled over it really, on his way to the house earlier.
“Yeah,” Michael answered.
“We’ll all go to school tomorrow and figure out what to do next, after we’ve rested. I think we need to bring in Kyle and Jim now that Tess isn’t living with them anymore, and Alex needs to know what happened too.” Everyone agreed.
Diane, Phillip, and Isabel watched from the doorway as the rest of the group pulled out of the driveway. It was strange to see them go, after all they had been through together, almost as if a part of them was leaving too. They closed the door and turned back into the living room, all wondering what was going to happen next.
TBC
EYA Part 43
Max stopped the Jeep and Michael and Maria hopped out. Max walked around the back of the vehicle digging in his pocket for the keys. Tess must have used her powers to start it earlier. Handing the keys to Michael while Maria got in on the passenger side of the Jeep, he leaned closer to ask softly, “Can Liz and I stop by your place before we head back? It’ll be in maybe an hour or so, so if that’s too late…” he stopped when he saw Michael agree right away.
“Naw, come on by. I’ll be awake anyway. There’s a lot to process.” Big understatement. Big.
“Good. Okay then, we’ll see you later.” Max leaned into the driver’s side window and said goodnight and thank you to Maria.
Max and Liz continued on to her house in his mother’s car, and they each continually watched the streets for any sign of Tess or her white SUV. Both were uncomfortable at the thought of Tess popping up just anywhere. Max couldn’t stand the thought of spending time away from Liz now that the danger was so ominous.
“I’ll meet you on your balcony whenever you’re ready.” Max gave her a quick kiss and watched her get safely in the front door before heading around back. By unspoken agreement they maintained a conscious connection so that he would know if she were in danger or afraid.
Climbing over the rail of her balcony, he circled the small area and prepared for a long wait. His eyes constantly scanned the street below and he listened for any strange noises. His paranoia caused him to go in at one point and walk through Liz’s room, checking under the bed, in the closet and bathroom. Satisfied, he went back out to the balcony. A few minutes later he heard Liz call out a good night to her parents and saw the light flick on in her bedroom.
She quickly opened the window and waved him in. They briefly tangled fingers in silence before she turned to stuff some clothes and overnight accessories into a bag to keep at the apartment. It looked like she would be spending a lot more time there from now on.
They quietly slipped down into the alley and climbed in the Jeep for the ride to Michael’s.
Knocking on Michael’s door softly, they were surprised when it opened almost immediately.
Michael waved them in. “Have a seat. I guess you want to talk about Tess, huh?” Michael sat on the chair and let them have the sofa.
“Well, actually we just wanted to say thanks…” Max looked at Liz. They had been patching memories from the night’s events together and had realized exactly what they had put Michael through.
“You already said that. Nothing that a friend wouldn’t do for another…” Michael was interrupted by Liz.
“Michael! No friend should be expected to strip down another friend so they could…you know…Especially after feeling so…hot and bothered yourself!” Liz exclaimed.
Michael flushed a dull red. So they remembered that, huh? Damn! “I…you needed to…Dammit! Your dad was too uncomfortable seeing you two that way, so he thought it’d be better if I…helped you out! No big deal,” he stuttered out. Except it was.
It was Liz’s turn to flush red, leaning her forehead against Max’s chest. “Your dad was in there?” This night keeps getting better and better, she thought sarcastically.
Max caught the thought and hugged her close. “He helped me into the room. I…don’t think…I mean, I’m pretty sure he didn’t stay long. Right?” Max turned pleading eyes to Michael, who immediately backed him up.
“Um, no. He just helped Max over to the bed and then asked if I could help you guys out. Which I did,” Michael added before he thought how that wasn’t going to help Liz’s embarrassment issues. Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“We aren’t trying to embarrass you or anything,” Max inserted, seeing how uncomfortable Michael was. Not only with the embarrassing subject matter, but with their gratitude. “We just want to make sure you know how grateful we are that we have a friend like you. And I want you to know that I felt better knowing you were there for Liz. I know how hard it is to resist the pull to be with her. I’m just really glad that you waited. I know you would have taken care of her if it had gone on any longer.”
“It was a really good thing you came back when you did. Maria had some bizarre idea involving a turkey baster…” Michael cut off his speech wishing he hadn’t shared that particular tidbit.
“A what?” Max furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and then smiled at Liz when she doubled over and burst out laughing at the image Michael had created. She laughed so hard she finally started snorting and Michael couldn’t help but chuckle a bit now that it was all over.
Liz gasped and tried to catch her breath. “A…a….,” laughter stopped her speech, “A turkey baster?! I swear! That’s too good…Oh, man! Only Maria would come up with something so…so…uniquely inspired!” Liz laughed again and fell to her side on the sofa.
Max and Michael exchanged amused looks and watched Liz until she calmed down somewhat.
“Um, I don’t mean to start this up again, but what the hell’s a turkey baster?” Max asked innocently. Liz almost rolled off the couch in a new fit of giggles and Michael rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair to wait it out.
“I’m sure Liz will explain it to you later, Max,” Michael told him dryly. Probably in excruciating detail, he added in his thoughts, No way they’ll let me hear the end of this one. He could see it all now when Thanksgiving rolled around…he shuddered. Never look at turkey the same way again!
Liz finally ceased her fit of laughter. It felt so good to be able to release her emotions in a good way for once! She looked over at Michael’s pensive face and felt a little sorry for the way he must feel right now.
“Michael, I’m…I didn’t mean to just go off like that,” she apologized. “I know what we’ve been through. I felt a connection with you when I didn’t feel like I could go on.”
Michael nodded, meeting her eyes. “I felt it too. What you were going through, you know…”
“Were you…did you feel it when…?” Liz hoped Michael knew what she was trying to say because she was having a hard time getting the words out. She had a feeling she already knew the answer, because she had felt him in their connection at the moment of completion. Had felt his swirling emotions and frustration loud and clear.
“Yeah, I did,” Michael gruffly answered her unspoken question.
“What?” Max asked in confusion. Liz stared at Max for a second, communicating silently, and his eyes widened briefly. “Ohhh!” He looked back at Michael. “I’m really sorry, Michael. I didn’t know that you would be connected to Liz like I am if we waited too long to consummate!” Max winced at the thought of how that must have felt for his friend to feel the outcome of the lovemaking without any relief for himself.
Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Don’t worry about it, man. I think that was a one time deal, because we were affected for so long, you know?”
Max nodded. “I hope so. I’m really sorry we’re putting you through all this.”
“Nothing we can do about it, Maxwell. Let’s drop it okay?” Michael asked in desperation. “Now what are we gonna do about the demon-bitch from hell?”
Liz’s eyes widened at the venom in Michael’s tone.
“We have to find her. I don’t know where she’d go. We’ll have to get together tomorrow and see what the gang thinks,” Max mused aloud.
“The problem is that she can make everyone see things that aren’t there. Well, everyone but me.” Liz thought about that for a second. “I could try to get a vibe off the Jeep. I think her emotions were probably running pretty strong, maybe she made plans while she drove away. I could maybe see where she was gonna go!” Liz was getting excited by the idea.
“That’s a great idea!” Michael exclaimed. “That new power of yours is going to come in very handy.” He turned to Max. “You never said if you got anything useful off of her when you had your little ‘session’ in your room yesterday.”
“I did learn some good stuff. A few ways to refine our powers, how to scan information instantly,” Max looked at Liz. It would be a good way to graduate early if they could memorize school texts in one sitting. “Also, she was planning to warp me yesterday to make me sleep with her. Her body was ready to conceive, and she wanted to use the Granolith to get back to Khivar. She was going to marry him and rule at his side. With my son to raise they would have been invincible. The seers foretold that he would have ‘the power of all’, that means that he will be strong in all of our gifts. He’ll be a formidable opponent. No one should be able to beat him.” Max smiled proudly at Liz.
Liz shivered, wishing their son didn’t have to have such a strife-filled future.
Max noticed how tense she was and got up to leave. “We should go. Liz is still tired from everything, and we all need our rest.” Max moved over and surprised Michael with an unexpected hug. “Thanks again, man. You’re the best friend a guy could have.”
Michael shrugged self-consciously and stepped back only to be hugged again by Liz. “Thank you, Michael. For everything,” she whispered quietly. Her eyes reminding him that she knew all he had gone through and had been willing to do for her.
Michael closed the door behind them and sighed. He was mortified that they knew what had happened, but at the same time he was gratified that they appreciated his sacrifices. He raked his hands through his shaggy hair and decided to hit the shower.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Liz hopped out of Diane’s car as soon as they parked in the driveway and rushed over to where Michael had left the Jeep when he came back to retrieve his motorcycle earlier. She hovered close to it, but hesitated to touch it until Max joined her.
“Are you sure you want to do this tonight?” Max questioned her. “We could wait for the morning if you’re too tired right now,” he added.
Liz shook her head and reached for the door handle resolutely. “No. I need to know if she’s planning something. We can’t be looking over our shoulders all the time. What if she’s coming for you or Isabel tonight? We have to find out what we can.” Liz opened the door and quickly slid into the seat that Tess had occupied in her wild ride back to the Valenti’s.
She was having a hard time breathing. Damn Max Evans for trying to get the best of her! She started the car after an interminably long time trying to muster her strength to use a faint spark of the power she was normally capable of. Her breathing was erratic and she was covered in burns. The pain was excruciating, it had felt like her skin was still melting off of her. Damn! He wouldn’t get away with this! It was going to take her months to use her limited healing skills to fix this!
The car jerked to a start and she drove erratically toward the road. Plan! Plan! She tried to think what to do. No way she could do anything right now. Not for months. She needed to find someplace far away and get strong again before she could even think about coming back. That bitch Liz Parker was going to pay with her son for what Max and Isabel had done to her. She smirked. What would little Liz Parker do when she found out her boyfriend was dead? Tess laughed out loud, sorry she would miss the show. She immediately winced in pain as the laugh pulled the burned skin on her face and caused excruciating bolts of pain to pierce her flesh. The wince caused more agony and she clamped down on her urge to howl and scream out loud.
Where would she go? She thought of several places that she and Nacedo had lived in the past and rejected each one. She braked to an abrupt stop in front of the Valenti home and took a deep breath. She needed enough power to warp Kyle and Jim into a deep sleep long enough to get her stuff and get out. It wouldn’t be subtle or elegant, but she should be able to muster enough to knock them out. She slammed the door of the Jeep closed after she stumbled out of it, still thinking where she could go...and plotting her revenge for when she was well enough to come back for Liz and her bastard.
Liz gasped for breath and refocused her eyes. Max clenched his fingers over the shoulder he had been holding to support her and they just stared at each other. Tess was crazy with lust for revenge. The only good thing was that she was weak right now and wouldn’t come back for months, but when she did come back she’d be strong and pissed.
“She thinks you’re dead,” Liz’s voice was husky with emotion. “She thinks she killed you and Isabel.”
“The less she knows the better. She won’t be prepared for us. That gives us an advantage, and we have months to plan a new attack.” Max helped Liz out of the car and led her around back to their apartment.
TBC
Max stopped the Jeep and Michael and Maria hopped out. Max walked around the back of the vehicle digging in his pocket for the keys. Tess must have used her powers to start it earlier. Handing the keys to Michael while Maria got in on the passenger side of the Jeep, he leaned closer to ask softly, “Can Liz and I stop by your place before we head back? It’ll be in maybe an hour or so, so if that’s too late…” he stopped when he saw Michael agree right away.
“Naw, come on by. I’ll be awake anyway. There’s a lot to process.” Big understatement. Big.
“Good. Okay then, we’ll see you later.” Max leaned into the driver’s side window and said goodnight and thank you to Maria.
Max and Liz continued on to her house in his mother’s car, and they each continually watched the streets for any sign of Tess or her white SUV. Both were uncomfortable at the thought of Tess popping up just anywhere. Max couldn’t stand the thought of spending time away from Liz now that the danger was so ominous.
“I’ll meet you on your balcony whenever you’re ready.” Max gave her a quick kiss and watched her get safely in the front door before heading around back. By unspoken agreement they maintained a conscious connection so that he would know if she were in danger or afraid.
Climbing over the rail of her balcony, he circled the small area and prepared for a long wait. His eyes constantly scanned the street below and he listened for any strange noises. His paranoia caused him to go in at one point and walk through Liz’s room, checking under the bed, in the closet and bathroom. Satisfied, he went back out to the balcony. A few minutes later he heard Liz call out a good night to her parents and saw the light flick on in her bedroom.
She quickly opened the window and waved him in. They briefly tangled fingers in silence before she turned to stuff some clothes and overnight accessories into a bag to keep at the apartment. It looked like she would be spending a lot more time there from now on.
They quietly slipped down into the alley and climbed in the Jeep for the ride to Michael’s.
Knocking on Michael’s door softly, they were surprised when it opened almost immediately.
Michael waved them in. “Have a seat. I guess you want to talk about Tess, huh?” Michael sat on the chair and let them have the sofa.
“Well, actually we just wanted to say thanks…” Max looked at Liz. They had been patching memories from the night’s events together and had realized exactly what they had put Michael through.
“You already said that. Nothing that a friend wouldn’t do for another…” Michael was interrupted by Liz.
“Michael! No friend should be expected to strip down another friend so they could…you know…Especially after feeling so…hot and bothered yourself!” Liz exclaimed.
Michael flushed a dull red. So they remembered that, huh? Damn! “I…you needed to…Dammit! Your dad was too uncomfortable seeing you two that way, so he thought it’d be better if I…helped you out! No big deal,” he stuttered out. Except it was.
It was Liz’s turn to flush red, leaning her forehead against Max’s chest. “Your dad was in there?” This night keeps getting better and better, she thought sarcastically.
Max caught the thought and hugged her close. “He helped me into the room. I…don’t think…I mean, I’m pretty sure he didn’t stay long. Right?” Max turned pleading eyes to Michael, who immediately backed him up.
“Um, no. He just helped Max over to the bed and then asked if I could help you guys out. Which I did,” Michael added before he thought how that wasn’t going to help Liz’s embarrassment issues. Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“We aren’t trying to embarrass you or anything,” Max inserted, seeing how uncomfortable Michael was. Not only with the embarrassing subject matter, but with their gratitude. “We just want to make sure you know how grateful we are that we have a friend like you. And I want you to know that I felt better knowing you were there for Liz. I know how hard it is to resist the pull to be with her. I’m just really glad that you waited. I know you would have taken care of her if it had gone on any longer.”
“It was a really good thing you came back when you did. Maria had some bizarre idea involving a turkey baster…” Michael cut off his speech wishing he hadn’t shared that particular tidbit.
“A what?” Max furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and then smiled at Liz when she doubled over and burst out laughing at the image Michael had created. She laughed so hard she finally started snorting and Michael couldn’t help but chuckle a bit now that it was all over.
Liz gasped and tried to catch her breath. “A…a….,” laughter stopped her speech, “A turkey baster?! I swear! That’s too good…Oh, man! Only Maria would come up with something so…so…uniquely inspired!” Liz laughed again and fell to her side on the sofa.
Max and Michael exchanged amused looks and watched Liz until she calmed down somewhat.
“Um, I don’t mean to start this up again, but what the hell’s a turkey baster?” Max asked innocently. Liz almost rolled off the couch in a new fit of giggles and Michael rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair to wait it out.
“I’m sure Liz will explain it to you later, Max,” Michael told him dryly. Probably in excruciating detail, he added in his thoughts, No way they’ll let me hear the end of this one. He could see it all now when Thanksgiving rolled around…he shuddered. Never look at turkey the same way again!
Liz finally ceased her fit of laughter. It felt so good to be able to release her emotions in a good way for once! She looked over at Michael’s pensive face and felt a little sorry for the way he must feel right now.
“Michael, I’m…I didn’t mean to just go off like that,” she apologized. “I know what we’ve been through. I felt a connection with you when I didn’t feel like I could go on.”
Michael nodded, meeting her eyes. “I felt it too. What you were going through, you know…”
“Were you…did you feel it when…?” Liz hoped Michael knew what she was trying to say because she was having a hard time getting the words out. She had a feeling she already knew the answer, because she had felt him in their connection at the moment of completion. Had felt his swirling emotions and frustration loud and clear.
“Yeah, I did,” Michael gruffly answered her unspoken question.
“What?” Max asked in confusion. Liz stared at Max for a second, communicating silently, and his eyes widened briefly. “Ohhh!” He looked back at Michael. “I’m really sorry, Michael. I didn’t know that you would be connected to Liz like I am if we waited too long to consummate!” Max winced at the thought of how that must have felt for his friend to feel the outcome of the lovemaking without any relief for himself.
Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Don’t worry about it, man. I think that was a one time deal, because we were affected for so long, you know?”
Max nodded. “I hope so. I’m really sorry we’re putting you through all this.”
“Nothing we can do about it, Maxwell. Let’s drop it okay?” Michael asked in desperation. “Now what are we gonna do about the demon-bitch from hell?”
Liz’s eyes widened at the venom in Michael’s tone.
“We have to find her. I don’t know where she’d go. We’ll have to get together tomorrow and see what the gang thinks,” Max mused aloud.
“The problem is that she can make everyone see things that aren’t there. Well, everyone but me.” Liz thought about that for a second. “I could try to get a vibe off the Jeep. I think her emotions were probably running pretty strong, maybe she made plans while she drove away. I could maybe see where she was gonna go!” Liz was getting excited by the idea.
“That’s a great idea!” Michael exclaimed. “That new power of yours is going to come in very handy.” He turned to Max. “You never said if you got anything useful off of her when you had your little ‘session’ in your room yesterday.”
“I did learn some good stuff. A few ways to refine our powers, how to scan information instantly,” Max looked at Liz. It would be a good way to graduate early if they could memorize school texts in one sitting. “Also, she was planning to warp me yesterday to make me sleep with her. Her body was ready to conceive, and she wanted to use the Granolith to get back to Khivar. She was going to marry him and rule at his side. With my son to raise they would have been invincible. The seers foretold that he would have ‘the power of all’, that means that he will be strong in all of our gifts. He’ll be a formidable opponent. No one should be able to beat him.” Max smiled proudly at Liz.
Liz shivered, wishing their son didn’t have to have such a strife-filled future.
Max noticed how tense she was and got up to leave. “We should go. Liz is still tired from everything, and we all need our rest.” Max moved over and surprised Michael with an unexpected hug. “Thanks again, man. You’re the best friend a guy could have.”
Michael shrugged self-consciously and stepped back only to be hugged again by Liz. “Thank you, Michael. For everything,” she whispered quietly. Her eyes reminding him that she knew all he had gone through and had been willing to do for her.
Michael closed the door behind them and sighed. He was mortified that they knew what had happened, but at the same time he was gratified that they appreciated his sacrifices. He raked his hands through his shaggy hair and decided to hit the shower.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Liz hopped out of Diane’s car as soon as they parked in the driveway and rushed over to where Michael had left the Jeep when he came back to retrieve his motorcycle earlier. She hovered close to it, but hesitated to touch it until Max joined her.
“Are you sure you want to do this tonight?” Max questioned her. “We could wait for the morning if you’re too tired right now,” he added.
Liz shook her head and reached for the door handle resolutely. “No. I need to know if she’s planning something. We can’t be looking over our shoulders all the time. What if she’s coming for you or Isabel tonight? We have to find out what we can.” Liz opened the door and quickly slid into the seat that Tess had occupied in her wild ride back to the Valenti’s.
She was having a hard time breathing. Damn Max Evans for trying to get the best of her! She started the car after an interminably long time trying to muster her strength to use a faint spark of the power she was normally capable of. Her breathing was erratic and she was covered in burns. The pain was excruciating, it had felt like her skin was still melting off of her. Damn! He wouldn’t get away with this! It was going to take her months to use her limited healing skills to fix this!
The car jerked to a start and she drove erratically toward the road. Plan! Plan! She tried to think what to do. No way she could do anything right now. Not for months. She needed to find someplace far away and get strong again before she could even think about coming back. That bitch Liz Parker was going to pay with her son for what Max and Isabel had done to her. She smirked. What would little Liz Parker do when she found out her boyfriend was dead? Tess laughed out loud, sorry she would miss the show. She immediately winced in pain as the laugh pulled the burned skin on her face and caused excruciating bolts of pain to pierce her flesh. The wince caused more agony and she clamped down on her urge to howl and scream out loud.
Where would she go? She thought of several places that she and Nacedo had lived in the past and rejected each one. She braked to an abrupt stop in front of the Valenti home and took a deep breath. She needed enough power to warp Kyle and Jim into a deep sleep long enough to get her stuff and get out. It wouldn’t be subtle or elegant, but she should be able to muster enough to knock them out. She slammed the door of the Jeep closed after she stumbled out of it, still thinking where she could go...and plotting her revenge for when she was well enough to come back for Liz and her bastard.
Liz gasped for breath and refocused her eyes. Max clenched his fingers over the shoulder he had been holding to support her and they just stared at each other. Tess was crazy with lust for revenge. The only good thing was that she was weak right now and wouldn’t come back for months, but when she did come back she’d be strong and pissed.
“She thinks you’re dead,” Liz’s voice was husky with emotion. “She thinks she killed you and Isabel.”
“The less she knows the better. She won’t be prepared for us. That gives us an advantage, and we have months to plan a new attack.” Max helped Liz out of the car and led her around back to their apartment.
TBC
EYA Part 44
Liz woke in Max’s arms on Wednesday morning and stretched luxuriously, being careful not to disturb him. She leaned up on her elbow and watched him breathe for a while, loving the calm, innocent expression that only sleep could instill. She knew that sleeping in her arms was the only way that Max could remain undisturbed by nightmares throughout the night, and while she prayed that one day he would be healed enough from his emotional scars to sleep peacefully without her, she was more than willing to volunteer her services until that time. She sighed softly. Nothing would ever be easy for them, not even sleep. It was the story of their young lives so far; when they were together they were stronger. Whole.
The realization washed over her again that they would have to tell her parents what was going on with them. Soon. She could no longer bear the thought of sleeping without Max’s comforting arms around her every night. Just a taste of what life without Max would be like had almost killed her the day before. The thought of her parent’s undoubtedly negative reaction to her news forced her to close her eyes to hold back the tears. She barely had her mother back as it was and this bombshell was going to tear a gigantic hole in their relationship.
Liz jumped in surprise when she felt Max’s warm fingers caress her smooth skin.
“Hey,” he whispered huskily, blinking to focus his warm amber eyes on her.
“Hey,” she answered back with a special smile just for him. Yep. It’s heaven to wake up to those eyes.
“I agree,” he answered her thought. He used his hand to lower her face to his for a brief good-morning kiss. Liz sighed and deepened the connection, noticing how Max always got rid of morning breath for both of them without even mentioning it. Very handy.
I try, he answered with a grin.
Liz smiled through the kiss and allowed her body to mould to his his. Time to feed the baby.
Oh yeah!
One hour later…more or less. Or, really just more…
“What else did you get off the Jeep?” Isabel questioned as they all sat around the breakfast table.
“That was about everything,” Liz answered, looking to Max for confirmation. Max nodded.
“We need to talk to the Valenti’s today and see if they’ll let Liz into the house to see if we can find out anything else,” Max stated, watching Liz for a reaction.
She nodded thoughtfully. “I want to try the Jeep again too,” she added, “I don’t know why I only got visions of what she was doing while she was in the Jeep. When I touched her scarf before I got future visions, but that didn’t happen last night.”
“Psychometry,” Isabel nodded knowingly. She caught the blank looks around the table and decided to elaborate. “Psychometry is the ability to get impressions that are stored in objects. It’s just another facet of ‘the sight’. Make sense?”
Liz nodded thoughtfully again. “I wonder if I can control whether a vision just stops in the present, or if I can make it continue into the future.”
“We’ll play with that after school today,” Max decided. It felt so strange to be in the middle of all this drama and still have to sit through interminable high school classes. Very strange.
Liz’s eyes sparkled and she nodded at him. “I know!” she agreed out loud.
“Know what?” Diane questioned curiously, watching the silent interaction between her son and his wife.
“Oh! Sorry about that. Max was just thinking how strange it is that we’re sitting here plotting an alien search and destroy mission and we still have to wait till we get out of classes to get started,” Liz enlightened them.
Phillip’s eyebrows rose almost to his hairline. “You kids read minds?” he asked in astonishment.
Max quickly reassured them. “Only each other.”
“Only…Have you always?” He thought how long the kids had known each other and how quickly they’d seemed to bond.
“Um…No, not really. Only since we…” Max turned pleading eyes to Liz.
“Bonded,” she finished for him quickly. Whoa! Time to change the subject!
Diane sensed a rescue was in order and stepped in. “I’ve been looking up New Mexico’s statutes on underage marriage. It took a little digging, but I found that statute 40-1-6 states,” she pulled out a little notebook to read, “ ‘Section B; The children’s or family court division of the district court may authorize the marriage of persons under the ages stated in subsection A of this section in settlement proceedings to compel support and establish parentage, or where the female is under the age of consent and is pregnant, if the marriage would not be incestuous.’” Diane looked up triumphantly. She was met with blank stares. “It means that Liz’s parents can’t stop the marriage. If they don’t agree to give notarized, written consent then you two can appeal to family court and they will grant you leave to marry in New Mexico because Liz is pregnant.”
“Oh my…,” Liz leaned out of her chair to give Diane a grateful hug. “Thank you so much! I’ve been so worried about my parent’s reaction. What if they don’t give their consent, you know? Now they can’t stop us anyway!”
“That is so great, Mom,” Max chimed in, so obviously happy that they had one less thing to worry about. There was no way he’d be parted from Liz!
“Yeah, well when you told us that Liz was pregnant that sort of changed the picture. I had visions of statutory rape charges coming up after Max turns eighteen tomorrow. Liz, your birthday isn’t until October is it?” Diane questioned.
Liz’s face had gone pale. Statutory rape? The thought had never even occurred to her. Max would never force himself on her! Max squeezed her thigh under the table, acknowledging her fear.
“Um, yeah. October,” she finally remembered to answer the question. She turned to Max. “When are we going to tell them? I don’t think they’re ready for the whole truth yet, and if we tell them now they might wonder why I don’t start really showing until I’m eight months pregnant and why the baby took ten months to get here.” This concern had been eating her all night since she realized that she needed to tell her parents.
Max thought for a moment before Isabel interjected. “Would a pregnancy test come out positive?”
Liz and Max exchanged blank looks. “I don’t know,” Liz answered. “Maybe we can pick one up after school and find out. I think it would though, our bodies are human and I can’t imagine there’d be anything different about my hcg levels.”
“Good. All you’d have to do was show them a test. Once you move over here for good they won’t see you every day to notice much. You won’t be expected to really show much until your fifth or sixth month, and by then you may want to tell them everything anyway,” Isabel finished.
“Thanks, Isabel,” Max answered for both of them. This might actually work!
“I’ll pick up the test,” Diane added, looking at the kids. She saw the relief in their expressions. Roswell was a small town, and news of Max Evans and Liz Parker strolling in to purchase a pregnancy test would be a hot topic all over town before the dinner hour. “When do you want to talk with your parents, Liz?”
Liz looked at Max and he enfolded her small hand in his large one. Diane could see the silent communication flowing between them. Finally they both nodded and turned to answer Diane.
“Tonight. We’ll go to school, I’ll come back and take the test, we’ll head over to the Valenti’s and find out what we can about Tess, and then we’ll go over to my parent’s place,” Liz finished. Wow! It’s ‘my parent’s place’ now. It doesn’t really feel like my home is anywhere but with Max anymore.
Diane nodded. A very full day. Not the life of a typical teen! She stood and began clearing the table and Liz jumped up to help her.
“Thanks, Liz.” Diane watched the girl industriously move through the kitchen, obviously used to household chores. “I thought we’d postpone your starting date until sometime next week if things calm down by then. What do you think?”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been any help to you yet!” Liz apologized. “I really am excited to start my new job.”
“I know you are, honey. We’ve got lots of time to get you trained, and you’ve had a lot of things happen in a short period of time.” They finished the dishes in companionable silence and the kids piled in the Jeep to head for school.
West Roswell High
Max took Liz’s hand in his and walked boldly through the halls of the school. Man, it feels good to make our love known!, he thought with a bubble of happiness at the stares and whispers that floated around them.
I know what you mean! Liz’s happy thought joined his. The kids from school were already wildly speculating about their renewed couple status. Liz had gained quite a reputation after the ‘Kyle incident’ a while back and they were amazed that Max would be seen with her again.
“Hey,” Michael greeted from where he was leaning against Liz’s locker. He raised his eyebrows at Max’s possessive hold on Liz. “You can probably let her go now. I doubt she’ll try to run away and she might need that hand later.” Max reluctantly released Liz’s hand so she could open her locker.
“Did you find anything out last night from the Jeep?” Michael got right to the point. Maria walked up just in time to hear his question and he tucked her under his arm and waited for their answer.
“Yeah, we did. We’re going to try a few things later and also check out the Valenti house if they let us,” Max answered.
“What are we letting you do?” Kyle interrupted unexpectedly. “Are you guys trying to find Tess? My Dad and I were out looking all night, but he doesn’t want an official search yet just in case she’s on some kind of ‘alien’ mission.”
“Kyle!” Liz greeted in surprise. “Yeah, we do need to find Tess. We have a lot to tell you. Do you think we could all come over after school and tell you and your dad about what’s been going on for the last week?”
“Um, sure I guess. I’ll find out when Dad’ll be home and let you know,” Kyle responded. “Do you know why she’s gone? Is she okay?” His concern was reflected in the tone of his voice and his anxious posture.
“She left on her own, Kyle, and we’ll tell you why at your house later,” Max tried to avert any further questions. “Call over to my house and let us know what time okay?”
Kyle nodded. Isabel took pity on him and linked her arm with his and led him away, trying to ease his mind with lighter subjects.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Alex joined the group, turning to watch Isabel walk down the hall arm-in-arm with Kyle.
Maria grabbed his arm and steered him down the hall in the other direction. “You’re not going to believe what happened last night!” she exclaimed and proceeded to fill him in hushed tones as she led him down the hall.
“Later, guys!” Michael took off for his first class.
Max turned to Liz and they linked hands again. He walked her to her first period class and cat-calls and whistles rang out as he bestowed a passionate kiss, just in case there was still any question from the student body that they didn’t belong to each other.
“What have I always told you? She’s a slut,” Pam Troy sneered cattily, just loud enough for them to hear as she swept past with a group of her friends.
Max’s entire body stiffened and he pulled away from Liz as he automatically turned to deal with the slandering bitch.
“Max! She’s not worth it!” She pulled him around to face her again, showing him that she wasn’t concerned about Pam’s snide comments. “She’s always ragging on me! It’s no big deal.”
“She doesn’t have the right to say things about you…about us!” he ground out in anger.
“Please, Max. Just let it go. She doesn’t know anything about us. Let it go for me, okay?” Liz’s fingers felt the tension drain out of Max’s forearm as he took deep breaths and looked into her eyes.
“Okay, but if she says anything again…” Max let the threat trail off at the look in Liz’s eyes. “Fine! I’ll drop it.” Liz smiled her approval and pulled him down for one final kiss before turning to her class.
They had bigger fish to fry today.
TBC
Liz woke in Max’s arms on Wednesday morning and stretched luxuriously, being careful not to disturb him. She leaned up on her elbow and watched him breathe for a while, loving the calm, innocent expression that only sleep could instill. She knew that sleeping in her arms was the only way that Max could remain undisturbed by nightmares throughout the night, and while she prayed that one day he would be healed enough from his emotional scars to sleep peacefully without her, she was more than willing to volunteer her services until that time. She sighed softly. Nothing would ever be easy for them, not even sleep. It was the story of their young lives so far; when they were together they were stronger. Whole.
The realization washed over her again that they would have to tell her parents what was going on with them. Soon. She could no longer bear the thought of sleeping without Max’s comforting arms around her every night. Just a taste of what life without Max would be like had almost killed her the day before. The thought of her parent’s undoubtedly negative reaction to her news forced her to close her eyes to hold back the tears. She barely had her mother back as it was and this bombshell was going to tear a gigantic hole in their relationship.
Liz jumped in surprise when she felt Max’s warm fingers caress her smooth skin.
“Hey,” he whispered huskily, blinking to focus his warm amber eyes on her.
“Hey,” she answered back with a special smile just for him. Yep. It’s heaven to wake up to those eyes.
“I agree,” he answered her thought. He used his hand to lower her face to his for a brief good-morning kiss. Liz sighed and deepened the connection, noticing how Max always got rid of morning breath for both of them without even mentioning it. Very handy.
I try, he answered with a grin.
Liz smiled through the kiss and allowed her body to mould to his his. Time to feed the baby.
Oh yeah!
One hour later…more or less. Or, really just more…
“What else did you get off the Jeep?” Isabel questioned as they all sat around the breakfast table.
“That was about everything,” Liz answered, looking to Max for confirmation. Max nodded.
“We need to talk to the Valenti’s today and see if they’ll let Liz into the house to see if we can find out anything else,” Max stated, watching Liz for a reaction.
She nodded thoughtfully. “I want to try the Jeep again too,” she added, “I don’t know why I only got visions of what she was doing while she was in the Jeep. When I touched her scarf before I got future visions, but that didn’t happen last night.”
“Psychometry,” Isabel nodded knowingly. She caught the blank looks around the table and decided to elaborate. “Psychometry is the ability to get impressions that are stored in objects. It’s just another facet of ‘the sight’. Make sense?”
Liz nodded thoughtfully again. “I wonder if I can control whether a vision just stops in the present, or if I can make it continue into the future.”
“We’ll play with that after school today,” Max decided. It felt so strange to be in the middle of all this drama and still have to sit through interminable high school classes. Very strange.
Liz’s eyes sparkled and she nodded at him. “I know!” she agreed out loud.
“Know what?” Diane questioned curiously, watching the silent interaction between her son and his wife.
“Oh! Sorry about that. Max was just thinking how strange it is that we’re sitting here plotting an alien search and destroy mission and we still have to wait till we get out of classes to get started,” Liz enlightened them.
Phillip’s eyebrows rose almost to his hairline. “You kids read minds?” he asked in astonishment.
Max quickly reassured them. “Only each other.”
“Only…Have you always?” He thought how long the kids had known each other and how quickly they’d seemed to bond.
“Um…No, not really. Only since we…” Max turned pleading eyes to Liz.
“Bonded,” she finished for him quickly. Whoa! Time to change the subject!
Diane sensed a rescue was in order and stepped in. “I’ve been looking up New Mexico’s statutes on underage marriage. It took a little digging, but I found that statute 40-1-6 states,” she pulled out a little notebook to read, “ ‘Section B; The children’s or family court division of the district court may authorize the marriage of persons under the ages stated in subsection A of this section in settlement proceedings to compel support and establish parentage, or where the female is under the age of consent and is pregnant, if the marriage would not be incestuous.’” Diane looked up triumphantly. She was met with blank stares. “It means that Liz’s parents can’t stop the marriage. If they don’t agree to give notarized, written consent then you two can appeal to family court and they will grant you leave to marry in New Mexico because Liz is pregnant.”
“Oh my…,” Liz leaned out of her chair to give Diane a grateful hug. “Thank you so much! I’ve been so worried about my parent’s reaction. What if they don’t give their consent, you know? Now they can’t stop us anyway!”
“That is so great, Mom,” Max chimed in, so obviously happy that they had one less thing to worry about. There was no way he’d be parted from Liz!
“Yeah, well when you told us that Liz was pregnant that sort of changed the picture. I had visions of statutory rape charges coming up after Max turns eighteen tomorrow. Liz, your birthday isn’t until October is it?” Diane questioned.
Liz’s face had gone pale. Statutory rape? The thought had never even occurred to her. Max would never force himself on her! Max squeezed her thigh under the table, acknowledging her fear.
“Um, yeah. October,” she finally remembered to answer the question. She turned to Max. “When are we going to tell them? I don’t think they’re ready for the whole truth yet, and if we tell them now they might wonder why I don’t start really showing until I’m eight months pregnant and why the baby took ten months to get here.” This concern had been eating her all night since she realized that she needed to tell her parents.
Max thought for a moment before Isabel interjected. “Would a pregnancy test come out positive?”
Liz and Max exchanged blank looks. “I don’t know,” Liz answered. “Maybe we can pick one up after school and find out. I think it would though, our bodies are human and I can’t imagine there’d be anything different about my hcg levels.”
“Good. All you’d have to do was show them a test. Once you move over here for good they won’t see you every day to notice much. You won’t be expected to really show much until your fifth or sixth month, and by then you may want to tell them everything anyway,” Isabel finished.
“Thanks, Isabel,” Max answered for both of them. This might actually work!
“I’ll pick up the test,” Diane added, looking at the kids. She saw the relief in their expressions. Roswell was a small town, and news of Max Evans and Liz Parker strolling in to purchase a pregnancy test would be a hot topic all over town before the dinner hour. “When do you want to talk with your parents, Liz?”
Liz looked at Max and he enfolded her small hand in his large one. Diane could see the silent communication flowing between them. Finally they both nodded and turned to answer Diane.
“Tonight. We’ll go to school, I’ll come back and take the test, we’ll head over to the Valenti’s and find out what we can about Tess, and then we’ll go over to my parent’s place,” Liz finished. Wow! It’s ‘my parent’s place’ now. It doesn’t really feel like my home is anywhere but with Max anymore.
Diane nodded. A very full day. Not the life of a typical teen! She stood and began clearing the table and Liz jumped up to help her.
“Thanks, Liz.” Diane watched the girl industriously move through the kitchen, obviously used to household chores. “I thought we’d postpone your starting date until sometime next week if things calm down by then. What do you think?”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been any help to you yet!” Liz apologized. “I really am excited to start my new job.”
“I know you are, honey. We’ve got lots of time to get you trained, and you’ve had a lot of things happen in a short period of time.” They finished the dishes in companionable silence and the kids piled in the Jeep to head for school.
West Roswell High
Max took Liz’s hand in his and walked boldly through the halls of the school. Man, it feels good to make our love known!, he thought with a bubble of happiness at the stares and whispers that floated around them.
I know what you mean! Liz’s happy thought joined his. The kids from school were already wildly speculating about their renewed couple status. Liz had gained quite a reputation after the ‘Kyle incident’ a while back and they were amazed that Max would be seen with her again.
“Hey,” Michael greeted from where he was leaning against Liz’s locker. He raised his eyebrows at Max’s possessive hold on Liz. “You can probably let her go now. I doubt she’ll try to run away and she might need that hand later.” Max reluctantly released Liz’s hand so she could open her locker.
“Did you find anything out last night from the Jeep?” Michael got right to the point. Maria walked up just in time to hear his question and he tucked her under his arm and waited for their answer.
“Yeah, we did. We’re going to try a few things later and also check out the Valenti house if they let us,” Max answered.
“What are we letting you do?” Kyle interrupted unexpectedly. “Are you guys trying to find Tess? My Dad and I were out looking all night, but he doesn’t want an official search yet just in case she’s on some kind of ‘alien’ mission.”
“Kyle!” Liz greeted in surprise. “Yeah, we do need to find Tess. We have a lot to tell you. Do you think we could all come over after school and tell you and your dad about what’s been going on for the last week?”
“Um, sure I guess. I’ll find out when Dad’ll be home and let you know,” Kyle responded. “Do you know why she’s gone? Is she okay?” His concern was reflected in the tone of his voice and his anxious posture.
“She left on her own, Kyle, and we’ll tell you why at your house later,” Max tried to avert any further questions. “Call over to my house and let us know what time okay?”
Kyle nodded. Isabel took pity on him and linked her arm with his and led him away, trying to ease his mind with lighter subjects.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Alex joined the group, turning to watch Isabel walk down the hall arm-in-arm with Kyle.
Maria grabbed his arm and steered him down the hall in the other direction. “You’re not going to believe what happened last night!” she exclaimed and proceeded to fill him in hushed tones as she led him down the hall.
“Later, guys!” Michael took off for his first class.
Max turned to Liz and they linked hands again. He walked her to her first period class and cat-calls and whistles rang out as he bestowed a passionate kiss, just in case there was still any question from the student body that they didn’t belong to each other.
“What have I always told you? She’s a slut,” Pam Troy sneered cattily, just loud enough for them to hear as she swept past with a group of her friends.
Max’s entire body stiffened and he pulled away from Liz as he automatically turned to deal with the slandering bitch.
“Max! She’s not worth it!” She pulled him around to face her again, showing him that she wasn’t concerned about Pam’s snide comments. “She’s always ragging on me! It’s no big deal.”
“She doesn’t have the right to say things about you…about us!” he ground out in anger.
“Please, Max. Just let it go. She doesn’t know anything about us. Let it go for me, okay?” Liz’s fingers felt the tension drain out of Max’s forearm as he took deep breaths and looked into her eyes.
“Okay, but if she says anything again…” Max let the threat trail off at the look in Liz’s eyes. “Fine! I’ll drop it.” Liz smiled her approval and pulled him down for one final kiss before turning to her class.
They had bigger fish to fry today.
TBC
EYA Part 45
Liz replaced the plastic cap back over the end of the white stick she had just peed on and walked out of the bathroom with it. Max scooted over on the couch and Liz carefully set down the pregnancy test on the coffee table and sat beside him. They both leaned over it to watch for the results.
“The test said five minutes,” Liz said, not taking her eyes off the small plastic wand.
“Uh huh,” Max responded, equally as mesmerized by the little stick.
Isabel walked over and leaned over the back of the couch to watch as well. Slowly the first line appeared, turning pink. Max’s eyes bounced up to meet Liz’s curiously.
“Is that it?”
“No, that one means the test is working. We have to wait for this one,” Liz pointed to the second window. Max nodded and resumed his watch. They each held their breath and slowly a faint line began to appear in the second test window. It got darker and darker until there was no question about the test result. Max whooped out loud and hugged Liz.
“Max! It’s not like you didn’t already know we were pregnant!” Liz exclaimed. Max smiled down into her upturned face and gave her a quick kiss.
“Like the entire house doesn’t know that you’re pregnant!” Isabel snorted, thinking of the noise levels in the house over the past week until they got their own place.
“I know, I know! I just like seeing the proof, you know? Plus this will make it easier to explain to your parents. We can show them the test in case they think we’re making it up or something.” Max was absurdly proud that the stick had turned pink.
“You are too cute.” Liz kissed him again.
“Ugh! You guys! I’m right here you know!” Isabel stood back up from her leaning position against the couch and stalked into the kitchen area to get juice.
A tentative knock sounded on the door and Isabel went to answer it, holding her filled cup.
“Kyle! What are you doing here?” Isabel questioned in surprise, stepping back to let him in.
“Way to make me feel welcome, Isabel!” Kyle answered as he scooted past her into the apartment, grabbing her cup and taking a large gulp before handing it back to her. Isabel grimaced and got herself another cup.
“Your mom said you’ve got your own place now, Max,” Kyle looked around the room appreciatively, thinking how great it would be to have privacy like that.
“Um, yeah. We moved in yesterday,” Max answered slowly, putting his arm around Liz.
“We?” Kyle stopped his tour of the place and turned questioning eyes to Max.
“Yeah. Me and Liz.” Max knew that would shock Kyle.
“What? How did you two work that one with your parents? I can’t believe they’d just sit back and let you two move in together.” Kyle moved to sit in the chair across the coffee table from them and leaned forward earnestly. “Wait a minute! I didn’t even know you two were back together!” The wheels were turning in Kyle’s head and something clicked. “This is why Tess ran away isn’t it?” He leaned forward even more until he was barely perched on the chair.
Max locked eyes with Liz.
“Partially,” Liz answered honestly. “We’d really like to tell you and your dad the whole story at the same time, if that’s okay? Is that why you came over? To tell us what time your dad gets off work?”
“Yeah, he’ll be there at five if you want to come over.” Kyle needed something to do with his hands and he picked up the strange object on the coffee table, turning it curiously to figure out what it was. Max and Liz’s eyes widened when they realized what he was touching. Isabel walked behind his chair and leaned over to whisper in his ear.
“Liz just peed on that,” she whispered silkily with a wicked gleam in her eye. That should cure him from grabbing what wasn’t his!
Kyle’s eyes widened in horror and he jumped as he flung the offending plastic back onto the coffee table where it skidded to a halt just short of falling off the edge. Kyle wasn’t so lucky, and his start of surprise made him fall solidly on his butt to the floor. His look of surprise was so comical that everyone in the room burst out laughing. Kyle scrambled on the floor for a minute trying to get up just as Michael and Maria stepped in through the open door to the apartment.
“What’s going on?” Michael questioned dryly. “Getting a performance from the court jester?” he added snidely, watching Kyle struggle to get up from the tight space between the chair and coffee table.
Kyle’s hand fell on a strange object hidden just under the chair and he picked it up as he moved to sit back down.
“What is this? Why do you have a…turkey baster?” he questioned in confusion, waving it around for everyone to see.
Michael groaned and shot Maria a pained glare for her brilliant idea that wouldn’t stop embarrassing him. Maria burst out laughing and Liz, Max, and Isabel joined in at the look on Michael’s face.
“So…so…” Max was gasping for air and tears of mirth were already escaping as he held his side and pointed at the upraised baster, “so that’s a turkey baster?” He finally gasped out.
Liz nodded, unable to speak through her laughter.
Kyle looked puzzled and vaguely frightened by the lunatics surrounding him. He laid the offending baster carefully on the table beside the pregnancy test and snorted, “You guys are into some weird crap! Or crack,” he added consideringly watching them all howl like crazy people. “I’m not sure I want to know what’s been going on this past week!”
“Oh…Oh, Kyle! I’m sorry!” Liz tried to pull herself together. “You’d laugh too if you knew…” she shot a glance at Michael’s stoic face and choked back another giggle as she decided to whisper, “I’ll tell you later!” to Kyle across the table, just before she fell back against Max’s chest in another fit of laughter.
Phillip stood in the doorway and watched the teens laughing until their eyes watered. Even Michael had a small smile on his face that he tried to suppress if anyone looked at him. It felt good to see his kids carefree and happy for once. He could see what a strain that keeping secrets had put on them and now they just seemed…free. He cleared his throat after a moment and got everyone’s attention.
“Hi, guys,” he waved a little at everyone, his eyes resting on Kyle. He was pretty sure that Kyle didn’t know everything yet so he decided to get Max and Liz alone.
“Max, Liz, can I see you two for a second?” Phillip stepped back onto the landing of the stairs, motioning them to join him. Max and Liz moved quickly out the door and closed it behind them, hearing the murmur of conversation in the apartment faintly.
“What is it, Dad? It looks like something important,” Max asked with a worried expression.
“It is important,” Phillip answered, “but it’s good news. I’ve been checking the most recent statutes on statutory rape in our state and I found out that the legal age of consent between a male and a female is seventeen. They could only use the rape charge if Liz was under seventeen and you were at least four years older than her, so you’re safe even though you’re turning eighteen tomorrow.” Phillip was glad to see the relieved expressions on the kids faces.
“Oh thank you, Mr. Evans!” Liz hugged him tightly. She hadn’t wanted to mention it earlier, but the possibility of her parents getting really angry and pressing charges had been a very real fear for her.
Phillip stepped back, slightly embarrassed. “I thought you’d want to know right away so…” he shrugged, “you can get back to your friends. And, Liz?” Liz turned her huge, shining eyes up to him, “call me Phillip.” He turned and walked down the stairs leaving the kids to stare after him before hugging happily once again.
“You don’t know how that relieves me!” Liz exclaimed happily.
“I think I have an idea,” Max smiled into her eyes, “I’m the evil man that took their daughter’s purity! I can’t imagine that that will go over very well, you know?” Max was very conscious of what his reaction would be if some young guy ever messed with a daughter of his and so he could vividly envision the treatment he would get tonight from Liz’s parents.
Liz caressed the side of his face comfortingly. “My parents don’t own a gun, and I know you know how to run, so I think you’re covered!” she told him mischievously.
“Ha ha! Very funny.” he took her hand and led her back into the apartment.
“So Max got you pregnant, huh?” Kyle asked bluntly, watching the couple walk back inside. “Is that why they let you move in together?”
Max stood behind Liz and clasped his hands in front of her, resting his chin lightly on her head. “Liz is pregnant, and that isn’t the only reason we moved in together. We’re married. We did it in Vegas last weekend.” Max watched in satisfaction as Kyle’s jaw hit the floor.
“You…You two weren’t even together in Vegas! You were barely speaking half the time! How could you…”
Max checked the clock on the kitchen wall and interrupted. “Let’s head over to your Dad’s now and we’ll tell you both together, Kyle.”
Everyone moved to gather their things and filed out of the apartment.
Valenti Residence
“What’s going on, kids?” the ex-sheriff questioned wearily, laying his head back and rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted from searching for Tess the previous night. “Do you know what happened to Tess? Is she all right? I spent half the night looking for her and…no trace.”
Max and Liz looked at Michael, Maria and Isabel for support before speaking. They stood together in a tight group and faced Kyle and his father who sat on the worn couch in the Valenti living room.
Max spoke first with firm confidence. “A lot has happened since our trip to Vegas.” Max ignored Kyle’s snort of agreement and kept talking. “Liz and I got back together before we came back. We got married there,” Max raised a hand to forestall the ex-sheriff’s inevitable questions. “Please just let me keep going until I’ve finished,” he waited until Jim reluctantly nodded his agreement.
“Liz and I got married. We felt compelled to be together. We know how strange it sounds, we’re very young, but we’ve since found out why it had to happen like it did.”
“Care to share?” Kyle couldn’t help interjecting.
“He’s trying, if you can keep your mouth shut,” Michael glared at Kyle and stood with his arms crossed over his chest, not quite ready to forgive him for finding the turkey baster and displaying it openly in front of everyone. Yeah, sure he hadn’t known the significance of it, but…Michael shook his head. No, still not ready to forgive him.
“Liz had a vision of the future when she touched Tess’ scarf in the Jeep on the way over here after we got back. She saw Tess lazing around on the couch while making you all think she was helping with the construction project.” Max kept going even as Kyle and Jim exchanged horrified glances between them. “We didn’t know what to think of it until we walked in the door ourselves and Liz’s vision was coming true. Liz also saw Tess flipping out when we announced that Liz and I were married. She mind warped everyone in the room to forget what we had said, including Liz and myself. In the vision Alex collapsed and I couldn’t help him. We couldn’t let that happen, so we kept the news from you two so she wouldn’t find out. Later I went over to Alex’s and did a scan to find out why he collapsed and we found out that Tess had been mind warping him for months. All that time we thought he was in Sweden he was really at the college in Las Cruces deciphering that alien book we have. She wanted to find out about the powers contained in the Granolith. Alex managed to give her only part of the story on that and backed up his research on a disk that he gave to me later after we found out what had been done to him. He was so weak by then that one more mind warp would have killed him,” he paused as he saw the shock filled expressions on the two men’s faces.
Max hated to bring them this kind of news about a person they had come to think of as family, but they had to know the truth so they could protect themselves from her if she showed up in the future. Max unconsciously moved his hand up to finger the stone hanging from the black cord over the hollow of his throat. “Liz and I had visions together and they led us to a cave where we found this,” he held up the stone to their curious gazes. “It’s a communication stone. It had a message from Isabel’s and my mother. She told us the story of our lives back on Antar. Tess betrayed us there and she was going to do it again here. She was plotting to fulfill a prophecy of my people. It says that my son will be the one to go back to Antar and free my people. She was going to mind warp me into being with her and then, once she was pregnant she was going to use the Granolith to go back to Antar after she killed Isabel, Michael, and me.” Max paused again and Isabel and Liz moved around to the couch to comfort Kyle and Jim.
Tears were openly streaming down Jim’s face as he stared at Liz in numb shock. “How is this possible? I thought she loved us. I thought that she needed us to be her family. I wanted to be her father. She was so good and…she needed us,” he said plaintively.
“I know, I know,” Liz soothed, reaching out to hug him. “I’m so sorry! She fooled all of us. And I really do think that she loved you as much as she could love anyone. I don’t think she ever wanted to hurt you. She just had her own agenda, and it was more important than anything else to her.”
Kyle turned from the sight of his father in Liz’s arms and leaned his forehead against Isabel’s shoulder as she now sat beside him. He took in air deeply and concentrated on not crying. Damn that Tess! How dare she use them like that! They’d trusted her! They’d let her in and shared jokes and dinners and their lives with her! Kyle had confided things to her that he’d never told another living soul. Kyle definitely felt betrayed and hurt beyond belief.
“How do you know the message was true?” Jim questioned abruptly. “Maybe it was sent by your enemies to break up the unit. Divide and conquer you know?” A small hope was blossoming in his heart.
Max shook his head sadly. “I made a connection with her on Monday and saw what’s really going on with her. I took her out to the Granolith chamber and she mind warped me into thinking I wanted her. She was going to go through with her plan until we stopped her.”
“Stopped her? How?” Jim hated the way his voice trembled at the thought of what they had done to Tess.
“Isabel and I used the power of the Granolith to try to kill her,” Max stated bluntly. Shocked gasps were ripped out of the Valenti’s throats. “She had some kind of alien device with her and she unleashed it on Is and me. It almost killed us, and Tess was only injured by the Granolith and not killed. She made her way back here in my Jeep and grabbed her stuff and took off. Liz used her new gift of ‘sight’ and found out that she is badly burned and she thought it would take months to recuperate. When she does she plans on coming back here and getting revenge on Liz by taking our son away from her. The son she wanted for herself. She wants to take him back to Antar and raise him as her own so she can control his powers and rule by Khivar’s side. She was gloating about how she killed Isabel and me. She thinks we’re dead and she’s overjoyed about it.”
“Your son?” Jim’s mind caught on that one fact as he looked down at Liz who knelt in front of him. “You’re pregnant?” He put his hand on her shoulder to keep her gaze steady on his.
“Yes,” she answered softly. “It’s part of the prophecy that the seers on Antar had. I was created to be with Max and our son is supposed to have these incredible powers. He’ll go back and free the people,” Liz paused, “I know it sounds incredible.”
“Yes, it does.” Jim pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and leaned back on the couch. It was hard to bend his mind around these new revelations.
“What do we do now?” he asked at last, looking instinctively to Max for the answers.
“Now we want to know if it’s all right if Liz goes through Tess’ room and touches a few things to see if we can find out where Tess went. We have to find her before she’s strong enough to come back here full strength and finish the job. We can’t put our son in danger.”
Jim stared from Max to Liz. They wanted his permission to let them try to track Tess down so they could kill her. He thought over everything they had heard this night and finally sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew he had to trust them. “Okay, go ahead. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go lay down in my room for awhile.” He got up and walked away without a backward glance.
“Kyle?” Isabel asked gently. His tormented blue eyes met her concerned brown ones. “You going to be okay?”
“Yeah, sure why wouldn’t I be? I’ve been living with a sick, twisted alien killer bitch who’s been using us for months while she plots to kill my friends. No big deal, right?” Kyle got up and stalked off to his room.
The five remaining friends stared at each other for a moment.
“Maybe they just need some time,” Maria offered into the silence hopefully.
“A case of Jack Daniels would be quicker,” Michael snorted, thinking they could drown their sorrows.
Maria frowned at him. “This isn’t funny, Michael. Jeez! You could try to be a little more sensitive!” She walked away from him.
“What? What’d I say?” Michael turned in confusion.
“Let it go, Michael,” Max advised. He held out his hand to Liz. She took it and they walked into Tess’ new room. They could see the scattered contents of the space. The drawers had been messily pulled out and left hanging open, the closet door was gaping, the covers on the bed rumpled and the pillow missing. Liz looked over the contents of the room and picked a starting spot. She ran her hands over various objects in the room while keeping her connection with Max wide open. They both caught the flashes at the same time:
Tess flung clothes into the huge suitcase she had appropriated from the hall closet. “Liz Parker is going to pay for this!” she groaned out angrily. Each tiny movement was causing screaming agony to run over every exposed nerve in her body. Her skin had bubbled and blistered over every inch of her. She breathed shakily and wondered how she was going to make it. Her healing skills had only ever been useful for superficial scrapes and cuts. She’d never be able to get rid of all the blisters and inevitably scars would mar her once perfect skin. “Where can I go? Where can I go where I won’t be some freak that everyone recognizes? I have to get lost until I can move normally again.” She tore clothes off of hangers and dumped them into the open suitcase. “I could get lost in Vegas,” she mused out loud, remembering how big the town was. One more freak would barely be noticed. She could manipulate the tables and have enough money to get by for a long time, and if she kept moving around then no one would catch her. She swayed on her feet as a wave of dizziness assailed her. She shored up her determination and remembered that she had to stay strong enough to get out on the road. She’d drive all night, change the color and plates on her car and disappear completely. The Valenti’s would probably search for her, and she felt bad that she’d had to knock them out with a mindwarp tonight, but they couldn’t see her like this. They’d never let her leave, and they’d never understand why she had to do what she was doing.
She pulled the lid of the suitcase closed and tried pull the zipper around it hissing in pain at the contact of her charred skin on the surface of the suitcase. She grabbed a pillow from the bed to sit on in the car, remembering her excruciating ride here from the desert. She lugged the heavy case through the house and paused to stare at Jim and Kyle, peaceful in slumber.
“Goodbye,” she whispered and then turned her back on them and walked out the door.
The vision ended abruptly and Liz tried to recapture the sense of it as she attempted to find out where Tess was at this moment and what her plans were. Max and Liz stood with their hands linked for nearly another hour before Max broke the connection and made Liz stop, feeling how it was draining her resources.
“We can try again later,” he reassured her. Liz just stared back at him, frustrated.
“I should be able to do this! It’s supposed to by my gift,” she muttered unhappily. Max cupped her face and made her look at him.
“Don’t be mad that you don’t get everything all at once. We’re all still working on refining our powers. It doesn’t always come easy, but we keep working on it, you know?” Liz nodded, understanding that they weren’t giving up. She’d find out what was happening, just not today.
Isabel, Michael, and Maria stood in the doorway and they walked out together deciding to fill everyone in back at the Evans house.
TBC
Liz replaced the plastic cap back over the end of the white stick she had just peed on and walked out of the bathroom with it. Max scooted over on the couch and Liz carefully set down the pregnancy test on the coffee table and sat beside him. They both leaned over it to watch for the results.
“The test said five minutes,” Liz said, not taking her eyes off the small plastic wand.
“Uh huh,” Max responded, equally as mesmerized by the little stick.
Isabel walked over and leaned over the back of the couch to watch as well. Slowly the first line appeared, turning pink. Max’s eyes bounced up to meet Liz’s curiously.
“Is that it?”
“No, that one means the test is working. We have to wait for this one,” Liz pointed to the second window. Max nodded and resumed his watch. They each held their breath and slowly a faint line began to appear in the second test window. It got darker and darker until there was no question about the test result. Max whooped out loud and hugged Liz.
“Max! It’s not like you didn’t already know we were pregnant!” Liz exclaimed. Max smiled down into her upturned face and gave her a quick kiss.
“Like the entire house doesn’t know that you’re pregnant!” Isabel snorted, thinking of the noise levels in the house over the past week until they got their own place.
“I know, I know! I just like seeing the proof, you know? Plus this will make it easier to explain to your parents. We can show them the test in case they think we’re making it up or something.” Max was absurdly proud that the stick had turned pink.
“You are too cute.” Liz kissed him again.
“Ugh! You guys! I’m right here you know!” Isabel stood back up from her leaning position against the couch and stalked into the kitchen area to get juice.
A tentative knock sounded on the door and Isabel went to answer it, holding her filled cup.
“Kyle! What are you doing here?” Isabel questioned in surprise, stepping back to let him in.
“Way to make me feel welcome, Isabel!” Kyle answered as he scooted past her into the apartment, grabbing her cup and taking a large gulp before handing it back to her. Isabel grimaced and got herself another cup.
“Your mom said you’ve got your own place now, Max,” Kyle looked around the room appreciatively, thinking how great it would be to have privacy like that.
“Um, yeah. We moved in yesterday,” Max answered slowly, putting his arm around Liz.
“We?” Kyle stopped his tour of the place and turned questioning eyes to Max.
“Yeah. Me and Liz.” Max knew that would shock Kyle.
“What? How did you two work that one with your parents? I can’t believe they’d just sit back and let you two move in together.” Kyle moved to sit in the chair across the coffee table from them and leaned forward earnestly. “Wait a minute! I didn’t even know you two were back together!” The wheels were turning in Kyle’s head and something clicked. “This is why Tess ran away isn’t it?” He leaned forward even more until he was barely perched on the chair.
Max locked eyes with Liz.
“Partially,” Liz answered honestly. “We’d really like to tell you and your dad the whole story at the same time, if that’s okay? Is that why you came over? To tell us what time your dad gets off work?”
“Yeah, he’ll be there at five if you want to come over.” Kyle needed something to do with his hands and he picked up the strange object on the coffee table, turning it curiously to figure out what it was. Max and Liz’s eyes widened when they realized what he was touching. Isabel walked behind his chair and leaned over to whisper in his ear.
“Liz just peed on that,” she whispered silkily with a wicked gleam in her eye. That should cure him from grabbing what wasn’t his!
Kyle’s eyes widened in horror and he jumped as he flung the offending plastic back onto the coffee table where it skidded to a halt just short of falling off the edge. Kyle wasn’t so lucky, and his start of surprise made him fall solidly on his butt to the floor. His look of surprise was so comical that everyone in the room burst out laughing. Kyle scrambled on the floor for a minute trying to get up just as Michael and Maria stepped in through the open door to the apartment.
“What’s going on?” Michael questioned dryly. “Getting a performance from the court jester?” he added snidely, watching Kyle struggle to get up from the tight space between the chair and coffee table.
Kyle’s hand fell on a strange object hidden just under the chair and he picked it up as he moved to sit back down.
“What is this? Why do you have a…turkey baster?” he questioned in confusion, waving it around for everyone to see.
Michael groaned and shot Maria a pained glare for her brilliant idea that wouldn’t stop embarrassing him. Maria burst out laughing and Liz, Max, and Isabel joined in at the look on Michael’s face.
“So…so…” Max was gasping for air and tears of mirth were already escaping as he held his side and pointed at the upraised baster, “so that’s a turkey baster?” He finally gasped out.
Liz nodded, unable to speak through her laughter.
Kyle looked puzzled and vaguely frightened by the lunatics surrounding him. He laid the offending baster carefully on the table beside the pregnancy test and snorted, “You guys are into some weird crap! Or crack,” he added consideringly watching them all howl like crazy people. “I’m not sure I want to know what’s been going on this past week!”
“Oh…Oh, Kyle! I’m sorry!” Liz tried to pull herself together. “You’d laugh too if you knew…” she shot a glance at Michael’s stoic face and choked back another giggle as she decided to whisper, “I’ll tell you later!” to Kyle across the table, just before she fell back against Max’s chest in another fit of laughter.
Phillip stood in the doorway and watched the teens laughing until their eyes watered. Even Michael had a small smile on his face that he tried to suppress if anyone looked at him. It felt good to see his kids carefree and happy for once. He could see what a strain that keeping secrets had put on them and now they just seemed…free. He cleared his throat after a moment and got everyone’s attention.
“Hi, guys,” he waved a little at everyone, his eyes resting on Kyle. He was pretty sure that Kyle didn’t know everything yet so he decided to get Max and Liz alone.
“Max, Liz, can I see you two for a second?” Phillip stepped back onto the landing of the stairs, motioning them to join him. Max and Liz moved quickly out the door and closed it behind them, hearing the murmur of conversation in the apartment faintly.
“What is it, Dad? It looks like something important,” Max asked with a worried expression.
“It is important,” Phillip answered, “but it’s good news. I’ve been checking the most recent statutes on statutory rape in our state and I found out that the legal age of consent between a male and a female is seventeen. They could only use the rape charge if Liz was under seventeen and you were at least four years older than her, so you’re safe even though you’re turning eighteen tomorrow.” Phillip was glad to see the relieved expressions on the kids faces.
“Oh thank you, Mr. Evans!” Liz hugged him tightly. She hadn’t wanted to mention it earlier, but the possibility of her parents getting really angry and pressing charges had been a very real fear for her.
Phillip stepped back, slightly embarrassed. “I thought you’d want to know right away so…” he shrugged, “you can get back to your friends. And, Liz?” Liz turned her huge, shining eyes up to him, “call me Phillip.” He turned and walked down the stairs leaving the kids to stare after him before hugging happily once again.
“You don’t know how that relieves me!” Liz exclaimed happily.
“I think I have an idea,” Max smiled into her eyes, “I’m the evil man that took their daughter’s purity! I can’t imagine that that will go over very well, you know?” Max was very conscious of what his reaction would be if some young guy ever messed with a daughter of his and so he could vividly envision the treatment he would get tonight from Liz’s parents.
Liz caressed the side of his face comfortingly. “My parents don’t own a gun, and I know you know how to run, so I think you’re covered!” she told him mischievously.
“Ha ha! Very funny.” he took her hand and led her back into the apartment.
“So Max got you pregnant, huh?” Kyle asked bluntly, watching the couple walk back inside. “Is that why they let you move in together?”
Max stood behind Liz and clasped his hands in front of her, resting his chin lightly on her head. “Liz is pregnant, and that isn’t the only reason we moved in together. We’re married. We did it in Vegas last weekend.” Max watched in satisfaction as Kyle’s jaw hit the floor.
“You…You two weren’t even together in Vegas! You were barely speaking half the time! How could you…”
Max checked the clock on the kitchen wall and interrupted. “Let’s head over to your Dad’s now and we’ll tell you both together, Kyle.”
Everyone moved to gather their things and filed out of the apartment.
Valenti Residence
“What’s going on, kids?” the ex-sheriff questioned wearily, laying his head back and rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted from searching for Tess the previous night. “Do you know what happened to Tess? Is she all right? I spent half the night looking for her and…no trace.”
Max and Liz looked at Michael, Maria and Isabel for support before speaking. They stood together in a tight group and faced Kyle and his father who sat on the worn couch in the Valenti living room.
Max spoke first with firm confidence. “A lot has happened since our trip to Vegas.” Max ignored Kyle’s snort of agreement and kept talking. “Liz and I got back together before we came back. We got married there,” Max raised a hand to forestall the ex-sheriff’s inevitable questions. “Please just let me keep going until I’ve finished,” he waited until Jim reluctantly nodded his agreement.
“Liz and I got married. We felt compelled to be together. We know how strange it sounds, we’re very young, but we’ve since found out why it had to happen like it did.”
“Care to share?” Kyle couldn’t help interjecting.
“He’s trying, if you can keep your mouth shut,” Michael glared at Kyle and stood with his arms crossed over his chest, not quite ready to forgive him for finding the turkey baster and displaying it openly in front of everyone. Yeah, sure he hadn’t known the significance of it, but…Michael shook his head. No, still not ready to forgive him.
“Liz had a vision of the future when she touched Tess’ scarf in the Jeep on the way over here after we got back. She saw Tess lazing around on the couch while making you all think she was helping with the construction project.” Max kept going even as Kyle and Jim exchanged horrified glances between them. “We didn’t know what to think of it until we walked in the door ourselves and Liz’s vision was coming true. Liz also saw Tess flipping out when we announced that Liz and I were married. She mind warped everyone in the room to forget what we had said, including Liz and myself. In the vision Alex collapsed and I couldn’t help him. We couldn’t let that happen, so we kept the news from you two so she wouldn’t find out. Later I went over to Alex’s and did a scan to find out why he collapsed and we found out that Tess had been mind warping him for months. All that time we thought he was in Sweden he was really at the college in Las Cruces deciphering that alien book we have. She wanted to find out about the powers contained in the Granolith. Alex managed to give her only part of the story on that and backed up his research on a disk that he gave to me later after we found out what had been done to him. He was so weak by then that one more mind warp would have killed him,” he paused as he saw the shock filled expressions on the two men’s faces.
Max hated to bring them this kind of news about a person they had come to think of as family, but they had to know the truth so they could protect themselves from her if she showed up in the future. Max unconsciously moved his hand up to finger the stone hanging from the black cord over the hollow of his throat. “Liz and I had visions together and they led us to a cave where we found this,” he held up the stone to their curious gazes. “It’s a communication stone. It had a message from Isabel’s and my mother. She told us the story of our lives back on Antar. Tess betrayed us there and she was going to do it again here. She was plotting to fulfill a prophecy of my people. It says that my son will be the one to go back to Antar and free my people. She was going to mind warp me into being with her and then, once she was pregnant she was going to use the Granolith to go back to Antar after she killed Isabel, Michael, and me.” Max paused again and Isabel and Liz moved around to the couch to comfort Kyle and Jim.
Tears were openly streaming down Jim’s face as he stared at Liz in numb shock. “How is this possible? I thought she loved us. I thought that she needed us to be her family. I wanted to be her father. She was so good and…she needed us,” he said plaintively.
“I know, I know,” Liz soothed, reaching out to hug him. “I’m so sorry! She fooled all of us. And I really do think that she loved you as much as she could love anyone. I don’t think she ever wanted to hurt you. She just had her own agenda, and it was more important than anything else to her.”
Kyle turned from the sight of his father in Liz’s arms and leaned his forehead against Isabel’s shoulder as she now sat beside him. He took in air deeply and concentrated on not crying. Damn that Tess! How dare she use them like that! They’d trusted her! They’d let her in and shared jokes and dinners and their lives with her! Kyle had confided things to her that he’d never told another living soul. Kyle definitely felt betrayed and hurt beyond belief.
“How do you know the message was true?” Jim questioned abruptly. “Maybe it was sent by your enemies to break up the unit. Divide and conquer you know?” A small hope was blossoming in his heart.
Max shook his head sadly. “I made a connection with her on Monday and saw what’s really going on with her. I took her out to the Granolith chamber and she mind warped me into thinking I wanted her. She was going to go through with her plan until we stopped her.”
“Stopped her? How?” Jim hated the way his voice trembled at the thought of what they had done to Tess.
“Isabel and I used the power of the Granolith to try to kill her,” Max stated bluntly. Shocked gasps were ripped out of the Valenti’s throats. “She had some kind of alien device with her and she unleashed it on Is and me. It almost killed us, and Tess was only injured by the Granolith and not killed. She made her way back here in my Jeep and grabbed her stuff and took off. Liz used her new gift of ‘sight’ and found out that she is badly burned and she thought it would take months to recuperate. When she does she plans on coming back here and getting revenge on Liz by taking our son away from her. The son she wanted for herself. She wants to take him back to Antar and raise him as her own so she can control his powers and rule by Khivar’s side. She was gloating about how she killed Isabel and me. She thinks we’re dead and she’s overjoyed about it.”
“Your son?” Jim’s mind caught on that one fact as he looked down at Liz who knelt in front of him. “You’re pregnant?” He put his hand on her shoulder to keep her gaze steady on his.
“Yes,” she answered softly. “It’s part of the prophecy that the seers on Antar had. I was created to be with Max and our son is supposed to have these incredible powers. He’ll go back and free the people,” Liz paused, “I know it sounds incredible.”
“Yes, it does.” Jim pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and leaned back on the couch. It was hard to bend his mind around these new revelations.
“What do we do now?” he asked at last, looking instinctively to Max for the answers.
“Now we want to know if it’s all right if Liz goes through Tess’ room and touches a few things to see if we can find out where Tess went. We have to find her before she’s strong enough to come back here full strength and finish the job. We can’t put our son in danger.”
Jim stared from Max to Liz. They wanted his permission to let them try to track Tess down so they could kill her. He thought over everything they had heard this night and finally sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew he had to trust them. “Okay, go ahead. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go lay down in my room for awhile.” He got up and walked away without a backward glance.
“Kyle?” Isabel asked gently. His tormented blue eyes met her concerned brown ones. “You going to be okay?”
“Yeah, sure why wouldn’t I be? I’ve been living with a sick, twisted alien killer bitch who’s been using us for months while she plots to kill my friends. No big deal, right?” Kyle got up and stalked off to his room.
The five remaining friends stared at each other for a moment.
“Maybe they just need some time,” Maria offered into the silence hopefully.
“A case of Jack Daniels would be quicker,” Michael snorted, thinking they could drown their sorrows.
Maria frowned at him. “This isn’t funny, Michael. Jeez! You could try to be a little more sensitive!” She walked away from him.
“What? What’d I say?” Michael turned in confusion.
“Let it go, Michael,” Max advised. He held out his hand to Liz. She took it and they walked into Tess’ new room. They could see the scattered contents of the space. The drawers had been messily pulled out and left hanging open, the closet door was gaping, the covers on the bed rumpled and the pillow missing. Liz looked over the contents of the room and picked a starting spot. She ran her hands over various objects in the room while keeping her connection with Max wide open. They both caught the flashes at the same time:
Tess flung clothes into the huge suitcase she had appropriated from the hall closet. “Liz Parker is going to pay for this!” she groaned out angrily. Each tiny movement was causing screaming agony to run over every exposed nerve in her body. Her skin had bubbled and blistered over every inch of her. She breathed shakily and wondered how she was going to make it. Her healing skills had only ever been useful for superficial scrapes and cuts. She’d never be able to get rid of all the blisters and inevitably scars would mar her once perfect skin. “Where can I go? Where can I go where I won’t be some freak that everyone recognizes? I have to get lost until I can move normally again.” She tore clothes off of hangers and dumped them into the open suitcase. “I could get lost in Vegas,” she mused out loud, remembering how big the town was. One more freak would barely be noticed. She could manipulate the tables and have enough money to get by for a long time, and if she kept moving around then no one would catch her. She swayed on her feet as a wave of dizziness assailed her. She shored up her determination and remembered that she had to stay strong enough to get out on the road. She’d drive all night, change the color and plates on her car and disappear completely. The Valenti’s would probably search for her, and she felt bad that she’d had to knock them out with a mindwarp tonight, but they couldn’t see her like this. They’d never let her leave, and they’d never understand why she had to do what she was doing.
She pulled the lid of the suitcase closed and tried pull the zipper around it hissing in pain at the contact of her charred skin on the surface of the suitcase. She grabbed a pillow from the bed to sit on in the car, remembering her excruciating ride here from the desert. She lugged the heavy case through the house and paused to stare at Jim and Kyle, peaceful in slumber.
“Goodbye,” she whispered and then turned her back on them and walked out the door.
The vision ended abruptly and Liz tried to recapture the sense of it as she attempted to find out where Tess was at this moment and what her plans were. Max and Liz stood with their hands linked for nearly another hour before Max broke the connection and made Liz stop, feeling how it was draining her resources.
“We can try again later,” he reassured her. Liz just stared back at him, frustrated.
“I should be able to do this! It’s supposed to by my gift,” she muttered unhappily. Max cupped her face and made her look at him.
“Don’t be mad that you don’t get everything all at once. We’re all still working on refining our powers. It doesn’t always come easy, but we keep working on it, you know?” Liz nodded, understanding that they weren’t giving up. She’d find out what was happening, just not today.
Isabel, Michael, and Maria stood in the doorway and they walked out together deciding to fill everyone in back at the Evans house.
TBC
EYA Part 46
They shared the details of their vision over dinner at the Evans’ house, trying to remember everything that they had seen.
“She was blistered all over?” Maria questioned with a hint of satisfaction in her tone.
Max nodded, looking down. “Yeah. She was in a lot of pain,” he added. He didn’t know why he was feeling guilty. He just wished that he could have finished the job the first time.
Liz touched his thigh under the table. “It’s her own fault that she was plotting to kill you all. Don’t feel bad that her plan to kill you all failed. You were fighting a war for your own survival, as well as the survival of your race.”
Max nodded. “I know that in my head, but it still feels strange to know that I’m the reason she’s walking around in such pain.”
“I know how you feel, man,” Michael offered softly. He still had pangs over taking the life of Agent Pierce, even knowing that it was kill or be killed.
Diane stood up to clear the table, but Isabel and Maria waved her back down. “Sit! We’ll take care of it tonight,” Isabel offered with a smile. Diane sat back down with a smile of thanks and turned to Max and Liz.
“When do you two want to head over to Liz’s parent’s house?” she questioned.
Liz looked at her watch. “It’s almost seven-thirty now. I guess we should head over pretty soon.” She did not sound enthusiastic.
“Phillip and I are coming with you,” Diane stated. She saw their surprised expressions. “I think that if we’re there to show our support, it can only help your case. We can help them with the legal issues and hopefully they’ll give their consent to your marriage and we can head back here tonight.”
“Thanks, Mom, I don’t know what we’d do without your support.” Max leaned over to hug his mother. She squeezed his shoulders with her strong hands and enjoyed the embrace, glad that he was able to ask her for support now if he needed it.
“You know I’d do anything for you two,” she said, looking at Liz over Max’s shoulder. Liz smiled and nodded.
Diane leaned away and lowered her voice. Phillip and Michael were in deep conversation so she felt it was safe to speak then.
“Do you kids want to go up and spend a little time alone before we go?” she asked as delicately as she could.
Liz gave her a puzzled glance and shook her head. “We should probably just go,” she decided, not wanting to delay the inevitable.
Diane sighed in frustration, realizing she would need to be more blunt.
“Don’t you think it might be wise,” she wiggled her eyebrows at them, “to make sure the baby doesn’t get…hungry…while you tell your parents that you’re married?”
Liz’s mouth formed an understanding ‘O’ while Max’s face flooded with hot color. Both were remembering the evening they had told Phillip about their situation and the uncontrollable fever that had occurred shortly after. Max stood abruptly and took Liz’s hand pulling her toward the back door to the kitchen. He shot his mom a grateful look and mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to her before stating out loud, “Liz and I are just going to go upstairs and talk about what we need to tell her parents tonight. We’ll see you all later,” he turned to his mom and dad. “Meet you down here in an hour?”
“Make it a half-hour,” Phillip requested, barely looking up from his conversation with Michael, not knowing what they had planned. “We don’t want it to get too late.”
Diane nodded, a twinkle in her eyes. “Better get going, you all have a lot to ‘talk’ about,” she chuckled.
Max closed the door to the apartment behind them and hugged Liz close. Breathing in the fresh scent of her hair he finally chuckled and stood back to look at her.
“What’s so funny?” she asked him with a small smile.
“I can’t believe that my Mom just suggested we come up here to have a quickie before we go talk to your parents!” he said on a quick breath.
Liz’s eyes danced merrily, the light from the kitchen causing them to glow. “I know what you mean.” She glanced down and then peeked back up at him. “So, Mr. Evans,” she bumped her foot lightly against his and bit the side of her lip, “what did you want to ‘talk’ about?” She let her eyes travel slowly up the length of his body.
“Mmmnnn…well, I guess we could talk about our homework,” he teased her gently, earning a light slap on the shoulder from her. “Or I guess we could do some advanced chemistry.”
“Ohh! I really enjoy science!” Liz gushed, allowing her fingers to slip under the hem of his shirt and drag it up.
Max gasped at the first contact of her warm fingers against his skin and used his time wisely to help her out of her clothes too.
Forty-five minutes later…
Max and Liz arrived in the kitchen, both looking very flushed and happy. Diane looked them over with a critical eye, trying to see what the Parkers would see when they looked at them.
“Max, why don’t you tuck in your shirt?” She finally said out loud, not wanting him to appear sloppy.
“Um, okay, Mom,” Max shot Liz a quelling glance as she burst into giggles and hid behind his back. Liz knew very well that he hadn’t been able to wear his shirt tucked in since they were married because of his body’s natural reaction to her presence. He carefully finished the task and put his arm around Liz, who had finally gained control of her giggles.
“Sorry,” she offered lightly, trying to stop another laughing fit. “Nerves, I think. I just can’t calm down.” Liz took a deep breath and tried to get control. She really was nervous about the night and trying to keep her mind off of it.
Diane gave her a sympathetic look. “We’ll be right there to back you up. Your parents love you, and while they may not understand your choice right away, they’ll support you. I know it!”
“Thanks, Diane,” Liz said sincerely. Max and Isabel had the best parents! She just hoped her own would be this understanding.
Max took her left hand in his and removed the silver ring from her middle finger. He closed his hand around it and glowed faintly. “Will you wear my ring?” he questioned gently placing it on her outstretched finger. Liz hugged his hand to her heart and her eyes filled with tears.
“Always,” she whispered. She watched while he removed the ring from his hand and changed it back as well, placing it back on his ring finger where it belonged. She felt stronger somehow. Connected.
The Parker residence
“Mom? Dad? I’m home and I’ve brought visitors!” Liz called out from the front door. She closed it behind them and walked through the house looking for her parents. Nancy poked her head out from the kitchen.
“Hey! You’re home early!” Nancy gave Liz a hug and looked in surprise at the visitors standing in the doorway.
“Well, hello everyone! Is everything all right?”
Jeff stood and offered his hand to Phillip, who shook it firmly. “How are you?”
“Good. Good. We’re all really good,” Phillip said lamely.
“Oh, well that’s good then, I guess,” Jeff motioned for everyone to sit down around the large kitchen table. He watched in curiosity as Max and Liz scooted so they were as close together as they could be without sharing a chair.
“Max, how’ve you been?” Nancy had also noticed the kids’ proximity.
“Um, really good, Mrs. Parker,” Max answered. He knew they wouldn’t be this polite to him soon.
“What’s going on?” Nancy asked, looking at Diane. “Is there something wrong with Liz’s new job? Did something happen at school?” She was remembering the last time these two kids had gotten in trouble in school when the principal had called the parents in. Watching how close Max and Liz sat right now, it was pretty obvious that they were back together.
“Nothing’s wrong, Nancy,” Diane answered truthfully. “In fact, everything’s fine!”
Nancy looked back at the kids, relieved that there was no problem.
“Mom, Dad,” Liz started slowly, looking from one to the other. “You know that you raised me right, and I’ve always been very responsible and mature for my age,” she began. Nancy and Jeff started looking concerned. This was not an auspicious beginning.
“We just wanted to come over here to tell you that Max and I are together now,” Liz continued.
“Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Nancy questioned. “You were gone all last summer because he broke your heart.” She definitely did not want a repeat of last summer. Liz had never told her the details, but one day Max and Liz could barely be separated and the next she burst into tears at the sound of his name. She’d always thought that that relationship was moving too fast. Liz thought she was all grown up, but when Nancy looked at her she could still see her little girl, and Max had been the one to initiate all the trouble last year. Definitely not a good influence on her daughter.
“Lizzie,” her dad looked worried, “do you think you should be dating at all? School’s always been so important to you, and the SAT’s are coming.” He really never had liked the idea of his daughter dating.
“We’re not just dating,” Liz took a fortifying breath. Liz had told Max earlier that she wanted to be the one to break it to her parents. “We got married in Las Vegas,” she burst out, waiting for the screaming to begin.
The long, stunned silence was almost worse.
Nancy’s mouth opened and closed as if she was trying to speak, but unable to process the words.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Jeff sputtered first, feeling the heat of anger rising to flush his face.
“No, Daddy, Max and I are married, and…we’re having a baby,” Liz said timidly glancing between her shocked parents.
“What?” Jeff burst out, rising from his chair so fast that it fell over with a loud clatter behind him. “When did this happen? You’re sitting there telling us that you’re pregnant and married and you never even bothered to let us know that you were going out?” Jeff stalked around the table to stand menacingly over Max. Max rose to meet his gaze evenly.
“I love your daughter, Mr. Parker,” he stated simply, hoping that there was a small part of Jeff that could hear the sincerity of his statement right now.
Jeff grabbed the front of Max’s shirt in both hands and hauled him closer. “You love my daughter?” he choked out in disbelief. “If you loved my daughter you would have kept your filthy hands to yourself and not gotten her into this situation!” he shouted into Max’s face.
Liz was watching in horror and rose to stand with Max. “Daddy! It’s not Max’s fault!” she screamed to get his attention. “We took precautions, they just didn’t work!”
Nancy moved around the table and pulled Liz close and a little behind her. “I think you need to leave now, Max,” she said coldly.
“Max is not leaving without me,” Liz said adamantly. “He is my husband and where he goes, I go.”
“Your husband?” Nancy scoffed, “That can’t even be legal! You’re under age and the last time I checked I didn’t give you permission to get married, young lady! I can’t believe that you would ruin your life, your future…with this…this…person by trying to chain yourself to him! Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean…There are other solutions! Why didn’t you come to me?” Nancy was in despair that Liz had messed up so royally and never once thought to seek her guidance.
“We don’t need your permission, because I am pregnant,” Liz shouted back. “You can’t keep us apart, and we just wanted you to know because I love you both and for some stupid reason I wanted to share my happiness with you…” Liz stopped when Diane placed a calming hand on her arm. Liz turned to leaned into her arms. Nancy watched the exchange with a puzzled expression.
“Did you know about this?” Nancy asked Diane, realizing that the Evans’ were being amazingly calm about everything.
“Not until after they did it. We wanted to come over and sit down with you and tell you together,” Diane said, hoping they would all sit and discuss this calmly.
“You’re okay with this?” Nancy sputtered in disbelief.
“I think we need to discuss this with our daughter in private,” Jeff pushed Max away from him and moved to stand by Nancy and Liz. “I would appreciate it if you would all leave,” he added coldly.
“Daddy, if Max leaves so do I!” Liz burst out, not taking her eyes off of Max’s miserable expression.
“You don’t have anything to say about this, Liz.” Jeff gave her a disappointed look and took her arm to pull her from the room.
“Jeff,” Phillip spoke up, “Why don’t you just hear them out, okay?” He used his most reasonable lawyer voice, in hopes of catching Jeff’s attention.
Jeff looked at Phillip for a moment, wondering how he was so calm about the mess their kids were in. Maybe it was different when you had a son. A son couldn’t ruin his life by getting pregnant. A son wouldn’t have to contemplate dropping out of school to be a mother.
“Please, Daddy,” Liz turned pleading eyes to her father, appealing to his soft spot for his daughter.
“I can’t imagine what you can say that will make us understand this,” Jeff answered at last, but he finally righted his chair and sat down again. Liz moved to sit by Max, taking his hand in a show of solidarity. Nancy noticed the sparkle of a ring on her daughter’s finger for the first time since they came in and winced.
“We are completely in love,” Max said solidly, squeezing Liz’s hand. “We didn’t plan to have a family so soon, but now that we are, we’re prepared to accept the consequences.”
“Prepared? Prepared?! You two are children yourselves! You don’t have any idea what having a baby will do to your lives!” Nancy couldn’t contain herself.
“We know that it’ll be difficult. We’ve figured out how to make it work though. We’ve decided to finish our senior year after the first semester, so Liz can have some time off with the baby before we start college. My mom and dad have offered us the garage apartment, so we have a place to stay. Liz and I are both eligible for scholarships and have been saving money for education for several years, we both have college funds because of you all. I guess we just want you to know that we are in love, and we know that this is unusual, but it’s what we both want, and we’re taking responsibility for our actions.” Max waited anxiously for their reactions.
“I don’t like it,” Nancy declared, shaking her head in denial. “Did Max take advantage of you, Liz? Because this is not how we raised you! I thought you knew you could come to us!”
“Mom, this isn’t about how you raised me. I love Max and he loves me. We’ve known it for a long time and it was inevitable that we would end up together,” Liz insisted.
“Inevitable?” Jeff snorted in disbelief. “Is that why you’ve spent the last year crying over this young man and being miserable?”
“I was miserable because I was staying away from him. I didn’t believe that I should feel so strongly for him and I thought he should be with someone else,” Liz answered with as much truth as she could. “But Max didn’t want to be with anyone else. He waited for me and I couldn’t imagine myself seeing anyone else either.”
“Why did you think you could just run off and get married?” Nancy asked.
“I want to take care of Liz,” Max answered simply. “I want to see her every day and protect her from all the bad things out there. We want to share our lives and watch our child grow. We want to be together and laugh and cry and be best friends. We love each other and it didn’t make sense to try to stay apart anymore.”
Nancy was secretly touched by the devotion and love pouring from Max’s eyes and tone. He really did love their daughter, that was no longer in question for her, but was love enough?
“We take care of our daughter.” Jeff stared Max down. “We don’t need you to come in now and take over. We’ll take care of her as a family.”
“Daddy,” Jeff glanced at his daughter’s hurt expression, “Max and this baby are my family now. When we’re done here I’ll be going home with my husband,” Liz’s voice caught in her throat as she made her point clear.
“He is not your husband, Lizzie,” Jeff insisted flatly. He looked to Diane and Phillip. “You two are lawyers, you should know that this can’t be legal.”
“Actually, with parental consent it can be legal,” Diane told them, “and even without consent because Liz is pregnant. If you refuse to write out notarized consent to their marriage, then they’ll just appeal to family court and they will grant them permission to marry regardless of their parent’s opinions, and I’ll help them do it.”
“I can’t believe you think this is a good idea!” Nancy sputtered.
“I know that they have a lot of hard times ahead of them, but if you look at them you can see that they belong together. They have a connection that is so real and so strong that I know they would do anything for each other. They are both very responsible for their ages and they’ve thought a lot about how to make this work. I think that we need to support them right now, regardless of what we think, because it’s inevitable. They’ll stay married with or without our permission, and I love them enough to want to be there and be trusted enough to come to when they inevitably run into tough times. Pushing them away now will not stop what has already happened and I for one do not want to create a rift between my children and myself.” Diane sincerely hoped her speech was getting through. Nancy appeared to be softening, but Jeff still looked mad.
“We need to think about this,” Nancy said, placing a hand on Jeff’s tense arm.
“I don’t need to think about anything,” Jeff angrily retorted.
Nancy grabbed his arm tighter, turning to face the group. “Jeff and I need to talk. Liz, could you come over after school tomorrow and we’ll discuss what’s going to happen?”
Liz nodded warily. Were they suggesting she could go home with Max now? Or were they plotting how to ship her off to boarding school?
Nancy offered her a tight smile, the best she could manage right then, and gave her daughter a short hug.
“We’ll talk tomorrow. I love you.” Nancy placed a small kiss on her daughter’s forehead and avoided Max’s gaze. She wasn’t entirely sure this young man was good for her daughter, but he did love her, that was obvious.
“Are you crazy, Nancy? You want Liz to just go off with this…this…man and spend the night with him?” Jeff roared in disbelief.
“Look, Jeff, it’s obvious that our daughter has already ‘spent the night’ with him before! That’s why we’re all standing here right now, isn’t it? One more night won’t get her any more pregnant, and if what Diane said is true then we can’t do anything to stop her anyway! So can you please just calm the hell down and give your daughter a hug goodbye so we can talk about this rationally?” Nancy snapped out impatiently.
Liz was whooping for joy inside. Go, Mom!
Max looked on in awe as Jeff turned away and sat back down at the table.
The Evans’ all left together.
TBC
They shared the details of their vision over dinner at the Evans’ house, trying to remember everything that they had seen.
“She was blistered all over?” Maria questioned with a hint of satisfaction in her tone.
Max nodded, looking down. “Yeah. She was in a lot of pain,” he added. He didn’t know why he was feeling guilty. He just wished that he could have finished the job the first time.
Liz touched his thigh under the table. “It’s her own fault that she was plotting to kill you all. Don’t feel bad that her plan to kill you all failed. You were fighting a war for your own survival, as well as the survival of your race.”
Max nodded. “I know that in my head, but it still feels strange to know that I’m the reason she’s walking around in such pain.”
“I know how you feel, man,” Michael offered softly. He still had pangs over taking the life of Agent Pierce, even knowing that it was kill or be killed.
Diane stood up to clear the table, but Isabel and Maria waved her back down. “Sit! We’ll take care of it tonight,” Isabel offered with a smile. Diane sat back down with a smile of thanks and turned to Max and Liz.
“When do you two want to head over to Liz’s parent’s house?” she questioned.
Liz looked at her watch. “It’s almost seven-thirty now. I guess we should head over pretty soon.” She did not sound enthusiastic.
“Phillip and I are coming with you,” Diane stated. She saw their surprised expressions. “I think that if we’re there to show our support, it can only help your case. We can help them with the legal issues and hopefully they’ll give their consent to your marriage and we can head back here tonight.”
“Thanks, Mom, I don’t know what we’d do without your support.” Max leaned over to hug his mother. She squeezed his shoulders with her strong hands and enjoyed the embrace, glad that he was able to ask her for support now if he needed it.
“You know I’d do anything for you two,” she said, looking at Liz over Max’s shoulder. Liz smiled and nodded.
Diane leaned away and lowered her voice. Phillip and Michael were in deep conversation so she felt it was safe to speak then.
“Do you kids want to go up and spend a little time alone before we go?” she asked as delicately as she could.
Liz gave her a puzzled glance and shook her head. “We should probably just go,” she decided, not wanting to delay the inevitable.
Diane sighed in frustration, realizing she would need to be more blunt.
“Don’t you think it might be wise,” she wiggled her eyebrows at them, “to make sure the baby doesn’t get…hungry…while you tell your parents that you’re married?”
Liz’s mouth formed an understanding ‘O’ while Max’s face flooded with hot color. Both were remembering the evening they had told Phillip about their situation and the uncontrollable fever that had occurred shortly after. Max stood abruptly and took Liz’s hand pulling her toward the back door to the kitchen. He shot his mom a grateful look and mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to her before stating out loud, “Liz and I are just going to go upstairs and talk about what we need to tell her parents tonight. We’ll see you all later,” he turned to his mom and dad. “Meet you down here in an hour?”
“Make it a half-hour,” Phillip requested, barely looking up from his conversation with Michael, not knowing what they had planned. “We don’t want it to get too late.”
Diane nodded, a twinkle in her eyes. “Better get going, you all have a lot to ‘talk’ about,” she chuckled.
Max closed the door to the apartment behind them and hugged Liz close. Breathing in the fresh scent of her hair he finally chuckled and stood back to look at her.
“What’s so funny?” she asked him with a small smile.
“I can’t believe that my Mom just suggested we come up here to have a quickie before we go talk to your parents!” he said on a quick breath.
Liz’s eyes danced merrily, the light from the kitchen causing them to glow. “I know what you mean.” She glanced down and then peeked back up at him. “So, Mr. Evans,” she bumped her foot lightly against his and bit the side of her lip, “what did you want to ‘talk’ about?” She let her eyes travel slowly up the length of his body.
“Mmmnnn…well, I guess we could talk about our homework,” he teased her gently, earning a light slap on the shoulder from her. “Or I guess we could do some advanced chemistry.”
“Ohh! I really enjoy science!” Liz gushed, allowing her fingers to slip under the hem of his shirt and drag it up.
Max gasped at the first contact of her warm fingers against his skin and used his time wisely to help her out of her clothes too.
Forty-five minutes later…
Max and Liz arrived in the kitchen, both looking very flushed and happy. Diane looked them over with a critical eye, trying to see what the Parkers would see when they looked at them.
“Max, why don’t you tuck in your shirt?” She finally said out loud, not wanting him to appear sloppy.
“Um, okay, Mom,” Max shot Liz a quelling glance as she burst into giggles and hid behind his back. Liz knew very well that he hadn’t been able to wear his shirt tucked in since they were married because of his body’s natural reaction to her presence. He carefully finished the task and put his arm around Liz, who had finally gained control of her giggles.
“Sorry,” she offered lightly, trying to stop another laughing fit. “Nerves, I think. I just can’t calm down.” Liz took a deep breath and tried to get control. She really was nervous about the night and trying to keep her mind off of it.
Diane gave her a sympathetic look. “We’ll be right there to back you up. Your parents love you, and while they may not understand your choice right away, they’ll support you. I know it!”
“Thanks, Diane,” Liz said sincerely. Max and Isabel had the best parents! She just hoped her own would be this understanding.
Max took her left hand in his and removed the silver ring from her middle finger. He closed his hand around it and glowed faintly. “Will you wear my ring?” he questioned gently placing it on her outstretched finger. Liz hugged his hand to her heart and her eyes filled with tears.
“Always,” she whispered. She watched while he removed the ring from his hand and changed it back as well, placing it back on his ring finger where it belonged. She felt stronger somehow. Connected.
The Parker residence
“Mom? Dad? I’m home and I’ve brought visitors!” Liz called out from the front door. She closed it behind them and walked through the house looking for her parents. Nancy poked her head out from the kitchen.
“Hey! You’re home early!” Nancy gave Liz a hug and looked in surprise at the visitors standing in the doorway.
“Well, hello everyone! Is everything all right?”
Jeff stood and offered his hand to Phillip, who shook it firmly. “How are you?”
“Good. Good. We’re all really good,” Phillip said lamely.
“Oh, well that’s good then, I guess,” Jeff motioned for everyone to sit down around the large kitchen table. He watched in curiosity as Max and Liz scooted so they were as close together as they could be without sharing a chair.
“Max, how’ve you been?” Nancy had also noticed the kids’ proximity.
“Um, really good, Mrs. Parker,” Max answered. He knew they wouldn’t be this polite to him soon.
“What’s going on?” Nancy asked, looking at Diane. “Is there something wrong with Liz’s new job? Did something happen at school?” She was remembering the last time these two kids had gotten in trouble in school when the principal had called the parents in. Watching how close Max and Liz sat right now, it was pretty obvious that they were back together.
“Nothing’s wrong, Nancy,” Diane answered truthfully. “In fact, everything’s fine!”
Nancy looked back at the kids, relieved that there was no problem.
“Mom, Dad,” Liz started slowly, looking from one to the other. “You know that you raised me right, and I’ve always been very responsible and mature for my age,” she began. Nancy and Jeff started looking concerned. This was not an auspicious beginning.
“We just wanted to come over here to tell you that Max and I are together now,” Liz continued.
“Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Nancy questioned. “You were gone all last summer because he broke your heart.” She definitely did not want a repeat of last summer. Liz had never told her the details, but one day Max and Liz could barely be separated and the next she burst into tears at the sound of his name. She’d always thought that that relationship was moving too fast. Liz thought she was all grown up, but when Nancy looked at her she could still see her little girl, and Max had been the one to initiate all the trouble last year. Definitely not a good influence on her daughter.
“Lizzie,” her dad looked worried, “do you think you should be dating at all? School’s always been so important to you, and the SAT’s are coming.” He really never had liked the idea of his daughter dating.
“We’re not just dating,” Liz took a fortifying breath. Liz had told Max earlier that she wanted to be the one to break it to her parents. “We got married in Las Vegas,” she burst out, waiting for the screaming to begin.
The long, stunned silence was almost worse.
Nancy’s mouth opened and closed as if she was trying to speak, but unable to process the words.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Jeff sputtered first, feeling the heat of anger rising to flush his face.
“No, Daddy, Max and I are married, and…we’re having a baby,” Liz said timidly glancing between her shocked parents.
“What?” Jeff burst out, rising from his chair so fast that it fell over with a loud clatter behind him. “When did this happen? You’re sitting there telling us that you’re pregnant and married and you never even bothered to let us know that you were going out?” Jeff stalked around the table to stand menacingly over Max. Max rose to meet his gaze evenly.
“I love your daughter, Mr. Parker,” he stated simply, hoping that there was a small part of Jeff that could hear the sincerity of his statement right now.
Jeff grabbed the front of Max’s shirt in both hands and hauled him closer. “You love my daughter?” he choked out in disbelief. “If you loved my daughter you would have kept your filthy hands to yourself and not gotten her into this situation!” he shouted into Max’s face.
Liz was watching in horror and rose to stand with Max. “Daddy! It’s not Max’s fault!” she screamed to get his attention. “We took precautions, they just didn’t work!”
Nancy moved around the table and pulled Liz close and a little behind her. “I think you need to leave now, Max,” she said coldly.
“Max is not leaving without me,” Liz said adamantly. “He is my husband and where he goes, I go.”
“Your husband?” Nancy scoffed, “That can’t even be legal! You’re under age and the last time I checked I didn’t give you permission to get married, young lady! I can’t believe that you would ruin your life, your future…with this…this…person by trying to chain yourself to him! Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean…There are other solutions! Why didn’t you come to me?” Nancy was in despair that Liz had messed up so royally and never once thought to seek her guidance.
“We don’t need your permission, because I am pregnant,” Liz shouted back. “You can’t keep us apart, and we just wanted you to know because I love you both and for some stupid reason I wanted to share my happiness with you…” Liz stopped when Diane placed a calming hand on her arm. Liz turned to leaned into her arms. Nancy watched the exchange with a puzzled expression.
“Did you know about this?” Nancy asked Diane, realizing that the Evans’ were being amazingly calm about everything.
“Not until after they did it. We wanted to come over and sit down with you and tell you together,” Diane said, hoping they would all sit and discuss this calmly.
“You’re okay with this?” Nancy sputtered in disbelief.
“I think we need to discuss this with our daughter in private,” Jeff pushed Max away from him and moved to stand by Nancy and Liz. “I would appreciate it if you would all leave,” he added coldly.
“Daddy, if Max leaves so do I!” Liz burst out, not taking her eyes off of Max’s miserable expression.
“You don’t have anything to say about this, Liz.” Jeff gave her a disappointed look and took her arm to pull her from the room.
“Jeff,” Phillip spoke up, “Why don’t you just hear them out, okay?” He used his most reasonable lawyer voice, in hopes of catching Jeff’s attention.
Jeff looked at Phillip for a moment, wondering how he was so calm about the mess their kids were in. Maybe it was different when you had a son. A son couldn’t ruin his life by getting pregnant. A son wouldn’t have to contemplate dropping out of school to be a mother.
“Please, Daddy,” Liz turned pleading eyes to her father, appealing to his soft spot for his daughter.
“I can’t imagine what you can say that will make us understand this,” Jeff answered at last, but he finally righted his chair and sat down again. Liz moved to sit by Max, taking his hand in a show of solidarity. Nancy noticed the sparkle of a ring on her daughter’s finger for the first time since they came in and winced.
“We are completely in love,” Max said solidly, squeezing Liz’s hand. “We didn’t plan to have a family so soon, but now that we are, we’re prepared to accept the consequences.”
“Prepared? Prepared?! You two are children yourselves! You don’t have any idea what having a baby will do to your lives!” Nancy couldn’t contain herself.
“We know that it’ll be difficult. We’ve figured out how to make it work though. We’ve decided to finish our senior year after the first semester, so Liz can have some time off with the baby before we start college. My mom and dad have offered us the garage apartment, so we have a place to stay. Liz and I are both eligible for scholarships and have been saving money for education for several years, we both have college funds because of you all. I guess we just want you to know that we are in love, and we know that this is unusual, but it’s what we both want, and we’re taking responsibility for our actions.” Max waited anxiously for their reactions.
“I don’t like it,” Nancy declared, shaking her head in denial. “Did Max take advantage of you, Liz? Because this is not how we raised you! I thought you knew you could come to us!”
“Mom, this isn’t about how you raised me. I love Max and he loves me. We’ve known it for a long time and it was inevitable that we would end up together,” Liz insisted.
“Inevitable?” Jeff snorted in disbelief. “Is that why you’ve spent the last year crying over this young man and being miserable?”
“I was miserable because I was staying away from him. I didn’t believe that I should feel so strongly for him and I thought he should be with someone else,” Liz answered with as much truth as she could. “But Max didn’t want to be with anyone else. He waited for me and I couldn’t imagine myself seeing anyone else either.”
“Why did you think you could just run off and get married?” Nancy asked.
“I want to take care of Liz,” Max answered simply. “I want to see her every day and protect her from all the bad things out there. We want to share our lives and watch our child grow. We want to be together and laugh and cry and be best friends. We love each other and it didn’t make sense to try to stay apart anymore.”
Nancy was secretly touched by the devotion and love pouring from Max’s eyes and tone. He really did love their daughter, that was no longer in question for her, but was love enough?
“We take care of our daughter.” Jeff stared Max down. “We don’t need you to come in now and take over. We’ll take care of her as a family.”
“Daddy,” Jeff glanced at his daughter’s hurt expression, “Max and this baby are my family now. When we’re done here I’ll be going home with my husband,” Liz’s voice caught in her throat as she made her point clear.
“He is not your husband, Lizzie,” Jeff insisted flatly. He looked to Diane and Phillip. “You two are lawyers, you should know that this can’t be legal.”
“Actually, with parental consent it can be legal,” Diane told them, “and even without consent because Liz is pregnant. If you refuse to write out notarized consent to their marriage, then they’ll just appeal to family court and they will grant them permission to marry regardless of their parent’s opinions, and I’ll help them do it.”
“I can’t believe you think this is a good idea!” Nancy sputtered.
“I know that they have a lot of hard times ahead of them, but if you look at them you can see that they belong together. They have a connection that is so real and so strong that I know they would do anything for each other. They are both very responsible for their ages and they’ve thought a lot about how to make this work. I think that we need to support them right now, regardless of what we think, because it’s inevitable. They’ll stay married with or without our permission, and I love them enough to want to be there and be trusted enough to come to when they inevitably run into tough times. Pushing them away now will not stop what has already happened and I for one do not want to create a rift between my children and myself.” Diane sincerely hoped her speech was getting through. Nancy appeared to be softening, but Jeff still looked mad.
“We need to think about this,” Nancy said, placing a hand on Jeff’s tense arm.
“I don’t need to think about anything,” Jeff angrily retorted.
Nancy grabbed his arm tighter, turning to face the group. “Jeff and I need to talk. Liz, could you come over after school tomorrow and we’ll discuss what’s going to happen?”
Liz nodded warily. Were they suggesting she could go home with Max now? Or were they plotting how to ship her off to boarding school?
Nancy offered her a tight smile, the best she could manage right then, and gave her daughter a short hug.
“We’ll talk tomorrow. I love you.” Nancy placed a small kiss on her daughter’s forehead and avoided Max’s gaze. She wasn’t entirely sure this young man was good for her daughter, but he did love her, that was obvious.
“Are you crazy, Nancy? You want Liz to just go off with this…this…man and spend the night with him?” Jeff roared in disbelief.
“Look, Jeff, it’s obvious that our daughter has already ‘spent the night’ with him before! That’s why we’re all standing here right now, isn’t it? One more night won’t get her any more pregnant, and if what Diane said is true then we can’t do anything to stop her anyway! So can you please just calm the hell down and give your daughter a hug goodbye so we can talk about this rationally?” Nancy snapped out impatiently.
Liz was whooping for joy inside. Go, Mom!
Max looked on in awe as Jeff turned away and sat back down at the table.
The Evans’ all left together.
TBC
EYA Part 47
Liz eased out of the bed they now shared and stood by the side, watching Max sleep for a moment. She would never get enough of watching him peaceful in slumber. She gently brushed back a stray lock of hair that had fallen over his eyes. Max mumbled in his sleep and turned on his side restlessly, his hands searching for Liz. She held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t awaken before she was ready for him. Her breath was released in a relieved sigh when Max pulled her pillow close to his chest and hugged it to his body, inhaling her scent and settling back into an easy rest.
Forcing herself to turn away from him she pulled on a short robe and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind her. She unconsciously maintained a light connection with Max to make sure her absence didn’t make him lapse into nightmarish realms. She smiled when she ‘peeked’ into his dream world and saw Max holding Liz and both gazing in adoration at the bundle of blankets cradled in Liz’s arms. She began humming a light tune as she busied herself in the kitchen.
She quickly assembled the items she needed onto a tray and balanced it easily in one hand as she made her way back to the bedroom. She used her free hand to open the knob and bumped the door gently open with her hip. Max’s eyes slowly opened at the sound of the door and he blinked to focus on what she was carrying.
“What are you doing up, baby?” He asked her curiously, rubbing his eyes and sitting up against the headboard.
She smiled mysteriously as she sat on the edge of the mattress and settled the tray over Max’s surprised lap. The tray was covered with a cloth napkin, so Max could not see the contents. “I had a few things to do this morning, so I couldn’t sleep the morning away like you!”
“Well you should have woken me up and I would have thought of something we could do together,” Max’s husky voice was suggestive and his hot eyes told her how he’d like to spend the morning.
Liz laughed softly and dodged his wandering hands. “Uh uh, you need nourishment, mister!” She turned his attention to the mysterious tray. Her hand hovered over the cloth covering the tray and she watched his eyes widen while she revealed the contents.
“Liz?” Max asked her in confusion.
“Happy birthday, baby,” she whispered against his lips before allowing her tongue to caress his lips, coaxing them to open for her. Max groaned and framed her face in his large hands, drawing her closer to him and forgetting the breakfast tray in his lap. Liz chuckled and saved the tray from tipping over as she leaned back.
“Let me help you with your breakfast,” Liz offered as she reached for the first item on the tray.
Taking a juicy strawberry between two fingers, she trailed it through a bowl of warm chocolate and dipped it briefly in a bowl of Tabasco before holding it out to his parted lips. Teasing him lightly, she traced the plump fruit over his lips, coating them with spicy chocolate. His tongue licked out and his breath came in short pants when she leaned in to lick up the spots he’d missed. Max groaned in the back of his throat and tried to deepen the contact.
Liz leaned back and held the fruit to his lips again. He took the bite and watched her observing his reaction to the sweet, spicy treat. He chewed slowly and watched her own breathing catch in her throat as he slowly licked his lips and took her hand. His eyes locked on her mouth as he used his own to envelop her first finger and swathe over it with his tongue. Liz’s eyes drifted closed at the sweet suction of his mouth on her finger. His tongue thoroughly cleaned her finger before letting it go and capturing her thumb in his mouth. Liz moaned softly and leaned closer to him, settling against his chest. Completing his task Max reached for the tray and picked up a slice of banana. Briefly considering the contents of the tray he dipped it into a bowl of whipped cream and offered it to Liz’s waiting mouth.
Her lips parted and she took a small bite. Max swooped down and took the other half of the banana into his mouth and they shared the bite, their lips crushing together in a desperate bid for completion. Liz’s hands wandered over his bare chest, smoothing over the taut muscles and causing his body to tense and relax convulsively under her touch. His breathing became audible as he shifted to nibble her earlobe and lick at the sensitive area behind her ear. Liz moaned and arched her neck back. Max couldn’t resist the invitation and licked and kissed his way down the slender column of her throat. Liz shivered as his touch caused her skin to prickle with electric energy.
Pulling away slightly, she moved the tray to the end of the bed and put her hand on his chest to push him back to the mattress. He watched her avidly as she picked up a French toast point and coated it in chocolate. She used her free hand to keep his hand at his side when he tried to touch her again. Shaking her head at him, she lowered the dripping chocolate to the middle of his chest and made a thin line of chocolate down the center. Dipping it again she drew lines of chocolate over his pecs and paid special attention to his nipples. Setting the toast aside she held her hair back and kept her eyes on his as she lowered herself over his now heaving chest.
Max let out a low groan at the first contact of her hot, slick tongue against his chest. She slowly and meticulously licked her way down the first trail of chocolate down the middle of his body before working her way back up slowly to detour over his pecs, at last settling over his hardened nipple. Sucking gently at first, she swished her tongue repeatedly over the sensitive surface.
“Liz!” Max twined his fingers in her hair, holding it back for her and freeing her hands to touch all the spots she had just cleaned. Max moaned at the loss of contact when Liz removed her mouth from his aching nipple only to clutch her hair tighter when she licked her way across his chest to give the other side of him equal treatment. Max’s hips began to buck up rhythmically without his knowledge.
As Liz completed her cleaning duties she untied her silken robe and slipped her arms out of it as she moved to straddle his body. Gently, she sucked on the flushed skin under her hot mouth and worked her way up to his eager lips, sliding her bare skin against his. The kiss was primal and needy. Their lips mated together frantically, mouths moving to deepen the angle, tongues tasting and sweeping on to explore intimate details. Max’s hand roamed down her back and settled over her buttocks. Her hips were already grinding down to seek relief against his hard body. Max squeezed the firm globes and wandered around her hips. Liz lifted up slightly to allow Max’s fingers full access to her and sighed in satisfaction as he found her center.
Max allowed his fingers to explore the tender, swollen folds as she bucked against his hand asking for more without words. His fingers were coated with her juices and he dipped them into her body, caressing the soft contours of her tight passage. Liz gasped and pushed down against him to encourage deeper penetration. Max began to move his fingers within her in a regular rhythm that made her close her eyes and arch against him frantically. Max’s connection with her allowed him to feel her excitement and his panting moans joined hers as she rocked harder against his hand.
Max flipped their positions and sank down between her eagerly parted legs, never breaking the rhythm of his fingers inside her body. His mouth covered her sensitive bundle of nerves and licked her steadily until she was ready to go over the edge. Just as she began to come Max covered her with his mouth and sucked gainst her center strongly. Liz screamed and fisted her hands in the sheets in an effort to keep from arching off the bed. Her hips ground against his hand and mouth as waves of ecstasy rolled through her body.
Just as she crested the last wave Max pulled out his fingers and moved up her body swiftly. He teased the head of his cock against her juicy folds causing her hips to bump up against him hungrily. Liz pulled him down to her and Max could resist no longer. Plunging deeply into her in one swift move they began a rhythmic dance as their hips moved smoothly together and their breaths panted in frantic puffs against each other’s lips. Max closed the small distance between their lips and crushed his mouth against hers. Liz’s moans were muffled by the contact and she twisted one hand into his short hair as her other hand clawed over his arching back.
Max made sure Liz could feel the incredible sensation of her tight, hot walls closing over his hard cock. “Max! I’m going to…” Liz’s panting breaths cut off abruptly as her body spasmed, hips angling for deeper penetration. Max slammed his hips against hers in long, hard strokes that milked the last bit of control he had retained. Liz’s hands pulled his body to hers and as his release ripped through him his body stiffened and he was no longer capable of movement. Liz moved against him strongly to milk out the last of his pleasure until he collapsed on top of her.
He rolled to the side and grinned at his wife. “Happy birthday to me!” He sing-songed playfully.
“So. You’re having a good day?” Liz teased him lightly.
“Oh yeah!” Max responded, kissing her tenderly.
8 a.m. Evans kitchen
“Good morning, honey. Happy birthday!” Diane gave her son a kiss on the cheek. She looked over Max and Liz, noticing the happy, satisfied expressions on their faces. Must be having a good birthday already! she thought to herself.
She busied herself at the counter. “Hope you two are hungry! I made your favorite breakfast!” she called over her shoulder cheerfully. She turned around completely at the surprising burst of laughter that broke out behind her. Liz and Max were collapsed in each other’s arms as they laughed over some private joke. At last, Max wiped his streaming eyes and tried to put on a straight face.
“We’ve already eaten, Mom!” he managed to get out before glancing at Liz and losing it again.
TBC
Liz eased out of the bed they now shared and stood by the side, watching Max sleep for a moment. She would never get enough of watching him peaceful in slumber. She gently brushed back a stray lock of hair that had fallen over his eyes. Max mumbled in his sleep and turned on his side restlessly, his hands searching for Liz. She held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t awaken before she was ready for him. Her breath was released in a relieved sigh when Max pulled her pillow close to his chest and hugged it to his body, inhaling her scent and settling back into an easy rest.
Forcing herself to turn away from him she pulled on a short robe and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind her. She unconsciously maintained a light connection with Max to make sure her absence didn’t make him lapse into nightmarish realms. She smiled when she ‘peeked’ into his dream world and saw Max holding Liz and both gazing in adoration at the bundle of blankets cradled in Liz’s arms. She began humming a light tune as she busied herself in the kitchen.
She quickly assembled the items she needed onto a tray and balanced it easily in one hand as she made her way back to the bedroom. She used her free hand to open the knob and bumped the door gently open with her hip. Max’s eyes slowly opened at the sound of the door and he blinked to focus on what she was carrying.
“What are you doing up, baby?” He asked her curiously, rubbing his eyes and sitting up against the headboard.
She smiled mysteriously as she sat on the edge of the mattress and settled the tray over Max’s surprised lap. The tray was covered with a cloth napkin, so Max could not see the contents. “I had a few things to do this morning, so I couldn’t sleep the morning away like you!”
“Well you should have woken me up and I would have thought of something we could do together,” Max’s husky voice was suggestive and his hot eyes told her how he’d like to spend the morning.
Liz laughed softly and dodged his wandering hands. “Uh uh, you need nourishment, mister!” She turned his attention to the mysterious tray. Her hand hovered over the cloth covering the tray and she watched his eyes widen while she revealed the contents.
“Liz?” Max asked her in confusion.
“Happy birthday, baby,” she whispered against his lips before allowing her tongue to caress his lips, coaxing them to open for her. Max groaned and framed her face in his large hands, drawing her closer to him and forgetting the breakfast tray in his lap. Liz chuckled and saved the tray from tipping over as she leaned back.
“Let me help you with your breakfast,” Liz offered as she reached for the first item on the tray.
Taking a juicy strawberry between two fingers, she trailed it through a bowl of warm chocolate and dipped it briefly in a bowl of Tabasco before holding it out to his parted lips. Teasing him lightly, she traced the plump fruit over his lips, coating them with spicy chocolate. His tongue licked out and his breath came in short pants when she leaned in to lick up the spots he’d missed. Max groaned in the back of his throat and tried to deepen the contact.
Liz leaned back and held the fruit to his lips again. He took the bite and watched her observing his reaction to the sweet, spicy treat. He chewed slowly and watched her own breathing catch in her throat as he slowly licked his lips and took her hand. His eyes locked on her mouth as he used his own to envelop her first finger and swathe over it with his tongue. Liz’s eyes drifted closed at the sweet suction of his mouth on her finger. His tongue thoroughly cleaned her finger before letting it go and capturing her thumb in his mouth. Liz moaned softly and leaned closer to him, settling against his chest. Completing his task Max reached for the tray and picked up a slice of banana. Briefly considering the contents of the tray he dipped it into a bowl of whipped cream and offered it to Liz’s waiting mouth.
Her lips parted and she took a small bite. Max swooped down and took the other half of the banana into his mouth and they shared the bite, their lips crushing together in a desperate bid for completion. Liz’s hands wandered over his bare chest, smoothing over the taut muscles and causing his body to tense and relax convulsively under her touch. His breathing became audible as he shifted to nibble her earlobe and lick at the sensitive area behind her ear. Liz moaned and arched her neck back. Max couldn’t resist the invitation and licked and kissed his way down the slender column of her throat. Liz shivered as his touch caused her skin to prickle with electric energy.
Pulling away slightly, she moved the tray to the end of the bed and put her hand on his chest to push him back to the mattress. He watched her avidly as she picked up a French toast point and coated it in chocolate. She used her free hand to keep his hand at his side when he tried to touch her again. Shaking her head at him, she lowered the dripping chocolate to the middle of his chest and made a thin line of chocolate down the center. Dipping it again she drew lines of chocolate over his pecs and paid special attention to his nipples. Setting the toast aside she held her hair back and kept her eyes on his as she lowered herself over his now heaving chest.
Max let out a low groan at the first contact of her hot, slick tongue against his chest. She slowly and meticulously licked her way down the first trail of chocolate down the middle of his body before working her way back up slowly to detour over his pecs, at last settling over his hardened nipple. Sucking gently at first, she swished her tongue repeatedly over the sensitive surface.
“Liz!” Max twined his fingers in her hair, holding it back for her and freeing her hands to touch all the spots she had just cleaned. Max moaned at the loss of contact when Liz removed her mouth from his aching nipple only to clutch her hair tighter when she licked her way across his chest to give the other side of him equal treatment. Max’s hips began to buck up rhythmically without his knowledge.
As Liz completed her cleaning duties she untied her silken robe and slipped her arms out of it as she moved to straddle his body. Gently, she sucked on the flushed skin under her hot mouth and worked her way up to his eager lips, sliding her bare skin against his. The kiss was primal and needy. Their lips mated together frantically, mouths moving to deepen the angle, tongues tasting and sweeping on to explore intimate details. Max’s hand roamed down her back and settled over her buttocks. Her hips were already grinding down to seek relief against his hard body. Max squeezed the firm globes and wandered around her hips. Liz lifted up slightly to allow Max’s fingers full access to her and sighed in satisfaction as he found her center.
Max allowed his fingers to explore the tender, swollen folds as she bucked against his hand asking for more without words. His fingers were coated with her juices and he dipped them into her body, caressing the soft contours of her tight passage. Liz gasped and pushed down against him to encourage deeper penetration. Max began to move his fingers within her in a regular rhythm that made her close her eyes and arch against him frantically. Max’s connection with her allowed him to feel her excitement and his panting moans joined hers as she rocked harder against his hand.
Max flipped their positions and sank down between her eagerly parted legs, never breaking the rhythm of his fingers inside her body. His mouth covered her sensitive bundle of nerves and licked her steadily until she was ready to go over the edge. Just as she began to come Max covered her with his mouth and sucked gainst her center strongly. Liz screamed and fisted her hands in the sheets in an effort to keep from arching off the bed. Her hips ground against his hand and mouth as waves of ecstasy rolled through her body.
Just as she crested the last wave Max pulled out his fingers and moved up her body swiftly. He teased the head of his cock against her juicy folds causing her hips to bump up against him hungrily. Liz pulled him down to her and Max could resist no longer. Plunging deeply into her in one swift move they began a rhythmic dance as their hips moved smoothly together and their breaths panted in frantic puffs against each other’s lips. Max closed the small distance between their lips and crushed his mouth against hers. Liz’s moans were muffled by the contact and she twisted one hand into his short hair as her other hand clawed over his arching back.
Max made sure Liz could feel the incredible sensation of her tight, hot walls closing over his hard cock. “Max! I’m going to…” Liz’s panting breaths cut off abruptly as her body spasmed, hips angling for deeper penetration. Max slammed his hips against hers in long, hard strokes that milked the last bit of control he had retained. Liz’s hands pulled his body to hers and as his release ripped through him his body stiffened and he was no longer capable of movement. Liz moved against him strongly to milk out the last of his pleasure until he collapsed on top of her.
He rolled to the side and grinned at his wife. “Happy birthday to me!” He sing-songed playfully.
“So. You’re having a good day?” Liz teased him lightly.
“Oh yeah!” Max responded, kissing her tenderly.
8 a.m. Evans kitchen
“Good morning, honey. Happy birthday!” Diane gave her son a kiss on the cheek. She looked over Max and Liz, noticing the happy, satisfied expressions on their faces. Must be having a good birthday already! she thought to herself.
She busied herself at the counter. “Hope you two are hungry! I made your favorite breakfast!” she called over her shoulder cheerfully. She turned around completely at the surprising burst of laughter that broke out behind her. Liz and Max were collapsed in each other’s arms as they laughed over some private joke. At last, Max wiped his streaming eyes and tried to put on a straight face.
“We’ve already eaten, Mom!” he managed to get out before glancing at Liz and losing it again.
TBC
EYA Part 48
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Liz questioned again nervously, stopping them on the steps leading into the school. She clutched his hand tightly in hers as she turned to face him.
Max looked down into her worried eyes and smiled soft and slow. Brushing a wind tossed lock of hair away from her eyes he nodded.
“We’re together now and I don’t see any reason to try to hide it from people at school anymore. I want everyone to know that you are mine and I am yours. Sure, it’ll be weird for awhile, but then Pam Troy or Vicky Delaney will do something shocking and everyone will forget all about us,” Max reassured her.
Liz licked her suddenly dry lips nervously, glancing at the open doors into the school, contemplating what the day would bring. Max’s eyes watched her tongue slick over her pink lips hungrily, remembering this morning’s wake-up call. Liz’s eyes flicked back up to collide with Max’s hot gaze and lock there. Their lips met in a sweet kiss that was abruptly interrupted with a tap on Max’s shoulder.
Max looked up in dazed surprise to find Mr. Harris scowling at them disapprovingly. “This is no place for public displays of affection, Mr. Evans, Ms. Parker. I trust you will remember that in future?”
Max flushed and nodded his head, suddenly finding the concrete step fascinating. Liz couldn’t meet Mr. Harris’ eyes and she mumbled a quick, “Sorry, Mr. Harris.”
Mr. Harris nodded in satisfaction of a job well done and continued into the school.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Liz repeated. “It’s bad enough that we’re dying of embarrassment at a teacher catching us kissing before school even starts. What’s going to happen when the entire staff and student body realizes we’re married? They’re gonna be watching us like hawks. We’ll never have a minutes peace!”
“I know. It’s still the right thing to do. You should be able to use your new name and they will get over the novelty of it eventually,” Max reassured her as well as himself. It would be tough for a while, but it would be worth it.
“Everyone’s gonna know I’m pregnant,” Liz muttered, looking at the ground. Max lifted her chin up to look in her eyes.
“You mean everyone’s going to think I had to marry you because I got you pregnant, right?” Liz nodded, miserable.
“What’s important here is that you and I and the people closest to us know we got married before we ever found out. You know you’re the only one for me and I’m the only one for you. It’s not important what these people think,” Max stated with surety. “Besides, even if they keep their eyes glued to your waistline they won’t be able to tell that you’re pregnant for a very long time. They’ll have to dismiss that theory when you don’t give birth until January.” ‘
Liz’s eyes lit with hope. She really didn’t want everyone to think she had trapped Max into marrying her against his will. Her reputation was bad enough as it was after the Kyle debacle made the rounds. Not that she truly cared what people said about her, but when it reflected badly on Max…It made her see red.
“Did you bring it?” she asked softly.
Max nodded and reached into his backpack for their copy of the marriage license.
“What if my parents don’t come around?” She had to voice her other concern. “What if they won’t validate our Vegas wedding?”
Max looped his arm around her shoulders and began walking with her into the school. “Then my Mom will help us petition the family court here and we’ll just get married again. Either way we’ll be married and we’ll have to tell people.”
Liz nodded again, breathing deeply before taking the final step into the school. Max led the way into the office holding Liz’s hand closely against his side. Leaning against the front counter he caught the attention of the student aide and requested to meet with the principal. Sara Weller’s eyes widened at the sight of the handsome Max Evans’ direct gaze, and it took her a moment to process his request before she realized how long she’d been staring at him and turned quickly to buzz the principal’s office.
Liz gave Max an amused glance at Sara’s dumbstruck expression and bumped him lightly with her hip to get his attention. “West Roswell girls are going to be wearing black for the rest of the year once this news gets out,” she teased him gently. Max’s face flushed red as he glanced down at her and realized that she was only half joking.
“He’ll be right out,” Sara gushed. She hadn’t even noticed Liz standing by Max’s side. Her adoring gaze swept over Max’s face and down his broad chest and arms. Her eyes widened when they fell on the shiny wedding ring that glinted on his left hand. Her eyes flashed back up to catch his satisfied smile and she watched as he put his arm around Liz and walked with her over to a row of chairs.
“Are you comfortable, honey?” he asked Liz, just to make sure Sara didn’t mistake what she had seen.
Liz caught onto the game immediately and gave him a sweet kiss before answering, “Yes, thank you, dear,” and using her left hand to caress his jaw. They both almost burst out laughing when they heard a sudden crash behind the front counter. They could hear Sara scrambling to pick up whatever she had dropped and tried to compose their expressions, Max mouthing, “Dear?” and almost losing it again.
“Is everything all right out here, Sara?” Principal Forrester asked as he watched her picking up a pile of files in a frenzied manner.
“Oh! Um, yes. Sorry, sir, I was a little clumsy,” Sara sputtered out as she stood with files clutched to her chest. She dared a quick glance over at Max and Liz and flushed rosy. “Max Evans and Liz, um Parker are here to see you,” she finished before quickly turning her attention back to organizing the files.
“Mr. Evans, Ms. Parker, this is a rare surprise. Honor students don’t normally seek out the principal for an early meeting. Why don’t you two come on back into my office,” Principal Forrester invited.
Liz held Max’s hand and followed them into the office. They sat across the desk from the principal and Max glanced at Liz before speaking, wanting to get final approval before they reached the point of no return. Liz gave him an almost imperceptible nod and turned back to the principal.
“Mr. Forrester, we came in this morning to tell you that Liz and I got married,” Max stated bluntly.
Mr. Forrester’s face was almost comical in its surprise. “You…you got married?” he asked them for confirmation that he wasn’t hearing things.
“Yes, sir, we did,” Max confirmed clutching Liz’s hand.
Mr. Forrester glanced down and noticed the shiny gold rings for the first time. “Well, I uh…I assume your parents approved of this?” he asked next.
“Of course,” Max answered with confidence. No reason to say anything about Liz’s parents until they knew for sure one way or the other. The result would be the same in the end.
Mr. Forrester desperately wanted to ask if Liz was pregnant, but thought that may be against the law, invading their right to privacy or something. His gaze flickered to her waist and away quickly. Max felt Liz’s hand stiffen in his. It was starting already.
“Do you have the marriage license?” he asked next, getting to the details.
Max set the license on the table in front of him, careful not to wrinkle it. Mr. Forrester picked it up and buzzed Sara. “Ms. Weller?”
“Yes, sir?” Sara answered quickly. Too quickly, she had obviously been waiting to find out what was going on in that office.
“Could you come in and make a copy for me please?”
“I’ll be right there,” Sara answered as she clicked off the intercom. She was at the door almost immediately.
Mr. Forrester handed her the marriage certificate and Sara’s eyes almost popped out of her head as she realized what she was holding. Her eyes flashed over Max with regret as she exited the room.
“Do you have parental permission forms too?” Mr. Forrester asked.
“Um, I brought mine, but we’ll have to bring Liz’s later,” Max extemporized.
“Hmm, okay. Bring it in tomorrow or I’ll have to call over to the Parkers myself,” Mr. Forrester said.
Max placed his notarized permission on the table and nodded agreement, hoping that Nancy and Jim would give their permission by the end of the day.
Sara walked back into the office with the copy and the original just as Mr. Forrester was asking if Liz wanted to change her name on the school records.
“Yes, sir, I’ll be using my husband’s name,” she affirmed.
“Sara, could we get a copy of this as well? And bring in Liz Parkers, er…Liz Evans’ permanent file please,” the principal requested next. Sara nodded and hurried back out. She caught a glimpse of Vickie Delaney passing by in the hall and called her name before she passed out of sight.
Vickie poked her head in the office door curiously. “What’s up, Sara?”
Sara motioned her into the office and slid the parental permission slip over for Vickie to see. “Wait till you see this!” Sara’s voice rose with excitement.
Vickie’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Are they already…?”
Sara’s nod confirmed it. “They’re in there right now telling Principal Forrester so that Liz can change her name to Evans officially!” she blurted out.
“Oh my…” Vickie’s eyes narrowed speculatively. “I bet she’s pregnant!” She turned and headed for the door needing to share this juicy bit of gossip as soon as possible.
By the time Max and Liz left the office the entire school was buzzing with the news. As they walked down the halls stares and whispers followed in their wake. Max held Liz’s hand tightly, offering her the only support that he could. ‘It’ll be okay. I love you!” he reassured her silently.
Liz mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ as he dropped her off in her first class.
Max watched her until she reached her seat and turned reluctantly to head in the opposite direction to his own class.
“Way to go, Evans!” a jock that Max did not recognize clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. Max just shook his head and kept walking. Three guys in letterman jackets surrounded him out of nowhere.
“You’re a lucky guy, Evans! Liz is quite a hottie!” the first one congratulated. Max fumed silently.
“Yeah, I heard she’s a wild one!” the second added with a leer. Max’s hands curled slowly into fists.
“Are you sure the kid’s yours? I’ve heard she gets around,” the beefy third one goaded Max maliciously.
Faster than anyone could blink, Max slammed the third guy up against the lockers, his feet dangling in the air. “What did you say?” he growled in a menacing tone, shaking the frightened athlete till his head rattled against the lockers.
“N…Nothing, man!” the guy’s hands held up in a gesture of surrender.
“Hey, man! We didn’t mean anything by it!” one of the guy’s friends offered from a distance. Who knew Max Evans was so quick and strong? No one wanted to get near him now, let alone piss him off further.
Max reluctantly lowered the guy till his feet touched the floor. He pushed him back once more into the lockers…hard, before stepping back. “That’s what I thought,” he said as he turned to face the others. “I don’t want to hear Liz’s name cross any of your lips ever again, do we understand each other?” The three guys nodded, eyes wide, as they backed away from Max before turning and sprinting down the hall.
Loud, slow clapping had Max spinning around to meet Michael’s cynical expression. Michael slung his arm around Max’s shoulders and led him away. “Way to go, Max! If you didn’t do it, then I was gonna!”
Max grinned at his friend. He had been fully expecting disapproval over his show of strength, but instead Michael was supporting him for once.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Pam Troy leaned over and whispered something to a friend of hers in Liz’s first period class. Liz heard her name followed by loud giggling.
“Ms. Troy? Do you have something to share with the class?” Mrs. Norman asked her pointedly, tired of Pam’s constant interruptions.
Pam looked up brightly. “Why yes I do,” Pam replied smoothly. “I was just wanting to congratulate Liz on her marriage to Max Evans!” she burst out, watching for Liz’s reaction. Liz’s face flushed bright red as all eyes in the room turned to her. Pam sat back smugly, happy to have been the first to break the news.
Mrs. Norman’s eyes widened in surprise and then took in Liz’s discomfited expression. “That’ll be enough, Ms. Troy,” she reprimanded before turning to Liz. “Would you like to confirm or deny, Ms. Parker?” she asked, assuming that Pam was starting another rumor.
“Um, actually it is Mrs. Evans now,” Liz stated calmly, having regained her composure. Gasps were heard around the room. Liz flashed a smug grin back at Pam and watched her fume as her plan to embarrass Liz backfired.
“Oh! Well, I guess congratulations are in order then,” Mrs. Norman sputtered out. “Now let’s get back to class…”
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Maria grabbed Liz’s arm and held on as they walked out to the quad for lunch. Max had her other arm, and Liz was glad for the support as all eyes turned to them when they walked quickly to their table.
“Could you warn a girl next time you announce something big to the entire school?” Maria scolded her gently. “I had to hear it from at least fifty different people and I didn’t know whether to confirm or deny any knowledge!”
“Sorry, Maria! We just told the principal, and before first period the news had leaked all over school!” Liz moaned. Maria hugged her briefly.
“It’s okay! I know it’s been a crazy day for you. What exactly did you tell the principal? People are speculating about junior there and I didn’t think you guys were gonna say anything yet,” Maria asked curiously.
“We haven’t said anything yet. We’re just letting people speculate and not talking about it. They’ll assume when I don’t blow up like a balloon and pop in nine months that they were wrong,” Liz told her friend.
Alex slid onto the bench across from Max, Liz and Maria and quirked an eyebrow. “Way to keep a secret at West Roswell High, kids! I’ve been defending your honor all day!”
Liz looked at him worriedly. “What do you mean?” Max’s hand tightened on her thigh as he shook his head slightly at Alex. Alex gave him a quizzical glance and decided to tone down his story. Michael and Isabel slid onto the bench beside Alex as he made up some sanitized story about people just thinking they were too young to know what love was. In truth, he had nearly gotten into two fights already because of comments overheard about Liz’s loose morals and how she must have trapped poor, unsuspecting Max Evans into proposing. That thing with Kyle last fall had not enhanced Liz’s reputation.
Liz nodded, not sure she was getting the full story. Kyle started to walk by their table and she reached out to touch his arm. He looked down at her in surprise. He’d been walking around in a daze all day, not really paying attention to all the sly looks and strange comments made to him that morning.
“What is it, Liz?” he asked her, not especially curious. He just wanted to find a quiet place to sit down and think about life, and friendship, and trust.
“Will you sit with us?” Liz pleaded. “Please?” she added softly when it looked like Kyle might say no.
“Why the hell not?” he stated dryly as he sat down next to Isabel. “So you made quite a stir around school today,” he mentioned. He hadn’t been that oblivious.
“Um, yeah. Sorry if you’re taking any flak about what happened, er rather, didn’t happen last fall,” Liz apologized softly.
“Hey, I don’t care what any of those dumb jocks are saying. I’m starting to realize that maybe they were never really my friends anyway. I’ve been wondering if I ever had any real friends to begin with,” he added morosely.
Isabel reached out and took his hand in hers, massaging it softly. “You have us. I know we’re not exactly your normal crowd, but you know we’ll always be there if you need us,” she told him gently. She hated how Tess’ defection had made Kyle feel. He had placed his trust in the wrong person, and if anyone knew how that could affect your self-worth and self-esteem, Isabel did. She had paid the consequences in two lifetimes for trusting Tess. Kyle looked at all the faces around the table and finally nodded.
“I guess I’m not exactly your normal, run of the mill teen either,” he quipped, thinking of how Max had ‘changed’ him when he’d saved his life. He wondered if he would ever develop any powers of his own. That’d be kinda cool, come in real handy maybe.
“Maybe you could come over to my house after school today, Kyle,” Max invited. “Everyone here will be there for my eighteenth birthday. Just pizza and music and stuff, but it should be fun.”
“Yeah, sure. I can come,” Kyle accepted. Might as well get started ‘bonding with the aliens’, he thought wryly.
TBC
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Liz questioned again nervously, stopping them on the steps leading into the school. She clutched his hand tightly in hers as she turned to face him.
Max looked down into her worried eyes and smiled soft and slow. Brushing a wind tossed lock of hair away from her eyes he nodded.
“We’re together now and I don’t see any reason to try to hide it from people at school anymore. I want everyone to know that you are mine and I am yours. Sure, it’ll be weird for awhile, but then Pam Troy or Vicky Delaney will do something shocking and everyone will forget all about us,” Max reassured her.
Liz licked her suddenly dry lips nervously, glancing at the open doors into the school, contemplating what the day would bring. Max’s eyes watched her tongue slick over her pink lips hungrily, remembering this morning’s wake-up call. Liz’s eyes flicked back up to collide with Max’s hot gaze and lock there. Their lips met in a sweet kiss that was abruptly interrupted with a tap on Max’s shoulder.
Max looked up in dazed surprise to find Mr. Harris scowling at them disapprovingly. “This is no place for public displays of affection, Mr. Evans, Ms. Parker. I trust you will remember that in future?”
Max flushed and nodded his head, suddenly finding the concrete step fascinating. Liz couldn’t meet Mr. Harris’ eyes and she mumbled a quick, “Sorry, Mr. Harris.”
Mr. Harris nodded in satisfaction of a job well done and continued into the school.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Liz repeated. “It’s bad enough that we’re dying of embarrassment at a teacher catching us kissing before school even starts. What’s going to happen when the entire staff and student body realizes we’re married? They’re gonna be watching us like hawks. We’ll never have a minutes peace!”
“I know. It’s still the right thing to do. You should be able to use your new name and they will get over the novelty of it eventually,” Max reassured her as well as himself. It would be tough for a while, but it would be worth it.
“Everyone’s gonna know I’m pregnant,” Liz muttered, looking at the ground. Max lifted her chin up to look in her eyes.
“You mean everyone’s going to think I had to marry you because I got you pregnant, right?” Liz nodded, miserable.
“What’s important here is that you and I and the people closest to us know we got married before we ever found out. You know you’re the only one for me and I’m the only one for you. It’s not important what these people think,” Max stated with surety. “Besides, even if they keep their eyes glued to your waistline they won’t be able to tell that you’re pregnant for a very long time. They’ll have to dismiss that theory when you don’t give birth until January.” ‘
Liz’s eyes lit with hope. She really didn’t want everyone to think she had trapped Max into marrying her against his will. Her reputation was bad enough as it was after the Kyle debacle made the rounds. Not that she truly cared what people said about her, but when it reflected badly on Max…It made her see red.
“Did you bring it?” she asked softly.
Max nodded and reached into his backpack for their copy of the marriage license.
“What if my parents don’t come around?” She had to voice her other concern. “What if they won’t validate our Vegas wedding?”
Max looped his arm around her shoulders and began walking with her into the school. “Then my Mom will help us petition the family court here and we’ll just get married again. Either way we’ll be married and we’ll have to tell people.”
Liz nodded again, breathing deeply before taking the final step into the school. Max led the way into the office holding Liz’s hand closely against his side. Leaning against the front counter he caught the attention of the student aide and requested to meet with the principal. Sara Weller’s eyes widened at the sight of the handsome Max Evans’ direct gaze, and it took her a moment to process his request before she realized how long she’d been staring at him and turned quickly to buzz the principal’s office.
Liz gave Max an amused glance at Sara’s dumbstruck expression and bumped him lightly with her hip to get his attention. “West Roswell girls are going to be wearing black for the rest of the year once this news gets out,” she teased him gently. Max’s face flushed red as he glanced down at her and realized that she was only half joking.
“He’ll be right out,” Sara gushed. She hadn’t even noticed Liz standing by Max’s side. Her adoring gaze swept over Max’s face and down his broad chest and arms. Her eyes widened when they fell on the shiny wedding ring that glinted on his left hand. Her eyes flashed back up to catch his satisfied smile and she watched as he put his arm around Liz and walked with her over to a row of chairs.
“Are you comfortable, honey?” he asked Liz, just to make sure Sara didn’t mistake what she had seen.
Liz caught onto the game immediately and gave him a sweet kiss before answering, “Yes, thank you, dear,” and using her left hand to caress his jaw. They both almost burst out laughing when they heard a sudden crash behind the front counter. They could hear Sara scrambling to pick up whatever she had dropped and tried to compose their expressions, Max mouthing, “Dear?” and almost losing it again.
“Is everything all right out here, Sara?” Principal Forrester asked as he watched her picking up a pile of files in a frenzied manner.
“Oh! Um, yes. Sorry, sir, I was a little clumsy,” Sara sputtered out as she stood with files clutched to her chest. She dared a quick glance over at Max and Liz and flushed rosy. “Max Evans and Liz, um Parker are here to see you,” she finished before quickly turning her attention back to organizing the files.
“Mr. Evans, Ms. Parker, this is a rare surprise. Honor students don’t normally seek out the principal for an early meeting. Why don’t you two come on back into my office,” Principal Forrester invited.
Liz held Max’s hand and followed them into the office. They sat across the desk from the principal and Max glanced at Liz before speaking, wanting to get final approval before they reached the point of no return. Liz gave him an almost imperceptible nod and turned back to the principal.
“Mr. Forrester, we came in this morning to tell you that Liz and I got married,” Max stated bluntly.
Mr. Forrester’s face was almost comical in its surprise. “You…you got married?” he asked them for confirmation that he wasn’t hearing things.
“Yes, sir, we did,” Max confirmed clutching Liz’s hand.
Mr. Forrester glanced down and noticed the shiny gold rings for the first time. “Well, I uh…I assume your parents approved of this?” he asked next.
“Of course,” Max answered with confidence. No reason to say anything about Liz’s parents until they knew for sure one way or the other. The result would be the same in the end.
Mr. Forrester desperately wanted to ask if Liz was pregnant, but thought that may be against the law, invading their right to privacy or something. His gaze flickered to her waist and away quickly. Max felt Liz’s hand stiffen in his. It was starting already.
“Do you have the marriage license?” he asked next, getting to the details.
Max set the license on the table in front of him, careful not to wrinkle it. Mr. Forrester picked it up and buzzed Sara. “Ms. Weller?”
“Yes, sir?” Sara answered quickly. Too quickly, she had obviously been waiting to find out what was going on in that office.
“Could you come in and make a copy for me please?”
“I’ll be right there,” Sara answered as she clicked off the intercom. She was at the door almost immediately.
Mr. Forrester handed her the marriage certificate and Sara’s eyes almost popped out of her head as she realized what she was holding. Her eyes flashed over Max with regret as she exited the room.
“Do you have parental permission forms too?” Mr. Forrester asked.
“Um, I brought mine, but we’ll have to bring Liz’s later,” Max extemporized.
“Hmm, okay. Bring it in tomorrow or I’ll have to call over to the Parkers myself,” Mr. Forrester said.
Max placed his notarized permission on the table and nodded agreement, hoping that Nancy and Jim would give their permission by the end of the day.
Sara walked back into the office with the copy and the original just as Mr. Forrester was asking if Liz wanted to change her name on the school records.
“Yes, sir, I’ll be using my husband’s name,” she affirmed.
“Sara, could we get a copy of this as well? And bring in Liz Parkers, er…Liz Evans’ permanent file please,” the principal requested next. Sara nodded and hurried back out. She caught a glimpse of Vickie Delaney passing by in the hall and called her name before she passed out of sight.
Vickie poked her head in the office door curiously. “What’s up, Sara?”
Sara motioned her into the office and slid the parental permission slip over for Vickie to see. “Wait till you see this!” Sara’s voice rose with excitement.
Vickie’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Are they already…?”
Sara’s nod confirmed it. “They’re in there right now telling Principal Forrester so that Liz can change her name to Evans officially!” she blurted out.
“Oh my…” Vickie’s eyes narrowed speculatively. “I bet she’s pregnant!” She turned and headed for the door needing to share this juicy bit of gossip as soon as possible.
By the time Max and Liz left the office the entire school was buzzing with the news. As they walked down the halls stares and whispers followed in their wake. Max held Liz’s hand tightly, offering her the only support that he could. ‘It’ll be okay. I love you!” he reassured her silently.
Liz mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ as he dropped her off in her first class.
Max watched her until she reached her seat and turned reluctantly to head in the opposite direction to his own class.
“Way to go, Evans!” a jock that Max did not recognize clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. Max just shook his head and kept walking. Three guys in letterman jackets surrounded him out of nowhere.
“You’re a lucky guy, Evans! Liz is quite a hottie!” the first one congratulated. Max fumed silently.
“Yeah, I heard she’s a wild one!” the second added with a leer. Max’s hands curled slowly into fists.
“Are you sure the kid’s yours? I’ve heard she gets around,” the beefy third one goaded Max maliciously.
Faster than anyone could blink, Max slammed the third guy up against the lockers, his feet dangling in the air. “What did you say?” he growled in a menacing tone, shaking the frightened athlete till his head rattled against the lockers.
“N…Nothing, man!” the guy’s hands held up in a gesture of surrender.
“Hey, man! We didn’t mean anything by it!” one of the guy’s friends offered from a distance. Who knew Max Evans was so quick and strong? No one wanted to get near him now, let alone piss him off further.
Max reluctantly lowered the guy till his feet touched the floor. He pushed him back once more into the lockers…hard, before stepping back. “That’s what I thought,” he said as he turned to face the others. “I don’t want to hear Liz’s name cross any of your lips ever again, do we understand each other?” The three guys nodded, eyes wide, as they backed away from Max before turning and sprinting down the hall.
Loud, slow clapping had Max spinning around to meet Michael’s cynical expression. Michael slung his arm around Max’s shoulders and led him away. “Way to go, Max! If you didn’t do it, then I was gonna!”
Max grinned at his friend. He had been fully expecting disapproval over his show of strength, but instead Michael was supporting him for once.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Pam Troy leaned over and whispered something to a friend of hers in Liz’s first period class. Liz heard her name followed by loud giggling.
“Ms. Troy? Do you have something to share with the class?” Mrs. Norman asked her pointedly, tired of Pam’s constant interruptions.
Pam looked up brightly. “Why yes I do,” Pam replied smoothly. “I was just wanting to congratulate Liz on her marriage to Max Evans!” she burst out, watching for Liz’s reaction. Liz’s face flushed bright red as all eyes in the room turned to her. Pam sat back smugly, happy to have been the first to break the news.
Mrs. Norman’s eyes widened in surprise and then took in Liz’s discomfited expression. “That’ll be enough, Ms. Troy,” she reprimanded before turning to Liz. “Would you like to confirm or deny, Ms. Parker?” she asked, assuming that Pam was starting another rumor.
“Um, actually it is Mrs. Evans now,” Liz stated calmly, having regained her composure. Gasps were heard around the room. Liz flashed a smug grin back at Pam and watched her fume as her plan to embarrass Liz backfired.
“Oh! Well, I guess congratulations are in order then,” Mrs. Norman sputtered out. “Now let’s get back to class…”
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Maria grabbed Liz’s arm and held on as they walked out to the quad for lunch. Max had her other arm, and Liz was glad for the support as all eyes turned to them when they walked quickly to their table.
“Could you warn a girl next time you announce something big to the entire school?” Maria scolded her gently. “I had to hear it from at least fifty different people and I didn’t know whether to confirm or deny any knowledge!”
“Sorry, Maria! We just told the principal, and before first period the news had leaked all over school!” Liz moaned. Maria hugged her briefly.
“It’s okay! I know it’s been a crazy day for you. What exactly did you tell the principal? People are speculating about junior there and I didn’t think you guys were gonna say anything yet,” Maria asked curiously.
“We haven’t said anything yet. We’re just letting people speculate and not talking about it. They’ll assume when I don’t blow up like a balloon and pop in nine months that they were wrong,” Liz told her friend.
Alex slid onto the bench across from Max, Liz and Maria and quirked an eyebrow. “Way to keep a secret at West Roswell High, kids! I’ve been defending your honor all day!”
Liz looked at him worriedly. “What do you mean?” Max’s hand tightened on her thigh as he shook his head slightly at Alex. Alex gave him a quizzical glance and decided to tone down his story. Michael and Isabel slid onto the bench beside Alex as he made up some sanitized story about people just thinking they were too young to know what love was. In truth, he had nearly gotten into two fights already because of comments overheard about Liz’s loose morals and how she must have trapped poor, unsuspecting Max Evans into proposing. That thing with Kyle last fall had not enhanced Liz’s reputation.
Liz nodded, not sure she was getting the full story. Kyle started to walk by their table and she reached out to touch his arm. He looked down at her in surprise. He’d been walking around in a daze all day, not really paying attention to all the sly looks and strange comments made to him that morning.
“What is it, Liz?” he asked her, not especially curious. He just wanted to find a quiet place to sit down and think about life, and friendship, and trust.
“Will you sit with us?” Liz pleaded. “Please?” she added softly when it looked like Kyle might say no.
“Why the hell not?” he stated dryly as he sat down next to Isabel. “So you made quite a stir around school today,” he mentioned. He hadn’t been that oblivious.
“Um, yeah. Sorry if you’re taking any flak about what happened, er rather, didn’t happen last fall,” Liz apologized softly.
“Hey, I don’t care what any of those dumb jocks are saying. I’m starting to realize that maybe they were never really my friends anyway. I’ve been wondering if I ever had any real friends to begin with,” he added morosely.
Isabel reached out and took his hand in hers, massaging it softly. “You have us. I know we’re not exactly your normal crowd, but you know we’ll always be there if you need us,” she told him gently. She hated how Tess’ defection had made Kyle feel. He had placed his trust in the wrong person, and if anyone knew how that could affect your self-worth and self-esteem, Isabel did. She had paid the consequences in two lifetimes for trusting Tess. Kyle looked at all the faces around the table and finally nodded.
“I guess I’m not exactly your normal, run of the mill teen either,” he quipped, thinking of how Max had ‘changed’ him when he’d saved his life. He wondered if he would ever develop any powers of his own. That’d be kinda cool, come in real handy maybe.
“Maybe you could come over to my house after school today, Kyle,” Max invited. “Everyone here will be there for my eighteenth birthday. Just pizza and music and stuff, but it should be fun.”
“Yeah, sure. I can come,” Kyle accepted. Might as well get started ‘bonding with the aliens’, he thought wryly.
TBC
EYA Part 49
Nancy hesitated in front of the Evans’ door with her hand poised to knock. From inside she could hear the thump of the base line as music played accompanied by youthful laughter, a direct contrast to the mood she was in right now. She couldn’t remember smiling since Liz and Max had made their little announcement the night before. She had spent the remainder of the evening trying to calm Jeff down, even when she wasn’t sure herself if she wanted him to be calm about it. What Diane had said the night before kept replaying in her head. There really was nothing that Jeff or she could do to stop this, even if they wanted to. Nancy’s biggest fear was that this would tear a rift between her and her daughter and the thought of that was completely unbearable. Liz was the only child she would ever have, and was a miracle herself, because the doctors had given them very little hope of ever conceiving a child.
Nancy firmed her resolve and knocked briskly on the door.
Max swung the door open with a huge grin across his face and joy lighting his eyes to an amber glow. Nancy drew in a quick, startled breath. She had never seen Max look so…happy. Max’s grin faded rapidly even as Nancy recovered and offered him a tentative smile.
“Oh! Um, hi, Mrs. Parker,” Max stammered, moving aside so that Nancy could pass by him into the house. Nancy stood in the hall awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot as the music slammed around her and she could see all of Max and Liz’s friends laughing and dancing in the living room. Obviously she had interrupted a party of some kind.
“Um, I didn’t know you’d be in the middle of…” Nancy trailed off uncertainly, gesturing into the living room. “I should just come back…” she began to edge toward the door, thinking she had picked the wrong time to come.
Max’s eyes went unfocused for a second and then he reached out and touched Nancy’s arm. “It’s just my birthday today so that’s why…” he waved his hand toward the living room. “I’m really glad you came. Please stay,” his eyes pleaded with her, but she still wanted to go. Just then, Liz came careening around the corner, a worried look in her eye. Max had silently asked her to join him at the front door and the urgent tone of the request had set her moving quickly.
“What’s…,” she stopped in surprise, sighting her mother. “Mom! I…We didn’t expect to see you here,” she spoke quickly in surprise, wrapping her arm around Max’s waist in an unconscious bid for support. Max’s arm automatically wound over her shoulders and his hand squeezed her upper arm comfortingly. They glanced at each other briefly before facing Nancy again.
Nancy took in the intimate body language and the tense expressions on the children’s faces and sighed in resignation. She had come over to get some questions answered, and maybe she just had.
“I didn’t know there was a party. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she edged to the door again. Coming back later, when things were calmer was sounding better and better.
Liz reached out to her mother the same way that Max had, placing her hand on her arm. “Please stay,” she echoed Max’s earlier plea and this time Nancy could do nothing but give in. She took a step closer to her daughter into the room and nodded.
“Is there somewhere we could talk?” she requested at last.
Max looked at Liz again and Nancy could swear they were communicating silently. Liz gave Max a faint nod and Max steered their small group through the kitchen, past a surprised Diane.
“We can go up to our apartment,” he answered her unspoken question as he opened the back door to the kitchen. The ladies preceded him out and Max gave his mom an encouraging smile before closing the door behind himself. Diane said a silent prayer and carried a huge bowl of chips into the living room.
Nancy looked around in curiosity at the place Liz was now living. It was small, but already homey with little personal touches placed around the room. Pictures of the kids, candles, flowers, a colored blanket placed over the back of the couch. Liz led her over to the chair and went to sit on the couch. Max sat beside her, their sides touching, hands meeting to entwine without thought.
“I was going to call you later tonight,” Liz started out, hating how uncomfortable and awkward she was feeling with her own mother.
“Oh, um, that’s,” Nancy’s gaze shifted nervously. “That’s good. I don’t want you to think you can’t call us anymore,” she blurted out one of her fears.
“Mom!” Liz exclaimed, surprised. “I know that I can always come to you or Daddy! Nothing will change that.”
“Are you sure?” Nancy looked at Max pointedly, a small flash of jealousy streaking through her before she squashed it firmly. She didn’t want to feel replaced by the man in Liz’s life.
“Yes! Please, Mom,” Liz pleaded. “I love you and Daddy. It’s no different now that I have Max and the baby too. I just have more people who love me now, and that’s a good thing, don’t you think?”
Nancy stared at her daughter, trying to see if she was truly happy, or simply trying to make the best of a difficult situation. It might not be too late to get them out of this precipitous marriage.
As if reading her thoughts Max told her, “I really do love your daughter, Mrs. Parker. I would do anything for her or our baby. I want you to know that I will take care of them, no matter what it takes. I asked her to marry me even before we found out she was pregnant.” Which was true, he just didn’t elaborate that they actually had been married before they found out Liz was pregnant.
“This is just so…sudden! One minute you two can’t be alone in the same room together and the next you’re going to be parents. It’s just unreal,” Nancy sputtered in confusion.
“I’m happy, Mom. Happier than I can ever remember being in my life. Max is it for me, and just because I’ve found him now, while we’re still in high school, instead of later in our lives, doesn’t invalidate the way that I feel for him. Max will always be it for me. It’s like something in my life has always been missing, some huge piece of the puzzle that never really fit or felt right until Max came into my life. Now it’s like things make sense. I’m seeing in color instead of black and white,” Liz looked down in embarrassment. “I’m not really saying this right,” she added softly.
Nancy stared at her daughter in awed surprise. The light in her eyes when she spoke of Max, the tone in her voice, her animated expression; all these things screamed at Nancy that her daughter was in love. And happy. And sure of the decision that she had made. She made her own decision and reached for the purse she had placed on the floor at her feet.
Liz started to get up, ready to convince her mom some more so she wouldn’t go, but Nancy waved her back down. Pulling the bag into her lap Nancy reached in and removed a paper, handing it across the table to Liz.
Liz stared at her in confusion for a moment before unfolding the crisp white sheet. Glancing down at it she gasped in surprise, one hand reaching up to cover her mouth. Max looked with her and then back up at Nancy. Nancy could swear she saw tears in his eyes before he blinked them away and smiled at her. A perfect smile of gratitude and love at her acceptance of them.
The notarized consent form fluttered to the table as Liz lurched to her feet and ran over to hug her mom. Nancy clung to Liz for a long moment before pulling away from her reluctantly. She brushed hair off of Liz’s forehead and looked into her eyes.
“You are happy, right?” She needed to hear it one more time.
“Yes!,” Liz stated emphatically, leaving no room for doubt.
Max rounded the table and hugged Mrs. Parker as well. “Thank you so much. You don’t know what this means to us,” he told her in his soft rumble of a voice.
“I think maybe I do,” Nancy answered, looking between these two young people once again.
“Why didn’t Daddy come with you?” Liz questioned curiously.
Nancy glanced down and nervously played with the strap of her purse.
“Daddy still isn’t very happy about all of this. He wasn’t prepared to lose his baby girl so soon, and he just needs some time. He’s worried that you won’t finish school, or that you won’t achieve your full potential, all those dreams you’ve had all your life. Just give him some time. Show him that you still need him sometimes. He’ll come around, because he loves you too much not to,” Nancy reassured her stricken daughter.
Max gave Liz a comforting hug as she registered that they didn’t exactly have a clear path ahead of them yet.
“I should get back to the café,” Nancy said, starting for the door.
Max and Liz trailed behind, stopping her at the door. “Stay for the party?” Max invited sincerely, “I’m sure Mom would appreciate sane adult company right about now,” he added with a smile.
Nancy smiled back and finally nodded. “Maybe for a little while,” she agreed.
Liz smiled her gratitude to Max and led the way back to the party below.
One hour later
“Happy birthday dear Maa aax! Happy birthday to you!!!” the group sang enthusiastically and off key as Diane set down a cake ablaze with birthday candles in the middle of the table in front of Max. Max closed his eyes, pretending to wish. He already had everything he could hope for sitting right beside him. Right before blowing out the candles, he thought of one thing that would make his life perfect and opened his eyes and blew out every candle in one great breath.
The clapping subsided and Maria jumped up and down. “Presents!” She yelled, clapping her hands. Max just rolled his eyes at his friend. What would she be like after she had cake?
“Liz’s first!” Maria cried as she slid a shiny package wrapped in silver paper across the table to Max. Max leaned back into Liz’s hands for a moment before turning his attention to the gift in front of him. He carefully opened the paper and caught his breath as he realized what he was holding. He stole a kiss from Liz over his shoulder before carefully turning the pages of an ornate picture album. Page after page of pictures were revealed of Max and Liz throughout their lives. Pictures of them as children, growing up, pictures of them together last year when they were so happy. Wedding pictures. Funny, he had never really thought about where those pictures had gone after they got back and entered all this turmoil. He turned and gave Liz a longer kiss, communicating silently to her his happiness over her thoughtful gift.
Nancy watched from the doorway and was comforted that she had made the right decision to approve their marriage.
“Okay! Okay!” Maria interrupted impatiently. “Open ours next!” she placed a colorful box in front of Max. “It’s from Michael, Alex, and me,” she informed him.
Max unwrapped the next offering and pulled out a sleek new camera. “This is awesome guys! Thank you!”
Michael looked happy that Max liked it. “We just thought it would come in handy, you know? With all the new happenings in your life,” he told his friend.
“Cool! You know I’ll be one of those Dads that takes a million pictures of junior and makes his friends gush over every one!” he teased happily.
A chorus of “Ohhh” “Uhgg” and “Anything but that!” rang out across the room. Max grinned at Liz, knowing his friends were only half teasing.
“Here you go, Evans,” Kyle slid a newspaper wrapped gift over to Max next. “Sorry about the wrapping. Short notice and all that!” He explained with a grin.
“Don’t care about that,” Max pulled it closer, teasing, “What’d ya git me? What’d ya git me?” he chanted like a ten year old, shaking the present.
He ripped open the paper to reveal a brand spankin’ new copy of ‘Buddhism for Babies’. He broke out in a huge grin and leaned over to give a surprised Kyle a hug.
“Awww! This is so great! Thanks, Kyle. Our son will be the Zen-est on the block!” Max laughed and teased his friend.
“ ‘Zen-est’? That’s not even a word Evans. Maybe you should read the book first!” Kyle quipped, happy that his gift had gone over well. Hard to know what to buy the alien that had everything!
Nancy raised an eyebrow at Diane over Max’s casual assumption that the child would be a boy. Diane just smiled and shrugged her shoulders innocently. She’d have to caution Max about that later. It was too early in human terms for them to know the sex of the baby quite yet.
Isabel moved to place a large box in front of Max. She grinned at him devilishly before sitting back down. Max looked at the box with caution. You never knew with Isabel. It could be anything from cologne to live snakes in there. He tilted the box cautiously, listening for any strange rustling noises. Isabel laughed, clearly recalling his twelfth birthday when she had filled a box with live rats she had borrowed from the science lab in school. It had been payback for a prank Max had pulled, changing the color of her favorite dress to an ugly puce green. Their mother had seen it before she could change it back and she hadn’t been able to wear it again.
He pulled the top off the box and gaped at the contents in surprise. He reached in and pulled out black leather pants, a tight knit long-sleeve sweater, a white silk button-down shirt, and matching boots. He quirked an eyebrow at his sister in question as he held up the items.
“I think it’s past time you step up your wardrobe choices, Max!” Isabel informed him archly. “And Liz mentioned that she might like to see you in leather!” She couldn’t resist teasing him. Liz flushed red and tried to look innocent when Max turned to see her reaction to Isabel’s statement.
“What? I think you’d look good in leather,” Liz defended herself, before bursting out laughing. Max just shook his head and laughed with them. He’d never really thought of himself as a trend-setting, leather wearing, hip kinda guy, but hey, if Liz wanted to see him in leather, he’d make sure he gave her a good long look.
“And now for Phillip’s and my gift to you, Max!” Diane moved forward and placed an envelope into his hands. She stepped back and stood by her husband as Max turned the plain white envelope curiously in his hands.
Opening it up his jaw dropped as he realized what it contained.
“Mom?” He questioned her in wonder, wanting to confirm what he thought he was looking at.
“Yes,” she affirmed with a smile. “Spring break is coming, so we want to send you and Liz on a week long honeymoon to Mexico.”
Max looked at the airline tickets and hotel reservation confirmations and whooped out loud, standing to swing Liz around. Wow! It would be so great to just get away from everything and just…be. And to have Liz all to himself for an entire week! He felt like he’d hit the jackpot!
Liz laughed and hugged him back. He set her down at last and moved to hug his mother and father, thanking them profusely. He thanked all of his friends and turned at last to Nancy.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get you anything. I didn’t know…” she started.
Max halted her apology with a huge smile, “You gave us the best present we could ask for. Liz needed to know that you would support her decision to be with me, and I can’t thank you enough for easing her mind and understanding our choice. Thank you!” He hugged her hard before he was swept away by his friends back into the living room where the music was already playing too loud and all the kids were dancing and talking animatedly.
Diane steered Nancy back into the kitchen after Phillip went to check his messages in the office and they sat down with a cup of coffee.
“What changed your mind?” Diane asked curiously.
Nancy blew on her cup of coffee before answering. “Actually you changed my mind,” she finally confessed. “When you told me that we couldn’t change what had happened and that you wanted to be there for your child to support him. It made me think about what would happen if we were just stubborn and pushed her away. I can’t stand the thought of losing my daughter and I would rather support her through all of her decisions so that she knows if she’s ever in over her head that I will always be there for her.”
Diane nodded approvingly and started another topic of conversation.
Max and Liz were having the time of their lives in the living room. Alex had put together a killer dance mix and they’d all been having a great time in the living room.
All the furniture had been moved to the sides of the room, leaving a large dance area in the middle. Even Michael was pulled into the spirit of the day as he reluctantly allowed Maria to coerce him into yet another dance. Secretly he enjoyed the physical closeness that the music and their moves allowed them.
Max and Liz were practically dirty dancing, their hips gyrating together, Liz’s legs straddling one of his leather clad ones. They had made him try on his new clothes and Liz’s breath had caught in her throat at the sight. He had been self-conscious at first, but now he could feel how turned on Liz was by the sight of him and he had learned to enjoy it. Max’s hands supported her at the waist as the music beat surrounded them and Liz arched back in a sexy move that made him groan. Pulling her back up he kissed her passionately before pulling back at the chorus of “Get a room!” and “Can’t you keep your hands off her?” He grinned at Liz and wiped the sweat off his brow. They continued dancing through three more songs and finally a ballad came on.
Alex looked around for Isabel. He’d put the ballad in there hoping for a chance to dance with her. His smile dimmed slightly as he watched Isabel talking softly with Kyle before taking his hand and leading him out to the middle of the dance floor. He turned away and began to fiddle with the sound system, hoping that he’d misinterpreted the look in Isabel’s eyes.
“Are you okay?” Isabel asked Kyle solicitously as she pulled him into the dance.
Kyle gave her an odd look, surprised that she would care, before nodding affirmatively. “Yeah. I think that I’ll be all right. A lot has happened in the last year for me and I can’t say that all of it was bad. I’m just trying to find a balance, you know?”
Isabel nodded before laying her cheek beside his and swaying to the music. “I think I really do,” she whispered softly.
Liz melted into Max’s arms and sighed in contentment. This had been a great day and she was really glad that Max could have a good birthday. She shifted, slightly uncomfortable at the heat their proximity generated. “It’s getting really hot in here,” she finally told him, wiping at her hairline. “Let’s go get something to drink.” Max nodded, feeling the same way and took her hand to lead her into the kitchen.
They spoke with Diane and Nancy while they got iced sodas. Liz took an ice cube and sucked on it to cool down. Max couldn’t take his eyes from the ice cubes progress over Liz’s lips and into her mouth. Diane’s eyes narrowed as she took in their flushed countenances and she opened her mouth to speak.
Nancy beat her to it as she rose and place a concerned hand on Liz’s forehead. “Honey, are you coming down with something? You’re burning up!” Liz backed up a slow step and looked in panic at Max’s equally stunned expression.
“Um, no, Mom!” Liz tried to think quickly. “We’ve just been dancing really hard. I feel fine. Um, Max? Could I see you for a second?” Liz started to back out of the room just as Michael burst in, looking a little glassy eyed himself.
Michael took in their audience and tempered his speech, “Don’t you guys have that, um, that thing you were supposed to do today?” he asked them urgently.
Max and Liz nodded vigorously. “Yeah! Thanks, Michael!” Max turned to the parents. “We’ve got to go, uh, do a thing,” he was backing Liz out of the room with him. “So we’ll, uh, see you later, okay?” The door banged closed behind them.
Nancy shook her head at the hasty retreat of the children.
“What kind of thing could they have to be doing in the middle of his birthday party?” she asked curiously.
Diane and Michael stared at each other and burst out laughing, further confusing poor Nancy.
TBC
Nancy hesitated in front of the Evans’ door with her hand poised to knock. From inside she could hear the thump of the base line as music played accompanied by youthful laughter, a direct contrast to the mood she was in right now. She couldn’t remember smiling since Liz and Max had made their little announcement the night before. She had spent the remainder of the evening trying to calm Jeff down, even when she wasn’t sure herself if she wanted him to be calm about it. What Diane had said the night before kept replaying in her head. There really was nothing that Jeff or she could do to stop this, even if they wanted to. Nancy’s biggest fear was that this would tear a rift between her and her daughter and the thought of that was completely unbearable. Liz was the only child she would ever have, and was a miracle herself, because the doctors had given them very little hope of ever conceiving a child.
Nancy firmed her resolve and knocked briskly on the door.
Max swung the door open with a huge grin across his face and joy lighting his eyes to an amber glow. Nancy drew in a quick, startled breath. She had never seen Max look so…happy. Max’s grin faded rapidly even as Nancy recovered and offered him a tentative smile.
“Oh! Um, hi, Mrs. Parker,” Max stammered, moving aside so that Nancy could pass by him into the house. Nancy stood in the hall awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot as the music slammed around her and she could see all of Max and Liz’s friends laughing and dancing in the living room. Obviously she had interrupted a party of some kind.
“Um, I didn’t know you’d be in the middle of…” Nancy trailed off uncertainly, gesturing into the living room. “I should just come back…” she began to edge toward the door, thinking she had picked the wrong time to come.
Max’s eyes went unfocused for a second and then he reached out and touched Nancy’s arm. “It’s just my birthday today so that’s why…” he waved his hand toward the living room. “I’m really glad you came. Please stay,” his eyes pleaded with her, but she still wanted to go. Just then, Liz came careening around the corner, a worried look in her eye. Max had silently asked her to join him at the front door and the urgent tone of the request had set her moving quickly.
“What’s…,” she stopped in surprise, sighting her mother. “Mom! I…We didn’t expect to see you here,” she spoke quickly in surprise, wrapping her arm around Max’s waist in an unconscious bid for support. Max’s arm automatically wound over her shoulders and his hand squeezed her upper arm comfortingly. They glanced at each other briefly before facing Nancy again.
Nancy took in the intimate body language and the tense expressions on the children’s faces and sighed in resignation. She had come over to get some questions answered, and maybe she just had.
“I didn’t know there was a party. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she edged to the door again. Coming back later, when things were calmer was sounding better and better.
Liz reached out to her mother the same way that Max had, placing her hand on her arm. “Please stay,” she echoed Max’s earlier plea and this time Nancy could do nothing but give in. She took a step closer to her daughter into the room and nodded.
“Is there somewhere we could talk?” she requested at last.
Max looked at Liz again and Nancy could swear they were communicating silently. Liz gave Max a faint nod and Max steered their small group through the kitchen, past a surprised Diane.
“We can go up to our apartment,” he answered her unspoken question as he opened the back door to the kitchen. The ladies preceded him out and Max gave his mom an encouraging smile before closing the door behind himself. Diane said a silent prayer and carried a huge bowl of chips into the living room.
Nancy looked around in curiosity at the place Liz was now living. It was small, but already homey with little personal touches placed around the room. Pictures of the kids, candles, flowers, a colored blanket placed over the back of the couch. Liz led her over to the chair and went to sit on the couch. Max sat beside her, their sides touching, hands meeting to entwine without thought.
“I was going to call you later tonight,” Liz started out, hating how uncomfortable and awkward she was feeling with her own mother.
“Oh, um, that’s,” Nancy’s gaze shifted nervously. “That’s good. I don’t want you to think you can’t call us anymore,” she blurted out one of her fears.
“Mom!” Liz exclaimed, surprised. “I know that I can always come to you or Daddy! Nothing will change that.”
“Are you sure?” Nancy looked at Max pointedly, a small flash of jealousy streaking through her before she squashed it firmly. She didn’t want to feel replaced by the man in Liz’s life.
“Yes! Please, Mom,” Liz pleaded. “I love you and Daddy. It’s no different now that I have Max and the baby too. I just have more people who love me now, and that’s a good thing, don’t you think?”
Nancy stared at her daughter, trying to see if she was truly happy, or simply trying to make the best of a difficult situation. It might not be too late to get them out of this precipitous marriage.
As if reading her thoughts Max told her, “I really do love your daughter, Mrs. Parker. I would do anything for her or our baby. I want you to know that I will take care of them, no matter what it takes. I asked her to marry me even before we found out she was pregnant.” Which was true, he just didn’t elaborate that they actually had been married before they found out Liz was pregnant.
“This is just so…sudden! One minute you two can’t be alone in the same room together and the next you’re going to be parents. It’s just unreal,” Nancy sputtered in confusion.
“I’m happy, Mom. Happier than I can ever remember being in my life. Max is it for me, and just because I’ve found him now, while we’re still in high school, instead of later in our lives, doesn’t invalidate the way that I feel for him. Max will always be it for me. It’s like something in my life has always been missing, some huge piece of the puzzle that never really fit or felt right until Max came into my life. Now it’s like things make sense. I’m seeing in color instead of black and white,” Liz looked down in embarrassment. “I’m not really saying this right,” she added softly.
Nancy stared at her daughter in awed surprise. The light in her eyes when she spoke of Max, the tone in her voice, her animated expression; all these things screamed at Nancy that her daughter was in love. And happy. And sure of the decision that she had made. She made her own decision and reached for the purse she had placed on the floor at her feet.
Liz started to get up, ready to convince her mom some more so she wouldn’t go, but Nancy waved her back down. Pulling the bag into her lap Nancy reached in and removed a paper, handing it across the table to Liz.
Liz stared at her in confusion for a moment before unfolding the crisp white sheet. Glancing down at it she gasped in surprise, one hand reaching up to cover her mouth. Max looked with her and then back up at Nancy. Nancy could swear she saw tears in his eyes before he blinked them away and smiled at her. A perfect smile of gratitude and love at her acceptance of them.
The notarized consent form fluttered to the table as Liz lurched to her feet and ran over to hug her mom. Nancy clung to Liz for a long moment before pulling away from her reluctantly. She brushed hair off of Liz’s forehead and looked into her eyes.
“You are happy, right?” She needed to hear it one more time.
“Yes!,” Liz stated emphatically, leaving no room for doubt.
Max rounded the table and hugged Mrs. Parker as well. “Thank you so much. You don’t know what this means to us,” he told her in his soft rumble of a voice.
“I think maybe I do,” Nancy answered, looking between these two young people once again.
“Why didn’t Daddy come with you?” Liz questioned curiously.
Nancy glanced down and nervously played with the strap of her purse.
“Daddy still isn’t very happy about all of this. He wasn’t prepared to lose his baby girl so soon, and he just needs some time. He’s worried that you won’t finish school, or that you won’t achieve your full potential, all those dreams you’ve had all your life. Just give him some time. Show him that you still need him sometimes. He’ll come around, because he loves you too much not to,” Nancy reassured her stricken daughter.
Max gave Liz a comforting hug as she registered that they didn’t exactly have a clear path ahead of them yet.
“I should get back to the café,” Nancy said, starting for the door.
Max and Liz trailed behind, stopping her at the door. “Stay for the party?” Max invited sincerely, “I’m sure Mom would appreciate sane adult company right about now,” he added with a smile.
Nancy smiled back and finally nodded. “Maybe for a little while,” she agreed.
Liz smiled her gratitude to Max and led the way back to the party below.
One hour later
“Happy birthday dear Maa aax! Happy birthday to you!!!” the group sang enthusiastically and off key as Diane set down a cake ablaze with birthday candles in the middle of the table in front of Max. Max closed his eyes, pretending to wish. He already had everything he could hope for sitting right beside him. Right before blowing out the candles, he thought of one thing that would make his life perfect and opened his eyes and blew out every candle in one great breath.
The clapping subsided and Maria jumped up and down. “Presents!” She yelled, clapping her hands. Max just rolled his eyes at his friend. What would she be like after she had cake?
“Liz’s first!” Maria cried as she slid a shiny package wrapped in silver paper across the table to Max. Max leaned back into Liz’s hands for a moment before turning his attention to the gift in front of him. He carefully opened the paper and caught his breath as he realized what he was holding. He stole a kiss from Liz over his shoulder before carefully turning the pages of an ornate picture album. Page after page of pictures were revealed of Max and Liz throughout their lives. Pictures of them as children, growing up, pictures of them together last year when they were so happy. Wedding pictures. Funny, he had never really thought about where those pictures had gone after they got back and entered all this turmoil. He turned and gave Liz a longer kiss, communicating silently to her his happiness over her thoughtful gift.
Nancy watched from the doorway and was comforted that she had made the right decision to approve their marriage.
“Okay! Okay!” Maria interrupted impatiently. “Open ours next!” she placed a colorful box in front of Max. “It’s from Michael, Alex, and me,” she informed him.
Max unwrapped the next offering and pulled out a sleek new camera. “This is awesome guys! Thank you!”
Michael looked happy that Max liked it. “We just thought it would come in handy, you know? With all the new happenings in your life,” he told his friend.
“Cool! You know I’ll be one of those Dads that takes a million pictures of junior and makes his friends gush over every one!” he teased happily.
A chorus of “Ohhh” “Uhgg” and “Anything but that!” rang out across the room. Max grinned at Liz, knowing his friends were only half teasing.
“Here you go, Evans,” Kyle slid a newspaper wrapped gift over to Max next. “Sorry about the wrapping. Short notice and all that!” He explained with a grin.
“Don’t care about that,” Max pulled it closer, teasing, “What’d ya git me? What’d ya git me?” he chanted like a ten year old, shaking the present.
He ripped open the paper to reveal a brand spankin’ new copy of ‘Buddhism for Babies’. He broke out in a huge grin and leaned over to give a surprised Kyle a hug.
“Awww! This is so great! Thanks, Kyle. Our son will be the Zen-est on the block!” Max laughed and teased his friend.
“ ‘Zen-est’? That’s not even a word Evans. Maybe you should read the book first!” Kyle quipped, happy that his gift had gone over well. Hard to know what to buy the alien that had everything!
Nancy raised an eyebrow at Diane over Max’s casual assumption that the child would be a boy. Diane just smiled and shrugged her shoulders innocently. She’d have to caution Max about that later. It was too early in human terms for them to know the sex of the baby quite yet.
Isabel moved to place a large box in front of Max. She grinned at him devilishly before sitting back down. Max looked at the box with caution. You never knew with Isabel. It could be anything from cologne to live snakes in there. He tilted the box cautiously, listening for any strange rustling noises. Isabel laughed, clearly recalling his twelfth birthday when she had filled a box with live rats she had borrowed from the science lab in school. It had been payback for a prank Max had pulled, changing the color of her favorite dress to an ugly puce green. Their mother had seen it before she could change it back and she hadn’t been able to wear it again.
He pulled the top off the box and gaped at the contents in surprise. He reached in and pulled out black leather pants, a tight knit long-sleeve sweater, a white silk button-down shirt, and matching boots. He quirked an eyebrow at his sister in question as he held up the items.
“I think it’s past time you step up your wardrobe choices, Max!” Isabel informed him archly. “And Liz mentioned that she might like to see you in leather!” She couldn’t resist teasing him. Liz flushed red and tried to look innocent when Max turned to see her reaction to Isabel’s statement.
“What? I think you’d look good in leather,” Liz defended herself, before bursting out laughing. Max just shook his head and laughed with them. He’d never really thought of himself as a trend-setting, leather wearing, hip kinda guy, but hey, if Liz wanted to see him in leather, he’d make sure he gave her a good long look.
“And now for Phillip’s and my gift to you, Max!” Diane moved forward and placed an envelope into his hands. She stepped back and stood by her husband as Max turned the plain white envelope curiously in his hands.
Opening it up his jaw dropped as he realized what it contained.
“Mom?” He questioned her in wonder, wanting to confirm what he thought he was looking at.
“Yes,” she affirmed with a smile. “Spring break is coming, so we want to send you and Liz on a week long honeymoon to Mexico.”
Max looked at the airline tickets and hotel reservation confirmations and whooped out loud, standing to swing Liz around. Wow! It would be so great to just get away from everything and just…be. And to have Liz all to himself for an entire week! He felt like he’d hit the jackpot!
Liz laughed and hugged him back. He set her down at last and moved to hug his mother and father, thanking them profusely. He thanked all of his friends and turned at last to Nancy.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get you anything. I didn’t know…” she started.
Max halted her apology with a huge smile, “You gave us the best present we could ask for. Liz needed to know that you would support her decision to be with me, and I can’t thank you enough for easing her mind and understanding our choice. Thank you!” He hugged her hard before he was swept away by his friends back into the living room where the music was already playing too loud and all the kids were dancing and talking animatedly.
Diane steered Nancy back into the kitchen after Phillip went to check his messages in the office and they sat down with a cup of coffee.
“What changed your mind?” Diane asked curiously.
Nancy blew on her cup of coffee before answering. “Actually you changed my mind,” she finally confessed. “When you told me that we couldn’t change what had happened and that you wanted to be there for your child to support him. It made me think about what would happen if we were just stubborn and pushed her away. I can’t stand the thought of losing my daughter and I would rather support her through all of her decisions so that she knows if she’s ever in over her head that I will always be there for her.”
Diane nodded approvingly and started another topic of conversation.
Max and Liz were having the time of their lives in the living room. Alex had put together a killer dance mix and they’d all been having a great time in the living room.
All the furniture had been moved to the sides of the room, leaving a large dance area in the middle. Even Michael was pulled into the spirit of the day as he reluctantly allowed Maria to coerce him into yet another dance. Secretly he enjoyed the physical closeness that the music and their moves allowed them.
Max and Liz were practically dirty dancing, their hips gyrating together, Liz’s legs straddling one of his leather clad ones. They had made him try on his new clothes and Liz’s breath had caught in her throat at the sight. He had been self-conscious at first, but now he could feel how turned on Liz was by the sight of him and he had learned to enjoy it. Max’s hands supported her at the waist as the music beat surrounded them and Liz arched back in a sexy move that made him groan. Pulling her back up he kissed her passionately before pulling back at the chorus of “Get a room!” and “Can’t you keep your hands off her?” He grinned at Liz and wiped the sweat off his brow. They continued dancing through three more songs and finally a ballad came on.
Alex looked around for Isabel. He’d put the ballad in there hoping for a chance to dance with her. His smile dimmed slightly as he watched Isabel talking softly with Kyle before taking his hand and leading him out to the middle of the dance floor. He turned away and began to fiddle with the sound system, hoping that he’d misinterpreted the look in Isabel’s eyes.
“Are you okay?” Isabel asked Kyle solicitously as she pulled him into the dance.
Kyle gave her an odd look, surprised that she would care, before nodding affirmatively. “Yeah. I think that I’ll be all right. A lot has happened in the last year for me and I can’t say that all of it was bad. I’m just trying to find a balance, you know?”
Isabel nodded before laying her cheek beside his and swaying to the music. “I think I really do,” she whispered softly.
Liz melted into Max’s arms and sighed in contentment. This had been a great day and she was really glad that Max could have a good birthday. She shifted, slightly uncomfortable at the heat their proximity generated. “It’s getting really hot in here,” she finally told him, wiping at her hairline. “Let’s go get something to drink.” Max nodded, feeling the same way and took her hand to lead her into the kitchen.
They spoke with Diane and Nancy while they got iced sodas. Liz took an ice cube and sucked on it to cool down. Max couldn’t take his eyes from the ice cubes progress over Liz’s lips and into her mouth. Diane’s eyes narrowed as she took in their flushed countenances and she opened her mouth to speak.
Nancy beat her to it as she rose and place a concerned hand on Liz’s forehead. “Honey, are you coming down with something? You’re burning up!” Liz backed up a slow step and looked in panic at Max’s equally stunned expression.
“Um, no, Mom!” Liz tried to think quickly. “We’ve just been dancing really hard. I feel fine. Um, Max? Could I see you for a second?” Liz started to back out of the room just as Michael burst in, looking a little glassy eyed himself.
Michael took in their audience and tempered his speech, “Don’t you guys have that, um, that thing you were supposed to do today?” he asked them urgently.
Max and Liz nodded vigorously. “Yeah! Thanks, Michael!” Max turned to the parents. “We’ve got to go, uh, do a thing,” he was backing Liz out of the room with him. “So we’ll, uh, see you later, okay?” The door banged closed behind them.
Nancy shook her head at the hasty retreat of the children.
“What kind of thing could they have to be doing in the middle of his birthday party?” she asked curiously.
Diane and Michael stared at each other and burst out laughing, further confusing poor Nancy.
TBC
EYA Part 50
“A thing?,” Liz groaned, her hand covering her eyes. “Could you guys maybe get a better code word or something? I mean, could we be any more obvious? A thing!” Her voice dipped low on the last word.
Max toyed with a strand of her silky hair and he nibbled on her neck, trying to feel properly contrite, but smiling when she squirmed at the ticklish contact. “It was short notice! I’m sure Michael’s gonna have something to say about it though. I feel bad that we didn’t realize that it was happening sooner. We shouldn’t have to bother Michael like that.”
Liz nodded, concern in her eyes. “We just need to make sure that we take care of…things before it creates a problem.” she kissed his lips softly.
“I’m all over it!” Max quipped, rolling on top of her on the bed and deepening the kiss. Liz moaned and wriggled under him, pushing her hips up into his and causing the expected reaction.
Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!
“Ignore that,” Max groaned out, grinding his hips back into hers, pleasantly sated, but willing to go again. Liz nodded and let her hands wander over his back to settle on his ass, massaging firmly.
“Let me in, Max! We have to talk!” Michael bellowed from outside their front door.
“No!” Max whispered, rolling to the side. Liz put both hands over her face and groaned aloud.
“I’ll get it.” She got up and put on her robe.
“I know you’re done! Now open this door!” Michael pitched his voice to travel through the apartment.
“We’re coming, Michael! Keep your pants on!” Max ground out, throwing his legs over the side of the bed.
Michael shifted from foot to foot outside the door and rolled his eyes. “I’ll bet you’re coming! Keep my pants on? Keep my pants on?” he muttered under his breath.
Liz leaned back into the bedroom on her way to answer the door. “Put the leather pants back on!” she requested softly with a wink before sailing away to get the door. Max rolled his eyes, but reached for the pants anyway, willing certain body parts to become less prominent.
Liz stopped at the door, taking a deep breath for patience before she threw it open and waved Michael in. “Be our guest, Michael. So glad you dropped by,” her tone dripped sarcasm.
“Thank you. I will,” Michael strode into the living room and paced around waiting for Max.
Liz watched him prowling around the small space and her brow furrowed in concern. “Are you okay, Michael?” Liz asked, halting his pacing with a hand on his arm.
Michael looked down and saw the worry in her expression. It made him uncomfortable. He stepped back from her, trying to regain his autonomy. Needing the space. “I’m fine, Liz. I really need to talk to Max though,” he finally responded.
“I’ll go downstairs then,” Liz nodded, correctly reading his unspoken need for guy time with Max.
She passed Max on her way back into the bedroom to put on more clothes and stopped him with a soft hand on his chest. “Be gentle with him,” she requested. “None of this is his fault.”
Max nodded, wondering what he had missed. Michael turned to face him, his hands embedded in his already disordered hair. He dropped his arms to his sides and just stared at Max, waiting for his friend to make the first move.
Max motioned for Michael to sit down, taking a seat himself on the chair across from the couch. Michael moved to sit, hands moving restlessly, eyes darting to the bedroom door and down to the floor.
Liz emerged into a room filled with tense silence. She kissed Max gently on the lips and crossed over to place a small kiss on Michael’s forehead. He stared at her in surprise at her gesture and she quietly left them alone to talk.
“What is it, Michael?” Max finally asked, realizing that Michael would remain silent for the rest of the night if he didn’t say something first.
Michael’s eyes jerked up to meet Max’s and he stood up again abruptly. Max watched him pacing agitatedly around the room and felt worry blossoming in his heart. His body tensed up, muscle by muscle until he couldn’t take it anymore. Standing quickly, he halted Michael’s restless movements by taking Michael’s shoulders into his hands.
“What is it, Michael?” Max asked again with more intensity, shaking Michael slightly in his urgency.
Michael pushed Max away from him with no real force and shook his head.
“This has got to stop, Max,” he finally gritted out between clenched teeth.
“What?” Max answered in confusion.
“This!,” Michael hissed, pointing at the bedroom and raking his hands through his hair again.
Max looked uncomfortable. “Michael, there’s nothing we can do ab…”
“Don’t you think I know that, Max?” Michael interrupted rudely. “But this can’t go on like this! I want…I need my life back! This thing that happened tonight can’t happen again.”
“We know that, Michael. Liz and I already talked about it. It’s not fair to you. We’ll take care of it,” Max told him, wanting to erase the misery he saw in Michael’s eyes.
“What’s this really about, Michael?” Max asked perceptively, wanting to get it all out tonight.
Michael darted a glance back up at Max and dropped back down onto the couch hard as if his legs would no longer hold him. He scrubbed his face with his hands before resting his chin on them and peering up sideways at Max.
“How do you do it, Maxwell?”
Max looked confused. “Do what?”
“It! This whole relationship thing! How do you do that? How do you give yourself to someone so completely that it’s like you’re one person?”
Max’s eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea where this was coming from, but it was obviously important to Michael. He moved to sit beside him, considering his words carefully.
“I think I’ve always known that Liz was the one for me. Something inside of me has always reached out for her, whether I wanted it to or not,” Max sighed, thinking of the time after he had misinterpreted what he had seen in Liz’s bedroom when Kyle had pretended to have slept with her. He’d tried so hard to stop feeling anything for Liz then, but it hadn’t worked like he’d wanted it to. Thank God! “When we both finally realized that we were meant to be together it was like nothing could stop us. There was no more holding back. Physically. Mentally. Everything. We couldn’t it stop anymore.”
“But how do you do that?” Michael asked again in anguish.
“It was Liz,” Max answered simply, and Michael sighed as he sat back, knowing that really was the answer to everything for Max.
“Why are you asking me this now, Michael?”
Michael wiped his suddenly damp palms on his jeans-clad thighs. His eyes darted around the room before settling back on Max.
“Maria,” he breathed out. “I want her. I do. But I’m just so mixed up right now. Everything that I’m feeling. Everything that I’m thinking right now is so screwed up. I don’t know if it’s real or only a result of what’s happening between you and Liz,” Michael’s eyes begged for understanding, and Max did. He got it at last. Michael was in torment because of what was happening to all of them.
“I’m so sorry, Michael. We won’t let it happen like that again. It’s just so new, we’re still figuring it out, but we’ll do better. I promise,” Max vowed.
Michael shook his head. “I don’t know anymore, Max. I don’t know how to handle all that I’m feeling all of a sudden. Before, it was easy. Stay detached. Don’t get too close. I mean, I knew that we’d be called away one day and it made sense to be distanced. Now. Now everything’s changed. We’re staying here, Maxwell. Do you know what that means to a guy like me?”
Max watched him in sympathy, not knowing what to say, and maybe listening was the best thing right now anyway.
“It means that I’m screwed,” Michael continued. “I’ve let myself feel these things for Maria that I never thought I could. I don’t know how to deal with that. And now that I’m going into heat with you and Liz, it’s like I can’t even tell if I really want Maria for herself, or if I’m just acting off the hormones that’ve been raging through me lately. It’s not fair to her if that’s all it is, but what if it isn’t just hormones? How do I figure this out?” Michael asked plaintively.
“Did you and Maria ever…do anything…before all this started?” Max asked tentatively, hoping he wasn’t overstepping his bounds.
“We did some stuff,” Michael responded, not looking Max in the eyes. “We always stopped though. I didn’t think it was right to give her false hope that I’d be here for her, and she’s not the kinda girl who’d give herself to someone who wasn’t committed to her one hundred percent. And she deserves that,” he added fiercely. “She needs someone who’ll be there for her and love her and appreciate her and…and…”
Max listened to the words Michael spoke and saw the determined set of his jaw, the hungry glint in his eye while he watched him speaking of Maria. A slow smile spread across his face. Michael was in love.
“What? What’s funny about this?” Michael demanded hotly, resenting the smile residing on his friends face.
“Nothing,” Max responded, grin spreading wider, “You’re in love, Michael. And that’s all you. Can you hear yourself when you talk about Maria? It’s like she’s the most precious thing in your life. The way you say her name. The way you care enough about her to hold yourself back so you don’t hurt her with a wrong decision. The fact that you’re spilling your guts to me tonight. That all screams to me that You. Are. In. Love!”
The expression on Michael’s face would have been comical if the moment wasn’t so charged. His mouth opened and closed with a click, biting back what he was about to say. He stared at his friend; hope shining in his eyes.
“You can see all that?” he asked at last.
“Yeah. It’s there, Michael. You just need to reach out and take it,” Max reassured him.
“I…I know that I love her. I just really don’t want to hurt her, you know? I want to make sure that it’s not all because of the ‘heat’. She deserves better than the frustrated gropings of some guy who can’t tell if he wants her for her or because of…you know,” Michael was strangely not embarrassed any more. A curious relief was spreading through his body. Maybe everything would be all right now. Maybe he had been worrying for nothing. Maybe it was time to see how Maria felt about all this.
Michael stood to go. “I’m gonna go downstairs and talk to Maria,” he stated suddenly, nervously drying his palms on his jeans again.
Max watched him walk out the door, shaking his head. “Good luck, Michael. You deserve it,” he said quietly into the empty room.
TBC
“A thing?,” Liz groaned, her hand covering her eyes. “Could you guys maybe get a better code word or something? I mean, could we be any more obvious? A thing!” Her voice dipped low on the last word.
Max toyed with a strand of her silky hair and he nibbled on her neck, trying to feel properly contrite, but smiling when she squirmed at the ticklish contact. “It was short notice! I’m sure Michael’s gonna have something to say about it though. I feel bad that we didn’t realize that it was happening sooner. We shouldn’t have to bother Michael like that.”
Liz nodded, concern in her eyes. “We just need to make sure that we take care of…things before it creates a problem.” she kissed his lips softly.
“I’m all over it!” Max quipped, rolling on top of her on the bed and deepening the kiss. Liz moaned and wriggled under him, pushing her hips up into his and causing the expected reaction.
Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!
“Ignore that,” Max groaned out, grinding his hips back into hers, pleasantly sated, but willing to go again. Liz nodded and let her hands wander over his back to settle on his ass, massaging firmly.
“Let me in, Max! We have to talk!” Michael bellowed from outside their front door.
“No!” Max whispered, rolling to the side. Liz put both hands over her face and groaned aloud.
“I’ll get it.” She got up and put on her robe.
“I know you’re done! Now open this door!” Michael pitched his voice to travel through the apartment.
“We’re coming, Michael! Keep your pants on!” Max ground out, throwing his legs over the side of the bed.
Michael shifted from foot to foot outside the door and rolled his eyes. “I’ll bet you’re coming! Keep my pants on? Keep my pants on?” he muttered under his breath.
Liz leaned back into the bedroom on her way to answer the door. “Put the leather pants back on!” she requested softly with a wink before sailing away to get the door. Max rolled his eyes, but reached for the pants anyway, willing certain body parts to become less prominent.
Liz stopped at the door, taking a deep breath for patience before she threw it open and waved Michael in. “Be our guest, Michael. So glad you dropped by,” her tone dripped sarcasm.
“Thank you. I will,” Michael strode into the living room and paced around waiting for Max.
Liz watched him prowling around the small space and her brow furrowed in concern. “Are you okay, Michael?” Liz asked, halting his pacing with a hand on his arm.
Michael looked down and saw the worry in her expression. It made him uncomfortable. He stepped back from her, trying to regain his autonomy. Needing the space. “I’m fine, Liz. I really need to talk to Max though,” he finally responded.
“I’ll go downstairs then,” Liz nodded, correctly reading his unspoken need for guy time with Max.
She passed Max on her way back into the bedroom to put on more clothes and stopped him with a soft hand on his chest. “Be gentle with him,” she requested. “None of this is his fault.”
Max nodded, wondering what he had missed. Michael turned to face him, his hands embedded in his already disordered hair. He dropped his arms to his sides and just stared at Max, waiting for his friend to make the first move.
Max motioned for Michael to sit down, taking a seat himself on the chair across from the couch. Michael moved to sit, hands moving restlessly, eyes darting to the bedroom door and down to the floor.
Liz emerged into a room filled with tense silence. She kissed Max gently on the lips and crossed over to place a small kiss on Michael’s forehead. He stared at her in surprise at her gesture and she quietly left them alone to talk.
“What is it, Michael?” Max finally asked, realizing that Michael would remain silent for the rest of the night if he didn’t say something first.
Michael’s eyes jerked up to meet Max’s and he stood up again abruptly. Max watched him pacing agitatedly around the room and felt worry blossoming in his heart. His body tensed up, muscle by muscle until he couldn’t take it anymore. Standing quickly, he halted Michael’s restless movements by taking Michael’s shoulders into his hands.
“What is it, Michael?” Max asked again with more intensity, shaking Michael slightly in his urgency.
Michael pushed Max away from him with no real force and shook his head.
“This has got to stop, Max,” he finally gritted out between clenched teeth.
“What?” Max answered in confusion.
“This!,” Michael hissed, pointing at the bedroom and raking his hands through his hair again.
Max looked uncomfortable. “Michael, there’s nothing we can do ab…”
“Don’t you think I know that, Max?” Michael interrupted rudely. “But this can’t go on like this! I want…I need my life back! This thing that happened tonight can’t happen again.”
“We know that, Michael. Liz and I already talked about it. It’s not fair to you. We’ll take care of it,” Max told him, wanting to erase the misery he saw in Michael’s eyes.
“What’s this really about, Michael?” Max asked perceptively, wanting to get it all out tonight.
Michael darted a glance back up at Max and dropped back down onto the couch hard as if his legs would no longer hold him. He scrubbed his face with his hands before resting his chin on them and peering up sideways at Max.
“How do you do it, Maxwell?”
Max looked confused. “Do what?”
“It! This whole relationship thing! How do you do that? How do you give yourself to someone so completely that it’s like you’re one person?”
Max’s eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea where this was coming from, but it was obviously important to Michael. He moved to sit beside him, considering his words carefully.
“I think I’ve always known that Liz was the one for me. Something inside of me has always reached out for her, whether I wanted it to or not,” Max sighed, thinking of the time after he had misinterpreted what he had seen in Liz’s bedroom when Kyle had pretended to have slept with her. He’d tried so hard to stop feeling anything for Liz then, but it hadn’t worked like he’d wanted it to. Thank God! “When we both finally realized that we were meant to be together it was like nothing could stop us. There was no more holding back. Physically. Mentally. Everything. We couldn’t it stop anymore.”
“But how do you do that?” Michael asked again in anguish.
“It was Liz,” Max answered simply, and Michael sighed as he sat back, knowing that really was the answer to everything for Max.
“Why are you asking me this now, Michael?”
Michael wiped his suddenly damp palms on his jeans-clad thighs. His eyes darted around the room before settling back on Max.
“Maria,” he breathed out. “I want her. I do. But I’m just so mixed up right now. Everything that I’m feeling. Everything that I’m thinking right now is so screwed up. I don’t know if it’s real or only a result of what’s happening between you and Liz,” Michael’s eyes begged for understanding, and Max did. He got it at last. Michael was in torment because of what was happening to all of them.
“I’m so sorry, Michael. We won’t let it happen like that again. It’s just so new, we’re still figuring it out, but we’ll do better. I promise,” Max vowed.
Michael shook his head. “I don’t know anymore, Max. I don’t know how to handle all that I’m feeling all of a sudden. Before, it was easy. Stay detached. Don’t get too close. I mean, I knew that we’d be called away one day and it made sense to be distanced. Now. Now everything’s changed. We’re staying here, Maxwell. Do you know what that means to a guy like me?”
Max watched him in sympathy, not knowing what to say, and maybe listening was the best thing right now anyway.
“It means that I’m screwed,” Michael continued. “I’ve let myself feel these things for Maria that I never thought I could. I don’t know how to deal with that. And now that I’m going into heat with you and Liz, it’s like I can’t even tell if I really want Maria for herself, or if I’m just acting off the hormones that’ve been raging through me lately. It’s not fair to her if that’s all it is, but what if it isn’t just hormones? How do I figure this out?” Michael asked plaintively.
“Did you and Maria ever…do anything…before all this started?” Max asked tentatively, hoping he wasn’t overstepping his bounds.
“We did some stuff,” Michael responded, not looking Max in the eyes. “We always stopped though. I didn’t think it was right to give her false hope that I’d be here for her, and she’s not the kinda girl who’d give herself to someone who wasn’t committed to her one hundred percent. And she deserves that,” he added fiercely. “She needs someone who’ll be there for her and love her and appreciate her and…and…”
Max listened to the words Michael spoke and saw the determined set of his jaw, the hungry glint in his eye while he watched him speaking of Maria. A slow smile spread across his face. Michael was in love.
“What? What’s funny about this?” Michael demanded hotly, resenting the smile residing on his friends face.
“Nothing,” Max responded, grin spreading wider, “You’re in love, Michael. And that’s all you. Can you hear yourself when you talk about Maria? It’s like she’s the most precious thing in your life. The way you say her name. The way you care enough about her to hold yourself back so you don’t hurt her with a wrong decision. The fact that you’re spilling your guts to me tonight. That all screams to me that You. Are. In. Love!”
The expression on Michael’s face would have been comical if the moment wasn’t so charged. His mouth opened and closed with a click, biting back what he was about to say. He stared at his friend; hope shining in his eyes.
“You can see all that?” he asked at last.
“Yeah. It’s there, Michael. You just need to reach out and take it,” Max reassured him.
“I…I know that I love her. I just really don’t want to hurt her, you know? I want to make sure that it’s not all because of the ‘heat’. She deserves better than the frustrated gropings of some guy who can’t tell if he wants her for her or because of…you know,” Michael was strangely not embarrassed any more. A curious relief was spreading through his body. Maybe everything would be all right now. Maybe he had been worrying for nothing. Maybe it was time to see how Maria felt about all this.
Michael stood to go. “I’m gonna go downstairs and talk to Maria,” he stated suddenly, nervously drying his palms on his jeans again.
Max watched him walk out the door, shaking his head. “Good luck, Michael. You deserve it,” he said quietly into the empty room.
TBC