Who do ya think was more nervous? The pika or Max? LOL
They are probably not secret for very long, though.
Ya know them…rosysory2882: Oh, we would give everything to watch this scene life, lol. Michael and happy face boxer, oh well…. Bring it on, lol.
Yeah, slow is better than nothing, right?
M&M will be together and ya don’t have to wait thaaaaat long.
Eva: Michael, Tony and Nick hang out a lot together, even in their free time. So yes, they annoy each other a lot, lol.
Hm, same question as for Novy: Who do ya think was more nervous? Max or the pika?
keepsmiling7: Definitely NEVER, lol.
mary mary: Nothing should be allowed to have 6 legs ore more, lol.
Thanks, now we know where Max’ fear is coming from.
Natalie36: YES, we are!
Earth2Mama: Hopefully not to stressed, girl! Because it is already Sunday again, lol.
Michael, Tony and Nick hang out a lot together, so those little stunts are normal for them. We are sure Michael will get back at them.
begonia9508: Those little pika’s are cute as long as they are locked away save, right? Lol
sarammlover: We are glad ya like our Liz. We are both Candies as well, but it is cool when ya can write the other characters the way ya want, lol. Thanks to AU, we are enjoying to write everyone.
killjoy: Right? As long as they are locked … okay. But otherwise we can live without those furious little critters as well.
Hm…. Read on and decide on your own, lol.
kismet: YAY, lol!
Oh you know it, ya can’t hide this for very long.
Part 31
“Hey, Kyle, can ya bring my camp stool with ya?” Tess called from where she was already out by the fire, preparing dinner.
Liz sat down on the opposite side to face her. “I still can’t believe you two are engaged. When did he ask you? Oh, or did you ask him?”
Tess just grinned. “We live in modern times, there’s nothing wrong with the woman asking.” She glanced at Kyle. “Especially when it’s taking him too long to get around to it.”
“So you asked him?”
“I did ask him.”
Kyle snorted. “She told me,” he corrected, shaking his head at her. “If you’re gonna tell the story, tell it right, babe.”
Liz laughed. “Come on. Share!”
“What’re we sharin’?” Max asked as he sat down beside her, several of the dehydrated meals in his hands. Damn, he couldn’t wait to sink his teeth into a nice juicy steak after they finished this climb!
“The engagement story.”
“Without me?” Maria complained when she joined them.
“Never without you,” Kyle assured her. “You know Tess is just waiting for her audience to give her their full attention.”
“We’re all here now, so spill it, Harding,” Maria told her with a wink.
“First off, I did not tell Kyle we were getting married.” She shoved him with her shoulder. “I merely told him that we had been together for several years and it just seemed like we should be making some sort of commitment.”
“Uh-huh, yeah, ‘cause that’s not the same,” Kyle said, “but it’s okay, you knew there was just one answer for me anyway.”
She stomped her right foot. “That is not the point, Kyle.” She huffed indignantly as she looked around at the others. “He just assumed that we would get married... without ever asking, just assumed that I wanted to marry him.”
“Well, ya kinda told him ya wanted a commitment… what would that be, if not marriage?”
“No, I’m not sayin’ I wanted somethin’ different... he didn’t ask because he just assumed we would get married.”
“Hey, at least I bought you a ring,” Kyle tried.
“I haven’t seen a ring,” Liz said.
“I didn’t put it on for the trip,” Tess declared. “I’ll show ya at home.”
“Have you set a date?” Maria asked.
“No, not yet, but sometime in the next year; I don’t wanna be one of those women who’re engaged for years without anything happening.”
Michael listened to them as they talked about ceremonies, dresses, locations for the ceremony, and a dozen other things, but his attention was focused on Maria as she laughed and talked with her friends. He was glad that she had found people that she was able to be close to, people who understood her and encouraged her to be herself.
“This’s so great, Tess,” Maria said, happy for her friend. “I’m so envious.”
“You’ll find someone, Maria,” she said with a smile. “But, it’s not Mark. And I say that with love.”
Maybe I already found him, she thought quietly. Again.
“I don’t know if I wanna even get married,” Liz confessed.
Max turned his head to the side to look at her. “No?”
She shrugged. “I just think it’s a little overrated.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, why would I need a piece of paper that tells me I belong to someone?”
“It’s more than just a piece of paper, Liz. It’s a symbol of commitment and it lets the whole world know that two people belong to each other and that they’re committed to making their relationship work.”
“But you can commit to those things in other ways... and it would save money if ya break up.”
Maria could see the hurt in Max’s eyes and she shook her head. “I don’t wanna spend my whole life with someone who isn’t willing to marry me.”
“Well, yeah, I guess that’s true, and if you’re with someone and you don’t trust them to stick around then I guess you shouldn’t marry them,” Max said.
Maria nodded. “Marriage isn’t just a paper, Liz. It’s wearing his last name, feeling that you belong to someone. Hell, it’s even safer for your kids just in case something happens to you or your husband.”
Liz felt trapped all of the sudden. The conversation had suddenly thrown her changing relationship with Max into an entirely new light. He believed in marriage, he wanted the wife and kids, and all the entrapments that came with it. She didn’t know if she was ready to even think about that stuff.
Max didn’t know what to think about Liz’ opinion. Maybe it was just something that would pass after a while, or maybe she really didn’t believe in stuff like this.
“Well, it’s not like it’s somethin’ that has to be decided today,” Michael said, recognizing the look on the brunette’s face. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starvin’.”
Maria glanced up and suddenly realized that Michael had probably heard everything she had said. Oh, shit, she thought, I can count myself lucky if he doesn’t run from me after this trip.
“I’m never getting married,” Nick announced as he started mixing hot water into his dinner.
“Don’t say never,” Tony told him and tapped his shoulder while moving past him.
“Whatever. Seriously, people get married and more than half of them get divorced, and the ones who don’t get divorced, man, ya know they’re just cheatin’ on each other. What’s the point? Stay single an’ that way you’ve automatically got a get out of jail free card at any time.”
“You’re gonna be very lonely when you get old,” Maria said with a smirk.
“Nope,” Nick denied, “’cause I’m still gonna be hot and I’ll still have ‘em chasin’ me down.”
Michael snorted. “Shouldn’t be hard for ‘em to catch you since you’ll be usin’ a walker or sittin’ in a wheelchair... an’ they’ll be in the same condition.”
Liz stood up and walked away from the group silently. Max and Maria both saw it and frowned. Maria shook her head at him when he was about to get up and stood up by herself to see what was wrong with her friend.
She found her sitting on a rock around a little corner where no one from the fire could see her. “Hey, girlfriend. Why’re ya hidin’?”
“Kind of a heavy conversation, ya know?” Liz said quietly.
Maria took a seat next to her, carefully nudging her friend so she would made a little more room for her to sit. “Don’t really think that far ahead right now, huh?”
“It’s just... What was I thinking?” she muttered. “Max is like Mr. Reliable. I mean, he loves to go out and have a good time and he can be a jackass at times, but he believes in all of that forever crap.”
“And that scares you,” Maria stated.
Liz snorted. “Hell, yes, that scares me!” She bit her lip, worrying it for several seconds before she took a deep breath. “He isn’t just interested in me as a... a casual thing or a fling, Maria.”
Maria’s eyes lifted in surprise. “Did ya just figure this out by yourself or did he actually say something?”
“No,” Liz drew designs in the snow with her booted foot, “no, he said something... something that can’t be taken back no matter what happens.”
“And what exactly was it? How’d ya react?”
“He said he loves me, Maria. I mean, I think I played it pretty cool... I didn’t run away and I didn’t push him away.” She threw her hands up in the air as she got up and started pacing. “I told him that it scares me, that I’ve got concerns about what’ll happen to us if it doesn’t work out, and that we need to take it slow.”
“But you’re not totally freaking out at the thought of Max bein’ your boyfriend, right?”
“Well, not totally, no. I mean, you don’t tell someone you love them unless you have certain expectations, right?”
“Did you tell him you love him?”
“No.” She winced. “Was I supposed to? What, is that like standard protocol or somethin’?”
Maria shook her head. “It’s not standard protocol, Liz. You shouldn’t say it if you’re not sure yet.”
“See? I don’t know what the rules are.” She rolled her eyes. “And I’m the one who was giving you advice at the start of this trip? I hope you haven’t been taking it.”
“Um...” was all she said.
“You have, haven’t you? If there was a wall in front of me I’d be banging my head on it. What? Which bit of brilliant advice did you take?”
“The one where you said that I should take the risk since the worst that could happen would be that we go our separate ways after this trip again.”
“Wait.” Liz sat down next to Maria. “You’re really gonna go for it with Michael?”
The other girl shrugged. “Maybe, yeah. We talked about it last night and we.... we wanna be together.”
“Maria, that’s great!” Inside she was totally doing the happy dance and singing ‘No more Mark, No more Mark!’
"Don’t be too happy about it, okay? I need someone who sees things as they are. Realistic, ya know? So whenever I’m too blinded by love to see what’s in front of me, tell me.”
“Well, I don’t really know him, but I like him a lot more than I like Mark. But, I promise, if you do somethin’ stupid or you can’t see things clearly because you’re blinded by love, I’ll let you know.”
Maria nodded. “Thanks.”
“So... aren’t your parents gonna be down there when we get back?”
“Ungh, yeah.”
“Does he know that?”
“Yeah, I told him.”
“Is he ready to face them? I mean, I’m assuming he isn’t gonna run this time, that he’s gonna deal with them.”
“He told me we’re facing them together. I just hope he’ll still stick with it once we’re down.”
“Maria, this’s big! What’re you gonna do about Mark?”
“Well, he’s waiting for me down there, so the first thing I have to do is tell him the truth.”
“Uh-huh, and until then... are you and Michael...?”
“We’re tryin’ to behave.”
“So, you guys are really serious about this.” Liz thought about that for a few minutes. “What happens after this? You live in different states... have you guys talked about that?”
She nodded. “He’s trying to start his own outfit here, Liz, so the only possibility would be me moving down here. As much as I love him I know a long-distance relationship wouldn’t work.”
“Ungh, no, I wouldn’t even attempt a long-distance relationship.”
“I don’t know if this’s gonna work out, Liz. When my parents stop the financial support, then it’ll get really serious.”
“Have you talked to Michael about that?”
“We were pretty honest with everything yesterday.”
“So, what’s he think about your parents cutting you off? Is he worried that you won’t be able to make it financially?”
“Huh-uh, that’s the scary thing here, Liz. I’m not 100 % sure if he’ll stay this time, no matter what.”
“But, you’re willing to take the risk.”
Maria made a face. “Tell me it’s not as crazy as it sounds.”
“It is crazy, but you love him, right? You’re ready to take a huge leap of faith, so that implies that you trust him enough to take another shot at a relationship with him.” Liz hugged her friend. “If you’ve got enough faith to take this risk, then have faith in his ability to stick around this time. If you can’t, they why risk it?”
“I couldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t try, Liz.”
“Then believe that he’s gonna stick around.” She rolled her eyes. “Weren’t we talking about how great this trip was gonna be because we wouldn’t have anything heavy to deal with?”
Maria snorted. “Yeah. Great how that turned out, huh?”
“Oh, please, girl! Tell me you’d want a vacation without complications over one where you’re reunited with Michael.”
“I really want him back, badly,” she admitted.
“Sounds to me like you’ve got him.”
“He’s the one for me, Liz. I know it, I just do.”
“It’s gonna be important for him to know that you believe he can do this, Maria. I’ve met your parents, remember? They can be pretty intimidating.”
“I know. My father especially is gonna freak out, I know it.” Maria sighed. “It won’t be easy and I’m well aware of the fact that this might could be the end of my parents and my relationship.”
“Let him freak out. What’s the worst he can do? Stop payin’ for college and sendin’ your monthly check? So what? You work anyway, you’ve never just relied on your parents for money.” She shook her head. “They might be mad, they might cut off communications for a while, but they love you, Maria, they’re not gonna just never talk to you again.”
“I really hope you’re right.”
“I am right.” Liz tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Now,” she made a rolling motion with her right hand, “solve my problems.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________
A/N: We posted a profile of Michael Guerin in TIC TAC on our Author's Thread, ya might wanna look at it to get some information about his character in our new fic.
Here is also a trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvzvtWRx2Ak
