They’re very ready to pursue a serious relationship. They’ve spent the past two years apart so they know what they’re missing and they’re not willing to let anymore time pass by.
Keep those fingers crossed because Carson is coming out of the gate with his opinion of Michael and his relationship with Maria firmly in place.
Earth2Mother: Well, lol, it wasn’t exactly a question, but it’s doubtful that he’s going to listen.
mary mary: A sidewinder would be a good description for him right now. Until he reaches a place where he can accept Michael is going to be a part of Maria’s life he’s definitely running the risk of losing his daughter.
begonia9508: Well, if he doesn’t straighten up and quickly, Maria might just be the one to tell him that.
They have lots of plans to make.
Alien_Friend:
Lol, that just sounded so ominous… and so right at the same time!And so it begins.
If they can just get past this dinner we’ll see what happens.
And never more so than when you’re having fun! Something we have a lot of working on our fics together!
killjoy: Any chance you’ve got a prediction for this week’s winning lottery numbers?
kismet: The storm definitely won’t last for long…
Part 51
Kyle parked in the movie theater parking lot and they all piled out of his truck. They had wanted to get out of the cabin for a while and during dinner at the lodge they had decided to catch a movie. They had settled on one only after Max and Liz lost the coin toss.
“We’ll get the tickets an’ you guys grab the munchies,” Tess said as they walked up to stand in line for the tickets.
Liz shook her head. “No way.” She pulled her credit card out of her wallet and motioned for Tess to do the same. “Let’s go, Harding, hand it over.”
The blonde rolled her eyes and they exchanged cards.
“We’re goin’ to see the sucky movie you picked out so we’re not payin’ for your food too.” She smiled sweetly. “Make sure you get my receipt.”
“Hey, make sure they put extra butter on my popcorn,” Kyle yelled when they went inside to stand in line at the concession stands.
Max rolled his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Liz and pulled her back to lean against his chest. “We could ditch ‘em and hit a different movie.”
“We could but goin’ to the same movie was kinda the point of us all goin’ out together.”
“And who’s idea was that again?” he growled against her neck. “Now we’re goin’ to see some crappy film that they picked out.”
“I agreed to go to the movie,” she whispered as she turned her head to kiss him. “I didn’t say a word about actually watching it.”
He laughed as they moved forward a few feet. “That’s my girl.”
They settled into their seats a short while later and it was just a few more minutes when the others joined them.
“Move, Evans,” Tess bumped his leg slightly with hers when he sat there with his widespread legs taking up all the room in front of him.
Max shifted back and pulled his legs in as close as possible. “Y’know, there’re plenty of other seats out here. It’s not like you just have to sit on the other side in this row right here.”
“That’s my seat,” she pointed between a seat on the other side of the couple and her ticket. “If ya want more space then go sit in a seat that someone else might’ve already paid for.” She stuck her tongue out at him.
“Who knew they’d have assigned seating?” Liz said as she put her drink in the holder and then checked the armrest between her and Max. “Hey, check it out...” she pulled it upright and tucked it between their seats.
“Nice,” Max grinned and leaned in closer without having to worry about a stupid armrest between them.
Kyle shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth as he dropped down in one of the seats and then wiped his greasy hand on his jeans. “Hey, this’s nice.” He glanced at the empty seats on either side of them. “I hope they don’t sell out ‘cause I don’t wanna be stuck next to these two while they’re makin’ out.”
“Sell out?” Liz stuck her tongue out at him. “I’ll bet they’d be happy to sell a couple dozen tickets to this piece of crap movie.”
“Yeah, right. Like the one you two had picked was any better,” Tess rolled her eyes and leaned over to grab some popcorn herself.
“At least the one we picked out has some action,” Max pointed out.
“Shhhhh,” someone from behind hissed.
Tess turned her head to glare at the person. “What? There’re just commercials on the screen!”
“Let the good times roll,” Max said. There was always someone who actually shushed people who talked during the commercials.
“Killjoy,” Liz muttered.
Kyle turned his head in an effort to see the person who had complained, pegging the person immediately. “Why do people care about the stupid commercials?” he muttered around a mouthful of popcorn. He glanced down at the fluffy white treat in his hand and then back at the complainer.
“Don’t waste the food,” Tess warned.
He shrugged and slouched down in his seat as he held the bucket out to her. “Wan’ fum?” he asked.
“You’re disgusting sometimes,” she shook her head and brushed some pieces of popcorn from his mouth.
“He is kind of a pig,” Liz commented.
Someone in front of them groaned loudly at their banter but didn’t turn around.
“You guys just had to pick a movie that was gonna have avid commercial-watchers,” Max complained.
“I doubt this’s a movie thing, more a local thing,” Liz thought loudly.
“Tourists,” someone muttered behind them.
The room suddenly turned dark, an indicator that the movie was finally showing. “Shhhhhhhh,” Tess said, deliberately being loud.
“Damn,” Kyle muttered when he reached for his drink and nearly dropped it because it slid in his greasy grasp.
His girlfriend giggled. “You are such a dork.”
He just grinned and shrugged. It was true... sometimes. “Where’d you put the chocolate?”
She glanced down at her lap where it was resting between her legs.
He grinned. “So tempting...” he glanced around them, “and so public.”
Liz leaned against Max’ side while her hand slipped under his shirt to caress his bare abandon. She loved how his muscles tightened under her touch.
The movie held Max’s attention for all of a matter of seconds when she decided to get a little bit daring. He leaned in and just as his mouth settled over hers someone kicked the back of his seat.
Liz smiled. “Breathe.”
“Breathin’,” he muttered, his fingers playing against her neck as he leaned in for another kiss. It was just as short-lived as the first when his seat received another kick. “Okay,” he growled, “the first one could easily be an accident, but the second?”
Liz glanced up slightly to look at who was sitting behind Max. It was a boy, probably 15 or 16, no problem for her boyfriend to concern himself with.
Kyle glanced over at them and he chuckled when he caught the annoyed look on Max’s face. “I think Evans is runnin’ into some difficulties over there.”
Liz let her hand wander further down to distract her boyfriend, not really looking forward to a why-did-ya-kick-my-seat discussion.
Max forgot all about the annoying little snot behind him when her fingernails dragged over his inseam teasingly. “Where were we?” he rasped against her lips.
“I think you were just about to kiss me again,” she whispered.
“Think you’re right.” He was agreeable as he pulled her close and his lips settled over hers.
Her hand moved over the bulge in his jeans and squeezed it slightly. She chuckled when he groaned into her mouth in response.
Max’s hand slid under her shirt and he let his fingers trail over her skin, feeling her shudder at his touch.
“Are we watchin’ a porn here or what?” Someone from behind asked, sounding annoyed.
Kyle flicked a piece of popcorn in the direction of the voice. It only took the other guy a few seconds to react and the popcorn was tossed back.
Max jerked back when a piece of soggy popcorn hit his cheek. “Okay, that’s it,” he muttered, using his sleeve to rub the offended area.
“Shhhhhh,” was heard again from various directions now. Tess was starting to get annoyed with the people telling them to be quiet. They weren’t bothering anyone, so what was the big deal?
“If ya wanna make out then go find a hotel room,” a man from the last row said.
“Hey, man, why don’t you just watch the action on the screen?” Kyle snapped.
None of them noticed the little beam of light bouncing along the aisle as an usher hurried to put an end to the disturbance.
“You four,” he pointed to Max, Liz, Tess and Kyle, “you need to leave the cinema, please.”
“Us?” Liz questioned with a frown. “We’re not the ones makin’ all the noise.”
“Yes they are,” someone said.
Kyle shrugged as he reached for Tess’ hand. “Movie’s not that good anyway... bet we can find somethin’ better to do at the cabin.”
“We want our money back,” Liz insisted.
“Think that’s a lost cause, darlin’,” Max said with an amused snort of laughter.
“Uh-huh, not leaving before,” she said loudly, glaring at the usher.
“I don’t think we’re gonna get our money back, Parker.” Kyle said as he nudged her from behind. “Hey, make sure you bring your popcorn though. What?” he asked when Tess stared at him. “It’s really good.”
“Enjoy the movie, loser,” Liz hissed at the guy who had made the porn comment and flipped him off.
“No problem... should be easy to do without you two goin’ down on each other while people are tryin’ to watch a movie,” the guy smarted off.
Max was enjoying watching his girl go back and forth with the guy but he knew if the guy kept pushing he’d end up with a majorly pissed off Liz on his hands and he didn’t intend to spend his evening trying to calm her down. He reached for her hand and tugged her up against him. “C’mon, let’s go.”
Liz shot one more glare at the ass that had started things before taking Max’s hand and allowing him to lead her out of the theater.
*****
The living room was silent when Amy left and Maria wished it was time for dinner. Carson picked at the material on the arm of the chair he was sitting in as he watched his daughter and her... he gritted his teeth. Her boyfriend. “So, Michael, you’ve been working up here for a while now?”
“Close to two years now.”
“Have you been with the same outfit since you got into this line of work?”
“Yeah, I came here and met my boss on my first evening here. He was looking for a new guide and I had just come from school, so the next day I had the job.”
“Um-hmm. Do you have much downtime?”
“Mostly I do the climbs to the summit and back. It takes between 5 and 7 days, after that Devin gives us downtime of at least 4 days. It’s our choice if we take them or not.”
“And do you take much time off?”
“Not in the past no,” he said honestly.
Carson frowned. The young man at the office that afternoon had made it sound like they took quite a bit of time off. “So, you intend to start taking time off now?”
“I told my boss I’ll be out for probably a month,” Michael nodded.
“A month,” he mused. “That seems to be an excessive amount of time to take off.” He leaned back in his seat and accepted the glass of Scotch his wife handed him. “Especially if my daughter intends to follow through with her intentions to shack up with you.”
“Dad,” Maria complained.
“Carson,” Amy chastised.
“Amy, I have every right to know what his intentions are.”
“My intentions toward your daughter are the same as they’ve always been, Mr. DeLuca,” Michael interrupted before anything else could be said. “I love her, always have, and I’m not gonna stand here while you talk about our relationship like it’s nothin’ more than a passing thing.”
Maria smiled at Michael’s words. “Why’re you askin’ all these questions about Michael’s job, Dad? What’s that got to do with anything?”
“I think I have a right to know whether or not he can take care of you.”
“All you’re doin’ is lookin’ for somethin’ that you can use against us,” she muttered.
“There’s nothin’ he can use against us,” Michael said quietly.
“Why don’t we go into the dining room?” Amy stood up. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.” She recognized the tension in the room and her daughter as well as her husband needed to calm down before continuing this.
They went into the dining room, standing together on one side of the large table. Amy had held Carson back, allowing the younger couple a few minutes alone.
“Your dad’s doin’ his best to start an argument,” Michael muttered.
“I know,” she leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m proud of you.”
“Why? I haven’t done anything.”
“Yeah, if I were you I would’ve already kicked my Dad’s ass,” she snickered slightly.
He snorted. “Yeah, well, as much as I’d like to do that... probably wouldn’t help matters much.”
She sighed. “At least he didn’t start with somethin’ like: How’re you gonna take care of my daughter? What’re your plans for the future?” She made a face. “Pretty sure those questions will still come out though.”
He shrugged. “S’okay, I’ve got the answer for every single one of those questions.”
“Gimme a kiss,” she grabbed his collar and pulled him down.
Michael’s right hand cradled her neck as he indulged her demand and kissed her thoroughly.
“I never wanna miss this again,” she breathed before her parents came into the room.
“You never will,” he promised.
“Sooo,” Amy smiled at the young couple. “Have a seat.”
Maria glanced at Michael and gave him an encouraging slight shove towards his chair.
Carson made a sound of impatience as he took his own seat.
“This looks good, Mom.” Maria glanced over the table and her stomach rumbled at the smell of dinner, even if she didn’t feel very hungry.
Michael nodded silently. It did look good, he thought. He was hungry but somehow he had a feeling that anything he ate was just going to feel like lead in his stomach.
Everyone was quiet while Amy was busy filling their plates with the dinner she had prepared during the day. The tension in the room was almost palpable and she didn’t know what to do about it. Hopefully easting together peacefully was possible.
Maria looked at her dad, wondering if he was ever going to accept Michael and her together. “So, how long are you guys gonna stay up here?” she asked.
“We haven’t decided. Your father’s off from work for two weeks.”
“How’s work, Dad?”
“The same as usual. A lot of sick people out there.”
Michael looked at Carson and forced himself to participate in the conversation. The man was an FBI agent and he had worked in the violent crimes division before Michael had left. “You’re still workin’ violent crimes?” he asked.
“Somebody has to do the dirty jobs,” the man answered coldly. He had seen a lot of shit in his life and it was just another reason why he didn’t want to be her daughter in the wrong hands.
Michael’s right hand clenched into a fist at the man’s taunt. “Just because I’m not out chasin’ down criminals doesn’t make my job any less important, Mr. DeLuca,” he said, forcing his voice to stay calm.
“Oh, yeah, and you think guiding people up a mountain where no one should be anyway is really necessary?” Carson said back with a growl.
“Dad, stop it!” Maria hissed. “His job is important. And if it weren’t for him Mark would’ve fallen off of that mountain.”
“Why go up there anyway? It’s dangerous, cold and uncomfortable. You can get that view from anywhere else.”
“Actually, you can’t get that view anywhere else. As for why people climb... it’s a challenge that pits them against Mother Nature. And there’s nothin’ like that last day of a climb when you reach the summit and you’re standin’ on top of the world,” Michael said.
Carson snorted. “On the top of the world.”
“It’s an amazing feeling, Dad,” Maria said. “You guys should try it some time.”
Amy smiled at her daughter. “I doubt I’d be able to do that.”
“No, Mom, you could! You’d love it if you just gave it a shot.”
Michael nodded. “Yeah, and there’re easier routes to climb too.”
Carson shook his head. “We’re not participating in this nonsense.”
Maria glanced at Michael as he has dismissed again. Even if he pretended to be calm and cool, she could see how much her father’s words hurt him and she hated it. “No one will force you I guess,” she mumbled and concentrated on her food since everything they talked about was turned around on Michael by her father.
“No one forces me to do a damn thing,” Carson said as he ignored his food to stare at the younger man seated across from him. “Do you intend to find a job more suited to an adult anytime soon?”
Maria let her fork fall to her plate with a clattering sound and got up from her seat. “Okay, that’s it! You wanna sit here all night and tell me how you don’t approve of our relationship then do that, Dad. But I’m not just gonna sit here and let you talk to and about Michael the way you do.”
Carson’s gaze didn’t waver at the racket or his daughter’s outburst. “I’m waitin’, Michael. Explain to me how exactly you intend to take care of my daughter and provide her with things that you know will never be within your means?”
Michael lifted his head slowly to meet the older man’s steely gaze. “No, Mr. DeLuca, I’ll never be able to give her the things someone like Mark can give her. I’m never gonna have money like you have or like he has. But I can love your daughter more than anyone else. I can care for her and I can be man enough to know when she needs to do things for herself. I can’t promise to ever be able to give her anything money can buy, but I can give her everything that money CAN’T buy. I look at her and I can see the future, I can see someone that loves me for the boy I was, the man I am, and the man I will be. She believes in me, I believe in her, and together we believe in each other and our ability to make a life together. Maybe to you that isn’t much, but it’s all I have to offer.”
Amy’s heard melted at the words the boy dedicated to her daughter. There was no doubt he loved her unconditionally.
“We are not livin’ in a fairytale here,” Carson said, slamming his flat hand on the table, making both women flinch. “I don’t doubt your love for her boy, but your feelings won’t get you anywhere if you’re not able to keep up a life worthy of her.”
“Who said anything about a friggin’ fairytale?” Michael snapped. “Maybe you need to take a better look at what your daughter’s lookin’ for ‘cause I can damn well assure you it’s not a fairytale. I have a job, I work hard and I make a decent living. I’ve never made myself out to be more than what I am.”
Carson shook his head, laughing ironically. “You did that the moment you showed interest in my daughter.”
“Why? Because you don’t think I’m good enough for her?”
Maria placed a hand on Michael's shoulder. “We’re leavin’!” She couldn’t stand the yelling and accusations any longer and it would only get worse with every passing second.
“Young lady, I insist you sit down at this table, right now!” Carson demanded.
Michael shook his head as he stood up. “You might be her father, but you have no right to speak to her like that.”
“I may still be young, Dad, but I’m not too young to live my own life.”
“You’re too emotional to be involved in this conversation. I’m doin’ what’s best for you, Maria. You can’t see that right now, but one day when you have children of your own you’ll understand.”
She just shook her head at her father sadly. She was not the one who was too emotionally involved here. “C’mon,” she said to Michael, “let’s get outta here.”
“Carson, do something before she walks out that door,” Amy insisted quietly. “You’re pushing her away and if you don’t watch it we’re gonna lose her.”
Carson glanced at his wife while his brain was busy running over the possibilities. “Maria,” he stepped in the hallway, “don’t you dare to leave like this.”
She stopped at the front door and turned to look at her father. “Are you willing to accept Michael into our family?”
He straightened up to his full height and his face started to turn red as the vein in his forehead began to throb. “We can discuss that later,” he hedged.
She shook her head. “There is no later, Dad.”
Michael could feel the guilt pushing at him when she turned to the front door once more. “Don’t do this, Mr. DeLuca,” he said. “Don’t make her choose between us.”
“Me?” Carson yelled. “You’re the reason for this mess!”
“Maria...” Amy called her daughter.
“Sorry, Mom,” she mumbled, feeling wave of sadness wash over her as she saw her mother’s face. Maria forced her gaze back to her father. “If you’re not willing to accept him then you can consider yourself childless from now on.” With that she stormed out of the cabin.
Michael glanced at her mother and he smiled sadly. “I’m sorry, Mrs. DeLuca.” He turned and followed Maria without another word.
Amy stared at the closed front door in shock as she tried to process what had just happened. “Oh my God,” she stuttered.
Carson reached out to touch her and he frowned when she pulled away from him. “She’ll be back, Amy.”
“No,” she shook her head furiously. “She won’t come back, Carson.”
“It’s only a matter of time,” he said.
“No!” she yelled. “Can’t you see it? We’re losing her!”
“We are not losing her,” he insisted angrily. “That boy won’t stick around.”
“That boy loves her more than anyone else, Carson. Why is that so hard for you to accept?”
“He’s not good enough for her!” he shouted.
“He’s the only one she wants, that makes him good enough,” she shouted back.
“And what happens when she realizes he can’t take care of her? What happens when his pathetic little job won’t pay the bills? Or when he loses his temper and hits her? I see that shit all the time in my job... I do not want to see it happen to my daughter!”
“And you think a different man is a guarantee that those things won’t happen?”
“There are no guarantees in life, Amy, but there are more suitable men out there.”
“I’m not willing to lose my daughter because you’re too stubborn,” she growled as she started to head back in the dining room to clean up.
Carson threw his hands up in the air as he growled in frustration. She was being irrational and too emotional; she couldn’t see the situation the way he did. He ignored that little voice telling him that she was right.
“I insist you sleep on the couch tonight,” she told him when he had followed her into the room.
He sighed. “Amy... she’ll come around.”
“She doesn’t need to. I’ll go and see her, tell her she has at least one parent who’s willing to support her.”
“We have to present a united front.”
“That doesn’t seem possible here.”
“If you do things my way it is.”
“I won’t sit back and wait, Carson. Not this time.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Only one of us thinks you’re right… and it isn’t me.”
He sighed at her stubborn tone but he knew better than to argue with her in this mood. He had already been banished to the couch for the night so there was no reason to push her to add anything to that. “I’m going to the study.”
Amy watched him leave and shook her head sadly.
Carson walked into the smaller room on the other side of the hallway and sat down in the comfortable chair behind the wooden desk. He leaned back and took in some deep breaths as he went over the evening again. His gaze wandered over the empty desk in front of him and stopped on his cell. He bit his bottom lip, considering his next move for a moment before he nodded to himself and picked the phone up to dial the number.
His left hand moved over the armrest of the chair as she waited for the other person to pick up.
“Rita Jamison speaking,” a woman’s voice came over the line.
“Rita,” he greeted her, “Carson DeLuca here.”
“What’s up, Carson? I thought you were on vacation?”
“I need you to get me some information about someone,” he said, ignoring her question.
She rolled her eyes at his behavior. Carson wasn’t exactly known as Mr. Equality around the office. “Gimme the details and I’ll get you the info ASAP.”
“It’s Guerin, Michael. I don’t know his exact birthday, but he’s 21, born in Roswell, New Mexico.”
“Probably don’t have too many guys with that name in Roswell. It won’t take long to run his background. You want me to pull anything else on him? Credit report, maybe?”
“I want every bit of information you can get.”
“No problem. I’ll call you back as soon as I’ve got the information unless you want it faxed to you?”
“No, call me on my cell,” he told her. The last thing he needed was proof of his actions.
“Got it. Give me a couple of hours and I’ll give ya a call back.”
Carson nodded to himself. “I’ll wait to hear from you.” With that he disconnected the call. There was plenty of time to get his bed for the night ready before she called back.
Smart ass, huh? Well, better than being a dumbass.