Chapter Sixty Eight
The next couple of days had everyone trying to gain their footing with the project, some with more success then others.
Liz and Kyle had the easiest transition of the three couples. Kyle tried hard to keep his eyes open and learn the right way to do things. Liz’s care schedule had them avoiding the conflicts some of the others in their class were experiencing. After meeting his mechanical grandchild Jeff agreed to let them keep the babies in the backroom during work, which helped them all out.
Max and Sophia were struggling to work around their schedules. They had several miscommunications on changeover times where Liz ended up taking their baby with her to class while Kyle took theirs.
Maria and Michael were locked in battle over everything from why the baby was crying to who was responsible for what part of the project. Two times Maria showed up at Michael’s late at night when he failed to show up for the baby changeover. Once she tracked his ass down to Zan’s work to hand over the baby, proceeding to get into a raging argument when Michael protested that he was out with the guys and couldn’t be bothered.
Zan had watched that argument finding enjoyment in Michael’s pain. He was the one that saved the baby from hitting the floor when Maria threw it at Michael before stomping out.
“Yo Mickey, you’s sure you wanna work it out wit that one? She might kill yo ass in you’s sleep one night,” Zan said smirking as he set the baby down on the tattoo chair.
“I’m a light sleeper,” Michael responded.
“Den I wouldn’t continue walking the path you’s on. Othera wise you won’t get da chance to see if you’s a light nough sleepa,” Zan pointed out grinning. “She gotta not wanna commit violence on you’s person wheneva she sees ya.”
Michael shook his head. “Like you know anything about that. Ava isn’t exactly singing your praises. I think she’s over at Whitman’s tonight isn’t she?” Michael asked folding his arms over his chest as he waited for Zan’s answer.
Zan shrugged lightly. “Hey I ain’t saying do as I do. Sides Ava ain’t off her meds like that Maria chick. Seriously man, you’s got problems. She’s mad crazy and MEAN. I’s could be lika bullfighter wit that one jus by waving a pic of you in her face,” Zan said seriously as the baby started crying. He looked at it then up at Michael. “Yo Mr. Mom, take care of dis thing huh?”
The weekend arrived and everyone agreed it wasn’t a moment too soon. Saturday was unseasonably warm, Liz noticed from behind the register in the CrashDown, a simply gorgeous day all around. Too bad she had to work a double.
“Parker! Valenti’s spawn is crying,” Michael shouted from the pick up window.
Liz shot him a dirty look as she walked to the backroom. Did he really have to bellow like that? When she reached the playpen her mom had set up for all the babies she scowled seeing it was in fact HIS baby that was crying. Damn Michael anyway! Liz grumbled as she picked up the baby. He was always trying to pawn off his kid on anyone else around. She didn’t understand it since he could handle it. She had seen him do just fine.
Placing the baby back in her old playpen she walked into the kitchen fixing Michael with a stern glare. “Next time take care of your own spawn. You’re right here next to them so there’s no reason you can’t do it yourself. Don’t be an ass.”
“No need to get your feathers all ruffled,” Michael grumbled frowning.
“Michael! I’m serious. You’re supposed to be learning something here and I don’t think it’s how to pawn off your work on others. I don’t mind helping every once in a while but this is out of hand. You need to get your shit together before Maria kills you,” Liz said not backing down. Between helping Maria and Michael with their baby and trying to watch out for her own she was spending a lot of time juggling two babies. Enough was enough.
“I’m doing my part! So I forget a few things sometimes. Sue me,” Michael challenged glaring at her.
“When you “forget a few things” you’re not just making things hard for you. If you forget to pay your utility bill that’s one thing but this is different. You’re being irresponsible and borderline negligent here. She shouldn’t have to track you down to get you to take that baby. You shouldn’t be calling me in here to take care of YOUR baby. Get off of your ass and do what you’re supposed to do. If you don’t you’re going to fail this project and so will Maria. I can only help you so much here. I have my own stupid baby to deal with,” Liz ranted keeping her voice down so it didn’t reach the dining room. Spinning on her heels she stormed out of the kitchen leaving the door swinging wildly after her exit.
“Everyone’s PMSing around here,” Michael grumbled flipping the smoking meat on the grill.
“Say that a little louder. I dare you,” Ava challenged as she breezed over to pick up table sevens order.
“Ha ha,” Michael said blandly.
“Watch it Mickey. I’ll take my tweezers to you,” Ava warned before breezing away.
“Don’t call me Mickey!” Michael called after her scowling when she just pranced away, giving her hips a little more swivel. They were all getting cocky every last female in his life.
When Ava came back to the window she smirked at him. “You prefer Mickey G? That’s what I hear anyway.”
“Don’t you have work to do?” Michael asked glaring at her.
“Yup. You. You’re all of ours job at the moment Michael. How does it feel to be to focus of so much female attention?” Ava asked smiling.
Michael rolled his eyes scowling. “Just wonderful. It’s my life long dream,” He drawled sarcastically.
“We decided that you need focused attention from us as a group. Isabel will be over tomorrow to help you out with a few things,” Ava said her smile turning to a smirk.
Michael groaned at that information. “What? It’s my day off.”
Ava nodded in agreement. “Yes, and you get to spend it with family. Isn’t that great?”
Michael’s answer was a nonverbal grumble under his breath.
Ava snickered and went to check on her tables. She wasn’t lying when she said that they had decided as a group. The four of them had gotten together and discussed Michael at length, deciding that Maria needed some help with him. Michael had a thick head and sometimes didn’t seem to be able to help himself.
Afternoon wore into evening and gradually everyone strolled in meeting up and making plans. Alex waited for Ava to finish her shift, and when Maria took over, they headed out to a movie. Liz didn’t fail to notice their happy smiles and glowing faces as they clowned around before heading out. She winked at Alex as he held the door for Ava as they were leaving.
Isabel strolled in after her shift at the UFO Center to make sure Michael knew that she was coming by in the morning. She didn’t want to just barge in. She was trying to help, not piss him off. Since Michael was less defensive with her then anyone else, she was the best choice to actually get through to him. If he needed help she wanted to help him. To do that she needed to be available to him. So she was spending the day with him doing whatever. It didn’t really matter what they did so long as Michael knew he could talk to her.
Max also showed up sliding into the booth with Isabel to wait for Sophia. It was his turn to take the baby so Sophia could attend Mass in the morning. When saw Liz slip into the back he followed her, sneaking into the backroom and smiling as he watched her care for her baby.
“You’re likely to get hit by that door if you hover there too long,” Liz said without turning.
Max smiled and walked closer until his chest brushed her back. “Hi.”
“Hey there,” Liz answered turning her head to smile at him. When she finished she turned to him and went up on tiptoes to brush a kiss over his mouth.
“What time do you get out of here again?” Max asked wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Not until late,” Liz moaned snuggling closer. She badly wanted to spend some time with him. They just hadn’t been able to pry more then a few minutes out their conflicting schedules over the last week.
“I’ll come back tonight after dinner,” Max said into her hair. “Of course I’ll have Holden.”
Liz grinned into his shirt, amused by his baby’s name. “Okay. I’ll still have umm Roxy,” Liz said using the name Kyle had decided on for their baby. It felt foreign and most of the time she didn’t use it at all. “So that’s no problem.”
Max nodded slowly before leaning down to kiss her. He slid a hand into her hair as he nibbled at her lower lip while lightly stroking her cheek with his thumb. Her fingers hooked into the belt loops on his pants as she happily accepted his attention feeling the tenderness in his touch.
“Liz! Table three needs their check and one is ready to order,” Maria called from the doorway before ducking back out.
Groaning unhappily Liz eased away slowly her eyes drifting over Max’s face before she sighed and licked her lower lip lightly. “I better…..go.”
Max didn’t look away from her mouth as he responded. “Okay, just…stop by the booth when you have a minute.”
Liz nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear reluctant to leave him. Finally tearing herself away she headed out into the dinning room feet dragging.
The man watched feeling his blood rush faster. Had he found the one? He watched her smile at an elderly couple, squeezing the man’s shoulder before moving away. She was the girl in the picture there was no doubt about that. His eyes followed her, assessing her, taking in every detail.
He noticed the young dark haired man’s eyes follow her, love and adoration shining from his eyes. When she stopped at the edge of his booth, resting her knee on the edge of his seat to get closer to him, her fingers playing the hair just barely brushing his collar, he could see a matching emotion in the soft stroke of her fingers. The soft warm light in her dark eyes and gentle care she showed had him believing she could be.
The innocence surrounding her surely couldn’t be a lie. She was clearly much loved. He was awe struck in the face of her beauty and grace. Silken hair and skin, dark warm eyes…..surely he would see the stars in those eyes under the glow of the moon. Surely she was the one. He would watch and see. He was patient and had nothing but time. His was not to question the actions of the Goddess. His fate was to worship and honor Her.
Some time later he watched as another girl came in carrying a baby walking boldly up to the booth where the dark haired young man sat. He scowled, watching as she handed over her bundle before sliding into the booth next to the young man. Eyes glittering he didn’t even blink as he watched. He didn’t miss the barest flicker darken Her eyes in response to the hand the girl placed on the man’s arm. Not even the fact that She walked over and greeted the girl smiling and laughing in response to the girl’s greeting eased his anger. Disrespect was never to be allowed without consequences. The Jackal was by nature disrespectful of its betters.
Zan watched the booth idly, taking in the new chick while he waited for Michael. She seemed almost nervous and often glanced out the front windows as if expecting someone to catch her doing something wrong.
He strutted up sliding in next to Isabel and winked at Sophia. “Zan,” Zan introduced himself sticking out his hand over the table.
Sophia’s eyes widened before she tentatively slid her hand into his. “Sophia.”
Zan leaned forward to hear her soft response while cradling he hand in his. “Tight,” Zan nodded smiling. “Nice ta meet you’s.”
Isabel rolled her eyes and elbowed him. “You can let her go any time now Zan.”
Zan smirked and gave Sophia’s hand a quick light squeeze before releasing her. “I hear we’s gonna be hanging tomorrow,” Zan said to Isabel. Looking her over he smiled. “You like art?”
“Yeah, I guess so why?” Isabel asked puzzled.
Zan just grinned in response thinking that tomorrow was gonna a blast.
Sophia listened to them bicker noting the resemblance between Max and Zan. It wasn’t drastic, there were differences. Zan’s hair was shorter and a little spiky, he had more then one tattoo, she counted eight piercings, and he looked leaner….not as muscled as Max was. She sat silent not knowing what to think of him. Shaking herself out of her fog she spoke. “I have to go. I’ll see you later.”
“Monday morning,” Max agreed.
“Nice meeting you,” Isabel replied softly looking at the girls lowered eyes as she nodded.
“I’s can walk you,” Zan offered.
“Umm no. That’s okay. I don’t live far,” Sophia replied as she slid out of the booth. With a quick smile, barely lifting her eyes, she fled.
Zan watched her go for a second before turning back to Isabel and Max.
Leftovers (CC, ML / Adult) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
Chapter Sixty Nine
Groaning slightly under the weight of the trash bag she was lugging out into the alley Liz told herself that she was almost done. This day was almost over.
“Now there’s something that’s just so appropriate,” Pam sneered from the sidewalk at the entrance to the alley.
Liz ignored her and continued on to the dumpster.
“Are you going to throw yourself in too?” Pam asked.
“What is your problem?” Liz asked letting the trash bag go. “Are you deranged or do you just look for abuse? This has been going on for years. When are you finally going to grow out of it?”
“My problem is you. You act like you’re so perfect when really you’re just trash,” Pam declared eyes narrowed. “I don’t know how you’ve managed to snow so many people for so long but you haven’t fooled me. Not for one minute.”
“Whatever,” Liz said and rolled her eyes. Like Pam was one who should be pointing fingers. “So what? I’m trash and you don’t like me. Fine. I feel just about the same toward you,” Liz stated and shrugged. “So what? Hopefully, if everything works out, we’ll graduate and never see each other again. I’ll marry Max and have a great life and you’ll……do whatever it is that you do. Why make this interim time more difficult? What it comes down to Pam, is that I don’t want to waste my time and energy on you. I can’t wait to reach the day that I know you won’t be in it anywhere, but until then, I just want to ignore you. So what do you say we try that? We just…go about our own business ignoring each other, concentrating on what’s really important to our lives, which isn’t each other.”
“That would be nice for you wouldn’t it?” Pam asked. “Not to have anyone shattering the illusion of perfection that you’re spinning.”
“What are you talking about? My life isn’t perfect. It doesn’t even LOOK that way from the outside,” Liz said exasperated with her. “I don’t know nor do I care what your problem is. I’ve had it. I never liked you, not even in grade school. I’m not going to let you jerk me around and mess with my life. I have enough problems that are actually important and need my attention so just….basically fuck off,” Liz stated clearly her eyes narrowing dangerously. “I don’t actively do anything to you but I refuse to sit back and let you fuck with me. Not anymore. Ignoring you and hoping you would grow up hasn’t had an impact. So expect a change in my strategy.”
“Are you threatening me?” Pam asked amused. Liz was about four inches shorter and small. It was almost funny that she would think that she would be worried.
“No,” Liz said shaking her head. “I’m saying that I won’t be a push over. I don’t hurt people for fun or revenge. I will protect myself though. Now I’ve wasted more time then I can spare on you so this conversation is over,” Liz said and turned back to her trash bag. “Don’t bother coming into the CrashDown anymore. You’re not welcome.”
Leaving Pam standing on the sidewalk she hefted the trash into the dumpster and went back to work. She didn’t give Pam another thought. Someone else was doing that thinking for her.
Isabel arrived on Michael’s doorstep early Sunday morning with his baby in hand. After her fourth knock she let herself in and walked down the hall to the bedroom. Seeing Michael dead to the word she set the baby next to him and went into the living room. Making herself at home she waited.
Michael scowled in his sleep. Something was disturbing his rest. Turning over and cracking one eye open, he came face to face with a doll. Groaning he realized it was crying.
“You better take care of that. I don’t think it’ll stop,” Isabel said from the doorway.
“Can you…” Michael started but stopped when Isabel was already shaking her head.
“Nope. Your baby, your job,” Isabel said and walked off down the hall.
“Great. This is nice,” Michael said sitting up and glaring down at the baby. “I had no fun at all and still got you. That’s just not right,” Michael grumbled swiftly checking the diaper.
Isabel paused at the end of the hallway having overheard his grumbling commentary and grinned before continuing.
When Michael finally entered the room and plopped down he found Isabel flipping through a fashion magazine. “So? What’s my punishment?”
“No punishment,” Isabel replied, not glancing up from her magazine. “We’re just going to hang out. Maria said it was your day with….what’s it’s name?”
“Cain,” Michael mumbled.
Isabel smiled and nodded. “Maria said it was your day with Cain so I brought him by for you. We’re just going to hang out and do whatever,” Isabel said flipping the page. “You know Michael, this whole project could be a major plus for you.”
“How so?” Michael asked plunging his fingers into his hair and raking it back.
“Girls love men and babies,” Isabel pointed out. “I can’t really say why. Something about seeing a guy’s guy and a baby…..makes females thinking about things.”
“Things?” Michael asked suddenly interested.
“Yeah, you know,” Isabel shrugged lightly. “The making of said babies, what a good mate he would make, how the contrast of his power with that sort of helplessness is intriguing. You’re blowing it though. Maybe that’s not what you’re interested in anyway,” Isabel offered. “Relationships aren’t for everyone at every phase of their life.”
Michael scowled turning over what she said. The project was attracting a lot of attention from the girls at school. Valenti was often surrounded by one or two girls and didn’t seem to care about the ribbing he was getting from his teammates. The question was if Maria would think about things? He wouldn’t know unless he tried. “For real?”
“For real,” Isabel assured him. “Look.”
Michael sat up and peered at the advertisement Isabel was holding up. A pretty much naked guy with a baby held against his chest. Huh.
Isabel hid her smirk as Michael’s eyes narrowed in thought. She started casually flipping through the months old magazine that she had spent hours searching for last night. It had taken forever to find that remembered ad in her stacks of magazines. “So what are we doing today?” Isabel asked.
“Zan’s coming by. He said we’d find something to do,” Michael replied absently.
“Okay,” Isabel agreed easily. This was already going better then she had expected.
She reevaluated that opinion as she stared at the cracked vinyl of the tattoo chair. “No.”
“What’s a matter Princess?” Zan asked smirking in amusement. “Scared?”
“No, I just don’t….umm tattoo’s aren’t really….my thing,” Isabel explained.
“Come Is,” Michael coaxed. “This is a bonding thing. We can both get one. Max could always get rid of it for you if you decide you don’t like it.”
“Okay, you first,” Isabel reluctantly agreed. She could always refuse when her turn came if it looked too horrible.
Michael smiled. A real genuine smile that lit up his eyes. “Really? You’ll do this with me?”
Isabel slowly nodded then tucked her hair behind her ear. “Yes. I really will but if I don’t like it, it goes. Agreed?”
“Yeah,” Michael agreed quickly.
Zan stopped what he was doing and looked between them surprised by what he saw. Huh. Interesting.
“I’ll even hold the…umm Cain, while you,” Isabel gestured at the chair with her perfectly manicured hand.
Michael surrendered his baby and hopped in the chair ready to get on with it. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“So what you wanting done?” Zan drawled still trying to process the previous exchange.
“I drew this,” Michael said slapping a crumpled piece of paper on the table next to his chair. “Can you do it?”
Zan studied the paper closely admiring the clean elegant lines of the design. It was a seemingly simple outline of a warrior, longer lines giving the appearance of grace. “Yeah, no prob,” Zan agreed looking up. “Where?”
Michael tapped his bicep quickly then stripped off his outer shirt leaving on his tank.
“It’s really nice, Michael,” Isabel said looking at the drawing over Zan’s shoulder. “What’s the symbol?”
“What symbol?” Zan asked turning back to the paper.
“This one,” Isabel asked her finger tracing the lines she was referring to. From her vantage point she had seen the symbol first then the whole.
“I don’t know,” Michael shrugged his brow furrowing. “It just felt right.”
Zan stayed silent something tugging at him that he couldn’t place. He should know that symbol. “It’s somethin,” He agreed slowly, struggling to pry out the scrape of information he was looking for. It was there, he just couldn’t quite latch onto it.
“It’s going to look really good,” Isabel said smiling at Michael. “It suits you. Do you think you could draw something for mine?”
Michael smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Where are you putting yours?”
Isabel thought about that for a minute then smiled. “The small of my back I guess. Is that okay?”
“Sure, whateva,” Zan agreed letting go of the struggle and focusing on the task at hand.
As the buzzing sound started, Michael let his mind go trying to come up with something that said Isabel to him. An image slowly started to form. A complicated flower of changing texture and colors. A passionflower attached to its vine hiding secrets.
Liz sighed as she leaned back into Max’s chest. There were no babies, no people, no demands to be met. It was just them and the desert stretching out in front of them for miles, not a soul in sight.
Max felt her slowly relax back into him and was content to just sit in silence sharing space with her. After the seeming endless activity of the week it was calming to just sit and let it all fall away.
Maria and Ava had agreed to watch both babies for them during their shift to help out. Giving them the ability to spend some time alone with no distractions. Ava was taking “Roxy” to Kyle when her shift ended and Maria agreed to take “Holden” if Max wasn’t back yet. Liz had watched her baby often enough to help her out so she wanted to repay the favor. So for a change they had nothing but time.
He played with her slightly chilly fingers admiring the slender grace of them and the petite structure. He hugged her closer to his chest enjoying the gentle breeze that stirred the soft strands of her hair against his neck. The beauty and peace of the desert landscape couldn’t compare to holding her and feeling her weight leaning back into him like it was completely natural.
“Did I mention that my parents went to Carlsbad for the day?” Liz asked softly watching his fingers play with hers.
“No, you didn’t,” Max murmured in return.
Liz nodded against his shoulder slowly. “Mmm hmm, they did. They won’t be back until late. They have reservations for dinner and everything.”
“What are your plans then?” Max asked interested.
“I don’t really have one. I thought I’d see where the day takes us,” Liz answered glancing up at his face.
“I like that idea,” Max admitted his eyes still on her hands, a soft curve to his lips. He looked relaxed and happy making Liz smile and sigh softly.
A good length of time past before Liz broke the silence again. “What do you think of Ava and Alex?”
“What do you mean?” Max asked softly.
“Dating. They’re sort of dating,” Liz clarified again glancing up to see Max’s face. “Do you think Isabel will be upset?”
“I doubt it. Not for the obvious reason anyway. She likes Alex but……I don’t think she’s ready for a guy like him. I think he’s stuck on the friends shelf,” Max said thoughtfully. He didn’t know for absolute sure, but that was his impression from listening to Isabel.
Liz nodded understanding what he meant. Sometimes it just worked out that way. “Ava seems to really like him. I think he’d make an excellent boyfriend. They look cute together,” Liz said a smile curving her lips. “You should have seen them last night. Alex held the door open for her and everything. She had this look on her face like “wow”. It was really cute.”
“I’m sure Zan never held a door open in his life,” Max observed an edge entering his voice.
“Probably not,” Liz agreed shrugging. “Maybe that isn’t his strong suit.”
Max looked down at her trying to see her face. “So what is?”
Liz smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know. You’d have to ask Ava.”
Max scowled slightly knowing she had an idea. Ava must have said something.
“Max. Stop it. You’re tensing,” Liz teased her fingers moving to massage his thighs resting on either side of her.
Max smiled and kissed her hair lightly, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m not either.”
“Right,” Liz nodded her voice serious but her eyes dancing. Max always seemed to bristle when Zan was around.
“You ready to go eat something?” Max asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Sure,” Liz agreed with a grin. “We need to keep up your strength.”
Max’s eyebrow quirked at her comment and he smiled. “Yeah? For what?”
“Whatever,” Liz said standing up and looking back at him with a sexy sassy smile curving her lips. “Whatever comes up I guess.”
Groaning slightly under the weight of the trash bag she was lugging out into the alley Liz told herself that she was almost done. This day was almost over.
“Now there’s something that’s just so appropriate,” Pam sneered from the sidewalk at the entrance to the alley.
Liz ignored her and continued on to the dumpster.
“Are you going to throw yourself in too?” Pam asked.
“What is your problem?” Liz asked letting the trash bag go. “Are you deranged or do you just look for abuse? This has been going on for years. When are you finally going to grow out of it?”
“My problem is you. You act like you’re so perfect when really you’re just trash,” Pam declared eyes narrowed. “I don’t know how you’ve managed to snow so many people for so long but you haven’t fooled me. Not for one minute.”
“Whatever,” Liz said and rolled her eyes. Like Pam was one who should be pointing fingers. “So what? I’m trash and you don’t like me. Fine. I feel just about the same toward you,” Liz stated and shrugged. “So what? Hopefully, if everything works out, we’ll graduate and never see each other again. I’ll marry Max and have a great life and you’ll……do whatever it is that you do. Why make this interim time more difficult? What it comes down to Pam, is that I don’t want to waste my time and energy on you. I can’t wait to reach the day that I know you won’t be in it anywhere, but until then, I just want to ignore you. So what do you say we try that? We just…go about our own business ignoring each other, concentrating on what’s really important to our lives, which isn’t each other.”
“That would be nice for you wouldn’t it?” Pam asked. “Not to have anyone shattering the illusion of perfection that you’re spinning.”
“What are you talking about? My life isn’t perfect. It doesn’t even LOOK that way from the outside,” Liz said exasperated with her. “I don’t know nor do I care what your problem is. I’ve had it. I never liked you, not even in grade school. I’m not going to let you jerk me around and mess with my life. I have enough problems that are actually important and need my attention so just….basically fuck off,” Liz stated clearly her eyes narrowing dangerously. “I don’t actively do anything to you but I refuse to sit back and let you fuck with me. Not anymore. Ignoring you and hoping you would grow up hasn’t had an impact. So expect a change in my strategy.”
“Are you threatening me?” Pam asked amused. Liz was about four inches shorter and small. It was almost funny that she would think that she would be worried.
“No,” Liz said shaking her head. “I’m saying that I won’t be a push over. I don’t hurt people for fun or revenge. I will protect myself though. Now I’ve wasted more time then I can spare on you so this conversation is over,” Liz said and turned back to her trash bag. “Don’t bother coming into the CrashDown anymore. You’re not welcome.”
Leaving Pam standing on the sidewalk she hefted the trash into the dumpster and went back to work. She didn’t give Pam another thought. Someone else was doing that thinking for her.
Isabel arrived on Michael’s doorstep early Sunday morning with his baby in hand. After her fourth knock she let herself in and walked down the hall to the bedroom. Seeing Michael dead to the word she set the baby next to him and went into the living room. Making herself at home she waited.
Michael scowled in his sleep. Something was disturbing his rest. Turning over and cracking one eye open, he came face to face with a doll. Groaning he realized it was crying.
“You better take care of that. I don’t think it’ll stop,” Isabel said from the doorway.
“Can you…” Michael started but stopped when Isabel was already shaking her head.
“Nope. Your baby, your job,” Isabel said and walked off down the hall.
“Great. This is nice,” Michael said sitting up and glaring down at the baby. “I had no fun at all and still got you. That’s just not right,” Michael grumbled swiftly checking the diaper.
Isabel paused at the end of the hallway having overheard his grumbling commentary and grinned before continuing.
When Michael finally entered the room and plopped down he found Isabel flipping through a fashion magazine. “So? What’s my punishment?”
“No punishment,” Isabel replied, not glancing up from her magazine. “We’re just going to hang out. Maria said it was your day with….what’s it’s name?”
“Cain,” Michael mumbled.
Isabel smiled and nodded. “Maria said it was your day with Cain so I brought him by for you. We’re just going to hang out and do whatever,” Isabel said flipping the page. “You know Michael, this whole project could be a major plus for you.”
“How so?” Michael asked plunging his fingers into his hair and raking it back.
“Girls love men and babies,” Isabel pointed out. “I can’t really say why. Something about seeing a guy’s guy and a baby…..makes females thinking about things.”
“Things?” Michael asked suddenly interested.
“Yeah, you know,” Isabel shrugged lightly. “The making of said babies, what a good mate he would make, how the contrast of his power with that sort of helplessness is intriguing. You’re blowing it though. Maybe that’s not what you’re interested in anyway,” Isabel offered. “Relationships aren’t for everyone at every phase of their life.”
Michael scowled turning over what she said. The project was attracting a lot of attention from the girls at school. Valenti was often surrounded by one or two girls and didn’t seem to care about the ribbing he was getting from his teammates. The question was if Maria would think about things? He wouldn’t know unless he tried. “For real?”
“For real,” Isabel assured him. “Look.”
Michael sat up and peered at the advertisement Isabel was holding up. A pretty much naked guy with a baby held against his chest. Huh.
Isabel hid her smirk as Michael’s eyes narrowed in thought. She started casually flipping through the months old magazine that she had spent hours searching for last night. It had taken forever to find that remembered ad in her stacks of magazines. “So what are we doing today?” Isabel asked.
“Zan’s coming by. He said we’d find something to do,” Michael replied absently.
“Okay,” Isabel agreed easily. This was already going better then she had expected.
She reevaluated that opinion as she stared at the cracked vinyl of the tattoo chair. “No.”
“What’s a matter Princess?” Zan asked smirking in amusement. “Scared?”
“No, I just don’t….umm tattoo’s aren’t really….my thing,” Isabel explained.
“Come Is,” Michael coaxed. “This is a bonding thing. We can both get one. Max could always get rid of it for you if you decide you don’t like it.”
“Okay, you first,” Isabel reluctantly agreed. She could always refuse when her turn came if it looked too horrible.
Michael smiled. A real genuine smile that lit up his eyes. “Really? You’ll do this with me?”
Isabel slowly nodded then tucked her hair behind her ear. “Yes. I really will but if I don’t like it, it goes. Agreed?”
“Yeah,” Michael agreed quickly.
Zan stopped what he was doing and looked between them surprised by what he saw. Huh. Interesting.
“I’ll even hold the…umm Cain, while you,” Isabel gestured at the chair with her perfectly manicured hand.
Michael surrendered his baby and hopped in the chair ready to get on with it. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“So what you wanting done?” Zan drawled still trying to process the previous exchange.
“I drew this,” Michael said slapping a crumpled piece of paper on the table next to his chair. “Can you do it?”
Zan studied the paper closely admiring the clean elegant lines of the design. It was a seemingly simple outline of a warrior, longer lines giving the appearance of grace. “Yeah, no prob,” Zan agreed looking up. “Where?”
Michael tapped his bicep quickly then stripped off his outer shirt leaving on his tank.
“It’s really nice, Michael,” Isabel said looking at the drawing over Zan’s shoulder. “What’s the symbol?”
“What symbol?” Zan asked turning back to the paper.
“This one,” Isabel asked her finger tracing the lines she was referring to. From her vantage point she had seen the symbol first then the whole.
“I don’t know,” Michael shrugged his brow furrowing. “It just felt right.”
Zan stayed silent something tugging at him that he couldn’t place. He should know that symbol. “It’s somethin,” He agreed slowly, struggling to pry out the scrape of information he was looking for. It was there, he just couldn’t quite latch onto it.
“It’s going to look really good,” Isabel said smiling at Michael. “It suits you. Do you think you could draw something for mine?”
Michael smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Where are you putting yours?”
Isabel thought about that for a minute then smiled. “The small of my back I guess. Is that okay?”
“Sure, whateva,” Zan agreed letting go of the struggle and focusing on the task at hand.
As the buzzing sound started, Michael let his mind go trying to come up with something that said Isabel to him. An image slowly started to form. A complicated flower of changing texture and colors. A passionflower attached to its vine hiding secrets.
Liz sighed as she leaned back into Max’s chest. There were no babies, no people, no demands to be met. It was just them and the desert stretching out in front of them for miles, not a soul in sight.
Max felt her slowly relax back into him and was content to just sit in silence sharing space with her. After the seeming endless activity of the week it was calming to just sit and let it all fall away.
Maria and Ava had agreed to watch both babies for them during their shift to help out. Giving them the ability to spend some time alone with no distractions. Ava was taking “Roxy” to Kyle when her shift ended and Maria agreed to take “Holden” if Max wasn’t back yet. Liz had watched her baby often enough to help her out so she wanted to repay the favor. So for a change they had nothing but time.
He played with her slightly chilly fingers admiring the slender grace of them and the petite structure. He hugged her closer to his chest enjoying the gentle breeze that stirred the soft strands of her hair against his neck. The beauty and peace of the desert landscape couldn’t compare to holding her and feeling her weight leaning back into him like it was completely natural.
“Did I mention that my parents went to Carlsbad for the day?” Liz asked softly watching his fingers play with hers.
“No, you didn’t,” Max murmured in return.
Liz nodded against his shoulder slowly. “Mmm hmm, they did. They won’t be back until late. They have reservations for dinner and everything.”
“What are your plans then?” Max asked interested.
“I don’t really have one. I thought I’d see where the day takes us,” Liz answered glancing up at his face.
“I like that idea,” Max admitted his eyes still on her hands, a soft curve to his lips. He looked relaxed and happy making Liz smile and sigh softly.
A good length of time past before Liz broke the silence again. “What do you think of Ava and Alex?”
“What do you mean?” Max asked softly.
“Dating. They’re sort of dating,” Liz clarified again glancing up to see Max’s face. “Do you think Isabel will be upset?”
“I doubt it. Not for the obvious reason anyway. She likes Alex but……I don’t think she’s ready for a guy like him. I think he’s stuck on the friends shelf,” Max said thoughtfully. He didn’t know for absolute sure, but that was his impression from listening to Isabel.
Liz nodded understanding what he meant. Sometimes it just worked out that way. “Ava seems to really like him. I think he’d make an excellent boyfriend. They look cute together,” Liz said a smile curving her lips. “You should have seen them last night. Alex held the door open for her and everything. She had this look on her face like “wow”. It was really cute.”
“I’m sure Zan never held a door open in his life,” Max observed an edge entering his voice.
“Probably not,” Liz agreed shrugging. “Maybe that isn’t his strong suit.”
Max looked down at her trying to see her face. “So what is?”
Liz smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know. You’d have to ask Ava.”
Max scowled slightly knowing she had an idea. Ava must have said something.
“Max. Stop it. You’re tensing,” Liz teased her fingers moving to massage his thighs resting on either side of her.
Max smiled and kissed her hair lightly, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m not either.”
“Right,” Liz nodded her voice serious but her eyes dancing. Max always seemed to bristle when Zan was around.
“You ready to go eat something?” Max asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Sure,” Liz agreed with a grin. “We need to keep up your strength.”
Max’s eyebrow quirked at her comment and he smiled. “Yeah? For what?”
“Whatever,” Liz said standing up and looking back at him with a sexy sassy smile curving her lips. “Whatever comes up I guess.”
Chapter Seventy
Liz glanced around Senor Chows, idly turning her fork between her fingers. She was trying to keep her attention from where it really wanted to wander which was onto her dinner companion. Literally. Unfortunately, nothing else was very interesting, including her meal.
“Is something wrong with your dinner?” Max asked concerned that she wasn’t eating very much. She had been almost completely silent since they left the desert and refused to meet his eyes for more then a second at a time.
“It’s wonderful,” Liz answered quickly. Looking down at her plate, she used the tines of her fork to push around and skillfully dissect her food.
Max watched her bent head for a moment before setting down his fork. “Do you want to go?”
“No,” Liz shook her head. “I’m really hungry soo…..this is…..”
Max sucked in his breath when she lifted her head, her eyes meeting his. “Check please!” Max called motioning to their waiter.
“Umm Max?” Liz asked. “I thought…you were hungry for tortillas?”
“Can we have this wrapped up please?” Max asked the waiter his eyes still on Liz.
“Of course,” The waiter replied and set their bill down and collected their plates.
“They’re better reheated,” Max answered Liz with a half grin.
“Really?” Liz asked her eyebrow quirking up in amusement. “I never knew that.”
Max nodded as he placed some money on the table. “Yeah, and I’ll be hungry later so this just works out better anyway.”
Liz didn’t answer loosing interest in the conversation as her desire to touch him increased. He was too far away with the whole table between them. Realizing she was still holding her fork she set it down carefully and sat back in her seat focusing on the tabletop. This was crazy. She had no idea what was wrong with her that she suddenly couldn’t sit through a simple dinner.
Max was about ready to say to hell with the tortillas when the extremely slow waiter returned. “Come on let’s get out of here,” Max said standing and hustling Liz out the door as soon as she gained her feet.
“Are we trying to beat our fastest time or what?” Liz asked as Max had her practically running to keep up with him.
“You’re timing me now?” Max asked helping her into the Jeep.
“If I were I think you’d be setting a record,” Liz replied as Max climbed in and started the engine. “Wait. I need to catch up,” Liz said and turned his head toward her with a hand on his jaw. Before he could ask any questions she kissed him.
Max smiled for a split second against her mouth before she ran the tip of her tongue over the full curve of his bottom lip. Then he just lost himself.
Afraid he was going to pull away before she was ready Liz slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and held him to her. When breathing became a necessity she rested her forehead against his, their lips so close their breath mingled. A slow smile spread over her face at the dazed look on his face. “All caught up,” Liz drawled her eyes dancing.
Max smiled and kissed her softly, rubbing his lips over hers repeatedly before settling firmly, drawing a low moan from her. Starting to ease away he reversed directions and nibbled at her lip then slowly sucking. When he found himself trying to scale the gearshift he forced himself away from her.
“Two blocks,” Max muttered putting the Jeep in reverse.
Liz smothered her grin and settled back in her seat not even speaking up as Max broke several traffic laws in those two blocks before heading the wrong way down the alley behind the CrashDown. When he brought the Jeep to a jerking stop, she bolted out her side of the vehicle and up the ladder to her balcony before he could blink.
By the time Max was able to follow he found her room empty, her coat on the floor then a little bit further one shoe. He followed suit, his coat landing not far from hers, his shoes quick to follow, as he tracked her into the steam filled bathroom.
“Slow much?” Liz asked from inside the shower. “I thought you were in better shape. You’re not going win any records like that.”
Max fought his remaining garments, finally wrestling free and joining her under the warm spray.
“Mmm hi,” Liz said pulling him to her and kissing him, allowing her wet skin to glide over his.
Max was beyond speech as his mermaid wrapped her arms around his neck fitting her body to his using her kisses to entice him to join in her play. He barely noticed as she pulled him under the flow of water, her teasing kisses urging him closer to the brink. Sinking his hands into the long strands of her wet hair, he stopped teasing and got serious, deepening the slow wet glide of his tongue stroking into her mouth.
Easing back she could swear half the steam in the room was coming from the water evaporating off her scoring flesh. She reached for the soap rubbing the bar between her hands to work up a lather then slowly backed Max out of the spray until he was pressed against the far wall.
Max tried to slow his breathing as her small hands slicked over his wet skin but it was an impossible task. Her absorbed expression and dark slumberous eyes kicked up his heart rate sending the blood throbbing through his body almost painfully. When her hands soaped his thighs he couldn’t suppress his loud groan.
“Liz…..What…are you doing?” Max asked between panting breaths. “Trying to kill me?”
Liz smiled and shook her head. “No. I’m just having fun. Why? You can’t take it?”
Seeing her slant him a mischievous look from under her wet spiky lashes he reached for his last visage of control and held on. “I didn’t say that.”
“Oh. I couldn’t understand half of what you said through those noises you were making. Sorry,” Liz teased then hid her smile against his chest. “Turn around.”
Max stifled a tortured groan and did as she told him.
“Just relax. I’m going to take care of you,” Liz said softly running her soapy hands over his shoulders working the lather into his skin while massaging his tense muscles. She was fascinated with his defined muscles and the hollow of his spine and moved closer, letting the tips of her breasts brush his back.
Feeling her fingers brush over his taunt thighs and buttocks Max fisted his hands against the tiles wondering how the hell he was supposed to relax. Apparently they had very different ideas on what that entailed. He jumped as she moved on to more sensitive flesh. Forcing himself to remain still, he suffered her treatment without compliant, careful not to rush her. Maybe they weren’t as far apart on the relaxation thing after all. When he felt her move away he turned around, mouth opening to protest her movement, but when his eyes landed on her his knees went weak.
Liz tilted her head back under the stream of water to slick back her hair then proceeded to start soaping her body slowly, working up a thick lather. When Max started to move forward she shook her head. “Just watch….unless you want to be in here all night.”
That didn’t sound like a bad idea to him but as her hands drifted over her breasts he found her idea had some appeal as well.
Although she didn’t hurry, she didn’t linger either, and before long she was yanking him under the shower spray with her to rise off. Under the guise of helping her get the soap off Max let his hands wander while Liz placed biting open mouth kisses along his neck and shoulder. Before Max got too carried away she reached over and turned off the water.
They dried off just enough not to drip all over the floor before making their way into the bedroom. Liz was forced to walk backwards, relying on Max to guide her, since he wouldn’t allow her out of the circle of his arms. When her knees hit the side of her bed she abruptly sat, her eyes level with his abdomen. She leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss just under his belly button causing Max to pant as his temperature skyrocketed.
Liz slowly scooted back onto her bed as Max crawled over her. Sweat ran a trail down the side of his neck drawing her eye. She slowly licked away the bead of sweat causing Max to groan out loud.
She arched under his hands as they slid over her damp skin. “Max now. Please?”
“What will you give me?” Max asked his voice husky with need.
“Anything. My first born child,” Liz gasp out her eyes twinkling with wicked amusement.
Max paused as something tried to surface but the sultry look on her face made it difficult to think.
“Just don’t tell Kyle. He’s sort of attached to little Roxy,” Liz teased playfully.
“I won’t tell,” Max agreed seriously still reaching for….something. Shaking his head he let it go for now, having more interesting things to do at the moment. Without another word he moved to kneel between her legs lining up for the push home.
When he hesitated Liz urged him on, her legs curling up over his hips, fingers pulling him closer. She gasp in pleasure at his first penetrating thrust, back arching, as she stretched to accommodate him.
She was so wet, so perfect. Max slowly worked into a rhythm that built on itself, growing faster deeper with every minute. Urged on by Liz’s moaning interlaced with halting broken words of encouragement he pressed her into the mattress with the weight of his body.
Feeling the heat building and twisting inside her, Liz worked her hips faster wanting him with her. Needing him, as much of him as possible. Whispered words of love and need fell from her lips unawares until they were choked off as she reached her peak.
Feeling her contracting wildly around him, her inner muscles pulling him deeper, Max felt the base of his neck start to tingle then the feeling exploded through him, bowing his spine and driving him to bury himself deep, as his seed pulsed from him in thick streams. The next thing he was aware of was her fingers gently brushing his sweaty hair off of his forehead. He nuzzled her neck lovingly before rolling them onto their sides so he wouldn’t crush her.
“You are trying to kill me,” Max stated softly certainty in his tone.
“Wimp,” Liz responded with a smile.
“Hey! I didn’t even get to finish eating before…”
“YOU dragged ME out of the restaurant. I was perfectly willing to wait,” Liz reminded him amused. “Somebody’s pants were on fire and they weren’t mine.”
“Oh right,” Max nodded. “I remember now.”
“Yeah,” Liz scoffed a smile curving her mouth. “I bet you’re hungry now too.”
Max smiled sheepishly. “A little, yeah. I’m a growing boy and pretty active too.”
Liz’s eyebrow rose in amusement as she coughed to cover a laugh. “Some parts of you grow, I guess, but you’re awfully lazy. I thought I was going to have to carry you up the ladder it took so long for you to follow me. I suppose you’ll start whining now that you’re too tired to get the food, that I see you didn’t bring in with you,” Liz teased biting the inside of her cheek as she patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll get it. After two lives..this being your second, you must be tired,” Liz squealed as he swatted her lightly on the butt.
“Someone’s feeling sassy,” Max observed with a smile.
“Mmmm Hmmm,” Liz agreed brushing a kiss over his mouth and over his jaw before getting up and tossing on some clothes really quick. “I better get you’re food….you know for all your growing parts.”
Max grinned at her eye roll accompanied by her glowing smile, enjoying the ease and happiness flooding him. After she slipped out the window it hit him. He knew what had been trying to get through to him before.
Liz reached the ladder and looked down at the Jeep laughing when she saw the carryout bag on the top of the Jeep on her side. Max had driven with it there all the way from the restaurant.
Kyle looked up from pumping gas into his car when the baby started crying. Leaning in the window he picked it up and held it while he finished up. Pulling the nozzle out of the tank he cursed when some gas splashed out onto his shirttail and the baby’s blanket. Great now he’d have to wash that blanket before Liz smelled gas on it. Grumbling about all the work he went to pay for the gas.
All in all the project was going pretty well actually. Liz was a great partner for any project since she was such a hard worker and so organized. Reminding himself of all the good points of this deal he felt his mood lift and he was whistling by the time he reached home.
Sitting down in front of the TV and watching ESPN chilled him out further so by the time he went to bed he was ready for the coming week. After a great night’s sleep he rose early did his standard five sets of push ups and crunches before the baby started crying. Pleased that the day was starting off so well he picked up the baby and took it with him as he went to meditate.
The problem came when he lit the stick of intense and the baby caught fire.
“HOLY FUCK!” Kyle yelled, frantically beating at the flames consuming the wailing baby. “fuckfuckfuckfuck.”
The baby’s cry changed into a garbled mess then stopped completely as the speaker melted. The plastic combined with the spilled gasoline to create a blazing funeral pyre, flames licking up into the air, thick black smoke setting off the smoke detector.
“Oh Buddha save me,” Kyle moaned looking at the black melted mess that used to be his mechanical baby. “Liz is going to kill me. Can’t you like….cut me a break? I was trying to practice the faith. Oh fuck it. I’m toast.”
Liz glanced around Senor Chows, idly turning her fork between her fingers. She was trying to keep her attention from where it really wanted to wander which was onto her dinner companion. Literally. Unfortunately, nothing else was very interesting, including her meal.
“Is something wrong with your dinner?” Max asked concerned that she wasn’t eating very much. She had been almost completely silent since they left the desert and refused to meet his eyes for more then a second at a time.
“It’s wonderful,” Liz answered quickly. Looking down at her plate, she used the tines of her fork to push around and skillfully dissect her food.
Max watched her bent head for a moment before setting down his fork. “Do you want to go?”
“No,” Liz shook her head. “I’m really hungry soo…..this is…..”
Max sucked in his breath when she lifted her head, her eyes meeting his. “Check please!” Max called motioning to their waiter.
“Umm Max?” Liz asked. “I thought…you were hungry for tortillas?”
“Can we have this wrapped up please?” Max asked the waiter his eyes still on Liz.
“Of course,” The waiter replied and set their bill down and collected their plates.
“They’re better reheated,” Max answered Liz with a half grin.
“Really?” Liz asked her eyebrow quirking up in amusement. “I never knew that.”
Max nodded as he placed some money on the table. “Yeah, and I’ll be hungry later so this just works out better anyway.”
Liz didn’t answer loosing interest in the conversation as her desire to touch him increased. He was too far away with the whole table between them. Realizing she was still holding her fork she set it down carefully and sat back in her seat focusing on the tabletop. This was crazy. She had no idea what was wrong with her that she suddenly couldn’t sit through a simple dinner.
Max was about ready to say to hell with the tortillas when the extremely slow waiter returned. “Come on let’s get out of here,” Max said standing and hustling Liz out the door as soon as she gained her feet.
“Are we trying to beat our fastest time or what?” Liz asked as Max had her practically running to keep up with him.
“You’re timing me now?” Max asked helping her into the Jeep.
“If I were I think you’d be setting a record,” Liz replied as Max climbed in and started the engine. “Wait. I need to catch up,” Liz said and turned his head toward her with a hand on his jaw. Before he could ask any questions she kissed him.
Max smiled for a split second against her mouth before she ran the tip of her tongue over the full curve of his bottom lip. Then he just lost himself.
Afraid he was going to pull away before she was ready Liz slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and held him to her. When breathing became a necessity she rested her forehead against his, their lips so close their breath mingled. A slow smile spread over her face at the dazed look on his face. “All caught up,” Liz drawled her eyes dancing.
Max smiled and kissed her softly, rubbing his lips over hers repeatedly before settling firmly, drawing a low moan from her. Starting to ease away he reversed directions and nibbled at her lip then slowly sucking. When he found himself trying to scale the gearshift he forced himself away from her.
“Two blocks,” Max muttered putting the Jeep in reverse.
Liz smothered her grin and settled back in her seat not even speaking up as Max broke several traffic laws in those two blocks before heading the wrong way down the alley behind the CrashDown. When he brought the Jeep to a jerking stop, she bolted out her side of the vehicle and up the ladder to her balcony before he could blink.
By the time Max was able to follow he found her room empty, her coat on the floor then a little bit further one shoe. He followed suit, his coat landing not far from hers, his shoes quick to follow, as he tracked her into the steam filled bathroom.
“Slow much?” Liz asked from inside the shower. “I thought you were in better shape. You’re not going win any records like that.”
Max fought his remaining garments, finally wrestling free and joining her under the warm spray.
“Mmm hi,” Liz said pulling him to her and kissing him, allowing her wet skin to glide over his.
Max was beyond speech as his mermaid wrapped her arms around his neck fitting her body to his using her kisses to entice him to join in her play. He barely noticed as she pulled him under the flow of water, her teasing kisses urging him closer to the brink. Sinking his hands into the long strands of her wet hair, he stopped teasing and got serious, deepening the slow wet glide of his tongue stroking into her mouth.
Easing back she could swear half the steam in the room was coming from the water evaporating off her scoring flesh. She reached for the soap rubbing the bar between her hands to work up a lather then slowly backed Max out of the spray until he was pressed against the far wall.
Max tried to slow his breathing as her small hands slicked over his wet skin but it was an impossible task. Her absorbed expression and dark slumberous eyes kicked up his heart rate sending the blood throbbing through his body almost painfully. When her hands soaped his thighs he couldn’t suppress his loud groan.
“Liz…..What…are you doing?” Max asked between panting breaths. “Trying to kill me?”
Liz smiled and shook her head. “No. I’m just having fun. Why? You can’t take it?”
Seeing her slant him a mischievous look from under her wet spiky lashes he reached for his last visage of control and held on. “I didn’t say that.”
“Oh. I couldn’t understand half of what you said through those noises you were making. Sorry,” Liz teased then hid her smile against his chest. “Turn around.”
Max stifled a tortured groan and did as she told him.
“Just relax. I’m going to take care of you,” Liz said softly running her soapy hands over his shoulders working the lather into his skin while massaging his tense muscles. She was fascinated with his defined muscles and the hollow of his spine and moved closer, letting the tips of her breasts brush his back.
Feeling her fingers brush over his taunt thighs and buttocks Max fisted his hands against the tiles wondering how the hell he was supposed to relax. Apparently they had very different ideas on what that entailed. He jumped as she moved on to more sensitive flesh. Forcing himself to remain still, he suffered her treatment without compliant, careful not to rush her. Maybe they weren’t as far apart on the relaxation thing after all. When he felt her move away he turned around, mouth opening to protest her movement, but when his eyes landed on her his knees went weak.
Liz tilted her head back under the stream of water to slick back her hair then proceeded to start soaping her body slowly, working up a thick lather. When Max started to move forward she shook her head. “Just watch….unless you want to be in here all night.”
That didn’t sound like a bad idea to him but as her hands drifted over her breasts he found her idea had some appeal as well.
Although she didn’t hurry, she didn’t linger either, and before long she was yanking him under the shower spray with her to rise off. Under the guise of helping her get the soap off Max let his hands wander while Liz placed biting open mouth kisses along his neck and shoulder. Before Max got too carried away she reached over and turned off the water.
They dried off just enough not to drip all over the floor before making their way into the bedroom. Liz was forced to walk backwards, relying on Max to guide her, since he wouldn’t allow her out of the circle of his arms. When her knees hit the side of her bed she abruptly sat, her eyes level with his abdomen. She leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss just under his belly button causing Max to pant as his temperature skyrocketed.
Liz slowly scooted back onto her bed as Max crawled over her. Sweat ran a trail down the side of his neck drawing her eye. She slowly licked away the bead of sweat causing Max to groan out loud.
She arched under his hands as they slid over her damp skin. “Max now. Please?”
“What will you give me?” Max asked his voice husky with need.
“Anything. My first born child,” Liz gasp out her eyes twinkling with wicked amusement.
Max paused as something tried to surface but the sultry look on her face made it difficult to think.
“Just don’t tell Kyle. He’s sort of attached to little Roxy,” Liz teased playfully.
“I won’t tell,” Max agreed seriously still reaching for….something. Shaking his head he let it go for now, having more interesting things to do at the moment. Without another word he moved to kneel between her legs lining up for the push home.
When he hesitated Liz urged him on, her legs curling up over his hips, fingers pulling him closer. She gasp in pleasure at his first penetrating thrust, back arching, as she stretched to accommodate him.
She was so wet, so perfect. Max slowly worked into a rhythm that built on itself, growing faster deeper with every minute. Urged on by Liz’s moaning interlaced with halting broken words of encouragement he pressed her into the mattress with the weight of his body.
Feeling the heat building and twisting inside her, Liz worked her hips faster wanting him with her. Needing him, as much of him as possible. Whispered words of love and need fell from her lips unawares until they were choked off as she reached her peak.
Feeling her contracting wildly around him, her inner muscles pulling him deeper, Max felt the base of his neck start to tingle then the feeling exploded through him, bowing his spine and driving him to bury himself deep, as his seed pulsed from him in thick streams. The next thing he was aware of was her fingers gently brushing his sweaty hair off of his forehead. He nuzzled her neck lovingly before rolling them onto their sides so he wouldn’t crush her.
“You are trying to kill me,” Max stated softly certainty in his tone.
“Wimp,” Liz responded with a smile.
“Hey! I didn’t even get to finish eating before…”
“YOU dragged ME out of the restaurant. I was perfectly willing to wait,” Liz reminded him amused. “Somebody’s pants were on fire and they weren’t mine.”
“Oh right,” Max nodded. “I remember now.”
“Yeah,” Liz scoffed a smile curving her mouth. “I bet you’re hungry now too.”
Max smiled sheepishly. “A little, yeah. I’m a growing boy and pretty active too.”
Liz’s eyebrow rose in amusement as she coughed to cover a laugh. “Some parts of you grow, I guess, but you’re awfully lazy. I thought I was going to have to carry you up the ladder it took so long for you to follow me. I suppose you’ll start whining now that you’re too tired to get the food, that I see you didn’t bring in with you,” Liz teased biting the inside of her cheek as she patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll get it. After two lives..this being your second, you must be tired,” Liz squealed as he swatted her lightly on the butt.
“Someone’s feeling sassy,” Max observed with a smile.
“Mmmm Hmmm,” Liz agreed brushing a kiss over his mouth and over his jaw before getting up and tossing on some clothes really quick. “I better get you’re food….you know for all your growing parts.”
Max grinned at her eye roll accompanied by her glowing smile, enjoying the ease and happiness flooding him. After she slipped out the window it hit him. He knew what had been trying to get through to him before.
Liz reached the ladder and looked down at the Jeep laughing when she saw the carryout bag on the top of the Jeep on her side. Max had driven with it there all the way from the restaurant.
Kyle looked up from pumping gas into his car when the baby started crying. Leaning in the window he picked it up and held it while he finished up. Pulling the nozzle out of the tank he cursed when some gas splashed out onto his shirttail and the baby’s blanket. Great now he’d have to wash that blanket before Liz smelled gas on it. Grumbling about all the work he went to pay for the gas.
All in all the project was going pretty well actually. Liz was a great partner for any project since she was such a hard worker and so organized. Reminding himself of all the good points of this deal he felt his mood lift and he was whistling by the time he reached home.
Sitting down in front of the TV and watching ESPN chilled him out further so by the time he went to bed he was ready for the coming week. After a great night’s sleep he rose early did his standard five sets of push ups and crunches before the baby started crying. Pleased that the day was starting off so well he picked up the baby and took it with him as he went to meditate.
The problem came when he lit the stick of intense and the baby caught fire.
“HOLY FUCK!” Kyle yelled, frantically beating at the flames consuming the wailing baby. “fuckfuckfuckfuck.”
The baby’s cry changed into a garbled mess then stopped completely as the speaker melted. The plastic combined with the spilled gasoline to create a blazing funeral pyre, flames licking up into the air, thick black smoke setting off the smoke detector.
“Oh Buddha save me,” Kyle moaned looking at the black melted mess that used to be his mechanical baby. “Liz is going to kill me. Can’t you like….cut me a break? I was trying to practice the faith. Oh fuck it. I’m toast.”
Chapter Seventy One
Liz leaned against her locker chewing on her lip feeling agitated for a number of reasons. Max’s revelation of last night was a large part of that feeling.
“Hey. What’s with the face?” Alex asked coming up next to her.
“I was supposed to meet Kyle here to take Roxy and he’s late,” Liz answered focusing on Alex.
“And? You know Kyle. He probably slept in or something,” Alex answered knowing that wasn’t the main thing.
“Yes, I do know Kyle but today is the baby’s first check up so he better get here,” Liz replied worried. She had the budget all worked out but that wouldn’t matter if they missed today. Mrs. Dubrowski had been clear about this.
“What?” Alex asked confused.
“Mrs. Dubrowski checks the babies every Monday and gives us a progress report so we have some idea of where we need to improve. If we miss it that’s a zero that’s averaged into our final grade for the project. The babies health is supposed be taken seriously or some shit like that and Kyle’s making me nervous,” Liz explained glancing at her watch. She had to get to class before she was late. He better make it by second hour or she was going to inflict great bodily harm on his person. A zero would sink them for sure. “He was supposed to be here. He has gym first period so he never keeps her this late. Maybe you’re right and he just over slept. He’s been doing really well actually it’s just…”
“That this is your grade and Kyle is not known for taking things seriously,” Alex finished for her.
“Exactly,” Liz agreed as they stepped into the traffic by silent agreement. “I worked really hard on our budget last night and laying out a chart for the baby’s growth. I really need this grade. I’m on the verge of slipping off the honor roll here.”
“Now that’s a crisis,” Alex teased lightly understanding. Liz was an overachiever in big way and for her it was a big deal. She was the only one that had brought her homework to Copper Summit to do on the drive. “Forget aliens on Earth.”
“Stop it,” Liz said grinning and nudging him lightly with her shoulder. “Speaking of aliens on Earth. I think we have a date Alex Whitman. You have some talking to do.”
“Me?” Alex asked pointing at his own chest. “I’m being a good boy. Not angering the ladies.”
“Funny,” Liz said smiling. “But don’t think we’re so busy with Michael that you’re slipping beneath the radar. Maria and I have noticed your social life picking up lately. We talked about it last night.”
Alex groaned but smiled. “Tonight over orange sodas okay?”
“It’s a date,” Liz agreed then ducked into her class leaving Alex with a finger wave.
Alex shook his head and smiled looking forward to a chat with his two best ladies. He had some questions for them too. He wasn’t so busy with Ava that he wasn’t going to check up on his girls.
Liz was aware of very little during first hour, turning over what Max had revealed last night. She come back in to find him staring at her nightstand, so fixated on it that he didn’t even seem to notice her entrance.
“Max?” Liz asked feeling unease bloom inside her. “What’s wrong?”
“Where did you get this?” Max asked picking up one of the two picture frames from her nightstand. He was almost numb with shock as he stared at it. This picture. This was the one he had seen. This was the way her room had been and she had said all the things he remembered. This was exactly what he had seen in her dreams. Clearly they weren’t dreams.
“My mom was going through some old pictures. Putting them in albums and that kind of thing. I saw that picture and it reminded me of that night,” Liz shrugged setting down the take out bag and wiping suddenly sweaty palms on her thighs. “It just fits.”
Max didn’t say anything for moment then he smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess it does.”
“Mind telling me what’s going on?” Liz asked crawling onto the bed and wrapping her arms around his waist. Looking over his shoulder she studied the picture in question.
Her father had taken the picture from in front of the stage capturing a very young Max clutching Liz’s hand and looking over at her instead of at the audience while Liz smiled shyly next to him.
“I remember this,” Max said softly a half smile on his face. “I didn’t when I saw it in your dream but now that I really see it.…..You were a very good princess.”
Liz smiled resting her chin on his shoulder. “You were a really good prince. Even if you did have a terrible case of stage fright,” Liz said smiling. “I think that was the first time I ever remember you actually talking to me.”
Max shook his head. “I said excuse me before that. When I bumped into you.”
Liz rolled her eyes, her smile growing, fingers absently stroking his abdomen. “You were so shy every time I tried to talk to you…..you got this look on your face like I was pulling a gun on you. I expected you to run away.”
“I didn’t run,” Max said offended. “I just….didn’t know what to say. It was a little overwhelming being around all those kids suddenly. I practiced my lines for that small part so many times Isabel was ready to strangle me. I didn’t want to mess up in front of you.”
“You didn’t,” Liz pointed out softly. “We were only a small part of the whole play but it didn’t seem like it. It seemed so important then. Standing up in front of all those people. It was scary.”
Max nodded remembering her wide frightened eyes looking back at him. That had been what had made him able to take that first step on stage. Knowing she was scared that he was going to leave her standing there, alone in front of all those people. “What was the story for our part?”
“The Princess and The Pea I think,” Liz answered waiting him out. He would tell her what was going on when he was ready.
Max nodded and set the picture down. Turning his head he brushed his lips over hers still amazed that he could. After a few minutes he pulled back and told her about what the vision he had seen.
“So you’re saying that this is that vision?” Liz asked a little frightened by that thought.
“Yes,” Max nodded. “It’s exactly that vision. The way your room is now, the picture, what you said…..it’s exactly the same.”
Liz mentally balked at that before forcing herself to ignore her own discomfort and focus. “Okay? So….what do you think it means?”
“I don’t know,” Max said stroking her arm lightly feeling her tension. “I think we need to look into it. See if you have anymore dreams that feel different.”
“So you’re not…..freaked out about this?” Liz asked her voice soft and hesitant. “I can show you that I am taking the pill. I haven’t missed any. Not one.”
“I’m not freaked out,” Max replied turning to face her. Seeing the anxiety darkening her eyes he knew she was worried about him, about his reaction, and set about putting her at ease. “I’m not worried. I have my priorities in order this time.”
Liz searched his eyes carefully then relaxed, nodding slowly. “Okay.”
Max smiled and stroked her hair lightly once then leaned forward to kiss her tasting her relief.
The bell for the end of first hour rang startling Liz out of her thoughts. She quickly gathered her things making her way to her locker.
Max leaned against Pam’s locker waiting for Liz, casually holding Holden in the crook of his arm. He was getting used to this baby thing. It didn’t seem so unnatural anymore. Searching the hallway for a glimpse of Liz he waited impatiently. He needed to see her, make sure she was okay. Seeing a glimpse of dark hair he straightened pulling away from the lockers and smiled when Liz reached his side.
Liz gave him a shaky smile as her eyes searched his wondering if the night apart had changed his mind. She was a little shaken by the idea of the visions so it didn’t seem strange that he would be. Maybe he would want some time to think.
Max’s eyes darkened as he caught a wisp of her uncertainty knowing that he had put it there. She thought he was going to pull away from her now. “I dreamed about you last night,” Max whispered smiling as he reached for her hand.
“Really?” Liz asked smiling as he laced his fingers with hers. “What kind of dreams?”
“The very good kind,” Max grinned as Liz’s cheeks turned pink. Tugging her closer he bent his head and kissed her, feathering his mouth over hers, tempting her lightly.
“Mmmm nice,” Liz agreed softly. Resting her forehead against his chest she closed her eyes and breathed in his unique scent. “Unfortunately, we have to get to class.”
As they walked to class Max turned over the visions in his mind. They had to work on finding out what they meant. He didn’t want to see all of them come true.
Walking into class Liz looked for Kyle and with a sinking stomach she saw he wasn’t there.
“Maria? Have you seen Kyle anywhere?” Liz asked.
“Umm no. I haven’t. We seem to be missing quite a few people from this class,” Maria observed noting Sophia’s empty seat along with Pam Troy’s.
Max settled down into his seat wondering if Sophia was sick. She hadn’t called him to say she wouldn’t be here.
The bell rang and Liz sat down keeping her eyes on the door. Something was wrong.
Kyle strode up to the classroom door and before second thoughts could take over, he yanked open the door praying the teacher was there to save him.
“Kyle! Thank god,” Liz said relief plain in her voice. Then she really got a look at him. “Where’s Roxy?”
Kyle looked for Mrs. Dubrowski then swallowed hard when he didn’t see her. “I’ve got her right here.”
Liz looked at the paper bag Kyle lifted then looked into his eyes. “You put her in a bag? What’s wrong with you?” Liz asked walking up and taking the bag from him. “If Mrs. Dubrowski saw this we’d be in big trouble. Kyle? What are you thinking?”
“What’s that horrible smell?” Maria asked her nose crinkling.
Kyle winced but stayed silent as Liz started to open the bag. His panicked eyes sought out help…..any help.
Michael sat up in his seat recognizing fear when he saw it.
“KYLE!” Liz shrieked looking into the bag. “What did you do?”
“Let me explain okay? It was an accident,” Kyle said in a rush. The fury in Liz’s eyes had him talking even faster. “See a little bit of gas spilled on the blanket,” Kyle said and when Liz’s eyes narrowed he rushed ahead. “Like the tiniest bit of gas, I’m talking so tiny. When I lit up my incense to meditate this morning she went up like…like…”
“Like she was PLASTIC AND HAD GASOLINE ON HER?” Liz yelled hitting him with the bag. “I can’t believe this! I can’t believe you did this! Did it ever occur to you to wash the gas off? Damn it Kyle!”
“Yeah, it did but…look I’m sorry,” Kyle said miserably.
“Liz? It’s not that bad,” Max said getting up and moving closer.
“Not that bad? Look at this!” Liz said and dumped out the contents of the bag. “Does that look like a baby to you? No! It’s a charcoal briquette! Not a baby!”
Max winced as he looked down at the charred lump on the floor. The classroom was silent as the other students just watched.
“Wow,” Maria said softly.
“That looks like a failing grade to me,” Liz said so furious that she wanted to kick that baby across the room. Then send Kyle right after it.
“Kyle man,” Max said staring at the remains. “What were you thinking? Lighting anything around all that flammable stuff. Shit.”
“Yo Kyle,” Michael called. “Run. Seriously.”
“What’s going on here?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked from the doorway.
Liz leaned against her locker chewing on her lip feeling agitated for a number of reasons. Max’s revelation of last night was a large part of that feeling.
“Hey. What’s with the face?” Alex asked coming up next to her.
“I was supposed to meet Kyle here to take Roxy and he’s late,” Liz answered focusing on Alex.
“And? You know Kyle. He probably slept in or something,” Alex answered knowing that wasn’t the main thing.
“Yes, I do know Kyle but today is the baby’s first check up so he better get here,” Liz replied worried. She had the budget all worked out but that wouldn’t matter if they missed today. Mrs. Dubrowski had been clear about this.
“What?” Alex asked confused.
“Mrs. Dubrowski checks the babies every Monday and gives us a progress report so we have some idea of where we need to improve. If we miss it that’s a zero that’s averaged into our final grade for the project. The babies health is supposed be taken seriously or some shit like that and Kyle’s making me nervous,” Liz explained glancing at her watch. She had to get to class before she was late. He better make it by second hour or she was going to inflict great bodily harm on his person. A zero would sink them for sure. “He was supposed to be here. He has gym first period so he never keeps her this late. Maybe you’re right and he just over slept. He’s been doing really well actually it’s just…”
“That this is your grade and Kyle is not known for taking things seriously,” Alex finished for her.
“Exactly,” Liz agreed as they stepped into the traffic by silent agreement. “I worked really hard on our budget last night and laying out a chart for the baby’s growth. I really need this grade. I’m on the verge of slipping off the honor roll here.”
“Now that’s a crisis,” Alex teased lightly understanding. Liz was an overachiever in big way and for her it was a big deal. She was the only one that had brought her homework to Copper Summit to do on the drive. “Forget aliens on Earth.”
“Stop it,” Liz said grinning and nudging him lightly with her shoulder. “Speaking of aliens on Earth. I think we have a date Alex Whitman. You have some talking to do.”
“Me?” Alex asked pointing at his own chest. “I’m being a good boy. Not angering the ladies.”
“Funny,” Liz said smiling. “But don’t think we’re so busy with Michael that you’re slipping beneath the radar. Maria and I have noticed your social life picking up lately. We talked about it last night.”
Alex groaned but smiled. “Tonight over orange sodas okay?”
“It’s a date,” Liz agreed then ducked into her class leaving Alex with a finger wave.
Alex shook his head and smiled looking forward to a chat with his two best ladies. He had some questions for them too. He wasn’t so busy with Ava that he wasn’t going to check up on his girls.
Liz was aware of very little during first hour, turning over what Max had revealed last night. She come back in to find him staring at her nightstand, so fixated on it that he didn’t even seem to notice her entrance.
“Max?” Liz asked feeling unease bloom inside her. “What’s wrong?”
“Where did you get this?” Max asked picking up one of the two picture frames from her nightstand. He was almost numb with shock as he stared at it. This picture. This was the one he had seen. This was the way her room had been and she had said all the things he remembered. This was exactly what he had seen in her dreams. Clearly they weren’t dreams.
“My mom was going through some old pictures. Putting them in albums and that kind of thing. I saw that picture and it reminded me of that night,” Liz shrugged setting down the take out bag and wiping suddenly sweaty palms on her thighs. “It just fits.”
Max didn’t say anything for moment then he smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess it does.”
“Mind telling me what’s going on?” Liz asked crawling onto the bed and wrapping her arms around his waist. Looking over his shoulder she studied the picture in question.
Her father had taken the picture from in front of the stage capturing a very young Max clutching Liz’s hand and looking over at her instead of at the audience while Liz smiled shyly next to him.
“I remember this,” Max said softly a half smile on his face. “I didn’t when I saw it in your dream but now that I really see it.…..You were a very good princess.”
Liz smiled resting her chin on his shoulder. “You were a really good prince. Even if you did have a terrible case of stage fright,” Liz said smiling. “I think that was the first time I ever remember you actually talking to me.”
Max shook his head. “I said excuse me before that. When I bumped into you.”
Liz rolled her eyes, her smile growing, fingers absently stroking his abdomen. “You were so shy every time I tried to talk to you…..you got this look on your face like I was pulling a gun on you. I expected you to run away.”
“I didn’t run,” Max said offended. “I just….didn’t know what to say. It was a little overwhelming being around all those kids suddenly. I practiced my lines for that small part so many times Isabel was ready to strangle me. I didn’t want to mess up in front of you.”
“You didn’t,” Liz pointed out softly. “We were only a small part of the whole play but it didn’t seem like it. It seemed so important then. Standing up in front of all those people. It was scary.”
Max nodded remembering her wide frightened eyes looking back at him. That had been what had made him able to take that first step on stage. Knowing she was scared that he was going to leave her standing there, alone in front of all those people. “What was the story for our part?”
“The Princess and The Pea I think,” Liz answered waiting him out. He would tell her what was going on when he was ready.
Max nodded and set the picture down. Turning his head he brushed his lips over hers still amazed that he could. After a few minutes he pulled back and told her about what the vision he had seen.
“So you’re saying that this is that vision?” Liz asked a little frightened by that thought.
“Yes,” Max nodded. “It’s exactly that vision. The way your room is now, the picture, what you said…..it’s exactly the same.”
Liz mentally balked at that before forcing herself to ignore her own discomfort and focus. “Okay? So….what do you think it means?”
“I don’t know,” Max said stroking her arm lightly feeling her tension. “I think we need to look into it. See if you have anymore dreams that feel different.”
“So you’re not…..freaked out about this?” Liz asked her voice soft and hesitant. “I can show you that I am taking the pill. I haven’t missed any. Not one.”
“I’m not freaked out,” Max replied turning to face her. Seeing the anxiety darkening her eyes he knew she was worried about him, about his reaction, and set about putting her at ease. “I’m not worried. I have my priorities in order this time.”
Liz searched his eyes carefully then relaxed, nodding slowly. “Okay.”
Max smiled and stroked her hair lightly once then leaned forward to kiss her tasting her relief.
The bell for the end of first hour rang startling Liz out of her thoughts. She quickly gathered her things making her way to her locker.
Max leaned against Pam’s locker waiting for Liz, casually holding Holden in the crook of his arm. He was getting used to this baby thing. It didn’t seem so unnatural anymore. Searching the hallway for a glimpse of Liz he waited impatiently. He needed to see her, make sure she was okay. Seeing a glimpse of dark hair he straightened pulling away from the lockers and smiled when Liz reached his side.
Liz gave him a shaky smile as her eyes searched his wondering if the night apart had changed his mind. She was a little shaken by the idea of the visions so it didn’t seem strange that he would be. Maybe he would want some time to think.
Max’s eyes darkened as he caught a wisp of her uncertainty knowing that he had put it there. She thought he was going to pull away from her now. “I dreamed about you last night,” Max whispered smiling as he reached for her hand.
“Really?” Liz asked smiling as he laced his fingers with hers. “What kind of dreams?”
“The very good kind,” Max grinned as Liz’s cheeks turned pink. Tugging her closer he bent his head and kissed her, feathering his mouth over hers, tempting her lightly.
“Mmmm nice,” Liz agreed softly. Resting her forehead against his chest she closed her eyes and breathed in his unique scent. “Unfortunately, we have to get to class.”
As they walked to class Max turned over the visions in his mind. They had to work on finding out what they meant. He didn’t want to see all of them come true.
Walking into class Liz looked for Kyle and with a sinking stomach she saw he wasn’t there.
“Maria? Have you seen Kyle anywhere?” Liz asked.
“Umm no. I haven’t. We seem to be missing quite a few people from this class,” Maria observed noting Sophia’s empty seat along with Pam Troy’s.
Max settled down into his seat wondering if Sophia was sick. She hadn’t called him to say she wouldn’t be here.
The bell rang and Liz sat down keeping her eyes on the door. Something was wrong.
Kyle strode up to the classroom door and before second thoughts could take over, he yanked open the door praying the teacher was there to save him.
“Kyle! Thank god,” Liz said relief plain in her voice. Then she really got a look at him. “Where’s Roxy?”
Kyle looked for Mrs. Dubrowski then swallowed hard when he didn’t see her. “I’ve got her right here.”
Liz looked at the paper bag Kyle lifted then looked into his eyes. “You put her in a bag? What’s wrong with you?” Liz asked walking up and taking the bag from him. “If Mrs. Dubrowski saw this we’d be in big trouble. Kyle? What are you thinking?”
“What’s that horrible smell?” Maria asked her nose crinkling.
Kyle winced but stayed silent as Liz started to open the bag. His panicked eyes sought out help…..any help.
Michael sat up in his seat recognizing fear when he saw it.
“KYLE!” Liz shrieked looking into the bag. “What did you do?”
“Let me explain okay? It was an accident,” Kyle said in a rush. The fury in Liz’s eyes had him talking even faster. “See a little bit of gas spilled on the blanket,” Kyle said and when Liz’s eyes narrowed he rushed ahead. “Like the tiniest bit of gas, I’m talking so tiny. When I lit up my incense to meditate this morning she went up like…like…”
“Like she was PLASTIC AND HAD GASOLINE ON HER?” Liz yelled hitting him with the bag. “I can’t believe this! I can’t believe you did this! Did it ever occur to you to wash the gas off? Damn it Kyle!”
“Yeah, it did but…look I’m sorry,” Kyle said miserably.
“Liz? It’s not that bad,” Max said getting up and moving closer.
“Not that bad? Look at this!” Liz said and dumped out the contents of the bag. “Does that look like a baby to you? No! It’s a charcoal briquette! Not a baby!”
Max winced as he looked down at the charred lump on the floor. The classroom was silent as the other students just watched.
“Wow,” Maria said softly.
“That looks like a failing grade to me,” Liz said so furious that she wanted to kick that baby across the room. Then send Kyle right after it.
“Kyle man,” Max said staring at the remains. “What were you thinking? Lighting anything around all that flammable stuff. Shit.”
“Yo Kyle,” Michael called. “Run. Seriously.”
“What’s going on here?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked from the doorway.
Chapter Seventy Two
“What’s going on is that there’s been a homicide,” Maria spoke up when Liz didn’t speak.
Liz shot Kyle an accusing glare as she clamped down on her spiraling anger. She had to fix this. Murdering Kyle wouldn’t fix it. Mrs. Dubrowski might not like that.
Mrs. Dubrowski’s eyebrow arched at that comment and she moved into the room coming to a stop when she reached the three kids standing around a blackened lump.
“What happened here?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked.
“We had an accident,” Liz said as Kyle opened his mouth. She shot him a glare that immediately silenced him. “A flammable liquid was spilled on the baby by accident, then she caught on fire. Kyle tried to put it out but…umm it was too late. We’ll pay to have the baby replaced of course.”
Mrs. Dubrowski looked back and forth between them noting Liz’s stiff posture and clenched jaw and Kyle’s guilty expression. “Is that correct Mr. Valenti?”
“It was my fault. I forgot to wash off the gasoline,” Kyle said feeling horrible. “She went up so fast that I couldn’t put it out in time.”
“It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. We’re partners,” Liz said firmly. “I accept that. Now, is there any way to fix this? Extra credit or anything? I’ll do whatever I can to make this right. I’ll write a report on the child protective services, I’ll write letters to our Senator, I’ll organize a fundraiser for a children’s charity,” Liz ticked off the ideas as they came to her. There had to be a way to work around this.
“What about you Kyle?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked. She was impressed with Liz’s attitude but Kyle needed to except his responsibility here.
“I’m on board with Liz. I’ll do whatever I can to make this up,” Kyle said sincerely. “It was my mistake.”
“Okay, well. Those are very good ideas Liz. I’ll think it over and let you both know tomorrow what’s been decided,” Mrs. Dubrowski stated thinking she better talk with the other instructor and come up with something that would work for both classes in case something like this ever happened again.
“Excuse me?” Maria asked raising her hand.
“Yes, Miss DeLuca?”
“I just want to point out that we weren’t able to CHOOSE our partners like we would in real life. It’s really not fair because our grade is so dependent on someone that we might never pick in real life,” Maria pointed out her ongoing complaint.
“Your protest is duly noted,” Mrs. Dubrowski said smiling as Michael’s scowl deepened.
“Can’t we get a divorce or….something? I’d be a single parent. I’m sure Liz would go that route at this point too,” Maria said perking up at the very idea.
“No!” Michael said speaking up. “Listen, I’m not the baby killer here okay? I didn’t set the damn thing on fire so don’t drag me into this. You’re not going anywhere.”
Maria shot him a nasty look then ignored him. “If I had to, I’d take Kyle. Liz can have Michael,” Maria bargained. Now that Kyle was getting his ass kicked so hard he wasn’t likely to mess up again. Liz had already struck the fear of God into him. Michael was still a wild card.
“Wait a second,” Liz said realizing what was happening.
Max smiled and went to sit down. He didn’t want to be the center of any sort of attention here.
“Lizzie, it would totally work. You’d be good with anyone,” Maria said nodding. She liked this idea.
“What?” Liz asked turning to face Maria. “Michael’s your problem. Kyle’s mine. Let’s leave it that way.”
“Hey! I’m better then Kyle,” Michael protested. How did he end up being dogged here?
“Shut up Michael,” Maria said then turned back to Liz. “Please? I’d owe you big. I’ll throw in my baby and take Kyle off of your hands. Michael will totally listen to you and he's not that bad with you,” Maria wheedled.
“Not that bad? He has always hated me!” Liz cried. This was incredible.
“I do not,” Michael protested loudly.
“Shut up Michael,” Liz said then turned back to Maria.
Max smiled as Michael clamped his lips together and slumped in his seat, his face a dark thundercloud.
“I’m not having a baby with Michael! No. I have limits and this is one of them. Michael is yours. Deal with it,” Liz said firmly. If she got stuck with Michael there was no way her GPA would ever recover. She’d end up in jail for assault on top of flunking out of school.
Mrs. Dubrowski smiled as they argued thinking that if they settled it amongst each other that would be the end of it. Maria had been whining for a solid week now. Staying after school to beg for a change of partners, listing all of Michael’s mistakes. She was relentless.
“Come on Liz! Kyle’s a baby killer. You don’t want him,” Maria begged. “Michael’s just a little difficult. You can totally handle him.”
“I’m handling KYLE! Remember? I don’t want to start over, we only have two more weeks. I’m not a miracle worker. Break Michael in yourself. You’re the one that contributed to his bad habits anyway,” Liz said crossing her arms. “Look. I’m trying to save my grade here. That’s becoming almost impossible on its own. I can’t save the whole world remember? I already tried that.”
“That was different. This is just Michael,” Maria said waving her hand and cutting Liz off.
“Just Michael,” Liz scoffed. “Don’t do this to me Maria. Just don’t. You fight with him on purpose and now that it’s his normal mode of communication you start complaining. You conditioned him. That is not my problem and I refuse to accept this. No. I’ll keep Kyle.”
“Okay. How about this,” Maria said thinking things over. “We become a couple and raise the baby? I’d totally go for that.”
Liz thought about that carefully before responding. “Deal.”
“Wait a second!” Michael yelled.
“Can we?” Maria asked the teacher ignoring Michael completely. “Liz and I would make great partners. We totally work well together.”
Mrs. Dubrowski blinked in surprise at the turn this had taken. “I don’t think…”
“Liz shouldn’t be punished for what Kyle did. That’s not fair. Liz would never choose Kyle as the father of her baby,” Maria said pushing her advantage. “We could write a report on alternative lifestyles and raising children.”
“Where does that leave me?” Michael demanded. “With the baby killer?”
“You make a cute couple,” Maria shot back over her shoulder.
“No way! It isn’t my fault that Kyle is a moron!” Michael barked. Turning to the source of the problem he scowled. “Why didn’t you come and see me about this? I could have fixed it!”
“Michael!” Max warned sharply.
Michael scowled in response and crossed his arms over his chest. Just great. This sucked ass.
“What do you do when your partner doesn’t even show up?” Travis asked raising his hand. Pam Troy was his partner and she had the baby so who knows what backseat she left it in.
Mrs. Dubrowski quickly evaluated her lesson plan then tossed it for the day. “This is what we’re going to do. I’ll check the babies that are here and then we’ll discuss any issues we’re having in a round table.”
When class ended Liz gathered her things and started for the door at a fast clip.
“Liz?” Kyle called wanting to apologize again.
“Just don’t. Don’t talk to me,” Liz cut him off. “I’m furious with you right now.”
“I just want to say that Ava tried to fix it. I did ask, that’s why I was so late,” Kyle said softly. “I’m sorry about your grade and I’ll talk to Mrs. Dubrowski.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll work it out,” Liz said and left. Right now she didn’t really want to be around anyone. She needed a few minutes to clear her head and put everything in perspective before she gave into the urge to choke someone.
Michael caught Maria before she could escape determined to head this partner switching off at the start. “What do you think you’re dong?”
“What?” Maria asked smiling sweetly. “I’d think it’d be obvious.”
“I swear I’ll do better. Don’t do this,” Michael said steeling himself for rejection.
“Michael. I can’t afford to believe you. You’ve had the whole week to do better and you haven’t. You screwed me over on everything. I did all the work on the report so far and Liz has covered for you when I couldn’t even find you to take the baby. You hate school and you hate cooperating with me. If I have a shot at getting a decent grade I’m going to take it. Liz won’t let me down,” Maria tried to explain. “Besides, if I have to turn into a lesbian for this project Liz would be my pick. At least I know how she thinks.”
Michael sighed and speared his fingers through his hair. “You know how I think too. Don’t act like this is all me. You argue with everything I say just on general principle. I have to hide to keep my sanity but I’ve got it now. I’m on a roll. I haven’t set the baby on fire, I’ve had him all weekend, and I was on time to class and brought the baby. If you would just let up a little this would work.”
“Then we have a problem,” Maria said pointedly. “Don’t we?”
“Just forget it. Do what you want,” Michael said fed up. “Kyle and I will be fine. Fuck it.”
Maria smiled watching Michael stomp off down the hall.
Alex sat at the counter that evening looking over at Liz. She was stirring her shake with her straw fixedly and hadn’t said a word as Maria covered the events of the day.
“So Liz….what did Mrs. Dubrowski say after school?” Alex asked softly.
“That I’ll be working double shifts forever to pay for that baby,” Liz said morosely.
“Just use that money you already have,” Maria said frowning. “You shouldn’t have to pay for it anyway. Kyle should.”
“Kyle doesn’t have a job remember?” Liz asked stabbing her shake with more force then was needed. “Just drop it okay? I don’t want to talk about it.”
Alex whistled silently seeing how angry Liz really was.
“Let’s talk about you Alex,” Liz redirected.
“Not much to talk about,” Alex said picking up the ball. “Ava’s nice. We’ve been having fun you know? It’s relaxed and very casual.”
“Do you really like her?” Maria asked eating a bite of her ice cream.
“Sure, I like her. What’s not to like? She’s nice and we have some stuff in common. She likes music and has come to watch the band. She has some really good ideas to offer. She’s wicked good on the Net. We have fun,” Alex said shrugging lightly while a half smile played over his face.
“Alex,” Liz said looking up. He was dodging the real question. He knew what Maria was really asking.
“It’s nice not to feel like I’m a greyhound chasing a rabbit around the track. Ava doesn’t….make me feel like I’m less then I should be,” Alex responded slightly uncomfortable. “She doesn’t want me to worship her. She’s just real.”
Liz and Maria nodded understanding what he meant. Ava was easy to talk to and just more reachable in general.
“It’s not like we’re in a relationship. We’re just having fun together,” Alex said and took a sip of his soda. “She’s still got issues with Zan and there’s Isabel,” Alex shrugged. “I’m just rolling with it. I don’t see the harm in going out. Isabel has been seeing that…..Grant and Ava’s great. I’m tired of following Isabel around waiting for her to see me. Maybe she never will and maybe there’s a reason for that.”
“Let me ask you this,” Liz said slowly. “How do you really feel about her? Is it more like she’s a cool version of Maria or I? Or do you feel she’s more like a relaxed version of Isabel? Your feelings wise I mean.”
“I don’t think of Ava like I do you two really,” Alex said idly playing with his straw. “But she’s not Isabel either. I don’t want her to be. She’s separate.”
Liz smiled and nodded feeling better. “Okay, I think you’re right. There’s nothing wrong with going out with someone. You both seem happy about it and you’re honest with each other. I don’t see a problem. Maria?”
“It’s cool,” Maria agreed. “If Isabel doesn’t see that Alex is perfect then that’s her problem.”
Liz grinned at Maria’s response. Alex would make an excellent boyfriend. It was Isabel’s loss, besides if something was meant to be it would happen. You couldn’t force feelings.
“Speaking of……Maria,” Alex said suddenly grinning. “I heard you had Michael all in an uproar today.”
“What’s different about today?” Maria asked smiling.
“Maybe that you wanted to throw him over for Kyle?” Liz asked smiling. “Then settled for me.”
“I didn’t settle Liz,” Maria said offended. “You’re an excellent life partner. Besides, nothing’s changed at this point.”
“Why do you yank his chain Maria?” Alex asked curious.
“He likes it,” Maria shrugged.
“You are such a liar,” Liz said laughing. “You like it. There’s a difference. Michael has no clue what’s going on. He’s just wandering around thinking “What the hell?” You are just cruel Maria DeLuca.”
“Moi?” Maria asked pointing at herself.
“Yes, you. Do you have any idea what you want with him?” Liz asked. She had her own opinion of what Maria was doing but she wanted to hear Maria’s thoughts. What delusions she was spinning for herself.
“Oh do I,” Maria replied her eyes narrowing.
“God help him,” Alex muttered recognizing the look on her face.
“What’s going on is that there’s been a homicide,” Maria spoke up when Liz didn’t speak.
Liz shot Kyle an accusing glare as she clamped down on her spiraling anger. She had to fix this. Murdering Kyle wouldn’t fix it. Mrs. Dubrowski might not like that.
Mrs. Dubrowski’s eyebrow arched at that comment and she moved into the room coming to a stop when she reached the three kids standing around a blackened lump.
“What happened here?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked.
“We had an accident,” Liz said as Kyle opened his mouth. She shot him a glare that immediately silenced him. “A flammable liquid was spilled on the baby by accident, then she caught on fire. Kyle tried to put it out but…umm it was too late. We’ll pay to have the baby replaced of course.”
Mrs. Dubrowski looked back and forth between them noting Liz’s stiff posture and clenched jaw and Kyle’s guilty expression. “Is that correct Mr. Valenti?”
“It was my fault. I forgot to wash off the gasoline,” Kyle said feeling horrible. “She went up so fast that I couldn’t put it out in time.”
“It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. We’re partners,” Liz said firmly. “I accept that. Now, is there any way to fix this? Extra credit or anything? I’ll do whatever I can to make this right. I’ll write a report on the child protective services, I’ll write letters to our Senator, I’ll organize a fundraiser for a children’s charity,” Liz ticked off the ideas as they came to her. There had to be a way to work around this.
“What about you Kyle?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked. She was impressed with Liz’s attitude but Kyle needed to except his responsibility here.
“I’m on board with Liz. I’ll do whatever I can to make this up,” Kyle said sincerely. “It was my mistake.”
“Okay, well. Those are very good ideas Liz. I’ll think it over and let you both know tomorrow what’s been decided,” Mrs. Dubrowski stated thinking she better talk with the other instructor and come up with something that would work for both classes in case something like this ever happened again.
“Excuse me?” Maria asked raising her hand.
“Yes, Miss DeLuca?”
“I just want to point out that we weren’t able to CHOOSE our partners like we would in real life. It’s really not fair because our grade is so dependent on someone that we might never pick in real life,” Maria pointed out her ongoing complaint.
“Your protest is duly noted,” Mrs. Dubrowski said smiling as Michael’s scowl deepened.
“Can’t we get a divorce or….something? I’d be a single parent. I’m sure Liz would go that route at this point too,” Maria said perking up at the very idea.
“No!” Michael said speaking up. “Listen, I’m not the baby killer here okay? I didn’t set the damn thing on fire so don’t drag me into this. You’re not going anywhere.”
Maria shot him a nasty look then ignored him. “If I had to, I’d take Kyle. Liz can have Michael,” Maria bargained. Now that Kyle was getting his ass kicked so hard he wasn’t likely to mess up again. Liz had already struck the fear of God into him. Michael was still a wild card.
“Wait a second,” Liz said realizing what was happening.
Max smiled and went to sit down. He didn’t want to be the center of any sort of attention here.
“Lizzie, it would totally work. You’d be good with anyone,” Maria said nodding. She liked this idea.
“What?” Liz asked turning to face Maria. “Michael’s your problem. Kyle’s mine. Let’s leave it that way.”
“Hey! I’m better then Kyle,” Michael protested. How did he end up being dogged here?
“Shut up Michael,” Maria said then turned back to Liz. “Please? I’d owe you big. I’ll throw in my baby and take Kyle off of your hands. Michael will totally listen to you and he's not that bad with you,” Maria wheedled.
“Not that bad? He has always hated me!” Liz cried. This was incredible.
“I do not,” Michael protested loudly.
“Shut up Michael,” Liz said then turned back to Maria.
Max smiled as Michael clamped his lips together and slumped in his seat, his face a dark thundercloud.
“I’m not having a baby with Michael! No. I have limits and this is one of them. Michael is yours. Deal with it,” Liz said firmly. If she got stuck with Michael there was no way her GPA would ever recover. She’d end up in jail for assault on top of flunking out of school.
Mrs. Dubrowski smiled as they argued thinking that if they settled it amongst each other that would be the end of it. Maria had been whining for a solid week now. Staying after school to beg for a change of partners, listing all of Michael’s mistakes. She was relentless.
“Come on Liz! Kyle’s a baby killer. You don’t want him,” Maria begged. “Michael’s just a little difficult. You can totally handle him.”
“I’m handling KYLE! Remember? I don’t want to start over, we only have two more weeks. I’m not a miracle worker. Break Michael in yourself. You’re the one that contributed to his bad habits anyway,” Liz said crossing her arms. “Look. I’m trying to save my grade here. That’s becoming almost impossible on its own. I can’t save the whole world remember? I already tried that.”
“That was different. This is just Michael,” Maria said waving her hand and cutting Liz off.
“Just Michael,” Liz scoffed. “Don’t do this to me Maria. Just don’t. You fight with him on purpose and now that it’s his normal mode of communication you start complaining. You conditioned him. That is not my problem and I refuse to accept this. No. I’ll keep Kyle.”
“Okay. How about this,” Maria said thinking things over. “We become a couple and raise the baby? I’d totally go for that.”
Liz thought about that carefully before responding. “Deal.”
“Wait a second!” Michael yelled.
“Can we?” Maria asked the teacher ignoring Michael completely. “Liz and I would make great partners. We totally work well together.”
Mrs. Dubrowski blinked in surprise at the turn this had taken. “I don’t think…”
“Liz shouldn’t be punished for what Kyle did. That’s not fair. Liz would never choose Kyle as the father of her baby,” Maria said pushing her advantage. “We could write a report on alternative lifestyles and raising children.”
“Where does that leave me?” Michael demanded. “With the baby killer?”
“You make a cute couple,” Maria shot back over her shoulder.
“No way! It isn’t my fault that Kyle is a moron!” Michael barked. Turning to the source of the problem he scowled. “Why didn’t you come and see me about this? I could have fixed it!”
“Michael!” Max warned sharply.
Michael scowled in response and crossed his arms over his chest. Just great. This sucked ass.
“What do you do when your partner doesn’t even show up?” Travis asked raising his hand. Pam Troy was his partner and she had the baby so who knows what backseat she left it in.
Mrs. Dubrowski quickly evaluated her lesson plan then tossed it for the day. “This is what we’re going to do. I’ll check the babies that are here and then we’ll discuss any issues we’re having in a round table.”
When class ended Liz gathered her things and started for the door at a fast clip.
“Liz?” Kyle called wanting to apologize again.
“Just don’t. Don’t talk to me,” Liz cut him off. “I’m furious with you right now.”
“I just want to say that Ava tried to fix it. I did ask, that’s why I was so late,” Kyle said softly. “I’m sorry about your grade and I’ll talk to Mrs. Dubrowski.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll work it out,” Liz said and left. Right now she didn’t really want to be around anyone. She needed a few minutes to clear her head and put everything in perspective before she gave into the urge to choke someone.
Michael caught Maria before she could escape determined to head this partner switching off at the start. “What do you think you’re dong?”
“What?” Maria asked smiling sweetly. “I’d think it’d be obvious.”
“I swear I’ll do better. Don’t do this,” Michael said steeling himself for rejection.
“Michael. I can’t afford to believe you. You’ve had the whole week to do better and you haven’t. You screwed me over on everything. I did all the work on the report so far and Liz has covered for you when I couldn’t even find you to take the baby. You hate school and you hate cooperating with me. If I have a shot at getting a decent grade I’m going to take it. Liz won’t let me down,” Maria tried to explain. “Besides, if I have to turn into a lesbian for this project Liz would be my pick. At least I know how she thinks.”
Michael sighed and speared his fingers through his hair. “You know how I think too. Don’t act like this is all me. You argue with everything I say just on general principle. I have to hide to keep my sanity but I’ve got it now. I’m on a roll. I haven’t set the baby on fire, I’ve had him all weekend, and I was on time to class and brought the baby. If you would just let up a little this would work.”
“Then we have a problem,” Maria said pointedly. “Don’t we?”
“Just forget it. Do what you want,” Michael said fed up. “Kyle and I will be fine. Fuck it.”
Maria smiled watching Michael stomp off down the hall.
Alex sat at the counter that evening looking over at Liz. She was stirring her shake with her straw fixedly and hadn’t said a word as Maria covered the events of the day.
“So Liz….what did Mrs. Dubrowski say after school?” Alex asked softly.
“That I’ll be working double shifts forever to pay for that baby,” Liz said morosely.
“Just use that money you already have,” Maria said frowning. “You shouldn’t have to pay for it anyway. Kyle should.”
“Kyle doesn’t have a job remember?” Liz asked stabbing her shake with more force then was needed. “Just drop it okay? I don’t want to talk about it.”
Alex whistled silently seeing how angry Liz really was.
“Let’s talk about you Alex,” Liz redirected.
“Not much to talk about,” Alex said picking up the ball. “Ava’s nice. We’ve been having fun you know? It’s relaxed and very casual.”
“Do you really like her?” Maria asked eating a bite of her ice cream.
“Sure, I like her. What’s not to like? She’s nice and we have some stuff in common. She likes music and has come to watch the band. She has some really good ideas to offer. She’s wicked good on the Net. We have fun,” Alex said shrugging lightly while a half smile played over his face.
“Alex,” Liz said looking up. He was dodging the real question. He knew what Maria was really asking.
“It’s nice not to feel like I’m a greyhound chasing a rabbit around the track. Ava doesn’t….make me feel like I’m less then I should be,” Alex responded slightly uncomfortable. “She doesn’t want me to worship her. She’s just real.”
Liz and Maria nodded understanding what he meant. Ava was easy to talk to and just more reachable in general.
“It’s not like we’re in a relationship. We’re just having fun together,” Alex said and took a sip of his soda. “She’s still got issues with Zan and there’s Isabel,” Alex shrugged. “I’m just rolling with it. I don’t see the harm in going out. Isabel has been seeing that…..Grant and Ava’s great. I’m tired of following Isabel around waiting for her to see me. Maybe she never will and maybe there’s a reason for that.”
“Let me ask you this,” Liz said slowly. “How do you really feel about her? Is it more like she’s a cool version of Maria or I? Or do you feel she’s more like a relaxed version of Isabel? Your feelings wise I mean.”
“I don’t think of Ava like I do you two really,” Alex said idly playing with his straw. “But she’s not Isabel either. I don’t want her to be. She’s separate.”
Liz smiled and nodded feeling better. “Okay, I think you’re right. There’s nothing wrong with going out with someone. You both seem happy about it and you’re honest with each other. I don’t see a problem. Maria?”
“It’s cool,” Maria agreed. “If Isabel doesn’t see that Alex is perfect then that’s her problem.”
Liz grinned at Maria’s response. Alex would make an excellent boyfriend. It was Isabel’s loss, besides if something was meant to be it would happen. You couldn’t force feelings.
“Speaking of……Maria,” Alex said suddenly grinning. “I heard you had Michael all in an uproar today.”
“What’s different about today?” Maria asked smiling.
“Maybe that you wanted to throw him over for Kyle?” Liz asked smiling. “Then settled for me.”
“I didn’t settle Liz,” Maria said offended. “You’re an excellent life partner. Besides, nothing’s changed at this point.”
“Why do you yank his chain Maria?” Alex asked curious.
“He likes it,” Maria shrugged.
“You are such a liar,” Liz said laughing. “You like it. There’s a difference. Michael has no clue what’s going on. He’s just wandering around thinking “What the hell?” You are just cruel Maria DeLuca.”
“Moi?” Maria asked pointing at herself.
“Yes, you. Do you have any idea what you want with him?” Liz asked. She had her own opinion of what Maria was doing but she wanted to hear Maria’s thoughts. What delusions she was spinning for herself.
“Oh do I,” Maria replied her eyes narrowing.
“God help him,” Alex muttered recognizing the look on her face.
Last edited by Lelea on Wed Jul 02, 2003 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chapter Seventy Three
Liz towel dried her hair still thinking over the day. She still couldn’t quite believe things had turned on her like they had. Of all the things she had worried about, the baby catching on fire and burning up wasn't one of them. Stepping out into her bedroom she shrieked and held her towel up in front of her as she saw someone at her window out of the corner of her eye.
“Goddamn it, Michael! What are you doing here?” Liz demanded her heart still racing. When Michael continued to tap on the glass Liz scowled, tossing the towel over her desk chair as she went to open it. Couldn’t she get any privacy? In her own room even?
“You really sleep in that? Or are you expecting Max?” Michael asked as he crawled into the window. Her paisley boxers were short and rather form fitting and the matching top wasn’t that much better. “Ouch!” Michael yelped as Liz started hitting him.
“Shut up! God!” Liz said getting angry. What the hell was his problem? Coming here this late and….and… “What are you DOING HERE?”
“I want you to be my partner on this project thing,” Michael said going to sit, tossing her towel on the floor.
“WHAT?” Liz almost yelled as she snatched the towel off the floor. “Are you crazy?”
“No,” Michael said watching her stomp into the bathroom. He waited for her to come back before continuing. “I’ve thought about it. I can do this. I won’t stick you with all the work. If Maria would just relax she’d see that I’m going to help but she wants to find another partner so…..”
“Hold it,” Liz said putting up her hand. “I’m not getting in the middle of your latest battle with Maria. No. This is a project, not what you’re turning it into. You two can play around if you want to but I'm not playing. I take my grades seriously.”
“Just hear me out okay?” Michael asked.
“Fine,” Liz said and went to sit on her bed drawing her legs up underneath her. “Wow me.”
“Okay. Ummm,” Michael said momentarily distracted before yanking his mind back on the topic at hand. “I’d make a good partner because I have something to prove here. I will make this work I swear. I’m going to take this project very seriously. I won’t argue or give you a hard time and I’ll help with the kid.”
“Why didn’t you just do this from the start Michael? You had the partner you wanted and the chance to make this work. So why didn’t you?” Liz asked him. She didn’t fully understand what was going on with them. To her it was simple. Michael wanted Maria, so why was he acting in a way guaranteed to prevent that from happening. Maria wanted Michael, despite what she said, but she tortured him on a daily basis. It was insane.
“She’s so….I don’t know,” Michael floundered.
“I suggest that you figure it out,” Liz said exasperated. “You both can’t keep doing this….playing with each other like this. You’ll never get what you want this way. You’re both so ridiculous and just twisted. This is not a game of who can top the other for the most inventive torture and the worst behavior. It’s your life Michael. This is it.”
Michael blinked at her then frowned. “So you won’t do it?”
“Get out!” Liz said pointing to the window. “Just get the hell out of my room.”
“No need to get pissy,” Michael grumbled as he stood.
“God!” Liz fumed as she vaulted off the bed. “How has someone not killed you? Get out NOW! You come here in the middle of the night! I’m not dressed and you….just go!”
Michael smirked as she started shoving him toward the window. “I just asked for a favor from a friend. You could have just said no.”
Liz clipped him on the side of the head pissed beyond belief. “You’re asking for more then a favor. You’re asking for a kick in the ass. Maria is my best friend I’m not going to participate in anything that might hurt her in any way. Which you knew before you got here! Don’t come here asking for me to kick your ass. Go to Maria’s house!”
Michael turned to say something but Liz slammed the window down before he could say another word. Grinning, he hit the ladder and climbed to the ground. Turning he was met with Max’s stiff form. “Oh. Hey Maxwell,” Michael said his grin going to a smirk. “Liz looks good in blue.”
Max’s eyes narrowed at Michael’s remark and his jaw tightened.
“See ya,” Michael called already jogging away.
Max climbed up the ladder and reached the window to find Liz talking to her dad. Ducking back away from the window he waited a few minutes before peeking in. Seeing the coast was clear he lightly tapped at the window and watched Liz whirl around a pissed off expression on her face that dropped away when she saw it was him. He waited for her to open the window, puzzled when she grabbed a sweatshirt and turned off the lights on the way.
Liz lifted the window and climbed out. “Take me away from here before I go insane.”
“Okay, but you’re legs are going to get cold,” Max said helping her to her feet.
“The Jeep has heat,” Liz remarked already on her way to the ladder. She wasn’t staying here one more minute. Not even to get a pair of pants.
Max didn’t ask any questions after that. He just followed her to the Jeep and started it, turning the heat on high. “Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere,” Liz said resting her bare feet on the dash. “Anywhere that doesn’t have Michael, Kyle, or any damn mechanical babies.”
Max smiled and pulled out onto the street heading out of town. He drove silently glad he’d asked Isabel to watch his baby. He’d felt Liz’s edgy tension and decided to head out to see her after his parents went to bed.
The farther out of town they got the more Liz relaxed. It was so late the streets were empty and there was a full moon that cast interesting shadows on the desert landscape.
“Did Sophia ever call you?” Liz asked softly. She wasn’t ready to talk about her issues. It was easier to talk about Max’s.
“No,” Max answered glancing over at her. “It’s sort of weird. She just doesn’t seem like the type to blow off a project like this.”
“Have you tried calling her?” Liz asked.
“She never gave me her number and it’s not listed. She said she’d just call me,” Max replied frowning. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time but now that seemed odd. “Maria told me where she lives so if she’s not in school tomorrow I’ll go over there.”
“Huh,” Liz responded not sure if that was good idea but not having a better one.
“So what did Michael want?” Max asked after a minute of silence.
“Max. I know he’s your friend but he is the most frustrating person I’ve ever met,” Liz stated with an annoyed note entering her voice. “He just shows up and asks me to be his partner on this project and gives me this song and dance about how seriously he’ll take it and it’s all just bullshit. Complete and total bullshit. He just wants to drive Maria into a rage. They both are certifiably insane when it comes to each other.”
“What did you tell him?” Max asked.
“I told him no. He knows I’m not going to be partners with him. Maria would freak out for real. Besides, he should of thought about taking this seriously sooner,” Liz complained. “Is he retarded or something? He doesn’t even make sense. If he wants Maria back like he claims then why did he bail on this project? Maria’s been raving like a lunatic all week. It’s bullshit. This project was perfect for him to show Maria he was capable of being a good prospect. Instead he does exactly what she always bitches about. He’s undependable, argumentative, irresponsible, and uncooperative. How is that attractive? Then she does exactly what she knows will drive him over the brink by requesting Kyle as a partner……after he annihilated our baby. Saying she’d rather be paired with a baby killer or turn into a lesbian then remain partners with him. They’re both just doing this on purpose. There’s no other explanation,” Liz ranted disgusted. “I think they’re trying to drive me crazy. Do I not have enough going on? Sure drag me into the middle of this. Kyle just torches my baby and I’m about to FAIL this class. I’d love to be part of some nutty mating ritual between the two of them. It’s number three on my life’s plan.”
Max listened to her vent silently, knowing she needed to relieve her frustration. She had been pushing her limits over the last week as it was. She had worked two double shifts this past week, opening the café before school, then coming right back after school to close. Then she had covered for everyone else at various times with this baby project, plus trying to work on her own part of the project, only to have Kyle treat their baby like a human sacrifice to Buddha. That wasn’t even taking into account the dreams or any of the rest of it.
“Then my dad hears me yelling at Michael and comes to see what’s going on. I had to convince him I was on the phone having an argument,” Liz said scowling. “This is all Kyle’s fault, damn him. My father’s still worked up about what he said. I hope Kyle comes back as a single celled organism and has to work his way back up for all the bad karma he’s earning.”
Max stifled a grin at her irritation.
“By the way my dad wants to talk to you,” Liz said her scowl deepening.
“Are you serious?” Max asked his fingers tightening on the steering wheel, grin forgotten.
“Dead,” Liz answered nodding and glancing over at Max. “I don’t understand it at all. He’s just looking for something to worry about. I can’t believe he took Kyle’s comments even half way serious.”
“Did he say what he wanted to talk to me about?” Max asked worried.
“He didn’t say. I’m telling you, Kyle needs some serious bad karma for all of this crap. It’s just not good for my dad to be thinking along these lines. Its trouble just waiting to happen,” Liz brooded. “They were supposed to be going to a convention in Phoenix but now he’s talking about staying home. That would have a perfect time to look into these dream things.”
Max sighed suddenly feeling a bit depressed himself. “We’ll think of something,” Max assured her. He really did want to figure this out. Several of those dreams really worried him.
Liz suddenly sat up, her feet dropping to the floor. “Max look! Pull over.”
Max pulled over to the side of the road and looked to where Liz was pointing. An area of the desert near the quarry seemed to reflect the light of the moon, almost shimmering like water would. “What do you think that is?”
“I don’t know. It’s beautiful though,” Liz answered softly. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Max didn’t answer his attention turning from the sights outside to the ones inside the Jeep. Seeing that Liz’s hair was still damp he reached out and slowly dried it as he ran the strands through his fingers. He didn’t want her to get sick and this was one of his favorite pass times anyway.
Liz smiled, relaxing under his soothing warm. “Thanks,” Liz sighed looking over at Max.
“No thank you,” Max said a smile hovering over his mouth. “This was a great idea……just getting out for awhile. It’s tempting to just keep going isn’t it?”
“A little,” Liz agreed her eyes tracing a path over his face before dropping lower. “You don’t mind that I dragged you out so late?”
“No,” Max shook his head watching her eyes carefully. “I just wanted to see you.”
“How much of me?” Liz asked teasing him.
Max groaned even as a smile was spreading over his face. “At least as much as Michael saw.”
“Oh,” Liz said and sat up pulling her sweatshirt over her head. “Than this is about right.”
Max conceded defeat with a chuckle and leaned forward to kiss her softly. He felt her smile against his mouth before she caught his bottom lip in her teeth and laved it softly with her tongue. Her mouth was so warm and wet, tasting slightly minty from her toothpaste that he lost track of where they were. He sank into the kiss further without a struggle, she drew him in like a flame does a moth.
They broke apart as the Jeep gave a lurch before stalling out. The look on Max’s face had Liz laughing softly.
“I forgot to,” Max trailed off briefly pulling the emergency brake. “take it out of gear.”
“Uh huh,” Liz nodded. “I can see how that could happen. Is it out now?”
Max fumbled with the shifter then turned the Jeep back on so they would have heat. “Yeah.”
“Good,” Liz answered then crawled over the gearshift and onto his lap. “Cause I really want to do this,” Liz whispered as she leaned forward to brush her lips softly over his. Just being close to him had all of her frustrations dropping away. Feathering her mouth along his jaw she scooted closer feeling his hands slipping under her hair to hold her to him.
Max could feel her agitation slip away as he gently brushed his fingers over her skin in a slow rhythmic motion. He was in no hurry, she was so close her heat seeped into him, her weight soothed something inside him, and her scent enfolded him bringing him into their world. He had always known she special, felt a craving deep inside himself that he knew instinctively she could fill. She had reached in and touched something elemental within him so effortlessly, so unknowingly, that he knew she was vital to him. That had never been a question in his mind. He had just always known.
Liz shifted, feeling what pleased him most and moving to provide it. She let her mouth linger at just the right spot on his neck, swirling her tongue softly over his skin, rewarded by his groan. Her fingers crept up under his coat and shirt to feather lightly over his bare skin. She wasn’t taking this anywhere in particular, she just needed to feel him, be close to him. If she could seep into his skin at that moment she would.
Cradling her head in his hands he guided her mouth back to his slowly allowing her to place nibbling kisses along the way. Finally, he brought his mouth down on hers with hot intent, lost in her response.
It hadn’t been hard to drive without his lights under the full moon. Sitting in his car far enough away not to attract attention, but close enough to see the Jeep with the aid of binoculars, he watched. Seeing the shimmer of the moon on the sand, the cool wash of light turning it almost liquid in appearance, he felt elation rise inside him. She was the one. She had to be. She had known to come to where the moon washed the sand clean, out in the open away from the unclean, at exactly the right phase of the moon. Her love was washed clean…..pure, under the light of this moon.
He had found his purpose. Finally. After a whole life of searching he had found what he was looking for. She would be his purpose. His salvation.
He smiled as he thought of how pleased she would be with what he had done. He would build her an alter that would rise to the heavens setting her above her enemies. Piece by piece and bone by bone, it would be done. He would prove himself worthy.
Liz towel dried her hair still thinking over the day. She still couldn’t quite believe things had turned on her like they had. Of all the things she had worried about, the baby catching on fire and burning up wasn't one of them. Stepping out into her bedroom she shrieked and held her towel up in front of her as she saw someone at her window out of the corner of her eye.
“Goddamn it, Michael! What are you doing here?” Liz demanded her heart still racing. When Michael continued to tap on the glass Liz scowled, tossing the towel over her desk chair as she went to open it. Couldn’t she get any privacy? In her own room even?
“You really sleep in that? Or are you expecting Max?” Michael asked as he crawled into the window. Her paisley boxers were short and rather form fitting and the matching top wasn’t that much better. “Ouch!” Michael yelped as Liz started hitting him.
“Shut up! God!” Liz said getting angry. What the hell was his problem? Coming here this late and….and… “What are you DOING HERE?”
“I want you to be my partner on this project thing,” Michael said going to sit, tossing her towel on the floor.
“WHAT?” Liz almost yelled as she snatched the towel off the floor. “Are you crazy?”
“No,” Michael said watching her stomp into the bathroom. He waited for her to come back before continuing. “I’ve thought about it. I can do this. I won’t stick you with all the work. If Maria would just relax she’d see that I’m going to help but she wants to find another partner so…..”
“Hold it,” Liz said putting up her hand. “I’m not getting in the middle of your latest battle with Maria. No. This is a project, not what you’re turning it into. You two can play around if you want to but I'm not playing. I take my grades seriously.”
“Just hear me out okay?” Michael asked.
“Fine,” Liz said and went to sit on her bed drawing her legs up underneath her. “Wow me.”
“Okay. Ummm,” Michael said momentarily distracted before yanking his mind back on the topic at hand. “I’d make a good partner because I have something to prove here. I will make this work I swear. I’m going to take this project very seriously. I won’t argue or give you a hard time and I’ll help with the kid.”
“Why didn’t you just do this from the start Michael? You had the partner you wanted and the chance to make this work. So why didn’t you?” Liz asked him. She didn’t fully understand what was going on with them. To her it was simple. Michael wanted Maria, so why was he acting in a way guaranteed to prevent that from happening. Maria wanted Michael, despite what she said, but she tortured him on a daily basis. It was insane.
“She’s so….I don’t know,” Michael floundered.
“I suggest that you figure it out,” Liz said exasperated. “You both can’t keep doing this….playing with each other like this. You’ll never get what you want this way. You’re both so ridiculous and just twisted. This is not a game of who can top the other for the most inventive torture and the worst behavior. It’s your life Michael. This is it.”
Michael blinked at her then frowned. “So you won’t do it?”
“Get out!” Liz said pointing to the window. “Just get the hell out of my room.”
“No need to get pissy,” Michael grumbled as he stood.
“God!” Liz fumed as she vaulted off the bed. “How has someone not killed you? Get out NOW! You come here in the middle of the night! I’m not dressed and you….just go!”
Michael smirked as she started shoving him toward the window. “I just asked for a favor from a friend. You could have just said no.”
Liz clipped him on the side of the head pissed beyond belief. “You’re asking for more then a favor. You’re asking for a kick in the ass. Maria is my best friend I’m not going to participate in anything that might hurt her in any way. Which you knew before you got here! Don’t come here asking for me to kick your ass. Go to Maria’s house!”
Michael turned to say something but Liz slammed the window down before he could say another word. Grinning, he hit the ladder and climbed to the ground. Turning he was met with Max’s stiff form. “Oh. Hey Maxwell,” Michael said his grin going to a smirk. “Liz looks good in blue.”
Max’s eyes narrowed at Michael’s remark and his jaw tightened.
“See ya,” Michael called already jogging away.
Max climbed up the ladder and reached the window to find Liz talking to her dad. Ducking back away from the window he waited a few minutes before peeking in. Seeing the coast was clear he lightly tapped at the window and watched Liz whirl around a pissed off expression on her face that dropped away when she saw it was him. He waited for her to open the window, puzzled when she grabbed a sweatshirt and turned off the lights on the way.
Liz lifted the window and climbed out. “Take me away from here before I go insane.”
“Okay, but you’re legs are going to get cold,” Max said helping her to her feet.
“The Jeep has heat,” Liz remarked already on her way to the ladder. She wasn’t staying here one more minute. Not even to get a pair of pants.
Max didn’t ask any questions after that. He just followed her to the Jeep and started it, turning the heat on high. “Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere,” Liz said resting her bare feet on the dash. “Anywhere that doesn’t have Michael, Kyle, or any damn mechanical babies.”
Max smiled and pulled out onto the street heading out of town. He drove silently glad he’d asked Isabel to watch his baby. He’d felt Liz’s edgy tension and decided to head out to see her after his parents went to bed.
The farther out of town they got the more Liz relaxed. It was so late the streets were empty and there was a full moon that cast interesting shadows on the desert landscape.
“Did Sophia ever call you?” Liz asked softly. She wasn’t ready to talk about her issues. It was easier to talk about Max’s.
“No,” Max answered glancing over at her. “It’s sort of weird. She just doesn’t seem like the type to blow off a project like this.”
“Have you tried calling her?” Liz asked.
“She never gave me her number and it’s not listed. She said she’d just call me,” Max replied frowning. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time but now that seemed odd. “Maria told me where she lives so if she’s not in school tomorrow I’ll go over there.”
“Huh,” Liz responded not sure if that was good idea but not having a better one.
“So what did Michael want?” Max asked after a minute of silence.
“Max. I know he’s your friend but he is the most frustrating person I’ve ever met,” Liz stated with an annoyed note entering her voice. “He just shows up and asks me to be his partner on this project and gives me this song and dance about how seriously he’ll take it and it’s all just bullshit. Complete and total bullshit. He just wants to drive Maria into a rage. They both are certifiably insane when it comes to each other.”
“What did you tell him?” Max asked.
“I told him no. He knows I’m not going to be partners with him. Maria would freak out for real. Besides, he should of thought about taking this seriously sooner,” Liz complained. “Is he retarded or something? He doesn’t even make sense. If he wants Maria back like he claims then why did he bail on this project? Maria’s been raving like a lunatic all week. It’s bullshit. This project was perfect for him to show Maria he was capable of being a good prospect. Instead he does exactly what she always bitches about. He’s undependable, argumentative, irresponsible, and uncooperative. How is that attractive? Then she does exactly what she knows will drive him over the brink by requesting Kyle as a partner……after he annihilated our baby. Saying she’d rather be paired with a baby killer or turn into a lesbian then remain partners with him. They’re both just doing this on purpose. There’s no other explanation,” Liz ranted disgusted. “I think they’re trying to drive me crazy. Do I not have enough going on? Sure drag me into the middle of this. Kyle just torches my baby and I’m about to FAIL this class. I’d love to be part of some nutty mating ritual between the two of them. It’s number three on my life’s plan.”
Max listened to her vent silently, knowing she needed to relieve her frustration. She had been pushing her limits over the last week as it was. She had worked two double shifts this past week, opening the café before school, then coming right back after school to close. Then she had covered for everyone else at various times with this baby project, plus trying to work on her own part of the project, only to have Kyle treat their baby like a human sacrifice to Buddha. That wasn’t even taking into account the dreams or any of the rest of it.
“Then my dad hears me yelling at Michael and comes to see what’s going on. I had to convince him I was on the phone having an argument,” Liz said scowling. “This is all Kyle’s fault, damn him. My father’s still worked up about what he said. I hope Kyle comes back as a single celled organism and has to work his way back up for all the bad karma he’s earning.”
Max stifled a grin at her irritation.
“By the way my dad wants to talk to you,” Liz said her scowl deepening.
“Are you serious?” Max asked his fingers tightening on the steering wheel, grin forgotten.
“Dead,” Liz answered nodding and glancing over at Max. “I don’t understand it at all. He’s just looking for something to worry about. I can’t believe he took Kyle’s comments even half way serious.”
“Did he say what he wanted to talk to me about?” Max asked worried.
“He didn’t say. I’m telling you, Kyle needs some serious bad karma for all of this crap. It’s just not good for my dad to be thinking along these lines. Its trouble just waiting to happen,” Liz brooded. “They were supposed to be going to a convention in Phoenix but now he’s talking about staying home. That would have a perfect time to look into these dream things.”
Max sighed suddenly feeling a bit depressed himself. “We’ll think of something,” Max assured her. He really did want to figure this out. Several of those dreams really worried him.
Liz suddenly sat up, her feet dropping to the floor. “Max look! Pull over.”
Max pulled over to the side of the road and looked to where Liz was pointing. An area of the desert near the quarry seemed to reflect the light of the moon, almost shimmering like water would. “What do you think that is?”
“I don’t know. It’s beautiful though,” Liz answered softly. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Max didn’t answer his attention turning from the sights outside to the ones inside the Jeep. Seeing that Liz’s hair was still damp he reached out and slowly dried it as he ran the strands through his fingers. He didn’t want her to get sick and this was one of his favorite pass times anyway.
Liz smiled, relaxing under his soothing warm. “Thanks,” Liz sighed looking over at Max.
“No thank you,” Max said a smile hovering over his mouth. “This was a great idea……just getting out for awhile. It’s tempting to just keep going isn’t it?”
“A little,” Liz agreed her eyes tracing a path over his face before dropping lower. “You don’t mind that I dragged you out so late?”
“No,” Max shook his head watching her eyes carefully. “I just wanted to see you.”
“How much of me?” Liz asked teasing him.
Max groaned even as a smile was spreading over his face. “At least as much as Michael saw.”
“Oh,” Liz said and sat up pulling her sweatshirt over her head. “Than this is about right.”
Max conceded defeat with a chuckle and leaned forward to kiss her softly. He felt her smile against his mouth before she caught his bottom lip in her teeth and laved it softly with her tongue. Her mouth was so warm and wet, tasting slightly minty from her toothpaste that he lost track of where they were. He sank into the kiss further without a struggle, she drew him in like a flame does a moth.
They broke apart as the Jeep gave a lurch before stalling out. The look on Max’s face had Liz laughing softly.
“I forgot to,” Max trailed off briefly pulling the emergency brake. “take it out of gear.”
“Uh huh,” Liz nodded. “I can see how that could happen. Is it out now?”
Max fumbled with the shifter then turned the Jeep back on so they would have heat. “Yeah.”
“Good,” Liz answered then crawled over the gearshift and onto his lap. “Cause I really want to do this,” Liz whispered as she leaned forward to brush her lips softly over his. Just being close to him had all of her frustrations dropping away. Feathering her mouth along his jaw she scooted closer feeling his hands slipping under her hair to hold her to him.
Max could feel her agitation slip away as he gently brushed his fingers over her skin in a slow rhythmic motion. He was in no hurry, she was so close her heat seeped into him, her weight soothed something inside him, and her scent enfolded him bringing him into their world. He had always known she special, felt a craving deep inside himself that he knew instinctively she could fill. She had reached in and touched something elemental within him so effortlessly, so unknowingly, that he knew she was vital to him. That had never been a question in his mind. He had just always known.
Liz shifted, feeling what pleased him most and moving to provide it. She let her mouth linger at just the right spot on his neck, swirling her tongue softly over his skin, rewarded by his groan. Her fingers crept up under his coat and shirt to feather lightly over his bare skin. She wasn’t taking this anywhere in particular, she just needed to feel him, be close to him. If she could seep into his skin at that moment she would.
Cradling her head in his hands he guided her mouth back to his slowly allowing her to place nibbling kisses along the way. Finally, he brought his mouth down on hers with hot intent, lost in her response.
It hadn’t been hard to drive without his lights under the full moon. Sitting in his car far enough away not to attract attention, but close enough to see the Jeep with the aid of binoculars, he watched. Seeing the shimmer of the moon on the sand, the cool wash of light turning it almost liquid in appearance, he felt elation rise inside him. She was the one. She had to be. She had known to come to where the moon washed the sand clean, out in the open away from the unclean, at exactly the right phase of the moon. Her love was washed clean…..pure, under the light of this moon.
He had found his purpose. Finally. After a whole life of searching he had found what he was looking for. She would be his purpose. His salvation.
He smiled as he thought of how pleased she would be with what he had done. He would build her an alter that would rise to the heavens setting her above her enemies. Piece by piece and bone by bone, it would be done. He would prove himself worthy.
Chapter Seventy Four
The early morning sun was already blazing brightly in the sky as Valenti stepped out of his SUV. He hated these calls. When he had been elected as Sheriff he hadn’t envisioned anything like this. He hadn’t envisioned a lot of things actually.
“Hansen!” Jim shouted and watched Hansen jerk upright as if he were a puppet pulled by his strings. “Move the perimeter back 500 yards. This is a restricted crime scene. No one gets access unless I’ve given the okay. Understand?”
“Yes, Sheriff!” Hansen replied quickly and moved to comply.
Squinting against the sun, Jim forced himself to stride forward stopping no more then a few feet from the body. The gentle desert breeze lifted a few strands of hair and playing with them for a moment, giving the macabre appearance of life, before they settled back into the dirt. A cold leaded weight settled in his gut and spread outward draining the warmth from the day. The twisted female form was so brutally savaged that his eyes protested the labeling of the form as human. His fingers twitched as an insect trekked over the opened mouth and across the unmarred cheek. Raising his eyes to the sky he sucked in a deep steadying breath.
“Sheriff?” Owen inquired in a low tone.
“Have you found any of the missing pieces?” Jim asked without looking at him.
“No, Sheriff. We haven’t. We’re waiting for the dogs to arrive,” Owen answered.
Jim nodded although he didn’t think that the dogs would have any better luck. How was he going to deliver this girl back to her family in this condition? Whoever this girl was she hadn’t deserved this.
“The trucker that found the body is still pretty shaken but willing to answer questions,” Owen supplied.
“Go ahead and have someone take him back to the station and get his statement,” Jim instructed through the ice stealing through his insides slowly incasing him. “I want this worked in a standard grid format, no screw ups. Bag everything no misses.”
Owen nodded then paused debating whether to speak up. “The symbols…..I know them. The one on her flank means unclean….its very old. The other is…..a variation of The Trickster.”
Jim finally turned and focused on Owen, silently urging him to continue.
“The Trickster is an old Indian legend and has many different names and descriptions depending on the tribe you’re dealing with. He’s been called the Coyote, The Trickster, and I’ve even seen Him referred to as a Jackal. He’s a deceiver, an evil prankster….the devil. The other….he marked her as unclean or as having been cast out of the tribe for evil deeds. An abomination. This wasn’t an accidental homicide. He meant to do this…..and leaving her here….beside the road like this….is another statement. He hobbled her by taking her leg…..I doubt we’ll find it. He wants her hobbled…marked in the afterlife as well as this one,” Owen stated his observations in a detached tone but inside the wrongness of this death was stirring up old stories and nameless fears better left forgotten.
“You think that whoever did this is connected to the reservation?” Jim asked surprised.
“I don’t know. Whoever did this knows some very old legends that even some of the elders wouldn’t want to talk about,” Owen replied slowly. Legends that were dark and powerful even when they weren’t spoken of.
Max yawned as he waited for Isabel, they had a little bit of time so he wasn’t worried about being late. He hadn’t gotten much sleep but it was worth it. Just thinking about Liz’s smile as he dropped her off at home made it worth the lack of sleep.
When his cell phone shrilled breaking into his thoughts he reached for it hoping it was Liz. “Hello?”
“Who is this?” A male voice demanded rudely.
“Excuse me?” Max asked puzzled.
“This is Mr. Rodriguez. Sophia’s father and I want to know where my daughter is and why she has your number. Who are you?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded his voice rising in anger.
“I’m Max Evans, sir. I don’t know where Sophia is I haven’t seen her since Saturday afternoon. We’re partners on a project for school. That’s why she has my number,” Max explained calmly. His brow crinkled as he wondered what was going on.
“You’re dating MY daughter?” Mr. Rodriguez asked his voice rising to a furious shout.
Max held the phone out away from his ear and winced. No wonder Sophia was so closed mouth, she was probably scared to go home if this was her father always reacted. Would she have run away? “No sir. We’re not dating. I barely know her. We were partnered up for a school project. That’s all. I don’t know where she is or anything else about her. I’m sorry I can’t help you,” Max said trying to be reasonable in the face of Mr. Rodriguez fury.
“Of course you can’t,” Mr. Rodriguez said sarcastically. “Why would you help me? The thorn in your side.”
Max looked at the phone briefly wondering if this guy was nuts. He wasn’t listening to a word he said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not dating Sophia. I have a girlfriend…..her name is Liz so you aren’t a thorn in my side. That would be Liz’s father I guess. If Sophia is missing or….gone then I think you should call the Sheriff. I can’t help you because I don’t know anything.”
“Are you suggesting that Sophia ran away?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded.
“I’m not suggesting anything,” Max denied. “Look. I have to get ready for school so I have to let you go. Call the Sheriff. He’s better equipped to help you then I am.”
Without saying anything else Max ended the call. He wasn’t doing any good in talking to Sophia’s father and he didn’t want to cause her any more problems. Tapping the phone against his chin he wondered where Sophia was.
By the time first period was over the whole school was buzzing with the news of the body found in the desert and the two missing students. Speculation ran wild and everyone wondered if one of those girls was the one found by the side of the road.
Max found Liz standing at her locker staring at the locker next to hers. He walked up and slipped his arms around her waist.
“You okay?” Max asked softly.
Liz didn’t answer not really sure how to respond. She didn’t like Pam, and she never would, she knew that but…..the thought that something so horrible had happened to anyone she knew. Anyone that she had seen and talked to on an almost daily basis since starting school was awful. Sophia was another matter all together.
“Do you think it is one of them?” Liz asked softly leaning back against his chest.
“I don’t know,” Max answered tightening his arms around her. “I hope not.”
“Me too,” Liz whispered, worry gnawing at her mind. Sophia seemed so nice. Why would anyone want to hurt her? It just didn’t make sense.
Max guided her to class, touching her softly, unable to release her completely. As terrible as it sounded he was just thankful that Liz was safe. He didn’t wish harm on anyone else of course, but having Liz here, in touching distance, was such a relief. His protective instincts where surfacing strongly at just the possibility of danger in the area. Trouble always seemed to find Liz whether she was looking for it or not.
After they slipped into their seats Liz left her hand in Max’s resting them on her desk, feeling the gentleness in the soft stroking of his thumb over her knuckles.
They both pretty much ignored the others, letting them squabble and talk amongst themselves, lost in their own space.
Michael’s eyes kept drifting to Liz feeling something that was nagging at him. Blocking out Maria’s rambling he closed his eyes as he tried to catch hold of that faint feeling. Finally with an annoyed grunt he gave up. She was gonna have to send louder for him to have a hope of getting it. Scowling in frustration he speared his fingers through his hair thinking she better not start that shit again or he’d go berserk.
This wasn’t the time for him to get distracted. He had to focus on Maria before she latched onto one of those fuckers she kept dating. He was pretty sure that he had succeeded in his mission to prevent Liz from becoming Maria’s partner. All he had to do now was sit back and let Liz tell Maria no and she’d be stuck with him. Now that Liz had plainly stated that she wasn’t interested in being in the middle of any games between him and Maria, he fully expected her to refuse to switch partners.
“What are you grinning like the village idiot about?” Maria demanded.
“I think there’s a game on tonight,” Michael drawled thinking he had outmaneuvered Maria.
“That’s lovely Michael. Really. People we know are getting murdered and you couldn’t give two shits as long as some stupid “game” is on,” Maria said her tone cutting. “Oh yeah. I forgot you’re not human so you DON’T give two shits.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed. “We don’t know that anyone we know was murdered first of all. Second, we should all be happy we’re not in middle of this since it’s a POLICE matter. Thirdly…..I don’t think I like your tone or implications.”
“Oh eat me!” Maria snapped.
Michael’s eyebrow rose and his smirk widened. “All you had to do was ask. For that I’ll miss the game.”
Maria’s mouth fell open before snapping shut with an audible clink of her teeth. “Listen here you….”
“Quiet everyone,” Mrs. Dubrowski called as she closed the door to the classroom. “I have some distressing news. I’ve been informed that the….remains that were found outside of town are those of one of our fellow students. Pam Troy’s parents have been notified of her loss,” Mrs. Dubrowski paused to collect herself. She was so disturbed by what the principle had told her she was almost in tears. To have two students absent wasn’t normally a concern but now one was dead and the other had been reported missing. “I’m sorry to bring you such horrible news. Also, anyone with information about Sophia Rodriguez, please contact the Sheriff’s department. Her father has reported her missing this morning. The Sheriff’s department is asking that everyone be especially careful and stay in groups until more information is available.”
“Due to….recent events I know some of you have partner issues or baby issues. We’ll take today to sort those out. Anyone with concerns about this project now is the time to address it. I’ll speak to each of you individually throughout the period so please bring up your issues then. However, with a partner switch both parties have to agree since we’re a week into things.”
When Max’s turn came he approached Mrs. Dubrowski’s desk and sat in the chair she had placed next to it.
“Max, since Sophia is…..not here you can either continue alone or take a new partner. Do you know what you want to do?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked softly.
“I would like to be partners with Liz but what it Sophia comes back?” Max asked then paused for a second. “I umm got a call from….Sophia’s father this morning. He seems to think that….I know where Sophia is and he didn’t believe me that we were paired up on a school project. He was very upset,” Max said worried. “Do you know when Sophia….was last seen?”
Mrs. Dubrowski set down her pen and focused on Max clearly seeing his worry reflected in his eyes. “I was told her father noticed she was missing when she didn’t come down for church on Sunday. Unfortunately, he worked on Saturday so no one really knows for sure when she disappeared. Do you have your baby or did she?”
“I do. My sister is watching him for me since Sophia wasn’t here to take him. We switched on Saturday afternoon,” Max explained.
“Okay, then I’ll put you down with Liz since she wants to switch as well and you'll keep the baby you have now. If Sophia comes back to class she can decide whether she wants to take a new partner or not. I already explained to the principle about the project and will be talking to Mr. Rodriguez, since he was upset about the project when he learned of it from Sophia’s sister and called the school. I’ll explain your part of the project to him,” Mrs. Dubrowski assured him. The principle had gotten an earful from Sophia’s father, who had flung around wild accusations about everything from the project to Max to the things Sophia was being taught in school. She doubted whether her father would let her come back to this class at all.
“Thank you,” Max said sincerely. “I’ll talk to Kyle’s dad about Sophia after school.”
“That would be very helpful,” Mrs. Dubrowski agreed.
When class let out Max and Liz were new partners, Maria was stuck with Michael who had refused to allow her to switch, and Kyle was at loose ends until a baby could be located to replace Roxy.
The early morning sun was already blazing brightly in the sky as Valenti stepped out of his SUV. He hated these calls. When he had been elected as Sheriff he hadn’t envisioned anything like this. He hadn’t envisioned a lot of things actually.
“Hansen!” Jim shouted and watched Hansen jerk upright as if he were a puppet pulled by his strings. “Move the perimeter back 500 yards. This is a restricted crime scene. No one gets access unless I’ve given the okay. Understand?”
“Yes, Sheriff!” Hansen replied quickly and moved to comply.
Squinting against the sun, Jim forced himself to stride forward stopping no more then a few feet from the body. The gentle desert breeze lifted a few strands of hair and playing with them for a moment, giving the macabre appearance of life, before they settled back into the dirt. A cold leaded weight settled in his gut and spread outward draining the warmth from the day. The twisted female form was so brutally savaged that his eyes protested the labeling of the form as human. His fingers twitched as an insect trekked over the opened mouth and across the unmarred cheek. Raising his eyes to the sky he sucked in a deep steadying breath.
“Sheriff?” Owen inquired in a low tone.
“Have you found any of the missing pieces?” Jim asked without looking at him.
“No, Sheriff. We haven’t. We’re waiting for the dogs to arrive,” Owen answered.
Jim nodded although he didn’t think that the dogs would have any better luck. How was he going to deliver this girl back to her family in this condition? Whoever this girl was she hadn’t deserved this.
“The trucker that found the body is still pretty shaken but willing to answer questions,” Owen supplied.
“Go ahead and have someone take him back to the station and get his statement,” Jim instructed through the ice stealing through his insides slowly incasing him. “I want this worked in a standard grid format, no screw ups. Bag everything no misses.”
Owen nodded then paused debating whether to speak up. “The symbols…..I know them. The one on her flank means unclean….its very old. The other is…..a variation of The Trickster.”
Jim finally turned and focused on Owen, silently urging him to continue.
“The Trickster is an old Indian legend and has many different names and descriptions depending on the tribe you’re dealing with. He’s been called the Coyote, The Trickster, and I’ve even seen Him referred to as a Jackal. He’s a deceiver, an evil prankster….the devil. The other….he marked her as unclean or as having been cast out of the tribe for evil deeds. An abomination. This wasn’t an accidental homicide. He meant to do this…..and leaving her here….beside the road like this….is another statement. He hobbled her by taking her leg…..I doubt we’ll find it. He wants her hobbled…marked in the afterlife as well as this one,” Owen stated his observations in a detached tone but inside the wrongness of this death was stirring up old stories and nameless fears better left forgotten.
“You think that whoever did this is connected to the reservation?” Jim asked surprised.
“I don’t know. Whoever did this knows some very old legends that even some of the elders wouldn’t want to talk about,” Owen replied slowly. Legends that were dark and powerful even when they weren’t spoken of.
Max yawned as he waited for Isabel, they had a little bit of time so he wasn’t worried about being late. He hadn’t gotten much sleep but it was worth it. Just thinking about Liz’s smile as he dropped her off at home made it worth the lack of sleep.
When his cell phone shrilled breaking into his thoughts he reached for it hoping it was Liz. “Hello?”
“Who is this?” A male voice demanded rudely.
“Excuse me?” Max asked puzzled.
“This is Mr. Rodriguez. Sophia’s father and I want to know where my daughter is and why she has your number. Who are you?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded his voice rising in anger.
“I’m Max Evans, sir. I don’t know where Sophia is I haven’t seen her since Saturday afternoon. We’re partners on a project for school. That’s why she has my number,” Max explained calmly. His brow crinkled as he wondered what was going on.
“You’re dating MY daughter?” Mr. Rodriguez asked his voice rising to a furious shout.
Max held the phone out away from his ear and winced. No wonder Sophia was so closed mouth, she was probably scared to go home if this was her father always reacted. Would she have run away? “No sir. We’re not dating. I barely know her. We were partnered up for a school project. That’s all. I don’t know where she is or anything else about her. I’m sorry I can’t help you,” Max said trying to be reasonable in the face of Mr. Rodriguez fury.
“Of course you can’t,” Mr. Rodriguez said sarcastically. “Why would you help me? The thorn in your side.”
Max looked at the phone briefly wondering if this guy was nuts. He wasn’t listening to a word he said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not dating Sophia. I have a girlfriend…..her name is Liz so you aren’t a thorn in my side. That would be Liz’s father I guess. If Sophia is missing or….gone then I think you should call the Sheriff. I can’t help you because I don’t know anything.”
“Are you suggesting that Sophia ran away?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded.
“I’m not suggesting anything,” Max denied. “Look. I have to get ready for school so I have to let you go. Call the Sheriff. He’s better equipped to help you then I am.”
Without saying anything else Max ended the call. He wasn’t doing any good in talking to Sophia’s father and he didn’t want to cause her any more problems. Tapping the phone against his chin he wondered where Sophia was.
By the time first period was over the whole school was buzzing with the news of the body found in the desert and the two missing students. Speculation ran wild and everyone wondered if one of those girls was the one found by the side of the road.
Max found Liz standing at her locker staring at the locker next to hers. He walked up and slipped his arms around her waist.
“You okay?” Max asked softly.
Liz didn’t answer not really sure how to respond. She didn’t like Pam, and she never would, she knew that but…..the thought that something so horrible had happened to anyone she knew. Anyone that she had seen and talked to on an almost daily basis since starting school was awful. Sophia was another matter all together.
“Do you think it is one of them?” Liz asked softly leaning back against his chest.
“I don’t know,” Max answered tightening his arms around her. “I hope not.”
“Me too,” Liz whispered, worry gnawing at her mind. Sophia seemed so nice. Why would anyone want to hurt her? It just didn’t make sense.
Max guided her to class, touching her softly, unable to release her completely. As terrible as it sounded he was just thankful that Liz was safe. He didn’t wish harm on anyone else of course, but having Liz here, in touching distance, was such a relief. His protective instincts where surfacing strongly at just the possibility of danger in the area. Trouble always seemed to find Liz whether she was looking for it or not.
After they slipped into their seats Liz left her hand in Max’s resting them on her desk, feeling the gentleness in the soft stroking of his thumb over her knuckles.
They both pretty much ignored the others, letting them squabble and talk amongst themselves, lost in their own space.
Michael’s eyes kept drifting to Liz feeling something that was nagging at him. Blocking out Maria’s rambling he closed his eyes as he tried to catch hold of that faint feeling. Finally with an annoyed grunt he gave up. She was gonna have to send louder for him to have a hope of getting it. Scowling in frustration he speared his fingers through his hair thinking she better not start that shit again or he’d go berserk.
This wasn’t the time for him to get distracted. He had to focus on Maria before she latched onto one of those fuckers she kept dating. He was pretty sure that he had succeeded in his mission to prevent Liz from becoming Maria’s partner. All he had to do now was sit back and let Liz tell Maria no and she’d be stuck with him. Now that Liz had plainly stated that she wasn’t interested in being in the middle of any games between him and Maria, he fully expected her to refuse to switch partners.
“What are you grinning like the village idiot about?” Maria demanded.
“I think there’s a game on tonight,” Michael drawled thinking he had outmaneuvered Maria.
“That’s lovely Michael. Really. People we know are getting murdered and you couldn’t give two shits as long as some stupid “game” is on,” Maria said her tone cutting. “Oh yeah. I forgot you’re not human so you DON’T give two shits.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed. “We don’t know that anyone we know was murdered first of all. Second, we should all be happy we’re not in middle of this since it’s a POLICE matter. Thirdly…..I don’t think I like your tone or implications.”
“Oh eat me!” Maria snapped.
Michael’s eyebrow rose and his smirk widened. “All you had to do was ask. For that I’ll miss the game.”
Maria’s mouth fell open before snapping shut with an audible clink of her teeth. “Listen here you….”
“Quiet everyone,” Mrs. Dubrowski called as she closed the door to the classroom. “I have some distressing news. I’ve been informed that the….remains that were found outside of town are those of one of our fellow students. Pam Troy’s parents have been notified of her loss,” Mrs. Dubrowski paused to collect herself. She was so disturbed by what the principle had told her she was almost in tears. To have two students absent wasn’t normally a concern but now one was dead and the other had been reported missing. “I’m sorry to bring you such horrible news. Also, anyone with information about Sophia Rodriguez, please contact the Sheriff’s department. Her father has reported her missing this morning. The Sheriff’s department is asking that everyone be especially careful and stay in groups until more information is available.”
“Due to….recent events I know some of you have partner issues or baby issues. We’ll take today to sort those out. Anyone with concerns about this project now is the time to address it. I’ll speak to each of you individually throughout the period so please bring up your issues then. However, with a partner switch both parties have to agree since we’re a week into things.”
When Max’s turn came he approached Mrs. Dubrowski’s desk and sat in the chair she had placed next to it.
“Max, since Sophia is…..not here you can either continue alone or take a new partner. Do you know what you want to do?” Mrs. Dubrowski asked softly.
“I would like to be partners with Liz but what it Sophia comes back?” Max asked then paused for a second. “I umm got a call from….Sophia’s father this morning. He seems to think that….I know where Sophia is and he didn’t believe me that we were paired up on a school project. He was very upset,” Max said worried. “Do you know when Sophia….was last seen?”
Mrs. Dubrowski set down her pen and focused on Max clearly seeing his worry reflected in his eyes. “I was told her father noticed she was missing when she didn’t come down for church on Sunday. Unfortunately, he worked on Saturday so no one really knows for sure when she disappeared. Do you have your baby or did she?”
“I do. My sister is watching him for me since Sophia wasn’t here to take him. We switched on Saturday afternoon,” Max explained.
“Okay, then I’ll put you down with Liz since she wants to switch as well and you'll keep the baby you have now. If Sophia comes back to class she can decide whether she wants to take a new partner or not. I already explained to the principle about the project and will be talking to Mr. Rodriguez, since he was upset about the project when he learned of it from Sophia’s sister and called the school. I’ll explain your part of the project to him,” Mrs. Dubrowski assured him. The principle had gotten an earful from Sophia’s father, who had flung around wild accusations about everything from the project to Max to the things Sophia was being taught in school. She doubted whether her father would let her come back to this class at all.
“Thank you,” Max said sincerely. “I’ll talk to Kyle’s dad about Sophia after school.”
“That would be very helpful,” Mrs. Dubrowski agreed.
When class let out Max and Liz were new partners, Maria was stuck with Michael who had refused to allow her to switch, and Kyle was at loose ends until a baby could be located to replace Roxy.
Chapter Seventy Five
Sophia huddled in the corner of the room trying to make herself as small as possible. She wanted to be as easy to over look as she could manage.
She didn’t know where she was, since she had spent the ride to here in the trunk with Pam, and so far there had been no opportunity to escape. After what had happened to Pam she was so frozen with fear that it was all she could manage to stay small and quiet.
At first she hadn’t realized how bad it was. She knew it was bad but it hadn’t really sunk in until he started talking. She didn’t know how he got her in the trunk or how long she had been there before she woke up. If she had been able to really think maybe she could figure it out but it just didn’t seem that important anymore.
He looked so normal. When he had opened the trunk he had smiled and seemed so….normal. Sane. There was no raving or threats. He had been pleasant and almost courteous. Until Pam had made the mistake of talking. Then things had turned really quickly.
Sophia had tried to get Pam to shut up but she hadn’t listened and had only gotten louder. Seeing the effect Pam was having, Sophia shut her mouth and tried to be invisible.
She still wasn’t sure what comment of Pam’s had broken through his civil veneer but when it had fallen away the horror of what had happened had been like nothing she had ever dreamed possible. She didn’t remember much of what had happened to Pam. She had watched him mostly, carefully keeping her eyes off of Pam, transfixed by the sight of such a normal picture distorting into a nightmare.
One moment he was looking at them with warm brown eyes a slight curve to his lips…almost a smile as he listened to Pam, the next he was talking about respect and deception. Still looking normal even if he was a little angry. When the knife emerged her eyes had followed it, too shocked to move or respond.
She had found herself watching him…..his face, his hand holding the knife, and arm moving in a blur of motion. The way the red dots appeared on his face, turning into bright slashes of horrible color on his dusky skin. She hadn’t heard Pam’s screams or anything at all after that. Suddenly the world was just white noise and vivid splashes of color in a steady stream of pictures that made no sense to her frozen mind.
Why she was still here, still breathing, was a mystery to her. Why she was even here at all was something she had no answers for. She didn’t know how long she had been here, hours, days or weeks. She just didn’t know. Her world was reduced to trying to remain unnoticed, to not for any reason, draw attention to herself. She had some experience in that area anyway. It was a good talent to have.
“Tell me again,” Cal demanded. He wanted to have every detail right.
“Two girls went missing and one turned up dead. The other hasn’t been found at all so far. Both went to school with our group, both knew them, both interacted with them to a certain degree,” Peck repeated.
“Tell me about them,” Cal said drumming his well-manicured fingers on the desktop.
“The dead girl was Pam Troy. Had a locker next to Liz Parker and seemed to have issues with her of long standing. They got into an argument right before she vanished. She was a bleach blond with a reputation that wasn’t good. The other girl is Sophia Rodriguez. She was partners with Max Evans on a school project at the time of her disappearance. From all accounts she seemed quiet and had nothing in common with the Troy girl,” Peck said a frown creating a deep line between his light eyes.
“What does your gut say? Do we need to be worried?” Cal asked. He had seen Peck reach amazing conclusions that seemed to be leaps of impossible logic. He trusted Peck’s gut.
“We need to be worried,” Peck said slowly. “This is out of character for this town.” His scowl deepened and he scratched his scalp almost roughly as he struggled to explain something he just felt. “A couple times I’ve gotten a sense of something off while watching the Parker girl. I haven’t seen anyone but…that might not mean that there isn’t something there. I don’t like that both girls had any connection to others.”
Cal sat silently for a moment just thinking. “Do you think that she’d recognize you? If you got closer?”
“Yes,” Peck answered. “I think there’s a very good chance of that.”
Cal sighed and looked over at his schedule. “I can be there by mid next week if I push it. Stay close and watch everything. Pull in more men if you need them, get as close as you have to. Keeping them safe is primary, everything else secondary.”
“Understood,” Peck replied.
Max shifted nervously from foot to foot staring at the doors to the café like he would have the doors to hell. He had managed to avoid Liz’s father for the last two days but his run of luck was over.
He thought he was as ready as he would ever be. His shoelaces were tied tightly to prevent tripping just in case he needed to run for his life. His cell phone was fully charged in case he needed to call for help. He had put on extra deodorant. He was dressed neatly and had gotten a hair cut. Liz had promised to stay as close as she could and Michael was working so….
He took one step forward then stopped. Why was this so hard? He had lied to law enforcement and teachers alike…Liz’s dad couldn’t be any worse then the FBI. He had survived that torture so surely he could survive a few questions and some grilling from Jeff Parker. He was being ridiculous. Sure he was defiling the man’s only daughter but that wasn’t a death sentence was it? Max’s breathing picked up and a queasy feeling settled in his stomach.
He almost jumped out of his skin when his cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Are you coming in or are you going to scare yourself into a heart attack?” Liz asked.
“I’m coming in,” Max said but his tone lacked conviction.
“Relax. My dad likes you remember?” Liz asked studying him from inside the café.
“He said that could change,” Max pointed out. “Things could change that.”
Liz smiled and bit her lip. Sometimes he worried a little too much. “Things? What things would those be?” Liz asked unable to resist teasing him just a little.
“Just things,” Max muttered tugging on his collar.
“Ohhhh those things. Since my dad isn’t a mind reading alien I think you’re pretty safe,” Liz said her amusement growing. “Besides, he’s very reasonable.”
“Right,” Max said but the queasy feeling didn’t abate.
“He doesn’t know anything,” Liz pointed out.
“Uh huh,” Max agreed doubtfully. If her dad didn’t know anything then why did he feel like he WAS a mind reading alien? Like he knew exactly what he was thinking every time he so much as glanced at Liz in her father’s presence?
“You could always tell him that I forced you,” Liz said her eyes full of laughter. “That might surprise him enough to give you a head start.”
“Not funny Liz,” Max grimaced then sighed. “You think I’ll need it?”
“He used to run a lot but that was mostly to keep from getting caught by the police I think. He’s settled down now,” Liz paused her eyes twinkling. “No one’s been chasing him for years. I’m sure he’s slowed down some from lack of practice.”
“I’m glad you’re so amused by this,” Max grumbled.
“You’re making it worse then it is,” Liz pointed out calmly. “Standing out there worrying isn’t going to save you. You’re just blowing this up out of proportion at this point.”
“I know. You’re right,” Max said and sucked in a deep breath. “Okay. I’m coming in.”
Liz watched his shoulders straighten as he strode toward the café. Somehow his nervousness over this thing with her father made him even more attractive then normal. He cared enough to get worried and a little scared about what her family thought of him. She thought that was sweet.
“He’s looking a little green,” Michael observed from behind her. “Think your pops will spot him as another life form?”
Liz turned the full force of her glare on him not amused by his comments. Michael just smirked and shrugged.
“You’d think as a king of a whole planet he’d be used to a little pressure. This is peanuts in the big picture,” Michael mused.
“You should talk. A rolled up newspaper took care of you. I thought that only worked on dogs,” Liz responded with a raised eyebrow. “But maybe that’s the problem.”
Michael just grunted and retreated back into the kitchen.
Max pushed open the door and entered the café, his eyes darting quickly around the interior before he committed to entering. Liz smothered her smile and waited for him to walk over to the counter and greet her.
“Hey,” Max said as he slid onto the stool next to her. A glance at the pick up window only revealed Michael so he focused on Liz.
“Hey yourself,” Liz said and leaned forward enough to brush her lips over his quickly. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I think,” Max said nodding. Now that he was here and hadn’t been struck dead on entry his chest eased up a little. Could aliens get asthma?
“After this thing with my dad we really need to work on the project a little. So just come and find me,” Liz said watching Max carefully.
“Right,” Max agreed nodding quickly. If he was still alive they could work on the project.
“Max, it’ll be okay really,” Liz tried to reassure him. She moved closer, slipping her fingers into the hair that barely brushed his collar, trying to take his mind off of his paranoid fantasies. When her lips brushed his she was swamped with his anxiety over this talk and deepened the kiss slightly offering comfort and reassurance.
The danger prickling the back of his neck eased as he felt her steady sense of unity and love. She loved him. It didn’t matter what her father thought, she loved him and that was what counted. It was as simple and complex as that.
“I’ll go find my dad so we can get this over with,” Liz said softly after breaking their kiss.
“Okay,” Max agreed and smiled. He ran his thumbs lightly over the softness of her arms where he held her before releasing her. He felt better, more in control.
Liz smiled back as she slid off her stool then quickly made her way to the storeroom where she knew her dad was working. “Daddy? Max is here,” Liz said from the doorway.
“Okay, honey. Send him back,” Jeff answered only glancing over when Liz didn’t move. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
“No,” Liz answered shaking her head. “Don’t scare him okay Dad? I really like him and would hate to have to call EMS to revive him.”
Jeff set down the two jars of relish he was holding and turned to look at his daughter. She looked so serious leaning against the doorjamb studying him. “You never asked me to go easy on Kyle,” Jeff pointed out.
“That was Kyle,” Liz shrugged. “Max isn’t like Kyle. He doesn’t joke around like Kyle does. This isn’t at all the same as it was with Kyle.”
“So how is it?” Jef asked taking the opening Liz had left him.
“It’s just different. Max is different. Special,” Liz said skirting a direct answer but trying to say just enough. She didn’t want her father getting all freaked out right before talking to Max. “Give him a chance and you’ll see what I mean.”
Jeff sighed and nodded seeing the determined glint in Liz’s eyes. “Okay, send him back.”
Liz nodded and left without saying anymore. For a moment Jeff wished he could reverse time, this growing up business was rough. A smile passed over his face as he remembered Liz running in hell for leather every day when she first started school to tell him about her day. Now it was different. Harder to know what the right thing was.
“Mr. Parker?”
Jeff looked up into the nervous but serious eyes of his daughter’s boyfriend. “Come on in, Max. I’m just doing inventory. Thought we should have a conversation.”
“Yes, sir,” Max said softly and moved into the room.
The silence stretched for several long minutes and Max struggled not to fidget. Jeff neatly stacked the jars letting Max squirm. “What are your intentions toward my daughter?”
Max sucked in a deep breath thinking his answer over. Finally he settled on the truth. “I love her,” Max shrugged. “I want her to be happy.”
Jeff looked him over to gauge his truthfulness. Not seeing anything to make him believe the boy was lying he paused, not sure if he should be pleased by that response or not. “What are your future plans?”
“I’m not sure really,” Max answered rubbing the back of his neck. “My father would like me to take up the law like he did. I’m not sure yet. A lot of things sound interesting. It depends on where I go to school I guess. Liz wants to go to Harvard or Yale so I was thinking of starting with Political Science and then I can decide between teaching or law.”
Jeff didn’t miss the inclusion of Liz in his plans. “You plan on going to one of those schools?”
“I have the grades for it. Years of keeping up with Liz saw to that so yeah, I guess I do,” Max admitted. He held back the fact that Liz’s choice of classes had pretty much determined his so matching her choice of colleges was just the next step to him. “I’m not as into science as Liz is though, I lean more toward history.”
Jeff spent the next hour asking Max one question after another feeling him out on all kinds of topics. Liz glanced in twice but seeing nothing amiss she ducked back out without interfering. Max slowly relaxed understanding why Mr. Parker would want to grill anyone that wanted to be close to Liz. The fact that he cared enough to ask questions and try to be a presence in his daughter’s life was very understandable to him. He would do the same.
Jeff listened to Max’s answers and found them to be well thought out. He seemed like a decent guy who had his head on straight. He wasn’t dumb if he cared about his daughter. She was after all, the smartest most beautiful girl around, who wouldn’t love her?
By the time they emerged from the storeroom, the inventory was done, the stock put away, and both of them understood each other a little bit better.
Sophia huddled in the corner of the room trying to make herself as small as possible. She wanted to be as easy to over look as she could manage.
She didn’t know where she was, since she had spent the ride to here in the trunk with Pam, and so far there had been no opportunity to escape. After what had happened to Pam she was so frozen with fear that it was all she could manage to stay small and quiet.
At first she hadn’t realized how bad it was. She knew it was bad but it hadn’t really sunk in until he started talking. She didn’t know how he got her in the trunk or how long she had been there before she woke up. If she had been able to really think maybe she could figure it out but it just didn’t seem that important anymore.
He looked so normal. When he had opened the trunk he had smiled and seemed so….normal. Sane. There was no raving or threats. He had been pleasant and almost courteous. Until Pam had made the mistake of talking. Then things had turned really quickly.
Sophia had tried to get Pam to shut up but she hadn’t listened and had only gotten louder. Seeing the effect Pam was having, Sophia shut her mouth and tried to be invisible.
She still wasn’t sure what comment of Pam’s had broken through his civil veneer but when it had fallen away the horror of what had happened had been like nothing she had ever dreamed possible. She didn’t remember much of what had happened to Pam. She had watched him mostly, carefully keeping her eyes off of Pam, transfixed by the sight of such a normal picture distorting into a nightmare.
One moment he was looking at them with warm brown eyes a slight curve to his lips…almost a smile as he listened to Pam, the next he was talking about respect and deception. Still looking normal even if he was a little angry. When the knife emerged her eyes had followed it, too shocked to move or respond.
She had found herself watching him…..his face, his hand holding the knife, and arm moving in a blur of motion. The way the red dots appeared on his face, turning into bright slashes of horrible color on his dusky skin. She hadn’t heard Pam’s screams or anything at all after that. Suddenly the world was just white noise and vivid splashes of color in a steady stream of pictures that made no sense to her frozen mind.
Why she was still here, still breathing, was a mystery to her. Why she was even here at all was something she had no answers for. She didn’t know how long she had been here, hours, days or weeks. She just didn’t know. Her world was reduced to trying to remain unnoticed, to not for any reason, draw attention to herself. She had some experience in that area anyway. It was a good talent to have.
“Tell me again,” Cal demanded. He wanted to have every detail right.
“Two girls went missing and one turned up dead. The other hasn’t been found at all so far. Both went to school with our group, both knew them, both interacted with them to a certain degree,” Peck repeated.
“Tell me about them,” Cal said drumming his well-manicured fingers on the desktop.
“The dead girl was Pam Troy. Had a locker next to Liz Parker and seemed to have issues with her of long standing. They got into an argument right before she vanished. She was a bleach blond with a reputation that wasn’t good. The other girl is Sophia Rodriguez. She was partners with Max Evans on a school project at the time of her disappearance. From all accounts she seemed quiet and had nothing in common with the Troy girl,” Peck said a frown creating a deep line between his light eyes.
“What does your gut say? Do we need to be worried?” Cal asked. He had seen Peck reach amazing conclusions that seemed to be leaps of impossible logic. He trusted Peck’s gut.
“We need to be worried,” Peck said slowly. “This is out of character for this town.” His scowl deepened and he scratched his scalp almost roughly as he struggled to explain something he just felt. “A couple times I’ve gotten a sense of something off while watching the Parker girl. I haven’t seen anyone but…that might not mean that there isn’t something there. I don’t like that both girls had any connection to others.”
Cal sat silently for a moment just thinking. “Do you think that she’d recognize you? If you got closer?”
“Yes,” Peck answered. “I think there’s a very good chance of that.”
Cal sighed and looked over at his schedule. “I can be there by mid next week if I push it. Stay close and watch everything. Pull in more men if you need them, get as close as you have to. Keeping them safe is primary, everything else secondary.”
“Understood,” Peck replied.
Max shifted nervously from foot to foot staring at the doors to the café like he would have the doors to hell. He had managed to avoid Liz’s father for the last two days but his run of luck was over.
He thought he was as ready as he would ever be. His shoelaces were tied tightly to prevent tripping just in case he needed to run for his life. His cell phone was fully charged in case he needed to call for help. He had put on extra deodorant. He was dressed neatly and had gotten a hair cut. Liz had promised to stay as close as she could and Michael was working so….
He took one step forward then stopped. Why was this so hard? He had lied to law enforcement and teachers alike…Liz’s dad couldn’t be any worse then the FBI. He had survived that torture so surely he could survive a few questions and some grilling from Jeff Parker. He was being ridiculous. Sure he was defiling the man’s only daughter but that wasn’t a death sentence was it? Max’s breathing picked up and a queasy feeling settled in his stomach.
He almost jumped out of his skin when his cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Are you coming in or are you going to scare yourself into a heart attack?” Liz asked.
“I’m coming in,” Max said but his tone lacked conviction.
“Relax. My dad likes you remember?” Liz asked studying him from inside the café.
“He said that could change,” Max pointed out. “Things could change that.”
Liz smiled and bit her lip. Sometimes he worried a little too much. “Things? What things would those be?” Liz asked unable to resist teasing him just a little.
“Just things,” Max muttered tugging on his collar.
“Ohhhh those things. Since my dad isn’t a mind reading alien I think you’re pretty safe,” Liz said her amusement growing. “Besides, he’s very reasonable.”
“Right,” Max said but the queasy feeling didn’t abate.
“He doesn’t know anything,” Liz pointed out.
“Uh huh,” Max agreed doubtfully. If her dad didn’t know anything then why did he feel like he WAS a mind reading alien? Like he knew exactly what he was thinking every time he so much as glanced at Liz in her father’s presence?
“You could always tell him that I forced you,” Liz said her eyes full of laughter. “That might surprise him enough to give you a head start.”
“Not funny Liz,” Max grimaced then sighed. “You think I’ll need it?”
“He used to run a lot but that was mostly to keep from getting caught by the police I think. He’s settled down now,” Liz paused her eyes twinkling. “No one’s been chasing him for years. I’m sure he’s slowed down some from lack of practice.”
“I’m glad you’re so amused by this,” Max grumbled.
“You’re making it worse then it is,” Liz pointed out calmly. “Standing out there worrying isn’t going to save you. You’re just blowing this up out of proportion at this point.”
“I know. You’re right,” Max said and sucked in a deep breath. “Okay. I’m coming in.”
Liz watched his shoulders straighten as he strode toward the café. Somehow his nervousness over this thing with her father made him even more attractive then normal. He cared enough to get worried and a little scared about what her family thought of him. She thought that was sweet.
“He’s looking a little green,” Michael observed from behind her. “Think your pops will spot him as another life form?”
Liz turned the full force of her glare on him not amused by his comments. Michael just smirked and shrugged.
“You’d think as a king of a whole planet he’d be used to a little pressure. This is peanuts in the big picture,” Michael mused.
“You should talk. A rolled up newspaper took care of you. I thought that only worked on dogs,” Liz responded with a raised eyebrow. “But maybe that’s the problem.”
Michael just grunted and retreated back into the kitchen.
Max pushed open the door and entered the café, his eyes darting quickly around the interior before he committed to entering. Liz smothered her smile and waited for him to walk over to the counter and greet her.
“Hey,” Max said as he slid onto the stool next to her. A glance at the pick up window only revealed Michael so he focused on Liz.
“Hey yourself,” Liz said and leaned forward enough to brush her lips over his quickly. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I think,” Max said nodding. Now that he was here and hadn’t been struck dead on entry his chest eased up a little. Could aliens get asthma?
“After this thing with my dad we really need to work on the project a little. So just come and find me,” Liz said watching Max carefully.
“Right,” Max agreed nodding quickly. If he was still alive they could work on the project.
“Max, it’ll be okay really,” Liz tried to reassure him. She moved closer, slipping her fingers into the hair that barely brushed his collar, trying to take his mind off of his paranoid fantasies. When her lips brushed his she was swamped with his anxiety over this talk and deepened the kiss slightly offering comfort and reassurance.
The danger prickling the back of his neck eased as he felt her steady sense of unity and love. She loved him. It didn’t matter what her father thought, she loved him and that was what counted. It was as simple and complex as that.
“I’ll go find my dad so we can get this over with,” Liz said softly after breaking their kiss.
“Okay,” Max agreed and smiled. He ran his thumbs lightly over the softness of her arms where he held her before releasing her. He felt better, more in control.
Liz smiled back as she slid off her stool then quickly made her way to the storeroom where she knew her dad was working. “Daddy? Max is here,” Liz said from the doorway.
“Okay, honey. Send him back,” Jeff answered only glancing over when Liz didn’t move. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
“No,” Liz answered shaking her head. “Don’t scare him okay Dad? I really like him and would hate to have to call EMS to revive him.”
Jeff set down the two jars of relish he was holding and turned to look at his daughter. She looked so serious leaning against the doorjamb studying him. “You never asked me to go easy on Kyle,” Jeff pointed out.
“That was Kyle,” Liz shrugged. “Max isn’t like Kyle. He doesn’t joke around like Kyle does. This isn’t at all the same as it was with Kyle.”
“So how is it?” Jef asked taking the opening Liz had left him.
“It’s just different. Max is different. Special,” Liz said skirting a direct answer but trying to say just enough. She didn’t want her father getting all freaked out right before talking to Max. “Give him a chance and you’ll see what I mean.”
Jeff sighed and nodded seeing the determined glint in Liz’s eyes. “Okay, send him back.”
Liz nodded and left without saying anymore. For a moment Jeff wished he could reverse time, this growing up business was rough. A smile passed over his face as he remembered Liz running in hell for leather every day when she first started school to tell him about her day. Now it was different. Harder to know what the right thing was.
“Mr. Parker?”
Jeff looked up into the nervous but serious eyes of his daughter’s boyfriend. “Come on in, Max. I’m just doing inventory. Thought we should have a conversation.”
“Yes, sir,” Max said softly and moved into the room.
The silence stretched for several long minutes and Max struggled not to fidget. Jeff neatly stacked the jars letting Max squirm. “What are your intentions toward my daughter?”
Max sucked in a deep breath thinking his answer over. Finally he settled on the truth. “I love her,” Max shrugged. “I want her to be happy.”
Jeff looked him over to gauge his truthfulness. Not seeing anything to make him believe the boy was lying he paused, not sure if he should be pleased by that response or not. “What are your future plans?”
“I’m not sure really,” Max answered rubbing the back of his neck. “My father would like me to take up the law like he did. I’m not sure yet. A lot of things sound interesting. It depends on where I go to school I guess. Liz wants to go to Harvard or Yale so I was thinking of starting with Political Science and then I can decide between teaching or law.”
Jeff didn’t miss the inclusion of Liz in his plans. “You plan on going to one of those schools?”
“I have the grades for it. Years of keeping up with Liz saw to that so yeah, I guess I do,” Max admitted. He held back the fact that Liz’s choice of classes had pretty much determined his so matching her choice of colleges was just the next step to him. “I’m not as into science as Liz is though, I lean more toward history.”
Jeff spent the next hour asking Max one question after another feeling him out on all kinds of topics. Liz glanced in twice but seeing nothing amiss she ducked back out without interfering. Max slowly relaxed understanding why Mr. Parker would want to grill anyone that wanted to be close to Liz. The fact that he cared enough to ask questions and try to be a presence in his daughter’s life was very understandable to him. He would do the same.
Jeff listened to Max’s answers and found them to be well thought out. He seemed like a decent guy who had his head on straight. He wasn’t dumb if he cared about his daughter. She was after all, the smartest most beautiful girl around, who wouldn’t love her?
By the time they emerged from the storeroom, the inventory was done, the stock put away, and both of them understood each other a little bit better.
Chapter Seventy Six
Zan watched the light glint off the metal on Liz’s bracelet as it slipped between his fingers. He was beginning to get a few ideas on what it did. How it did them wasn’t as clear. The how didn’t matter much to him, results were what mattered. It had a feel to it that told him there was power there and his little…..games of the last few weeks had confirmed Liz was somehow tied to the bracelet.
A smirk crossed Zan’s face as he thought about how often her eyes had snapped with aggression and an edge of hostility. He always had liked a girl with edge, it was nice to see hers coming out. Lately her eyes said that if you pissed her off, she just might kick your ass. If you were lucky. Clearly Mikey liked it too, Zan thought with his smirk growing bigger. Michael was the one most often on the receiving end of Liz’s temper, running a close second was Kyle.
Now it was time to find out if Max had any ties to the bracelet. If he had heard Liz right and this Future version of his dupe had made it, then the power he felt was his. If that was true Max was about to have a very interesting day Zan mused glancing at the clock. Lunch should be over for them by now, time to kick it.
Max shifted in his seat and sent an uneasy glance over at Liz feeling a sudden surge of heat. Surely that Bunsen burner couldn’t possibly heat the whole area, but it sure was hot, Max thought as he felt a trickle of sweat run down between his shoulder blades. Shifting again to relieve the growing restrictive pressure of his pants, he tried to focus but found his eyes following the elegant line of Liz’s neck. Her hair was tucked behind her ear, flowing over her back in a silken fall of rich color, leaving her throat bare tempting him to kiss her. Shit.
Oblivious to Max’s current thoughts, Liz was totally absorbed in the lab, carefully heating the required mix of chemicals and noting their response to that stimulus. Interesting, Liz scribbled faster as the color changed and the solution reacted forcefully.
When her small white teeth caught her bottom lip, nibbling absently as she concentrated, Max realized he was in serious trouble. The rest of the room fell away as he stared at her mouth in a daze, carnal thoughts running in a steady stream through his head, much like an urgent news bulletin at the bottom of a TV screen would. Suddenly, he couldn’t focus on anything else.
A frown crossed Liz’s face as she added the next chemical. Picking up her pen she rapidly scribbled down notes trying to write as fast as her mind was working. A lock of hair slipped from behind her ear and drifted down over her cheek making her pause as she tucked it back into place. She nibbled on the end of her pen as she looked over her notes. A soft groan from beside her drew her attention from her work.
“Max? Aren’t you going to complete the lab?” Liz asked first, seeing his blank paper, then looking up into his eyes. Her eyes widened in surprise at the seething hunger reflected back at her. “Umm Max?” Liz whispered as Max scooted closer.
“What?” Max asked absently knowing she was talking because he could see her soft shiny lips move but he couldn’t seem to focus on her words. He scooted his chair closer with the idea that being closer would help. Closer was better, less distance for the sounds to travel.
When his arm brushed against hers she lost her train of thought and leaned into him slightly to hold the contact longer.
Two rows back to the left Alex watched the by play tapping his pen on his notebook. His pen froze mid tap when Max moved closer, his hand drifting over a patch of bare skin between Liz’s shirt and the top edge of her skirt. He glanced around the room hoping no one else saw the same glowing he did. Seeing that no one was paying any attention he realized he had to do something before they lit up the whole room or something. Clearing his throat loudly had no effect. Hitting Max in the head with a balled up piece of paper didn’t even make him blink. He was here right? This wasn’t one of those dreams where he was invisible was it? Alex’s eyes widened as a thought occurred to him and he looked down, relieved when he found himself fully clothed. Invisible he could deal with…..nakedness in public was a different story. He hated that dream.
The snickers when he knocked over his beaker convinced him that he was indeed fully visible to everyone but Max and Liz. So things were fairly normal.
The snickers just barely registered for Liz but even that reminder of where they were wasn’t enough for her to move away. Instead she glanced around, then scooted her stool closer, gambling on Max’s shoulder and body hiding most of the rooms view of her. She was very familiar with feeling a dangerously strong yearning for him that lingered, echoing in the space between them. She had felt it for him too many times to count at this point, but what made it different now was that it had teeth, they both knew what that yearning turned into once they just….gave in. It was there simmering between them, existing like a live thing charging the air around them. How could she resist that and why would she want to?
Max leaned in closer his chest brushing her shoulder, his hands itched to touch her, his body clamored for the feel of hers. Her scent enfolded him causing his stomach to rumble in response and his body to tighten further with need.
When his mouth brushed her ear Liz sucked in her breath and sat up. Max made a low sound of protest when she moved away, inching closer to close the gap.
“Max,” Liz warned softly as reason tried to assert itself. Reaching over to turn off the Bunsen burner she almost moaned as his fingers trailed over her thigh. “We’re in class.”
When he didn’t respond she glanced over her shoulder and met his eyes. What she saw was very basic and clear. She accepted what he was telling her, they had to leave. Now.
Turning in her seat she caught Alex’s eye and gestured to the blanket wrapped baby resting out of harms way on the table. When Alex took her queue and nodded she leaned over and spoke into Max’s ear.
“Get your books. Let’s go,” Liz whispered and watched him blink then nod.
With the confusion of everyone wandering around the lab getting supplies, asking questions, or just socializing, it wasn’t that difficult to slip out. Since after the lab was completed they were allowed to leave anyway they wouldn’t even be missed. Max went first and Liz followed a few minutes later, after cleaning up their station. She had barely cleared the door when Max latched onto her hand and took off down the hall.
“Umm Max? I don’t think we need to be running,” Liz said struggling to match his long strides and maintain her hold on her armload of books. “This might attract a little more attention then we need right now.”
Max didn’t respond except to pick up the pace.
“My skirt is not made for this,” Liz said having trouble with the tight fit of the skirt with the fast pace he was setting. Even the slits up both sides weren’t really helping. She was so involved with just keeping up and not dropping anything or tripping, that she didn’t notice Max’s destination. It was the lettering on the door as he yanked it open and pulled her in that startled her into realization. “The boy’s bathroom? Max! I can’t be in here!” Liz yelped and started tugging on her hand. Digging in her heels trying to drag him to a stop when all it succeeded in doing was allowing him to skate her over the floor since her shoes had no traction on the tile surface.
Tugging her into the last handicapped stall, he locked the door behind them. A wave of his hand cleaned the stainless steel of the built in corner shelf, designed to hold a backpack or a pile of books.
“Max? Are you listening to me?” Liz asked frustrated with his continued silence. What the hell was he doing? This was NOT the eraser room. This was NOT private. It was the BOY’S BATHROOM! Liz emitted a squeak of surprise as Max gave a determined yank on the hand he still held, sending her books to the floor and her falling against his chest.
As Liz gasp in shock at his behavior, he sank his fingers into her hair, lightly cupping the back of her head. By the time she could protest he had her lips otherwise occupied.
Surprisingly, this first kiss wasn’t forceful or demanding. It was soft, a question instead of a demand. Liz smiled against his mouth and nipped his lip.
“Here?” Liz asked raising her eyebrow and pointedly looked around. “You want me to loose my…..panties in here?”
Max’s lips twitched at the smile in her eyes that contrasted with her question. “Is that bad? That shelf looks so comfortable.”
Liz’s eyes narrowed at the laughing sparkle in his eyes mixing well with the desire still evident. “Yeah. Right. That’s exactly what I was not thinking.”
Max’s lips twitched but before he could respond the door banged open. Max watched Liz’s eyes widen in panic and she fairly leapt onto the shelf pulling her feet up above the open space between the stall and the floor. Max grinned and she stuck her tongue out at him making his grin widen. Her warning glare didn’t dissuade him from creeping closer.
Liz’s eyes went wide when he ran his hands up her calves, her skirt catching on his wrists, when she wiggled he put a finger to his lips shushing her with great enjoyment. He was evil. Just so bad.
Max smiled when she intensified her glare, kissing her ear then nibbling around the rim as the sink turned on outside.
Liz didn’t hear the sink as Max kissed her, his palms rubbing circles on the outside of her thighs leaving trails of fire in his wake, a soft glow shining through the heavy black material of her skirt.
Max was taken by surprise when her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer, as her mouth opened under his. He pulled her shoes off and dropped them to the floor, tasting her mouth with growing urgency.
Liz forgot where they were as his hands glided up her legs, his tongue enticing hers with skillful movements, his body crowded hers back into the wall and the cold metal against her back just had her pulling him even closer seeking his warmth. When the door banged shut she eased away, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes heavy lidded as she gazed up at him.
Max felt something so strong it momentarily stilled him. It felt like even his heart paused, until she smiled, her lip sliding out from between her teeth.
Liz knew this was crazy. They could get caught. This wasn’t really her and it was so unlike Max. Max was the cautious one, at least he was most of the time. So why didn’t she want to stop? She should. They should. She felt the warm brush of his breath on her neck and her blood surged wildly. She raised her arms when he started to pull up her shirt and when her shirt was free she left them there, fingers curling around the top of the stall.
The sight of her wrenched a groan from him and his hands moved over the soft curve of her breasts. Her pouting nipples tempted him, dipping his head his tongue slowly laved one then the other driving a hitching moan from her throat.
Her back arched involuntarily, pushing her breasts up into his mouth, her fingers stroked into his hair, cradling him to her. Slowly, reluctantly he released her only to rub his cheek against her, his breath fanning out over her chest. Nibbling kisses lead him up over the curve of her throat to her ear. Her fingers slipped beneath his shirt stroking over his chest as she bit her lip hard to stifle the moan trying to break free.
When Max lifted her, pushing her skirt up to her waist, she again reached for the top of the stall, helping him by holding some of her weight as he rid her of her panties. Her eyes flickered with heat as he tucked the panties into his pocket before skimming her legs briefly, then pulling her closer.
A hot stab of need sliced through her abdomen as he made love to her mouth, stealing her breath and focusing her so intently on him that the marching band could have been playing just outside that stall and she wouldn’t have heard a note. Her fingers fumbled with the button fly of his jeans in her rush to touch him, just as she pushed his jeans off of his hips he took a step back yanking his shirt over his head. Before it was even clear of his arms she used her legs to pull him back to her.
Max was panting for breath as her arms slid around his neck. They both felt the jolt of their bare skin meeting, gently rubbing against each other, anticipation sparking the air. His hands went to her hips, guiding her closer to the edge of the shelf as her fingers wrapped around his shaft. Unable to resist she stroked his thick length several times until the thrust of his hips pushed him through her wet folds causing a sharp twist of pure need. She guided him into her and buried her face in his neck, holding on tight as his first thrust carried him deep.
Max felt her swift intake of air against his skin and groaned. All he could think about was having her, nothing else registered. The sharp heavy thrusts of his body into hers was all that mattered. This moment, the feel of her moving so fluidly against him in the limited space, the way she clutched at him, holding him so tightly. His hands moved to the top of the stall as her nails sank into his shoulders needing more leverage, the angle was awkward and he couldn’t get deep enough, move fast enough. Frustrated, his grip tightened, holding onto the one thing that felt solid, using it to thrust harder, her breathless pants making him mindless and utterly out of control.
Liz was startled when he pulled out of her, a whimpered protest wordlessly telling him she was as close as he was. She watched dazed as he crouched down stacking their books in front of the shelf, kicking her shoes out of his way as he stood. She gasp as he lifted her, placing her feet on the top book and spinning her around to face the wall. She wobbled as the stack teetered under her feet for second before he steadied her by placing his feet on either side of the stack.
Max kissed her shoulder, silently asking if she was comfortable with this, when she leaned back into him he drew his arm around her waist curving his body over her back.
Liz braced herself against the metal wall of the stall as Max’s first push impaled her on his hard length. His movements bled into hers and time ceased, there was only this, building between them, taking them out of the individual shells that hid them from each other. The moment ended with the fire alarm shrieking over their cries of completion.
Max’s forehead hit the cold metal, steaming up the surface around him as the sound of the alarm continued along with the chatter of students pouring out their classes. Too weak to move he rested, his heartbeat thundering against Liz’s back.
“I hope that’s Kyle pulling another false alarm,” Liz mused not sounding worried at all. “I really don’t want to explain where I was when the school burned down.”
Max smiled and nodded weakly. “That would be a bad idea.”
“If we get caught. You’re explaining this to my parents,” Liz said and smiled when Max straightened abruptly.
Zan watched the light glint off the metal on Liz’s bracelet as it slipped between his fingers. He was beginning to get a few ideas on what it did. How it did them wasn’t as clear. The how didn’t matter much to him, results were what mattered. It had a feel to it that told him there was power there and his little…..games of the last few weeks had confirmed Liz was somehow tied to the bracelet.
A smirk crossed Zan’s face as he thought about how often her eyes had snapped with aggression and an edge of hostility. He always had liked a girl with edge, it was nice to see hers coming out. Lately her eyes said that if you pissed her off, she just might kick your ass. If you were lucky. Clearly Mikey liked it too, Zan thought with his smirk growing bigger. Michael was the one most often on the receiving end of Liz’s temper, running a close second was Kyle.
Now it was time to find out if Max had any ties to the bracelet. If he had heard Liz right and this Future version of his dupe had made it, then the power he felt was his. If that was true Max was about to have a very interesting day Zan mused glancing at the clock. Lunch should be over for them by now, time to kick it.
Max shifted in his seat and sent an uneasy glance over at Liz feeling a sudden surge of heat. Surely that Bunsen burner couldn’t possibly heat the whole area, but it sure was hot, Max thought as he felt a trickle of sweat run down between his shoulder blades. Shifting again to relieve the growing restrictive pressure of his pants, he tried to focus but found his eyes following the elegant line of Liz’s neck. Her hair was tucked behind her ear, flowing over her back in a silken fall of rich color, leaving her throat bare tempting him to kiss her. Shit.
Oblivious to Max’s current thoughts, Liz was totally absorbed in the lab, carefully heating the required mix of chemicals and noting their response to that stimulus. Interesting, Liz scribbled faster as the color changed and the solution reacted forcefully.
When her small white teeth caught her bottom lip, nibbling absently as she concentrated, Max realized he was in serious trouble. The rest of the room fell away as he stared at her mouth in a daze, carnal thoughts running in a steady stream through his head, much like an urgent news bulletin at the bottom of a TV screen would. Suddenly, he couldn’t focus on anything else.
A frown crossed Liz’s face as she added the next chemical. Picking up her pen she rapidly scribbled down notes trying to write as fast as her mind was working. A lock of hair slipped from behind her ear and drifted down over her cheek making her pause as she tucked it back into place. She nibbled on the end of her pen as she looked over her notes. A soft groan from beside her drew her attention from her work.
“Max? Aren’t you going to complete the lab?” Liz asked first, seeing his blank paper, then looking up into his eyes. Her eyes widened in surprise at the seething hunger reflected back at her. “Umm Max?” Liz whispered as Max scooted closer.
“What?” Max asked absently knowing she was talking because he could see her soft shiny lips move but he couldn’t seem to focus on her words. He scooted his chair closer with the idea that being closer would help. Closer was better, less distance for the sounds to travel.
When his arm brushed against hers she lost her train of thought and leaned into him slightly to hold the contact longer.
Two rows back to the left Alex watched the by play tapping his pen on his notebook. His pen froze mid tap when Max moved closer, his hand drifting over a patch of bare skin between Liz’s shirt and the top edge of her skirt. He glanced around the room hoping no one else saw the same glowing he did. Seeing that no one was paying any attention he realized he had to do something before they lit up the whole room or something. Clearing his throat loudly had no effect. Hitting Max in the head with a balled up piece of paper didn’t even make him blink. He was here right? This wasn’t one of those dreams where he was invisible was it? Alex’s eyes widened as a thought occurred to him and he looked down, relieved when he found himself fully clothed. Invisible he could deal with…..nakedness in public was a different story. He hated that dream.
The snickers when he knocked over his beaker convinced him that he was indeed fully visible to everyone but Max and Liz. So things were fairly normal.
The snickers just barely registered for Liz but even that reminder of where they were wasn’t enough for her to move away. Instead she glanced around, then scooted her stool closer, gambling on Max’s shoulder and body hiding most of the rooms view of her. She was very familiar with feeling a dangerously strong yearning for him that lingered, echoing in the space between them. She had felt it for him too many times to count at this point, but what made it different now was that it had teeth, they both knew what that yearning turned into once they just….gave in. It was there simmering between them, existing like a live thing charging the air around them. How could she resist that and why would she want to?
Max leaned in closer his chest brushing her shoulder, his hands itched to touch her, his body clamored for the feel of hers. Her scent enfolded him causing his stomach to rumble in response and his body to tighten further with need.
When his mouth brushed her ear Liz sucked in her breath and sat up. Max made a low sound of protest when she moved away, inching closer to close the gap.
“Max,” Liz warned softly as reason tried to assert itself. Reaching over to turn off the Bunsen burner she almost moaned as his fingers trailed over her thigh. “We’re in class.”
When he didn’t respond she glanced over her shoulder and met his eyes. What she saw was very basic and clear. She accepted what he was telling her, they had to leave. Now.
Turning in her seat she caught Alex’s eye and gestured to the blanket wrapped baby resting out of harms way on the table. When Alex took her queue and nodded she leaned over and spoke into Max’s ear.
“Get your books. Let’s go,” Liz whispered and watched him blink then nod.
With the confusion of everyone wandering around the lab getting supplies, asking questions, or just socializing, it wasn’t that difficult to slip out. Since after the lab was completed they were allowed to leave anyway they wouldn’t even be missed. Max went first and Liz followed a few minutes later, after cleaning up their station. She had barely cleared the door when Max latched onto her hand and took off down the hall.
“Umm Max? I don’t think we need to be running,” Liz said struggling to match his long strides and maintain her hold on her armload of books. “This might attract a little more attention then we need right now.”
Max didn’t respond except to pick up the pace.
“My skirt is not made for this,” Liz said having trouble with the tight fit of the skirt with the fast pace he was setting. Even the slits up both sides weren’t really helping. She was so involved with just keeping up and not dropping anything or tripping, that she didn’t notice Max’s destination. It was the lettering on the door as he yanked it open and pulled her in that startled her into realization. “The boy’s bathroom? Max! I can’t be in here!” Liz yelped and started tugging on her hand. Digging in her heels trying to drag him to a stop when all it succeeded in doing was allowing him to skate her over the floor since her shoes had no traction on the tile surface.
Tugging her into the last handicapped stall, he locked the door behind them. A wave of his hand cleaned the stainless steel of the built in corner shelf, designed to hold a backpack or a pile of books.
“Max? Are you listening to me?” Liz asked frustrated with his continued silence. What the hell was he doing? This was NOT the eraser room. This was NOT private. It was the BOY’S BATHROOM! Liz emitted a squeak of surprise as Max gave a determined yank on the hand he still held, sending her books to the floor and her falling against his chest.
As Liz gasp in shock at his behavior, he sank his fingers into her hair, lightly cupping the back of her head. By the time she could protest he had her lips otherwise occupied.
Surprisingly, this first kiss wasn’t forceful or demanding. It was soft, a question instead of a demand. Liz smiled against his mouth and nipped his lip.
“Here?” Liz asked raising her eyebrow and pointedly looked around. “You want me to loose my…..panties in here?”
Max’s lips twitched at the smile in her eyes that contrasted with her question. “Is that bad? That shelf looks so comfortable.”
Liz’s eyes narrowed at the laughing sparkle in his eyes mixing well with the desire still evident. “Yeah. Right. That’s exactly what I was not thinking.”
Max’s lips twitched but before he could respond the door banged open. Max watched Liz’s eyes widen in panic and she fairly leapt onto the shelf pulling her feet up above the open space between the stall and the floor. Max grinned and she stuck her tongue out at him making his grin widen. Her warning glare didn’t dissuade him from creeping closer.
Liz’s eyes went wide when he ran his hands up her calves, her skirt catching on his wrists, when she wiggled he put a finger to his lips shushing her with great enjoyment. He was evil. Just so bad.
Max smiled when she intensified her glare, kissing her ear then nibbling around the rim as the sink turned on outside.
Liz didn’t hear the sink as Max kissed her, his palms rubbing circles on the outside of her thighs leaving trails of fire in his wake, a soft glow shining through the heavy black material of her skirt.
Max was taken by surprise when her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer, as her mouth opened under his. He pulled her shoes off and dropped them to the floor, tasting her mouth with growing urgency.
Liz forgot where they were as his hands glided up her legs, his tongue enticing hers with skillful movements, his body crowded hers back into the wall and the cold metal against her back just had her pulling him even closer seeking his warmth. When the door banged shut she eased away, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes heavy lidded as she gazed up at him.
Max felt something so strong it momentarily stilled him. It felt like even his heart paused, until she smiled, her lip sliding out from between her teeth.
Liz knew this was crazy. They could get caught. This wasn’t really her and it was so unlike Max. Max was the cautious one, at least he was most of the time. So why didn’t she want to stop? She should. They should. She felt the warm brush of his breath on her neck and her blood surged wildly. She raised her arms when he started to pull up her shirt and when her shirt was free she left them there, fingers curling around the top of the stall.
The sight of her wrenched a groan from him and his hands moved over the soft curve of her breasts. Her pouting nipples tempted him, dipping his head his tongue slowly laved one then the other driving a hitching moan from her throat.
Her back arched involuntarily, pushing her breasts up into his mouth, her fingers stroked into his hair, cradling him to her. Slowly, reluctantly he released her only to rub his cheek against her, his breath fanning out over her chest. Nibbling kisses lead him up over the curve of her throat to her ear. Her fingers slipped beneath his shirt stroking over his chest as she bit her lip hard to stifle the moan trying to break free.
When Max lifted her, pushing her skirt up to her waist, she again reached for the top of the stall, helping him by holding some of her weight as he rid her of her panties. Her eyes flickered with heat as he tucked the panties into his pocket before skimming her legs briefly, then pulling her closer.
A hot stab of need sliced through her abdomen as he made love to her mouth, stealing her breath and focusing her so intently on him that the marching band could have been playing just outside that stall and she wouldn’t have heard a note. Her fingers fumbled with the button fly of his jeans in her rush to touch him, just as she pushed his jeans off of his hips he took a step back yanking his shirt over his head. Before it was even clear of his arms she used her legs to pull him back to her.
Max was panting for breath as her arms slid around his neck. They both felt the jolt of their bare skin meeting, gently rubbing against each other, anticipation sparking the air. His hands went to her hips, guiding her closer to the edge of the shelf as her fingers wrapped around his shaft. Unable to resist she stroked his thick length several times until the thrust of his hips pushed him through her wet folds causing a sharp twist of pure need. She guided him into her and buried her face in his neck, holding on tight as his first thrust carried him deep.
Max felt her swift intake of air against his skin and groaned. All he could think about was having her, nothing else registered. The sharp heavy thrusts of his body into hers was all that mattered. This moment, the feel of her moving so fluidly against him in the limited space, the way she clutched at him, holding him so tightly. His hands moved to the top of the stall as her nails sank into his shoulders needing more leverage, the angle was awkward and he couldn’t get deep enough, move fast enough. Frustrated, his grip tightened, holding onto the one thing that felt solid, using it to thrust harder, her breathless pants making him mindless and utterly out of control.
Liz was startled when he pulled out of her, a whimpered protest wordlessly telling him she was as close as he was. She watched dazed as he crouched down stacking their books in front of the shelf, kicking her shoes out of his way as he stood. She gasp as he lifted her, placing her feet on the top book and spinning her around to face the wall. She wobbled as the stack teetered under her feet for second before he steadied her by placing his feet on either side of the stack.
Max kissed her shoulder, silently asking if she was comfortable with this, when she leaned back into him he drew his arm around her waist curving his body over her back.
Liz braced herself against the metal wall of the stall as Max’s first push impaled her on his hard length. His movements bled into hers and time ceased, there was only this, building between them, taking them out of the individual shells that hid them from each other. The moment ended with the fire alarm shrieking over their cries of completion.
Max’s forehead hit the cold metal, steaming up the surface around him as the sound of the alarm continued along with the chatter of students pouring out their classes. Too weak to move he rested, his heartbeat thundering against Liz’s back.
“I hope that’s Kyle pulling another false alarm,” Liz mused not sounding worried at all. “I really don’t want to explain where I was when the school burned down.”
Max smiled and nodded weakly. “That would be a bad idea.”
“If we get caught. You’re explaining this to my parents,” Liz said and smiled when Max straightened abruptly.
Chapter Seventy Seven
Max boosted Liz out the widow then climbed out after her landing lightly beside her.
“What about our books?” Liz asked trying to delay the inevitable. She didn’t want to join the rest of the student body. She had a bad case of spaghetti legs now that she was standing on her own and knew she looked very mussed.
“They’ll be fine. I’ll go back and get them later,” Max answered. Now that he was thinking straight he was vaguely shocked by his own actions but the permeating sense of satisfaction prevented him from worrying too much. He brushed a kiss over the damp hair at Liz’s temple and took her hand. “Ready?”
“No,” Liz answered leaning into him. “I look like….bad. I look bad.”
Max took a moment to look her over and had to disagree. Her lips were puffy, skirt a little wrinkled, and there was a bruise starting to show on her neck but she looked fantastic to him. When she looked up at him he noticed her eyes held a slumberous cast to them that betrayed her. Oh. Well. There was no help for that now. “You look great. We gotta go. I’m sure someone’s looking for us.”
“Yeah, right,” Liz sighed plucking at her skirt. It was ripped up the side and wrinkled all to hell on top of that and it was one of her favorites. It had a Mexican look to it with the embroidery at the hem and up the sides. “Can you fix my skirt at least?”
Max looked at it and nodded. Crouching down in front of her he took the hem in his hand and focused. When he was finished he blinked and looked up at her. “Okay?”
Liz nodded feeling a flutter in her belly. He was so gorgeous even when he was all sweaty. There had to be something wrong here. It just wasn’t normal to feel like this so soon. She was sure of that. Let’s not even dwell on the bathroom incident either, Liz thought with a mental eye roll.
“You okay?” Max asked, seeing the dazed look on her face.
“Uh huh,” Liz nodded forcefully.
“Okay,” Max said sounding a little uncertain but not willing to press the issue. “Let’s go.”
Liz allowed him to lead her around the building not really paying attention to where they were going, her thoughts were elsewhere. She didn’t know where to go anyway, she couldn’t remember the meeting place for their class. Or had the next class already started when the alarm went off?
Reaching the lawn beside the senior’s parking lot they saw that everyone was just milling around in confusion anyway, so when Maria started waving at them they headed over to the group. The whole group Liz realized with a sinking feeling. Frowning she studied Zan wondering what the hell he was doing here. The smirk on his face set her teeth on edge without him even saying a word.
Max felt her fingers tighten around his and glanced down at her. Seeing her glaring at Zan, he slowed giving himself more time to study him. He was pretty sure he intensely disliked him. The way he looked at Liz sometimes pissed him off, the way he talked to her pissed him off, then there was seeing a very Michael like smirk on a face so similar to his own. It was creepy.
“You two look a little…..sweaty,” Maria remarked as they joined them. She watched Liz shift closer to Max and look up at him clearly wanting him to make the excuses. “And late.”
“We had to take a detour,” Max said clearly not wanting to get into it.
“I heard that,” Kyle said, pointedly looking at Liz.
Liz’s eyes went wide and she scooted closer to Max wanting to hide.
“What kind of detour?” Maria asked looking mildly interested.
“Just a detour,” Max said shrugging. “Nothing that’s a group concern. So. Is the building on fire or what?”
“They think it’s a short,” Isabel answered trying to help him out. She so didn’t want to hear anymore about any detours. “Every time they turn off the alarm it goes on again.”
“Huh,” Max replied reaching up to tug on his ear. Feeling Liz’s growing agitation he searched for another topic change.
“Something sure had the power surging. To cause a short like that,” Zan replied hands in his pockets. His eyes flickered between Max and Liz then settled on Liz.
Max felt a growing urge to just pound the crap out of Zan. He wasn’t sure if it was his or Liz’s. He could feel her simmering hostility under a layer of embarrassment and suspicion. “Why are you here anyway?” Max asked abruptly.
“Jus rolling by,” Zan shrugged smiling.
“For?” Max asked his eyes narrowing in clear disbelief and growing anger. He really didn’t like this guy.
“I’s thinking about getten a higher education,” Zan mocked not even trying to hide it.
Ava punched him sharply in the arm tired of his shit. She’d bet her eyeteeth he was starting some shit. Messing where he shouldn’t be. “Shut up, Zan. Ain’t you got a job?” Ava asked trying to move him along and get him out of there.
“Can’t I come see you? You always gotta act like that?” Zan asked his tone lazy.
“Like what? Like how things are you mean?” Ava asked eyeing him like he was the lowest life form on the planet. He always tried to turn things around so you didn’t keep questioning him. It was a very familiar trick. “What’s in your pocket?” Ava asked noticing how he hadn’t removed his hands from his pockets since he walked up. After everyone but Max and Liz were already here.
“My pocket? I’ll show ya if you really wanna see,” Zan said his eyes sparkling. “I’s let you dig for it if ya ask real nice.”
“I ain’t even playing Zan,” Ava warned pissed off.
“I ain’t eitha,” Zan said suddenly serious. “Sides I ain’t the one wit the bulging pockets. What you got there dog?” Zan asked looking to Max.
Liz sucked in her breath knowing exactly what was in Max’s pocket. Her pale yellow silk panties with the flowers that almost matched her skirt.
“I’m not interested in his pockets. I asked about yours,” Ava said standing firm. He wasn’t getting away with this little act with her. Not anymore.
“When you stop wit the game I’ll share what’s in my pockets,” Zan said locking eyes with Ava’s. “We’s both know how it is, Baby Girl. So chill wit the attitude. You called the ball here. I’s just rolling wit it. Playing the odds.”
“You should know I don’t play,” Ava warned. “Or work the odds. I ain’t cut that way. If this life ain’t suited to you then bounce. Ain’t nothing holding you here but you’s self so look ta you’s own choices on this one. You the man right?”
Zan caught her sarcasm loud and clear and his eyes hardened. “I ain’t saying I’s know everything here. But you’s lying ta you’s self. I know you betta then anyone. We’s always been tight our whole lives. I neva lied ta ya and I neva bailed on you’s. So lie ta you’s self but don’t lie ta me and ‘spect me ta go along,” Zan said his fist closing over the bracelet so tightly he could feel the imprint of every stone. She knew damn well why he was here. Ignore it or run from it that didn’t change anything. He knew her. Sides he had other things to keep him busy.
“I don’t expect anything. You taught me that,” Ava said clearly not looking away.
Zan stared at her for a long silent minute his jaw clenched, muscles jumping. “Later,” He said shortly and spun on his heels, striding away with long angry strides. She had taught him a few things too. One of those things was patience. Some things were worth waiting for.
“So. Nice shoes Liz,” Kyle said to break the tension. “I think I’ve noticed them before.”
“You hussy!” Maria remarked half shocked half impressed.
“You’re not listening Maria!” Liz complained.
“Oh I heard you,” Maria said putting the cap on one of the sugars. “Loud and clear. Loud….Oh My God! Kyle heard you!?”
“Maria! Focus here please?” Liz said wanting to avoid that part.
“Focusing,” Maria assured her. “Continue. I’m all ears.”
“I don’t know what happened. It’s not like Max to…be like that. Then he… and I….umm forget it,” Liz said frustrated.
“No, you’re right it isn’t exactly like you two are normally having hot monkey sex in public restrooms. So what set him off do you think?” Maria asked going along with her train of thought.
“I don’t know. I was just doing our lab,” Liz explained. “I don’t think I did anything.”
“Maybe you’re brain is the turn on,” Maria suggested. They both looked at each other and started laughing.
“Get serious Maria!” Liz said between giggles.
“What about that thing with Ava and Zan?” Maria asked curious about Liz’s opinion.
“It was tense. What was Zan even doing there? Did you see where he came from?” Liz asked lifting her tray of ketchup bottles.
“He came from inside the school,” Maria said certainty in her voice.
Liz frowned her innate suspicion of him growing with that information. He had no reason to be inside the school and why today?
Maria looked toward the front of the café and smiled when she saw Max standing outside looking almost shy. Amazing really, that he could still be so….Max.
“I think you have a visitor,” Maria said gesturing outside.
Liz followed Maria’s line of sight and set her tray back down before heading up front to let him in.
“Max. What’s up?” Liz asked not meeting his eyes.
“I just….wanted to….see you,” Max said softly.
“Oh,” Liz said softly leaning against the door. “This is the place. To find me I mean.”
Maria watched their nervous discourse in amazement. That more then anything made her wonder. She went over what Liz had said again in her head looking for a clue as to what was going on. When Liz came back looking mopey she brought up her idea.
“This thing today. How did it feel for you? I mean….was it like you had to touch him? Like before?” Maria asked.
“Umm not exactly. Not at first, it was more like umm like I always feel, then it was more…intense. I could feel his….umm it wasn’t like before,” Liz waffled. “He was the one that was so….umm not like him. He wasn’t hiding behind any tree I can tell you that. I don’t think he was even thinking about his hide in plain sight plan at all.”
“Was there glowing?” Maria asked. “Alex said there was glowing.”
“Really? I didn’t notice,” Liz said looking at the floor.
Maria smiled at her striving for a casual tone voice. “Well. Okay so we’ll say there was glowing. Anything else?”
“Ahh nope,” Liz answered flushing.
“Oh. Okay then,” Maria said biting her tongue. “I’ll just ask Kyle when I see him,” Maria said and watched Liz’s head snap up. “Kidding.”
Liz smiled and rolled her eyes. “That’s my life one embarrassing incident after another.”
“Well look at it this way. You’re probably the only one that has seen the inside of the boy’s room,” Maria said then rethought that. “That’s alive anyway. We can’t count Pam right?”
“Great. Thanks Maria,” Liz said on a sigh.
When Liz finally made it upstairs, she found Max waiting for her outside her window still looking uncomfortable. She walked over and let him in.
“Hi again,” Liz said on a smile. “Need another look?”
Max smiled at her teasing comment. “Always.”
“Okay,” Liz said and flashed him so fast he couldn’t possibly see anything. “There that should hold you till morning.”
Max blinked then smiled. “Not a chance. Come here,” When he saw her eyebrow quirk upward he shook his head. “Not for that. I just want to talk to you. I think better…okay I just want to touch you a little bit.”
“Well why didn’t you say so?” Liz asked with an eye roll and a smile. She walked into his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and just held him close.
Max closed his eyes and rested his head against hers. He hated to think he’d done something that made her feel uncomfortable around him. Today hadn’t been a shining moment for him. Keeping her safe and protected was his job not setting up a situation that could end up causing her a great deal of trouble to say the least.
“I’m sorry,” Max whispered. “About today, I mean.”
“Don’t be,” Liz whispered. “Just sleep with me.”
Max eased away to look at her.
“Just sleep,” Liz said looking up at him. “For a little while at least?”
Max nodded slowly his thumb stroking her cheek. “That’s more then enough to hold me till morning.
“That’s what I’m here for,” Liz said then kissed him softly.
Max boosted Liz out the widow then climbed out after her landing lightly beside her.
“What about our books?” Liz asked trying to delay the inevitable. She didn’t want to join the rest of the student body. She had a bad case of spaghetti legs now that she was standing on her own and knew she looked very mussed.
“They’ll be fine. I’ll go back and get them later,” Max answered. Now that he was thinking straight he was vaguely shocked by his own actions but the permeating sense of satisfaction prevented him from worrying too much. He brushed a kiss over the damp hair at Liz’s temple and took her hand. “Ready?”
“No,” Liz answered leaning into him. “I look like….bad. I look bad.”
Max took a moment to look her over and had to disagree. Her lips were puffy, skirt a little wrinkled, and there was a bruise starting to show on her neck but she looked fantastic to him. When she looked up at him he noticed her eyes held a slumberous cast to them that betrayed her. Oh. Well. There was no help for that now. “You look great. We gotta go. I’m sure someone’s looking for us.”
“Yeah, right,” Liz sighed plucking at her skirt. It was ripped up the side and wrinkled all to hell on top of that and it was one of her favorites. It had a Mexican look to it with the embroidery at the hem and up the sides. “Can you fix my skirt at least?”
Max looked at it and nodded. Crouching down in front of her he took the hem in his hand and focused. When he was finished he blinked and looked up at her. “Okay?”
Liz nodded feeling a flutter in her belly. He was so gorgeous even when he was all sweaty. There had to be something wrong here. It just wasn’t normal to feel like this so soon. She was sure of that. Let’s not even dwell on the bathroom incident either, Liz thought with a mental eye roll.
“You okay?” Max asked, seeing the dazed look on her face.
“Uh huh,” Liz nodded forcefully.
“Okay,” Max said sounding a little uncertain but not willing to press the issue. “Let’s go.”
Liz allowed him to lead her around the building not really paying attention to where they were going, her thoughts were elsewhere. She didn’t know where to go anyway, she couldn’t remember the meeting place for their class. Or had the next class already started when the alarm went off?
Reaching the lawn beside the senior’s parking lot they saw that everyone was just milling around in confusion anyway, so when Maria started waving at them they headed over to the group. The whole group Liz realized with a sinking feeling. Frowning she studied Zan wondering what the hell he was doing here. The smirk on his face set her teeth on edge without him even saying a word.
Max felt her fingers tighten around his and glanced down at her. Seeing her glaring at Zan, he slowed giving himself more time to study him. He was pretty sure he intensely disliked him. The way he looked at Liz sometimes pissed him off, the way he talked to her pissed him off, then there was seeing a very Michael like smirk on a face so similar to his own. It was creepy.
“You two look a little…..sweaty,” Maria remarked as they joined them. She watched Liz shift closer to Max and look up at him clearly wanting him to make the excuses. “And late.”
“We had to take a detour,” Max said clearly not wanting to get into it.
“I heard that,” Kyle said, pointedly looking at Liz.
Liz’s eyes went wide and she scooted closer to Max wanting to hide.
“What kind of detour?” Maria asked looking mildly interested.
“Just a detour,” Max said shrugging. “Nothing that’s a group concern. So. Is the building on fire or what?”
“They think it’s a short,” Isabel answered trying to help him out. She so didn’t want to hear anymore about any detours. “Every time they turn off the alarm it goes on again.”
“Huh,” Max replied reaching up to tug on his ear. Feeling Liz’s growing agitation he searched for another topic change.
“Something sure had the power surging. To cause a short like that,” Zan replied hands in his pockets. His eyes flickered between Max and Liz then settled on Liz.
Max felt a growing urge to just pound the crap out of Zan. He wasn’t sure if it was his or Liz’s. He could feel her simmering hostility under a layer of embarrassment and suspicion. “Why are you here anyway?” Max asked abruptly.
“Jus rolling by,” Zan shrugged smiling.
“For?” Max asked his eyes narrowing in clear disbelief and growing anger. He really didn’t like this guy.
“I’s thinking about getten a higher education,” Zan mocked not even trying to hide it.
Ava punched him sharply in the arm tired of his shit. She’d bet her eyeteeth he was starting some shit. Messing where he shouldn’t be. “Shut up, Zan. Ain’t you got a job?” Ava asked trying to move him along and get him out of there.
“Can’t I come see you? You always gotta act like that?” Zan asked his tone lazy.
“Like what? Like how things are you mean?” Ava asked eyeing him like he was the lowest life form on the planet. He always tried to turn things around so you didn’t keep questioning him. It was a very familiar trick. “What’s in your pocket?” Ava asked noticing how he hadn’t removed his hands from his pockets since he walked up. After everyone but Max and Liz were already here.
“My pocket? I’ll show ya if you really wanna see,” Zan said his eyes sparkling. “I’s let you dig for it if ya ask real nice.”
“I ain’t even playing Zan,” Ava warned pissed off.
“I ain’t eitha,” Zan said suddenly serious. “Sides I ain’t the one wit the bulging pockets. What you got there dog?” Zan asked looking to Max.
Liz sucked in her breath knowing exactly what was in Max’s pocket. Her pale yellow silk panties with the flowers that almost matched her skirt.
“I’m not interested in his pockets. I asked about yours,” Ava said standing firm. He wasn’t getting away with this little act with her. Not anymore.
“When you stop wit the game I’ll share what’s in my pockets,” Zan said locking eyes with Ava’s. “We’s both know how it is, Baby Girl. So chill wit the attitude. You called the ball here. I’s just rolling wit it. Playing the odds.”
“You should know I don’t play,” Ava warned. “Or work the odds. I ain’t cut that way. If this life ain’t suited to you then bounce. Ain’t nothing holding you here but you’s self so look ta you’s own choices on this one. You the man right?”
Zan caught her sarcasm loud and clear and his eyes hardened. “I ain’t saying I’s know everything here. But you’s lying ta you’s self. I know you betta then anyone. We’s always been tight our whole lives. I neva lied ta ya and I neva bailed on you’s. So lie ta you’s self but don’t lie ta me and ‘spect me ta go along,” Zan said his fist closing over the bracelet so tightly he could feel the imprint of every stone. She knew damn well why he was here. Ignore it or run from it that didn’t change anything. He knew her. Sides he had other things to keep him busy.
“I don’t expect anything. You taught me that,” Ava said clearly not looking away.
Zan stared at her for a long silent minute his jaw clenched, muscles jumping. “Later,” He said shortly and spun on his heels, striding away with long angry strides. She had taught him a few things too. One of those things was patience. Some things were worth waiting for.
“So. Nice shoes Liz,” Kyle said to break the tension. “I think I’ve noticed them before.”
“You hussy!” Maria remarked half shocked half impressed.
“You’re not listening Maria!” Liz complained.
“Oh I heard you,” Maria said putting the cap on one of the sugars. “Loud and clear. Loud….Oh My God! Kyle heard you!?”
“Maria! Focus here please?” Liz said wanting to avoid that part.
“Focusing,” Maria assured her. “Continue. I’m all ears.”
“I don’t know what happened. It’s not like Max to…be like that. Then he… and I….umm forget it,” Liz said frustrated.
“No, you’re right it isn’t exactly like you two are normally having hot monkey sex in public restrooms. So what set him off do you think?” Maria asked going along with her train of thought.
“I don’t know. I was just doing our lab,” Liz explained. “I don’t think I did anything.”
“Maybe you’re brain is the turn on,” Maria suggested. They both looked at each other and started laughing.
“Get serious Maria!” Liz said between giggles.
“What about that thing with Ava and Zan?” Maria asked curious about Liz’s opinion.
“It was tense. What was Zan even doing there? Did you see where he came from?” Liz asked lifting her tray of ketchup bottles.
“He came from inside the school,” Maria said certainty in her voice.
Liz frowned her innate suspicion of him growing with that information. He had no reason to be inside the school and why today?
Maria looked toward the front of the café and smiled when she saw Max standing outside looking almost shy. Amazing really, that he could still be so….Max.
“I think you have a visitor,” Maria said gesturing outside.
Liz followed Maria’s line of sight and set her tray back down before heading up front to let him in.
“Max. What’s up?” Liz asked not meeting his eyes.
“I just….wanted to….see you,” Max said softly.
“Oh,” Liz said softly leaning against the door. “This is the place. To find me I mean.”
Maria watched their nervous discourse in amazement. That more then anything made her wonder. She went over what Liz had said again in her head looking for a clue as to what was going on. When Liz came back looking mopey she brought up her idea.
“This thing today. How did it feel for you? I mean….was it like you had to touch him? Like before?” Maria asked.
“Umm not exactly. Not at first, it was more like umm like I always feel, then it was more…intense. I could feel his….umm it wasn’t like before,” Liz waffled. “He was the one that was so….umm not like him. He wasn’t hiding behind any tree I can tell you that. I don’t think he was even thinking about his hide in plain sight plan at all.”
“Was there glowing?” Maria asked. “Alex said there was glowing.”
“Really? I didn’t notice,” Liz said looking at the floor.
Maria smiled at her striving for a casual tone voice. “Well. Okay so we’ll say there was glowing. Anything else?”
“Ahh nope,” Liz answered flushing.
“Oh. Okay then,” Maria said biting her tongue. “I’ll just ask Kyle when I see him,” Maria said and watched Liz’s head snap up. “Kidding.”
Liz smiled and rolled her eyes. “That’s my life one embarrassing incident after another.”
“Well look at it this way. You’re probably the only one that has seen the inside of the boy’s room,” Maria said then rethought that. “That’s alive anyway. We can’t count Pam right?”
“Great. Thanks Maria,” Liz said on a sigh.
When Liz finally made it upstairs, she found Max waiting for her outside her window still looking uncomfortable. She walked over and let him in.
“Hi again,” Liz said on a smile. “Need another look?”
Max smiled at her teasing comment. “Always.”
“Okay,” Liz said and flashed him so fast he couldn’t possibly see anything. “There that should hold you till morning.”
Max blinked then smiled. “Not a chance. Come here,” When he saw her eyebrow quirk upward he shook his head. “Not for that. I just want to talk to you. I think better…okay I just want to touch you a little bit.”
“Well why didn’t you say so?” Liz asked with an eye roll and a smile. She walked into his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and just held him close.
Max closed his eyes and rested his head against hers. He hated to think he’d done something that made her feel uncomfortable around him. Today hadn’t been a shining moment for him. Keeping her safe and protected was his job not setting up a situation that could end up causing her a great deal of trouble to say the least.
“I’m sorry,” Max whispered. “About today, I mean.”
“Don’t be,” Liz whispered. “Just sleep with me.”
Max eased away to look at her.
“Just sleep,” Liz said looking up at him. “For a little while at least?”
Max nodded slowly his thumb stroking her cheek. “That’s more then enough to hold me till morning.
“That’s what I’m here for,” Liz said then kissed him softly.