Roswell Fanatics

Merry Christmas!

Maria and Michael’s argument over the picture of him getting kissed by two buxom blonde babes is going strong. She’s just gotten her second wind and she’s asking a pertinent question with hands on hips for affect.


“So Michael, are you trying to tell me that all gathered at this function didn’t want to take pictures with no one but you?”

Michael walks through Maria’s bedroom door heading to her as her favorite show Roswell is blaring in the background.


He takes a seat beside her as she slides up her bed to the headboard in an effort to avoid physical contact with him. Maria is about to make this nice guy blow his top.

“Baby everything I told you was the truth, why won’t you believe me. You’re more than enough woman for me, I don’t want anyone else but you.”

Maria’s tirade continues when something within Michael finally snaps. Showing his frustration by running his fingers through his long hair, Maria finds out that her boyfriend has finally had enough.

“Look Maria, I don’t have to take this shit. I’ve got women all over me. The average man in my position would screw available broads until his dick fell off.

I’m doing the right thing concerning you but for some reason you don’t wanna believe me. Hell, I’m tired of knocking my head against a wall trying to appease you. You don’t believe that I didn’t cheat on you; you don’t have to. I’m outta here!”

Michael storms out of Maria’s bedroom as she brings up the rear yelling at him.

“You know what Michael, fuck you. I don’t need your ass anyway. Do me a fucking favor, get the hell on out of here and don’t come back!”

Michael rushes right for the door slamming it on his way out. Good thing Tess wasn’t around when that happened. I look at Maria noticing that her face has taken on a greenish cast.

Before I could say anything to her, she heads to the bathroom with one hand on her stomach and the other hand over her mouth. I knew she worked herself into frenzy but I never thought it would make her physically sick. I thought the most she would do is cry in her room. I hope she will come to her sensed and soon. I truly believe she she belongs with Michael.

I know that Michael didn’t cheat on Maria. Unlike Max who would take the opportunity and confess what he did because it’s all about him, I see Michael as a guy that really cares for Maria and puts her feelings first.

I just hope that she sees Michael for the great guy he is before it’s too late.
****



It’s a lazy Saturday afternoon and I’m at the campus coffee shop with the girls when Kyle Valenti walks in. He orders a large coffee and a huge lemon poppy seed muffin.

Tess is in rare form today; she’s rubbing her thighs as she checks him out.
All her attention is focused on him as he takes a big bite of the muffin.

“Wow, look how he’s devouring that muffin, I wonder what he’d do if I offered him mine?”

Of course that statement is going to lead to another Tess/Isabel showdown.

“Ewww, we have food in front of us. Is there ever a time when you don’t
think of sex?” Isabel has the biggest scowl on her face while addressing Tess.

Tess shoots her a look of irritation while countering, “Give me something more fun than sex to think about and I’ll consider it.”

Isabel rolls her eyes while folding her arms over her ample chest.

Noticing Isabel’s annoyance, Maria gives her something to think about while leaning into her to capture her full attention.
“I don’t know why you get so wound up when Tess expresses herself Izzie, she’s just being who she is. She’s not gonna change and I’m glad because she’s a hellava lot of fun.”

Clearly not impressed by what Maria had to say, Isabel huffs rolling her eyes while Tess sticks out her tongue at her.


Tess is still staring at Kyle as he takes his seat. Seemingly in a trance, she licks cream from her donut off her fingers.

Isabel makes another pointed comment after peering at Tess first and then Kyle.
“It amazes me that you and Kyle haven’t met yet.”

“Oh?” Tess turns to Isabel curious about the statement she made.

“Oh yeah,” Isabel continues. “You and Kyle would be the dream couple from hell. I dare say from dealing with him that he's your male counterpart. In fact I believe that Kyle would give you a run for your money if you decided to take him on.”

Tess isn’t amused by Isabel observation.
“I’ll take what you said under advisement but clearly you can’t be talking from carnal knowledge because you told us you never had him.

He’s got a rep but it remains to be seen if he could keep up with me in a physical skirmish. Many thought they could meet the challenge but when weighed and measured, they were found wanting. Life is too short to waste time with a dud spud but thanks for your input Izzie.”

Isabel sniffs at the apparent rebuff as Tess plans an encounter with Kyle in her mind. She hopes he will meet or exceed her expectations as a lover.

****

Later that day, I’m at the house preparing for a date with Max when Isabel’s cell phone rings. The call makes her white as a sheet. She tells us that Max was on his way when he got
into a car accident.

After the initial shock, Maria volunteers to drive us to the hospital because Izzie and I are too shaken up to drive.

When we get there and find out the floor Max is on, we head to the nurse’s station to find his room. A nurse rises from her desk and goes into the room to tell Max he has visitors.

After a few minutes she comes out and tells us he asked to see Izzie first. I must admit I’m upset at that but after all she is family. Am I wrong to think that maybe somehow he was thinking of me? I can’t believe myself, I have no idea the state Max is in and I’m getting upset over nothing.

I gain control of my emotions and after half an hour, Isabel emerges from the room. She tells Maria and I what happened to Max and how he’s doing.

“Max was on his way to our house for the date when a black cat ran in front of his car. The process of braking to avoid hitting the cat made the car swerve and he hit a lamppost.

He’s got bruised ribs and a concussion. He can go home tomorrow but he can’t be there alone because of the head trauma. After that statement Izzie and Maria stare at me intently.”

Maria is grinning in my face as she teases me. “Isn’t that a shame, Studly can’t be home alone. I wonder who he can get at such short notice to take care of him?”

I’m praying that he will ask me while I play it off with my roommates.

“What if he has someone else in mind to look after him, like his mother? Why do you assume he’s gonna ask me to stay with him?”

Maria fires the big artillery my way after what I’ve said.

“Liz do you think I’m stupid? You’re going to bat your eyes and do everything but volunteer to take care of him. But then again you might just ask to do it depending on how friendly he gets in there with you. Izzie is Max able to have sex?”

“MARIA!” Isabel and I are appalled by that last remark, but I’d be lying if I said the thought never crossed my mind.

I don’t know what’s worst, Maria’s caustic mouth or her demented mind.
“Hey excuse me for attempting to keep it real. You both know that Liz is going to want some kind of compensation for listening to that man whine, bitch and complain.”

Wow! How little does Maria think of me? I mean, I know she is just teasing, but I think I’m a little offended that Maria would say that I would help Max for compensation of the carnal kind.


Isabel puts an end to Maria’s poking fun at me. “Stop teasing that girl. Liz you can go in and see him.”

“Thanks Iz.” I smile at her but roll my eyes at Maria who in turn gives me the raspberry.

I walk into the room slowly to see Max looking sexy as ever in the hospital bed. There’s a black brace on his right arm and he’s lying down with nothing covering his gorgeous chest. Hey what happened to hospital gowns. Did inflation make them a thing of the past?

Just as I walk into the room, a very attractive nurse enters behind me to give him his pain medication.

“Ah my angel I thought you forgot all about me.” Max greets the nurse flirtatiously.

The old Max is resurfacing slowly but surely.

The nurse answers him with a warm smile.
“Mr. Evans, how could I ever forget about you? Time to take your pill.”

Just when I was going to get mad at him for not acknowledging my presence, he goes and rectifies the faux pas brilliantly if I do say so myself.

“Hey, come on in Liz. Just look at her nurse, isn’t she beautiful?”

The nurse glances over at me while declaring to Max, “She’s gorgeous. But I expect nothing less to be visiting you Mr. Evans,” while giving him a wink.

“Add yourself to that group nurse.” Max winks back and shoots her that seductive mega watt smile.

The nurse fixes her eyes on him uttering, “FLATTERER!”

Max has her giggling like a schoolgirl as she heads out the room. She finally leaves us alone.

I head to the seat by the bed but he urges me to sit on the bed.
“I see you’ve been amusing yourself while you’ve been here.”


“I can’t help myself, I just love woman so.” He gives me his best boyish grin.

And that's the problem!!!

“Anyway, Izzie told me that you’re gonna be released tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but the doctor said I have to have someone home with me.” He takes my hand and asks me, “I know this is short notice and all but I would love if you would stay with me while I recover. I mean what better way to get to know each other better.” He’s grinning from ear to ear at the prospect.

I chuckle at his plan.
“Yeah, what better way to discover all your bad habits?”
Then while thinking it through I ask, “Are you serious?”

“Oh come on Liz, the only bad habits I have is that I smoke from time to time. Ok, I might forget to let the seat down in the bathroom, and I snore when I’m worn out.

Other than that I’m very neat and my house was clean when I left it. If you want I can go outside when I get the urge to light up, I’d do that for you.”

Max rises up in bed uttering a faint groan of discomfort as he reaches my ear, “Say that you’ll stay with me, it should be just for a few days. You can have the guest room.”

Suddenly his magnetic hazel eyes start to sparkle as I look into them. It’s like he’s gambling that if I stay with him, I’ll never make it to the guest room.

Playing right along with him I answer, “Well since it is such short notice,I’ll do it for a few days.”

“Great,” he says, “That’s all the time I need.” He grins while wiggling his eyebrows at me seductively.

That grin has me wondering what the hell have I just gotten myself into. I’m sure this experience has the potential to be one of the best or worst of my life. Time will definitely tell.
****


Isabel’s mother bugged her into three dates with Jesse Ramirez. Despite herself, she’s been having a good time with him. However, Alex and getting back with him is still on her mind.

Alex is at a bar with a few of his friends from the dorm when he spots Isabel with Jesse talking at a table. He’s had just a wee bit too much to drink and thinks now is the time to tell her just what he thinks of her as he staggers over to them.

“Slumming,” he asks glaring at her and Jesse.

Isabel looks at Alex very conflicted, she’s glad to see him but knows that this meeting isn’t going to be nice and polite because of what she did to him at the house the last time they were together.

“Alex, are you ok? I’m glad to see you because we need to talk. It looks like you’ve had too much to drink. Why don’t you let me take you back to the dorm.”

Isabel’s concern and willingness to talk means nothing to Alex. He shows that by what he tells her.

“What, why do you care? You didn’t care about embarrassing me in front of your roommates. You know what, I see everything so clearly now. I don’t have money and I don’t come from a family of big shots like you and your friend here.

Tell me Isabel, do you do everything to him that you did to me?” Alex and Isabel are standing face to face.

Not liking what Alex had to say, Jesse steps in front of Izzie, inserting himself into the brouhaha.

“I don’t know who you are, but you need to apologize to her and then get the hell away from us right now!”

“Or what, you’re gonna pay someone to kick my ass Mr. Big bucks?” Alex’s jaw is tightly clenched.

“Oh no, I’m gonna take pleasure in doing it myself.” Just as Jesse is about to punch Alex in the face Isabel gets in between them. His punch lands marring her beautiful face.

Both men are stunned as Isabel holds the left side of her face as tears from pain stream down her cheeks. Jesse tries to get her to let him see the damage he’s done but she refuses as an unbearable silence goes over the bar.

“Oh my god Isabel, why did you get in the way to protect this asshole?”

Jesse attempts to reach Alex and punch him like he intended to do the first time but Isabel intervenes.

“Jesse stop it, this has nothing to do with you! Alex has every right to be upset with me for the way I’ve treated him. This is the first time I’ve seen him since then and we have things to talk about. I hope you won’t be too upset; I need you to leave me with him.”

Of course Jesse didn’t want to do that, but he’s got to go along with what she wants. Even if it was a mistake, he gave beautiful Isabel Evans a world-class shiner. At this moment I’m sure she could get him to almost jump off a bridge just from the guilt he’s feeling right now.

Lets see how impressed Izzie’s mother is with him now!

After a few minutes Jesse leaves Isabel and Alex at the bar. Isabel takes Alex to her house for their talk.
****

They arrive at the house and the first thing Isabel does is
grab a towel and some ice for her face.

“I think we should have gone to the hospital first,” Alex tells Isabel as he sits down on the couch.

“Oh no, I’ll be fine as soon as I get some ice on my face and take some Ibuprofen.”
Isabel was determined to take care of it herself. After taking two pain pills she takes a seat next to him.

“Alex, do you believe in karma?”

“I’ve never thought about that before, why do you ask?”
Isabel’s face turns very serious as she continues.
“I believe that I got hit in the face as payback for what I did to you the last time we were here.”

Alex gets up and puts more ice into the towel and heads back to the sofa. Gently he places the cool towel over her eye.

Isabel starts to cry because Alex is so tender in his care. He thinks it is because she’s in pain.

“Alex I really regret what I did to you. I’ve caught hell every day since then because I realized just how important you were to me. I’ve missed you so. I need you to forgive me."


“I admit that I was mad as hell at you, but never mad enough to wish you any harm.” Alex gazes into Isabel’s eyes, takes the towel from her face and kisses the part that’s not black and blue.”

Isabel whimpers as Alex kisses her.
“Oh I’m so sorry honey. Are you sure you don’t wanna let a doctor look at it?”

“I’m sure, what I wanna do is hear you say you forgive me for being such a bitch and we can start over again.”

“I forgive you Isabel,” Alex gathers her gently into his strong embrace. They go on to talk until they fall asleep in each other’s arms on the living room couch.

The next day Isabel eagerly introduces Alex to Maria and Tess. Maria and Alex hit it off immediately because of their quirky senses of humor. And Tess, well what man doesn’t love her?


TBC

Max gets out of the hospital; Izzie and I go to pick him up. We find him getting wheeled from the discharge pavilion to the car by one nurse, with a few others standing around just amusing themselves.

Hey I thought the nursing profession was an honorable one. A profession where the needs of the sick outnumber getting a sexy man’s number.
Anyway, Max is all smiles as the nurses fall over each other to help him out of the wheelchair.

"Good bye ladies." He waves as he flashes that damned dazzling smile at them.

I’m so not amused as I move from the passenger seat to let him get in. Then I hear a rousing round of Good bye Max In unison. I turn in my seat to witness the nurses waving as we leave the hospital parking lot. I could have sworn I saw Kleenex being used to wipe faces. No, that’s just too unreal even for Max.


I turn back around to face the front, which brings me in contact with the back of Max’s head.
“ What was that? Not enough sick people for those bitches I mean nurses?”

Max laughs heartily as he turns oh so gently in the passenger seat to face me.
“Someone sounds jealous.”

“Oh shut up Max!” I swat his forehead playfully.
***

Isabel pulls up in Max’s drive way and I decide to lend Max a hand when I notice a small paper bag with a bottle of pills in his lap.

“What’s that Max?”

“The doctor prescribed Vocodin for my head and bruised ribs.”

Instead of taking his hand, I grab the pills.

Ever the big shot, he gets on the Motorola to call his favorite restaurant as he walks into his house. Peering at the prescription bottle, I notice that the medication can cause drowsiness.

It wouldn’t be a good thing if Max takes me to dinner and he falls asleep in his meal, so I decide to persuade him to stay home. Luckily he can’t get reservations to that fancy smancy restaurant he frequents anyway.

Izzie stays long enough to make sure Max has everything he needs. While they talk, I absorb my new surroundings. True to his word, his house is immaculate. The dominant color is black with metallic silver and earth toned accents.

It’s definitely a house made for seduction. There is a state of the art stereo system, a beautiful mahogany colored fireplace, and two huge comfy couches along with the things one would find in a living room you’d find in House Beautiful.

For some strange reason I thought I’d find paintings of naked women running all through the house a’la Hugh Hefner. Well this isn’t the first time I've been wrong, but then again I haven’t been upstairs yet.

I hear Isabel holler good-bye as I make my way into his dinning room, which is just as impressive as the living room. He has a beautiful cherry wood table that shines like new money along with four of the plushest chairs I’ve ever seen rounding out the dinning room set.

On second look it seems like a woman helped him pick this ensemble. I’m placing my palm flat on the scarlet red cushion of one of the four chairs when I notice that Max is right behind me.

“Approve of my humble abode?”

“Yes,” I answer. There is nothing humble about this place but I’m not going to be the one to make his ego any bigger.

“My kitchen is right through there Liz.” Max gestures for me to head there.

His kitchen is astonishing. The appliances are stainless steel. Even the sink and fixtures seem high tech in some way. I figure that now is the time to discuss tonight’s dinner.

“Ok Max, I overheard that you couldn’t get dinner reservations. That’s just as well because you are on heavy medication. Why don’t we start with what you have in the fridge and pick up whatever else we need.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Max nods his head in agreement.

Let me tell ya, my being impressed with everything grinds to a halt the minute I peer to the refrigerator. All I see or should I say smell, are cartons of rancid Chinese food.

It’s been in there so long that the normally white rice has penicillin growing from it. I turn to Max while shaking my head.
I make a conscious effort not to gag or throw up.

“Poor thing, your hectic schedule prevents you from properly stocking the fridge?”

“My appetite isn’t always for food.” He wrinkles his eyebrows as he watches for my reaction.

“Down boy,” I admonish him while on the look out for any funny stuff.

“Let’s go to the store, and cook here. Oh, can you cook Max?”



By the look on his face, it doesn’t seem like he can boil water but that’s ok. I love to cook so I figure I’ll take charge of the situation and show him a thing or two.

But no, Max won’t hear of it. He insists on helping me cook so I give in and we head to the store. I’m in the vegetable part of the store when I realize I have no idea what he wants to eat.

Trying not to waste time since the supermarket will close in forty- five minutes, I start looking for him.

Max’s discharge went from noon to almost eight o’clock; he mentioned something about more tests. I’ve never eaten after nine pm before, but there’s a first time for everything


I find him in the frozen food aisle yakking it up on his cell phone. Being nosy, I sneak up on him hoping to find out what bitch he’s talking to now.

“Come on Bertrum, you gotta help me out here.”

The conversation goes on for another minute then Max slams his flip phone closed very annoyed. I see a barely perceptible flinch of pain flash across his face, then he notices me standing behind him. He tries faking a pleasant smile.

“Bertrum?” I ask anxious to know who he is.

“If you must know, he’s the family chef. I wanted him to whip up my favorite dessert as a surprise for you.”

Oh he’s such a snob!

“Really, and what is your favorite dessert,” I ask him anxious to hear the answer.

“Chocolate chip cookies if you must know,” he answers as his face
flushes from embarrassment.


“Oh, I thought it was gonna be something posh like Crème Brulee but that’s cool. Those are my favorite cookies too. I haven’t made Chocolate chip cookies in a long time.

My grandma Claudia makes the best cookies in the world. I’ll , get all the ingredients and you can help me make some if you feel up to it and if you’re good.”

“Oh I’m so good Liz!” Max winks at me while stroking my hair lightly.

I back away from him quickly.
“Ok lover boy, let’s get the groceries before the store closes with us in it.”



I get all the ingredients for the cookies along with some ideas Max gave me on what I should cook for dinner. He looks at me strangely as I head to the check- out line with the shopping cart. I wonder if that means that the girls he dates don’t cook or get too occupied with him to be bothered. My guess is the latter.


****


Max and I hurry through the checkout line; just making it before the supermarket closes. Of course Max paid for everything. I'm doing him a favor by staying with and cooking for him.

Because of Max’s bruised ribs, I returned the cart while he insisted on taking the small bag of groceries to the car. I swear I turned my back for one second, and then I noticed a big busty blonde sashaying over to the red Mercedes he rented.

This is the moment of truth. Now I can find out if everything he's said to me was bullshit. Instead of rushing to his side, I lay back watching everything that goes on with him and the blonde.


“Hello gorgeous!” The busty blonde greets Max heaving her breasts in his face.

“Hi,” Max replies with a quick smile.

He turns to open the car door, while the blonde tries to make conversation with him.

“Hey I’m a bartender at a hip club on Broadway. I’d love for you to be my guest tonight.”
She reaches into her bra and pulls out a hot pink business card.

As soon as the doors to the car are open, Max puts the groceries in the back seat and waves for me to come to the car. I take my time getting there, wondering what the blonde is gonna do before I get there. I get to the car and Max surprises me by kissing my neck and holding me from the back.

He asks, “Would you like to go to this club on Broadway tonight?”
He hands me the card I saw the blonde take out of her cleavage and hand him.

I glance down at the card for a minute then say, “Nah, I think it would be better to stay in tonight.”

Max nods his head with the most mischievous grin I’ve ever seen.
“Whatever you want is fine with me.”

The blonde on the other hand feels totally dissed. I can tell she’s mad as hell.
“Hey that invitation was just for you baby!”


But Max is unfazed as he walks over to the passenger side of the car to help me in. Then he makes his way over to the driver’s side. Boy is he hardheaded, he insisted on renting that car and driving even though he’s injured. I didn’t argue with him about it, I figured being injured is enough.

The blonde appears as if she's about to explode from his brush off as we prepare to leave the parking lot.

“What the fuck? You’re leaving with her instead of me? You can’t be serious. You don’t know what you’re missing buster!”

The blonde continues to holler at Max while peering evilly in the window on his side. As we pull out of the lot, we hear a dull thud.

Quickly I turn in my seat to find a tacky metallic stiletto lying on the pavement. Damn that girl has an arm on her, that shoe just missed hitting the car by half a foot! I figured her boobs would have gotten in the way.

I heard hollering and saw her lips move. I ask Max,
“What did she say?”


Since I don’t speak gibberish and he messes with women like that, I figured that he would know what the hell she was saying.


Max replies while keeping his eyes on the road, “ nothing, nothing at all.”

Yes,I have to ask this as I turn back to the front of the car.
"Anyone you know?"

“Who, the blonde, “Max asks nonchalantly.

I nod anxiously waiting for the answer while trying to appear as unfazed as he seems.

Max shrugs taking his eyes off the road for a second. "I don't think so."

"Well she really wanted to KNOW you!"


“And who doesn't?” Max winks giving me that seductive mega watt smile that always makes me melt.


There he goes being cocky! Being completely Max!

“Right!” I pfft him while rolling my eyes at his statement.


“You know it's true sweet cheeks.” Max caresses my knee
oh so softly as I peer up at him shaking my head.

I turn to Face the window to keep Max from seeing the blush on my face. Suddenly I realize I’ve become very warm.
****




We get back to the house; I head right to the kitchen to start dinner.
After getting everything on, I decide to make up the cookie dough.

Max is adorable trying to sneak a finger full of dough. Taking his lead, I take a finger full teasing him while sucking it off my finger. Taking my finger, he dips it in more cookie dough and places my finger into his mouth.

Sensations are going through me like an electrical current. Quickly I inform him that if he doesn’t stop that, our dinner will be char broiled. Thankfully he heeds my warning, and releases my finger. After taking a few deep breaths, I continue preparing the meal.

Dinner is ready and I place all the dishes on the table. Max does the gentlemanly thing by rushing to me and pulling out my chair.

Before he takes a seat he asks,
“Red or White?"

“What?” I was hungry and ready to dig in when I noticed him pick up two wine bottles.

“Water! That's what you should have as well. Don’t forget you’re on heavy pain medication.” I reply hoping he’ll comply with my wishes.

He does but with a less than pleased look on his face.
****

Dinner goes well and Max comments my efforts after dabbing his mouth with a crisp white linen napkin.

“Dinner was incredible, you’re a fabulous cook Liz. I’m very impressed with you.”

I beam from Max’s comment.
“Thanks, I got cooking lessons every time my Grandma would visit. She would come usually when the café my parents owned was closed, which wasn’t often.

He raises his glass of water for a toast.
“My compliments to you and your Grandma.”

As his praise washes over me, I remember I promised to make cookies. I go back to the kitchen to take the cookie dough out of the fridge and grab a cookie sheet from a very neat cabinet.

I have to admit I’m surprised he has anything resembling cooking utensils in his kitchen. On closer inspection, I’m shocked to find that he has most of the things a good cook needs to make a successful meal. The only thing he lacks in the kitchen is experience.
****


After about twenty minutes I peek into the oven and exclaim,” The cookies are ready. Max is in such a rush to try one that he almost burns himself picking one off the cookie sheet.

I laugh as I watch him toss the hot, gooey cookie from hand to hand until he can get it to his mouth. Next he takes some of the gooey chocolate from the cookie sheet, places it on my lips and licks it off with his tongue. The chocolate is hot, but not as hot as the kiss we go on to share.

After recovering from Max’s tasty kiss, I take the rest of the cookies and place them on a plate. I want to pump Max for information, so I take the plate of cookies and move the party to the living room.


He has a plush black leather couch there. I sit the cookies on the table adjacent to the couch and plop myself on it. He follows me over, grabbing another cookie.

I’m hoping that the mellow atmosphere and the pain medication will loosen his tongue. I plan to know everything I can about Max tonight.

I face him eager to start playing twenty questions.
“Tell me something the average person doesn’t know about you.”
I take a deep breath hoping he’ll spill.

“Actually, I have a tattoo.”

“Where,” I ask while my imagination runs wild. It can’t be where I’m thinking it is though. He doesn’t seem like the type.

“On my ass,” he replies nonchalantly.

Boy,was I wrong!


“Now you know you’ve got to tell me how you got it and why.”

Max leans back seductively on the couch and tells me his story.
“My immediate family didn’t have any real money until my father’s father died. After dad inherited the corporation of businesses my grandfather had, he took me out of public school and placed me in a ritzy high class boarding school my sophomore year.

I stuck out like a sore thumb and missed my family and friends but refused to bitch and moan. I was desperate to prove to my dad I was a man. Anyway, I met two seniors; you can say they took me under their wing after seeing how out of place I was. I got the tattoo because I lost a bet with them.

“Bet, what bet?” I just have to know everything concerning that tattoo.

Max continues, “The bet was to see how many phone numbers I and another guy could collect at a party. I lost the bet miserably, only collecting five numbers in a room that looked to have at least fifty girls there.

Later I found out that the fix was in. It was arranged for me to lose the bet. Not knowing that, I owned up to the perceived lost and got the tattoo.”


“So what does it look like?”

“It’s a small yin-yang design and it’s in the middle of my left cheek. I was determined not to have anything colorful or garish. A lot of the time I forget it’s there.”

“Ok one more question Max, one more thing nobody really knows about you. Please?”

Max stares straight into my eyes.
“Look Liz, I don’t care if you blab to your friends about the tattoo. But what I’m about to tell you now is a very sensitive spot with me.”

“Max, I promise I won’t tell anyone what you’ve told me tonight.”

Max nods and goes on to tell me something hilariously funny.
“Haven’t you noticed that Europeans have more than one middle name? Well my second middle name is Eggbert.”

The sound of that name makes him frown like he ate something sour. It’s obvious that he hates it and I don’t blame him in the least. Because of that, I make a conscious effort to keep from giggling my ass off.

“So your full name is what,” I ask him.

“Maxwell Philip Eggbert Evans.”

“Oh no, why did your parents give you such a godawful name?”

“Because, it’s tradition to give the first born male the name of the descendant that came here on the Mayflower. It’s a way of keeping his legacy alive; but that tradition is going to end with my son.

I really don’t have it as bad as a couple of my relatives who have that name as a first name. They choose to go through life being known by nicknames like Skippy and Scooter rather than let people know their real name.


I don’t blame them, I’d be a Skippy too.”


The rest of the evening we chit chat the night away. I tell
him things like I have a journal and Vanilla is my favorite ice cream flavor and perfume scent.

The pain medication Max took after dinner finally takes its toll.
I noticed he's not answering my questions.So, I lay him out on the couch,then run upstairs to get a pillow and blanket off what I figured was his bed to place over him.
****


After tucking Max in, I go upstairs, pick a room that doesn’t seem occupied and turn in. When I wake up to go to the bathroom, I hear tossing and turning. So, I head downstairs
to check on him. When I get there, he’s awake so I help him up to his room. I’m on my way back to my room when Max stops me by gently taking hold of my hand.


“Liz,I had a bad dream.”

“Oh I’m sorry, I can stay here until you fall asleep if you like.” I tell him as I sit on the bed as he goes to a drawer for some black silk pajamas. He goes into the bathroom in his room to change. While he’s in there, I’m tempted to peek through the keyhole at him.

He comes out of the bathroom looking too sexy in black silk. He drops the clothes he had on in a near by chair.

Max’s eyes burn into me as he takes a seat on the bed. I’m so caught up in the moment that I find myself caressing his chest through his pajama top. His chest feels delicious!

He takes my hands from his chest, kisses both palms and asks,
“Will you stay here with me tonight? I won’t try anything, I just don’t want to be alone.”

Normally I would have told him no but it was something in his eyes that told me I could trust him.

“Yes, I’ll stay here with you tonight.”
I take off my robe and get into bed wearing my oversized pink nightshirt. Max gets into bed from the left side. I feel sparks go through my body, as he gets comfortable on his side of the bed.

We talk more then Max looks down to find me sleeping. He experiences a weird but good feeling. The feeling is from wanting to but not putting the moves on me. Instead he leans down to kiss me gently on my forehead before drifting off to sleep himself.
****

Max wakes before sunrise. Thinking that I’m still asleep he leans into me and whispers,
“You’re beautiful!”

The sound of his smooth, sensual baritone awakens me on so many levels.

I gaze at his handsome face totally speechless because I know what’s happening between us isn’t just about sex but feelings and emotions. He leans down to kiss me as I caress his chest; then unbutton his pajama top.

Max stops me; that and what he says to me shocks me.

“Liz, I want you but I have to know this is really what you want.”

I take a long pause before answering him.
“Yes, Max this is what I want.”

He tips my chin up as he pledges,
“I swear I’ll be gentle.”

I nod and he kisses me. He goes on to make mind-blowing love to every part of me.


I wake to greet the world happy and satisfied in Max’s arms while he saws logs. I can’t help but giggle because he sounds so funny and looks so cute. The motion of my body vibrating with laughter wakes him.


“I’m glad I can manage to amuse you even when I’m sleep.” Max leans over to me sporting a dazzling smile.

I pick this time to tease him about what we did earlier.
“When and if the time is ever right, I’ll tell you just how you amaze me.” My eyes leave his and wander down to his magnificent lower body.

Max notices, gives me a devilish smirk, and then turns serious.
“I look forward to that day.”

“Max, I’ve got a confession to make. I stayed with you last night because I felt comfortable enough to do what I wanted to do.”


“Well, how about staying in my room for the rest of your stay?”
Max searches my eyes for the answer he wants to hear.

Of course I’d love to go to sleep and wake up in his arms but he doesn’t have to know that, right?


“Hey Earth to Max, if I stay here what happens to the others? I’m not the type of girl who wants to listen to you moaning and groaning with other women here.”

Max leans over and caresses my cheek while informing me,
“ You'd only be listening to your own moans babe.”

I Laugh, “Do you think you're skilled enough to make me moan and groan all the time?”


“Yes, let me prove it to you.” Max responds full of arrogant confidence.


“Oh no Max, you’ll have to prove it later because right now I need a shower.”

As he reaches for me, I hop out of bed to the shower. I think of nothing but how wonderful he made me feel. Yes, I know that was my first sexual experience and I have nothing to compare it to, but hell if another man can make me feel better than that, it might kill me!

Of course there is no way I could acknowledge his lovemaking skills, his head is already too big for this house. I chuckle at the thought as I get out the shower. I rush to my room to dress when I smell food that doesn’t seem to be burning.

I get down to the kitchen to witness Max at the stove stirring something. On closer inspection I find that he’s making scrambled eggs and I must admit they seem edible.

“Good morning gorgeous,” Max greets me while placing a quick kiss on my cheek.

“ Wow Max, the eggs look good enough to actually eat.”

He laughs quietly at my comment.
“Enjoy them because scrambled eggs are the one thing I know how to make well.”

“Ah, and why is that?” I know I’m in for a good answer.

“I had the misfortune of taking home economics freshman year in public school. I aced scrambled eggs but flunked the rest of the course.”

Max looks down at the eggs in the skillet with pride as I start to smell something burning nearby. Two pieces of charcoal colored toast pop out of the toaster with enough smoke surrounding them to make me want to throw water on them.

“Tsk tsk tsk,” I tease Max as I walk over to dispose of the burnt bread.


I continue to snicker about the eggs being edible but the toast being burnt,
while placing two more pieces of bread in the toaster to show him how to set the dial to a burn resistant setting.

Max taunts my instruction, “Ah something you can do better than me.”

“Such an arrogant man, what am I gonna do with you? Don’t answer that.”

We eat while gazing at each other, clearly satisfied with how the night ended and the morning began.


TBC

Happy New Year!


Winter break arrives at New York University. Maria is very upset and unwilling to admit that she
could have been wrong in accusing Michael of cheating on her. So, she goes home
to Philadelphia to be with her mother. While she’s trying to forget about Michael, Michael is trying his best to forget about her.



****
Tess is feeling the fall turning to winter blues, so she decides to cheer herself by rounding up two tantalizingly delicious men for a three-some.

She begins her hunt on the NYU campus. Her hopes for sexual fulfillment are almost dashed as she notices most of the buildings on campus are closed, and then gets a sudden rush when she notices a girl come out of the gym.

With renewed vigor she enters the gym and begins looking around. The place seems deserted until she hears the rowdy banter of two guys in an adjacent room. She rushes into the room to find Michael and Kyle there.

Michael is signing an autograph for Kyle while recounting his experiences of playing with the Rangers.

Tess walks over to them and makes her move.
“Sorry to interrupt guys but I know of a more satisfying way to work up a sweat.”

Kyle and Michael give Tess the quick once over.

Kyle’s face stretches into a grin, “How?”

“Play your cards right you’ll find out tonight.” Tess replies.

“Wait, aren’t you Maria’s roommate,” Michael asks her.

“Yeah and? You two are broken up right?”

“Yeah,” Michael answers wondering what he's about to get into.

“You two are no longer together. That makes you fair game if you’re game.Maria is out of town and nobody will bother us, I promise.”

Michael knows it’s wrong to go along with what Tess is getting at but his gut is shouting at him to prove that he can get past his feelings for Maria.



Tess Notices the stares of both guys on her. She's anxious to get the party started, so she shrugs her long brown wool coat off her shoulders; letting it fall to the ground. Ever ready for action, she reveals a black silk bra and thong set with black stockings.

Tess saunters over to them to ask some very pointed question.
“ Want to get out of here and have some real fun at my place? By the way, I give, and receive.”

“Ok, why don’t we meet you at your place in about an hour?” Kyle asks.

“Works for me, but don’t take too long my motor is running.” Tess picks her coat off the floor. She turns around to give the guys a tantalizing view of her ass while placing the coat around her shoulders.

Taking a pen and a scrap of paper out of her pocket she jots her address on the paper and hands it to Kyle.
“You don’t wanna lose this big boy!”

She heads out of the room and the gym leaving two excited men to chat.

“Are you going over there?” Michael asks Kyle.

“Are you on crack, that girl is hot and the rumor is that she never disappoints.

If you don’t think you’re up to the challenge don’t go. I ‘m more than up for whatever she has to offer. I'm going!"
Kyle tells him bluntly.
****

In less than an hour Tess hears the doorbell ring. With a knowing smirk she goes to answer the door. She finds Kyle with a huge smile on his face while Michael is behind him.

He seems very uncomfortable as he walks inside with his hands in his pants. It doesn't seem like he's there for the Tess sex show.

“Gentlemen, you’re right on time, come in come in.”

Tess, still wearing the bra and thong set, takes the time to check out Kyle and Michael’s asses as they walk past her into the living room. She takes the time to be the cordial hostess before the fun begins.

“Please take your coats off and have a seat. Can I offer you something to drink Corona, Wine, Scotch?”

The guys both ask for beer, which Tess gives them and pours some white zinfandel for herself. The guys are sitting on a large brown leather sofa and she decides to sit in between them. As they drink their beers, they almost choke when they feel a small hand on each of their dicks.

“Are you trying to kill me, I could have choked to death?” Michael is clearly not amused by what just happened. Kyle on the other hand rests his hand on top of hers and moves it around.

Quickly Tess appologizes to Michael while occupying herself with Kyle's cock.
“So sorry, I just had to reach out and touch you both. So, if you have to take any blue pills are anything along those lines I suggest you do it now because I’m ready to start this party.”

Tess gets up from the couch and heads to her bedroom with her hands on the waistband of her thong gesturing that they will be coming off first. Both guys head to Tess’ bedroom but before Michael goes inside, he notices Maria's room one door down the hall from Tess'.

Unable to stop himself, he goes inside and notices his picture on her vanity table along with little trinkets and gifts that he’s given her since they’ve been together.

He picks up the bottle of perfume he bought her and smells it. It is then that he realizes that he can’t cheat on Maria because he never stopped loving her.

That revelation conviences him to leave the house without saying anything to Tess or Kyle. Before he leaves the room, Michael notices a tube of lipstick on the vanity table. He scribbles I Love You Maria, Michael on the mirror then leaves the house.

Meanwhile in Tess’ room, she and Kyle hear nothing as they kiss and fondle each other. After a few minutes, Tess breaks a deep kiss and asks, “Where is Michael?”

Kyle replies, “Does it matter? I’m here and believe me I can more than satisfy your needs!"

Tess and Kyle go on to explore each other’s bodies in every way imaginable and maybe in ways the average person probably wouldn’t imagine.
****


While staying with her mother, Maria found herself unable to keep food down. Not wanting to needlessly alarm her mother, she waits until she gets home to find out what’s wrong.


When she arrives back in New York, she calls my cell phone. I waste no time getting to the brownstone.

As I enter the house, she hollers that she’s in the bathroom. When I get there, I’m shocked to find five pregnancy tests strewn on every available place on the sink. Maria has done what was required with the tests and she’s waiting for the positive or negative results.

I hope and pray she's not pregnant. That could ruin all her plans for the future.
“Oh my God Maria, I had no idea. When did you suspect?"

“Remember when I ran to the bathroom and threw up after Michael and I argued?” Maria tells me running her fingers nervously through her hair while peering intently for a color change.

“Right I remember that, but I thought that you were just very upset over the argument.” Noticing how nervous Maria is, I gesture for her to take a seat on the throne while I sit on the edge of the tub in the generously sized bathroom.

“Me too, but I kept getting sick at my mom’s. I didn’t want to worry her needlessly so I told her I thought I ate something bad. I waited until I got back here before taking a test. I didn’t want her to worry her if it was a false alarm.

She was unmarried when she was pregnant with me. She married my father before I was born and was divorced by the time I was two.

My mom is wonderful in that she never said anything negative about my father. I found out from members of the family that he cheated on her.

The only thing she said vaguely referring to her situation was that she wanted me to have the ability to depend on myself.”

At that moment I wanted desperately to convince her to try talking things out with Michael but decided against doing that for now.

This is the first time I’ve been back at the house since Max and I made love.

I let Maria borrow my laptop since there was no way I was gonna risk the contents of my journal becoming available to Max while at his house.

I go into Maria’s room to get it and I notice Michael’s note scribbled in lipstick on Maria’s mirror. Anxious to find out if Maria saw it, I holler for her to come into her room.
“Did you see this,” I ask her.”

She enters the room stating, “See what, when I got home I ran right to the bathroom with the tests. How the hell did Michael get in here?

He would have had to write that after we broke up and I was out of town.” Maria replied with a look of shock and surprise on her face.

Just as Maria and I are pondering what happened here while we were gone, we hear the front door open and close. Maria makes her way out of her room and over to Tess to ask why was Michael at the house.


“Hey Tess, Michael left me a note on my mirror. Why was he here since we’re not together?”

“Tess looks Maria right in the eye and confesses, “I saw him and wanted him, so I invited him here."


“And why the hell would you do that?” Maria is now in Tess’s face with eyes full of rage.

She explains feeling she did nothing wrong.
“Look Maria, you told everyone here that you were through with Michael. I always found him attractive so when I saw him at the gym, I invited him to come home with me.

Being the big feminist you propose to be, I figured that you wanted nothing else to do with him.”

“Now why the fuck would you ever think that Tess?” Maria looks like she wants to snap Tess’ head off as they stand toe to toe. Maria pushes Tess, sending her backward into a couch. Maria is walking towards her as Tess tries to get out of the way.

"Hey wait Maria, I don't fight over dick. Damn didn't I tell someone else that?"

As fate would have it, the clock that Maria placed in the bathroom to time her pregnancy tests go off. I grab Maria; nudging her into the bathroom while Tess recovers her bearings. Maria gets there first and peers at the tests as I bring up the rear.

“So what’s the verdict?” I nudge Maria out of my way so I can see for myself.
All five tests are pink but Maria refuses to accept that.

“Oh no Liz, that’s not pink, it’s more of a mauve color. Maybe I should go out and buy some more tests.”

Realizing that she doesn’t want to accept that she may be pregnant I sit her back down on the throne as I talk to her.

“Sorry hon, the color of all those tests are pink and that’s a positive response.” She still is unwilling to accept the outcome so I tell her in a way she can understand.

“Look doll, each test is pink and calling you momma all five times!”

Just as Maria places her head between her knees to stop from feeling nauseous, Tess enters the bathroom instantly noticing the tests. Knowing that Maria slept with only Michael she immediately puts two and two together. It is then that she feels remorseful about what almost happened.

I have to make this clear on Tess’ behalf. Even though she loves to screw, there is no way Tess would go after a man that wasn’t available be it because of a steady girlfriend, a man with a child or a married men. All of which are strictly out of the question in her view.

“Oh Maria, I had no idea. If I knew you were really serious about Michael, I would have left him alone.”

Maria is not buying it.
“Look Tess, I don’t care how many times I said that Michael and I were through, he’s still off limits to my friends.

That’s the unwritten girlfriend law but maybe you have no knowledge of that.

That wouldn’t surprise me in the least. Come to think of it, I always wondered if you were really a transvestite.”

“What did you say?” Tess can’t believe what she just heard Maria say.


"You heard what I said!" Maria wants to hurt Tess really bad.

Being the peacemaker of the crew, I scoot Tess out of the bathroom and harms way into my room so we can talk alone.

That crack that Maria said was uncalled for and hurtful but she’s very upset and you know that she’s bound to say anything when she’s upset. What if the tests are right, is she going to leave school and go home?


I get Tess to have a seat on my bed so I can talk to her.
"We both know what she said to you was wrong but going after Michael was wrong on your part as well.”

"Honestly, I had no idea that she still cared for him. I wasn't trying to hurt her or anyone. I gotta make her see that it was all a big mistake."

I nod and I’m glad Tess acknowledges that she was wrong. Now all I have to do is get Maria to acknowledge that saying she was through with Michael was wrong, and convince her not to kill Tess.
The good news is that Michael didn’t take Tess up on her offer.


TBC

Isabel and Alex reunited the night of the bar accident. Never one to put off what should be done as soon as possible, she invites Jesse to dinner the next evening. Of course with the purpose of formally break things off with him.

That’s one thing I really admire about Izzie, she does everything in such a sophisticated way. Well almost everything, her temper is another issue entirely.

True to form, she arrives early to the restaurant in a stunning red dress. She asks for a drink as she waits for Jesse.

He arrives on time looking very stylish in a beautifully tailored sapphire blue suite. He catches her eye and walks over smiling. He has no idea he’s about to get the boot.

“Isabel you’re looking radiant as usual. To what do I owe the honor of dining with you this evening? You don’t
strike me as the type of woman to ask a man out.”

“You have brilliant powers of deduction. Jesse, I have something to tell you. Why don’t you order a drink and hold off ordering your meal. You might not want to eat after you hear what I have to say.”

“Why would I not want to dine with you, what could you possibly say to make me lose my appetite?”

Isabel takes a deep breath and tells Jesse exactly what he doesn't want to hear.
“Jesse, remember the guy you got into it with at the bar that night?”

Jesse is puzzled as to where this conversation is leading.
“Yes I remember that, what about it?”

“I was going out with that guy and I did something horrid to him. It was after I stopped seeing him that I realized how much I cared for him. I was in the process of convincing him that we belonged together when my mother introduced us at my uncle’s party.”

Jesse feels his breath catch in his throat as he realizes that Isabel is in the process of giving him the brush off.
“Wait a minute, now I know that you’re not telling me to hit the bricks.”

Isabel maintaining her resolve looks Jesse straight in the eyes telling him what she has to say.
“Jesse, I think you’re a great guy. Had I met you first, well who knows. Maybe…”

Jesse jolts up from his seat, startling all within view.. A collective gasp can be heard throughout the restaurant.
“Wait just a fucking minute Isabel, how can you do this? You’re throwing me over for that scrawny college kid? Does your mother have any idea you’re doing this?”

Slowly Isabel rises from her chair with fire in her eyes. Although she is mother's little girl, she hates to be reminded of it.
“My mother has nothing to do with this. If I kept my mother out of my business, we would never have went out in the first place. My mind is made up, I can’t continue seeing you. My heart belongs to someone else. It's my hope that in time you won’t harbor any ill will towards me.”

An evil smirk slowly emerges across Jesse's face.
“Really? I don’t believe you. I don’t believe that you’ve told your mother your intentions to stop seeing me. I know how disappointed she would be by that. Maybe I’ll stop over there on my way home tonight just to say hello.”

Isabel stares Jesse in the eyes while offering him her cell phone; showing she doesn’t care about his threat.
“If you think idle threats concerning my mother will change my decision to stop seeing you, you’re sadly mistaken. But hey I invite you to call her up right now. Press number 3, I’ve got it on speed dial.”

Not at all pleased with Isabel’s tone or conversation, Jesse kicks his chair back violently from the table while cutting his eyes at her for the last time. He storms off while Alex walks over to Isabel from an adjacent table. Placing his hand over hers, he sits opposite her.

“I’m glad I insisted on coming with you just in case that idiot got out of control. Sorry that had to happen.”

“It’s not your fault Alex, it was my mother that introduced us, and she was the one that saw us together not me.”

“What about your mother, I get the feeling that she’s going to get a blow by blow sooner than you think. I don’t think she’s gonna be thrilled with what she hears.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you. Take care of me and I’ll take care of mother.”

Alex and Isabel stay at the restaurant to have dinner. After sharing a romantic meal, they leave happily arm in arm.
****


After the run in Maria and Tess had over Michael, I decide to linger at the house just in case Round 2 erupts. After talking to Tess about her part in the fiasco, I convince her to stay in her room until the coast is clear. Maria is next on my list of priorities; so I head for her room.

After beating around the bush for over an hour, Maria finally breaks down to tell me that she really loves and misses Michael. Instantly I come up with a scathingly brilliant idea.

I tell her to pull herself together while I get us something to drink. But instead of going for drinks, I sneak to her room in search of Michael’s number. I find it in her cell phone and call him quick, fast and in a hurry.

Damn, Michael is just as bull headed as Maria. Boy do I have my work cut out for me. Why do I even put myself in these predicaments? I’ll tell you why, because I honestly believe in love. Anyway I have my talk with Michael.

“Liz are you out of your mind, Maria made it crystal clear that she’s through with me. I’m not in the mood for any more of her mental abuse.”

Oh here we go.
“Look I know she loves you and you love her. That little note you left on her mirror proves that on your part. I don’t have time to beat around the bush, so I’m gonna spell it out for you plain and simple.

Maria is pregnant! So if you care anything about that fact, you need to get your ass over here ASAP!”


THUD!

That’s the only sound I hear, then the line goes silent for a few seconds.
"Hello, Michael are you still there?"

”Yeah, I had to pick up the receiver. Please tell me I didn’t hear you correctly.”

Time to reel him in.
“She hasn’t gone to the doctor yet, but she took five pregnancy tests. They all came out positive.”

Michael didn’t waste any time answering me.
“Oh shit, I’m on my way!”

DIAL TONE



BAM! BAM! BAM!

“Who the hell is that,” Maria hollers to me from her room.

“I’ll get it,” I tell her as I rush to the door to let Michael in.

Reluctantly he enters the house still upset about the last fight and because he had to hear about the baby from me and not Maria. Just then Maria walks out of her room as Tess looks out but doesn’t leave her room.

“What the hell is he doing here Liz? Is Tess gonna get to fuck him while I’m here to witness it?”

Michael’s mouth is wide open from Maria alluding to what could have happened between them while she was out of town. It's time for me to come clean.Oh I'm far too young to die!

“ No you nut! I called him here. It’s time you two had a serious talk. You go out of your way to tell me my business concerning Max. Now I’m butting into your business because frankly......”

Bored with the feminine chitchat, Michael interrupts me with a question to Maria.
“Is what Liz told me true? Are you pregnant?”

Maria has daggers for me because I got Michael over here.
“Liz, how could you do this to me. Who’s fucking friend are you?”

“Maria, I’m more your friend than you know. I just don’t want you to do something you could regret for years to come.”

Michael takes Maria’s attention off of me as he walks up to her. He’s clearly not amused.
" What the hell are you trying to pull here, it’s mine right?”

“That is none of your business, we’re no longer together. Hey, how dare you accuse me of not being faithful? ”
Maria looks as if she's about to explode.

“Well hell what am I supposed to think when your friend tells me you're pregnant.
YOUR FRIEND MARIA!”

Maria throws her hands up in frustration.
“Damn it Liz, that wasn’t your business to tell!” Nobody abides by the fucking girlfriend codes anymore.”

Michael nods my way as he declares,
“ I'm glad she told me. So, why don't you stop wasting time and spill it!”

It seems that Maria is tired of arguing. Imagine that!
“Of course it’s yours nimrod, who else’s could it be? Besides you’re the one who likes to flirt. I caught your ass not once but twice, and with my roommate no less.”

Oops I was wrong, Maria could just be getting her second wind.

Michael is feeling like he can’t catch a break with her.
“Damn it, here we go again. You know damn well nothing happened in both situations.”

“ Do I? Maria looks at him skeptically. “ What was I supposed to think seeing you with those two girls draped over you in that picture, then you’re at the house when we’re officially broken up?”

Michael’s eyes are full of emotion as he conveys his feelings to Maria in a soft voice.
“Maria, you were supposed to trust me. We were supposed to be in a relationship. I’ve done more than prove to you that I love you by leaving that note on your mirror and not doing anything with Tess. I don’t wanna be with anyone but you!”

Silence takes over the room and Maria puts her head down as she takes in the realization of what Michael just said to her.

“Tell me the truth, why did we break up?” Michael asks looking pensive.


“ Because... I just….”

Wow this is a milestone moment. I can’t remember how many times Maria was caught totally speechless. Michael just might be gaining ground.


“Because what Maria, you’re pregnant with my child.”

“ I’m aware of that fact more than you Michael.”
Instantly she recalls her many sojourns to worship the porcelain god.

Michael reaches out to touch Maria’s shoulder.
“We have something together but you're pushing me away, what are you afraid of. You know deep down that I’d never hurt you.”

Maria jerks away from him.
“ I'm not afraid of anything, I’m being self sufficient!”

Michael tries inches closer to her.
“Well, let me clue you in on something. I love your self-sufficiency. A baby
deserves two self sufficient people who choose to be together to put its welfare first.”

It is now that Maria gives a clue to why she broke up with Michael.
“ My mother did a fine job raising me after my father abandoned us. Children raised by single mothers grow up just fine.”

Michael is totally bewildered by Maria’s statement.
“What, what the hell are you talking about?
Baby, you're not your mother and I'm not your father. I don't know what's going on in that brain of yours but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.
I want to be in your life, and our baby's life. I love you and I want you to be...”

Michael walks back up to Maria, taking her hand in his as he falls on one knee.

Maria Deluca, will you marry me?”

“What!?” Michael’s proposal takes Maria totally by surprise. She feels as if she can’t breathe.

“Could you repeat that," she asks breathlessly.

“You heard me! Marry me Maria, we love each other and should be together.”

Maria snatches her hand away from Michael’s and rushes away from him.
“ No! What? Are you kidding me? We can't get married!”

Oh lord, the Maria filter is at work again.

Michael feels himself getting angry again as he stands to his feet.
“Why the hell not?” That kid is gonna have my name Maria!”

“ Is that so!?” Maria folds her arms defiantly over her chest, showing her resolve.

“ You're damn right!” Michael walks over to Maria invading her space. They are now eye to eye.

“ Not if I don't want it to! I'm not marrying you!"

“But why damn it?” Michael looks as if someone knocked the wind out of him.

Maria is silent; she can't look his way.

“That's just what I thought. Make no mistake, this shit is far from over!”
Michael shakes his head and leaves, slamming the door behind him.

He’s thinking to himself, she's won this battle but not the fucking war! He storms his way to the black Navigator while Maria crumbles onto her bed mentally exhausted.



TBC

Max goes to an off campus bar and finds one of the guys from boarding
school there. One of the seniors that took him under their wing and tricked him into getting the tattoo!
The guy spots him and waves him over to his table. Max is glad to see him but won’t be once the guy opens his mouth.

“Max, well I didn’t think you be anywhere without a big hat and shades unless you’re getting off on your new found fame. Dude, we got you to do some stupid shit at boarding school but this tops all! Who got you in that mess?”

Those words Irritate Max, so he remains standing. He reckons he’s not going to be there long to take a seat.
“Is that what you invited me over for, to pick up where you left off in high school?”


Max is about to leave the table when the guy apologizes to him.
“Sorry man, I just couldn’t help bringing up your tabloid fiasco.

“Sit down. Have a beer.” He signals to the waitress to bring a round of beers.
I hope you don’t mind me asking what happened. I promise I’ll stop after that.”

Max takes a deep breath, wondering if he can trust his old school mate. Nevertheless, he explains what happened and who made it happen.

The guy is flabbergasted by what Max told him.
“What? You’re seeing the girl that humiliated you?
If I were you, I’d continue fucking her in addition to humiliating her when she least expects it.”

Max decides to be evasive.
“I didn’t mention anything about fucking her.”

The friend leans into Max declaring, “You’re fucking her, I know you are.”

Max looks as if he’s pondering something hideous but goes on to tell the guy, “ no, I couldn’t do anything like that to her, I really like her. I know Liz really didn’t mean to make me front page tabloid news. It was just something that snowballed.”

Clearly the guy isn't buying what Max said.
“You’re a good one dude. I would have thought up the perfect plan and steamrolled over her ass just for spite.” If this happened at boarding school, you would have been all over that idea too.”


Max shakes his head as he laughs. He goes on to drink and travel down memory lane with the guy from boarding school.
****


After leaving the bar, the thought of revenge rattles around in Max’s brain the rest of the evening. It even invades his dreams. Confused about what to do, he decided to see Michael and ask for his opinion.

Max considers Michael someone that does his best to take the feelings of others under consideration. Michael is one of the nicest guys he knows. He’s the only guy who could talk Max out of doing such a devilish thing.

Too bad Michael is mad at all womanhood because of Maria. I Never imagined that Maria’s big mouth would result in my getting kicked in the ass.


“Hey Max, come on in. Make yourself comfortable.”

Max walks inside and stops at a comfy chair filled with dirty clothes. He picks them up, throws them on a nearby couch and has a seat after peering at the chair again. The house reverted back to a pigsty since Michael and Maria broke up.


“What’s up dude,” Michael asks noticing how serious Max looks.

Max clears his throat and begins to spill the gory details.
“I’m thinking about doing something terrible and I need someone to talk me out of it. I met up with a friend last night. He thinks I should get back at Liz big time for what she did to me at the fundraising party.

I came to you because I know you’re going to tell me how childish and petty the idea of revenge is, so go ahead.”

Max waits patiently for the words of wisdom that never come. Michael smirks at Max before giving him his reply.

“I’m not gonna do that Maxwell. Oh no because I think you should get her back for what happened that night. Shit I say go for it!”

Max is stunned as Michael goes on to tell him that he owes it to himself to do it. Of course Michael feels that way because he's so mad at Maria that he’s become a new member of The He-Man Woman Haters Club.

See what I mean, now if Maria would have trusted Michael, she wouldn’t have broken up with him and then Michael would have given Max the calm rational answer he was looking for.

Yeah I know, you’re thinking that running out of the hotel with Max’s pants was my idea and I ran with it. I shouldn’t blame what’s gonna happen to me on anyone else but myself.

Yeah right!
****

While Max is chatting away with Michael, Pam Troy is at the campus paper. She's reading the journal entries that I emailed to Mr. Faraday by mistake.

Let me tell you a little bit about Pam Troy, she’s a vindictive little bitch. When I came to the campus newspaper, she’d already been there two years. She seemed nice enough until Mr. Faraday passed her over for the editor position in favor of me. How was I to know that she was kissing Faraday’s ass for two years to get the job, and better yet why would I care?


Anyway, Pam sneaks into Mr. Faraday's office. She figures out that Max is "Studly" and that I was the one who caused the pants fiasco to happen. After reading the journal entries, the next thing Pam does is look for Max. She finds him coming out of the College Of Business Administration building. She runs toward him shouting like a fucking maniac!

“Max, Max I need to talk to you.”

Max hears, turns and walks over to her.
“Hey Pam what’s up?”

Pam goes into her tacky burnt orange book bag and takes out an folder full of paper. She gives it to Max.

“What I have here is all about you. That idiot Liz Parker emailed Mr. Faraday her personal journal instead of the assignment she was supposed to. Get this, I over heard him talking to her about making the entries a column. Of course she wasn’t with that.”

Max is looking over the entries while Pam continues her tirade.

“Pam, why are you showing this stuff to me. Shouldn’t you be giving this to Liz? All I see are entries about someone called Studly.”


Pam snatches the folder from Max to get his full attention.
“Max, you are Studly!”

Max can't believe what he just heard.
“How do you know that?”

“I know that because she goes into detail about what happened that night you got your picture taken without your pants. It even has the actual date it happened.”

A stunned Max decides to cut to the chase.
“Ok, you have her journal entries and told me I’m Studly but why?”

A evil smirk appears on that Bitch's face as she blabs about her plan.
“Oh come on Max, don’t you wanna get back at her for embarrassing you? Those entries gave me a brilliant idea, an idea that can work for both of us.

Liz Parker caused your humiliation and she stole the editor position away from me. Lets team up and get her ass back.!”

Curiosity overtakes Max causing him to ask, “What is your plan?”


“Max honey,I say we use her own words to fuck her up. I want you to do an exclusive interview with me! Studly Tells All!
So, are you with me or not? “

Max think about it, puts his arm around Pam’s shoulder and declares, "This is what we're gonna do!"
****

Classes are over for the day and I head for the newspaper. The first person I see when I get there is Pam peering at me as if she’s lost her mind.

Pam Troy shouts with glee as others in the room look to find out what’s going on.
“Finally, I got you where I want you!
Parker, I’ve found a way to get back at you for stealing the editor position from me.”

Of course I have no idea what she's babbling about.
“ Stealing, what are you talking about?

Pam, I’m sorry you can’t accept Mr. Faraday making me editor over you. That was his decision and you know I had nothing to do with it.”

“Whatever! You’ve got a big surprise waiting for you Parker.
Everything will become clear to you very soon.”

Pam Troy struts out of the room laughing like a raving lunatic.
I scratch my head wondering what could have made that bitch so happy.
****


A week later at Max’s after classes; he greets me holding up a copy of the campus newspaper. I’m in shock when I see the headline "Studly tells all!" in big letters. That’s my nickname for Max. Nobody knew that but the girls, Mr. Faraday and me…until now.

“Max why do you have this, what is this about?”

“Liz, you should have gotten those journal entries about me away from Mr. Faraday. You see, Pam Troy overheard you and him talking about making those entries into a column.

That just whetted her appetite to get you for taking the position she figured belonged to her. She snuck into the office, and copied the entries. After reading them she deduced that I was Studly.

She came to me with the entries to read. I didn’t read all of them but I read enough to figure out how you felt about me.

She also knew that you were the person who caused my embarrassment at the Waldorf-Astoria. She asked if I wanted to set the record straight about what happened that night and comment about your journal in an exclusive interview. I said yes, did the interview with her and here it is."

I’m shocked by the thought that Max knows I had a journal devoted to him, but I’m terrified to think that he and that bitch Pam Troy got together to get back at me with a tell all interview.

“Why Max, why would you do something like this. Why would you help Pam Troy humiliate me?”

Max answers straight forwardly, “ to show you how I felt that night when you ran off with my pants. You made me feel like a whipped pansy, I had to do something to get my point across.”


“Oh no, I thought we got past that. I thought we were working on something special together. Was sleeping with me in the plan too? If you read my journal entries you would have read how much I hated what I caused to happen to you. How could you do this to me Max?”

Tears start flowing down my face, as the expression on Max’s face turns from vengeful to guilty.

”Oh no! Liz I have a confession to make.”

“Max,I think you’ve done that already.” I feel an overwhelming urge to run out of the house.

Max seems to sense this as he backs into his front door.
“No Liz this is not as it seems.
Yes, I wanted to get back at you but I didn’t want to hurt you the way I was. So I came up with a plan to get my point across to you without the embarrassment.”

That's it, Max has finally lost his mind!

“How can you say that when people all over campus are reading my journal entries about you. You’ve probably said some horrible things about me in your interview with that bitch Pam.”

“That’s just it Liz, I lied about the interview and the paper I’m holding up is fake. I got Pam to make up one copy with the fake headline. Nothing of your journal is in the phony paper. I didn’t tell Pam anything. If you don’t believe me, come and look for yourself.”

He reaches back to produce the legitimate edition of the paper from his back pocket with his left hand.

Naturally I don't believe it so I snatch both papers from him. I peer at the "legit"
edition of the paper to check for the article Studly Tells All “ but find no such article.

Frantic and wanting answers I call the campus newspaper to find out the real headlines for today’s edition.


I'm In Hell!
Pam Troy is on the other end. She recognizes my voice, laughs and starts mocking me for falling for her and Max’s prank.

“ I see you fell for our little plan, you wouldn’t have called if you didn’t. If Max had listened to me, we would have really had fun at your expense.

I wanted to do an interview with him called Studly Tells All, and print each and every one of your journal entries for all to see.

Parker, If I had my way, all of New York would be laughing at you by now. That damned Max Evans ruined a perfectly good plan. Why does he care about your feelings, you made him the laughing stock of New York. You know what Liz, you don’t deserve Max, and you know what I hate you…”

Pam’s conversation becomes so demented and deranged that I hang up on her, and turn to Max with a serious look on my face.

“So you wanted to get me back.”

“Yes I did but I…”


“That bitch Pam told me that she wanted to do an interview with you about my journal, set the record straight about what happened that night at the Waldorf Astoria and publish everything in an article for all to see.”

“Yes that is true.”

“Then why Max, why did you stop her. That would have been the ultimate revenge.”

“Liz, I wanted to make you understand how I felt that night. I never actually wanted to embarass you."

“But why Max?”

He walks up to me stating, “I just couldn't do it to you."

Realizing I have both papers in my hand, I saunter up to Max and swat him sharply with them. It is then that I realize that Max really does care for me, and that he can't admit it.

“Ow! Now is that any way to treat someone as studly as me?”


We both start laughing so hard that we fall back on the couch.
Max kisses me while unbuttoning his shirt. He throws it over the couch.

Yep, definitely Studly!


Oh yeah I almost forgot. Max wanted to make sure that Pam didn’t do anything with my journal entries so he got all the copies from her and arranged a date for her with one of the Ranger hockey players. I was surprised to find that Pam and the hockey player hit it off. Max mentioned something about birds of a feather.
****

Later that day, Maria and I met up in the library because she wanted me to look over her English paper. One of the librarians remembers Maria causing a commotion when I called her about Michael coming to NYU. She peers at Maria with her index finger on her lips.

I catch this and so help me I have to comment. "what is it with you and libraries?"

Maria pushes me while telling me, "oh shut up!"

Ever the organized person, I have everything but the kitchen sink in my backpack.
As I’m pulling something out of the bag, the phony paper falls out.

Oh No! Maria catches it before it hits the floor. She looks it over quickly.

“Liz, what the hell is this?”

“Wait Maria, it’s not what you think.”

"Did Max do this!?" She asks with a not too pleased look on her face.

Ok, I gotta stop Maria’s train of thought. If I don’t disarm the “Maria filter” the rant will go on to infinity.

So I utter something outrageous. "Tess is going to become a nun!"
And that makes Maria stop short. She’s already ready to commit me because I think that somehow Max is a decent guy, but now I’m sure she thinks I’ve totally lost my mind.

I’ve got to convince her that it was nothing more than a harmless prank.
“Maria, it was one big joke!”

“That's what I've been trying to tell you Liz. Stop and smell the cologne, Max is playing games with you.”

“No Maria, the paper is a joke! It's not real.
Max wanted to get even over the pants fiasco so he had someone print up a fake paper and make me think it was real. But it’s not real. Read it, it’s nothing but gibberish.”

“Max may be slick but he couldn’t do this alone. Who helped him do this shit to you Liz?”

“Who do you think? Take a wild and crazy guess."

Maria shakes her head in disbelief.
Oh no, not that bitch Pam Troy?”

I nod my answer.
Yep! I didn't even know she knew Max. But It gets worst; she wanted to print the article for real.”

Maria is about to explode.
What!? Max was with the one girl on campus who hates you to get help!?
Are you sure things didn't work out by mistake? Pam Troy is a demented bitch.”

I reassure Maria that things are under control.
"No, really Max didn't plan for things to go that far. Plus he took care of Pam."


Maria leans into me to get my full attention.
Tess saw the tabloid pictures and she said that Max is very impressive.
But somehow I figure not as impressive as Michael though. Oh hell I don't want to think about Michael. Anyway did Max give her some of his long John Silver to shut her up?"

"Maria! No! Well, close..."
Maria's mouth drops open in shock.

"I'm kidding! Max got her a date with one of the Ranger's hockey players. I think his name is John."

Maria wants to laugh at the last remark but she's too upset.
“I still can't believe you are okay with this Liz! He intentionally tried to hurt you!”

“That's just it Maria, he didn't hurt me but I did hurt him."

Maria refuses to let this die. She's like a dog with a bone.
“If he hadn't tried to push you to doing something you didn’t want to do, he wouldn't have been all over the tabloids!”

I'm getting a headache.
“You're repeating yourself Maria.”

"You're still not hearing me Liz!"

Maria is sitting there all judgmental; giving me this pitying look like she knows better than I do about Max and the way I feel.
"I don't know chica. I just don't see how you can trust anything Max says or does.

I can see the windmills going in the Maria filter and I sense now is the time to end this useless debate.

“Maria, you’re being overprotective. I left my mom in Roswell.
If being with max is a mistake, I’ll figure that out.
Maybe he's not perfect like Michael but he's perfect for me.”

Oh no, I’ve hit a nerve!

“Look missy, Michael is far from perfect but at least he is honest!
And knows what a monogamous relationship is!”

The debate seems to be turning into a full-blown argument now.
“Hurray for Saint Michael! Stonewall meets Pixie from hell! That’s so amazing that you can admit that to me, but never to Michael.
You know what Maria, get your rocky relationship back on track then come back to me about Max.”

“ Whoa! Liz babe! You're the one that intervened in my love life for my benefit. I'm just trying to return the favor!”

I’m trying to hide my irritation, but not doing a good job of it.
“Then do me a favor and have faith in me."

Maria pats my hand sensing my annoyance.
“ I have faith in you sweetie, that’s not the problem. The problem is Max. I just don’t trust him and I refuse to be fake and pretend I do.
I refuse to stand idly by and watch him make a fool out of you!”

Gently I take her hand off of mine to show the seriousness of what I’m about to say.
“Maria I’m gonna say this and then I’m through with this conversation. You say that Max isn’t trustworthy; well that’s your opinion. I see so much in him, things that you wouldn’t understand. I really appreciate your concern, but it’s what I do and feel about Max that’s important.”

Maria finally throws in the towel....for now I suspect.

“Alright chica, whatever you say.”
Maria nods reluctantly as we turn our attention back to her English assignment. I could have sworn I saw her big green eyes convey you’ll be sorry my way.

Anyway, I’m hoping that my intentions have finally sunk in, and that she will redirect her efforts from me to her relationship with Michael.

TBC

There are millions of men in New York. It’s for that reason that Tess never felt the need to grant a second sample of her honey pot. Knowing that, it blew me away when she recounted how a second encounter with Kyle Valenti came to be.


Tess was through with classes for the day and had time on her hands, so she decided to head to the library in search of something interesting to peruse. Once there she came across this gorgeous guy whose enormous cock was bulging through his pants for all to see.

Never one to let a prime opportunity pass her by, she whispered her intentions in his ear and led him into a dark room in a neglected part of the building.

Tess is doing her thing; the guy is squirming around and moaning so much that she doesn’t notice that she’s being watched. It’s none other than Kyle Valenti, her beat the winter blues conquest . Remember, Tess had sex with Kyle the day her intended winter break three-some changed to two minus Michael.

BTW: Tess and Maria’s relationship is still very strained at this point in time.


Now, back to the drama at hand. Tess notices Kyle staring down at her as she continues sending the guy to heights of ecstasy unknown. Kyle, seemingly very impressed by what he sees and hears doesn’t budge from his spot.

Then their eyes lock as though they’re experiencing come kind of soul/carnal connection. The guy Tess is doing has no idea what is going on around him because his eyes are closed and he can’t hear above his own moans and groans.


With eyes still locked on each other, Tess puts everything she has into making sure the guy she’s doing is about to lose his mind from sheer pleasure therefore making Kyle want to be next.

After a few more minutes the guy starts ohhhing. Tess places her hand over the guy’s mouth so no one will hear him. After the guy cums, she turns back to Kyle but finds that he’s gone.

No longer interested in the guy she was doing, she gets up, fixes her lipstick and leaves him catching his breath.


Unable to get Kyle out of her mind, Tess searches the campus for him. Just when she’s given up, she finds him an hour later in a dimly lit quad under a low-powered lamppost.

There’s just enough traffic walking by to make doing naughty things all the more enticing.

Seductively she walks up to Kyle.
“Did you enjoy the show,” she inquires anxiously.


Kyle’s reply tantalizes Tess’ ears.
“Words can not express what I was feeling.”


Gazing down at Kyle’s crotch she asks,
“Is that a gun in your pants or are you just glad to see me?”

Before Kyle can answer her, Tess walks behind him, unzips his pants, and sticks her hand inside. She curls her fingers around his cock and finds it very hard.

She starts to pump his cock while partially concealed from public view. Just when it seems that Kyle is ready for the payoff, Tess stops the stimulation by removing her hand from inside his pants.


“Shit!”

Kyle bemoans his displeasure so Tess informs him,
“Never fear, it gets better. Care to take another spin in my little red corvette?”


“Oh yeah! Lead the way baby.”


They head back to the brownstone; luckily nobody is home so Tess offers Kyle a drink. They waste no time getting to the business at hand and her bedroom.

Always having an unexpected trick or two up her sleeve, she introduces him to her character costume closet.

“Let’s have some fun. Go into that closet, pick out something for me to wear and we’ll role-play our way to ecstasy.” A smile appears on Kyle’s face as he looks inside the closet taking his time with his selection.
With his mind made up he pulls the French maid outfit out for Tess to see.

“Excellent choice!” Tess shows her approval of his selection with an enticing smile. She plans to depart to the bathroom and change into the costume but Kyle attacks. No longer willing to wait, Kyle grabs Tess and gives her a mind-blowing night of sex.
****


Michael left the brownstone very upset after Maria turned down his marriage proposal. After burning up the highway aimlessly in the Navigator, he heads to Max's house to vent. He’s surprised to find me there.


Michael has been out of the loop since he and Maria broke up. He doesn’t know I’m staying with Max; who is trying to teach me the game of poker. I should mention that Max is back to normal. I’m still there because we find our arrangement very comfortable.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

And may I add that everything on Max is in superior working order.

Ok, I hear the doorbell and jump out of my chair in the dinning room to answer the door.
“Ah, saved by the bell.” I holler triumphantly over my shoulder as I sashay to the door.”

Right on schedule, Max decides to utter a smartass remark.
“So, you feel comfortable enough to answer my door?”

“ Why, you got a busty babe coming?” I reply as I turn to face Max.

He smirks,
“What can I say darlin, I know a lot of people.”

I throw him a sneer as I open the door. I gesture for Michael to come in while informing Max, “ no babe here.”

.
Michael utters, “ huh?” Then he walks into the house while Max and I laugh at our private joke. I get the feeling that Michael is wondering what he interrupted from the look on his face.
We wave it off as Michael takes a seat at the dinning room table. Quickly he explains why he’s here.

“It’s like this Max, Maria is pregnant and she turned down my marriage proposal.”

Max peers at Michael wide eyed. “ Sorry dude, but her turning you down might be a blessing in disguise.”


“Max!” I can’t believe he said that!

I shake my head thinking,
What a blockhead! He’s gorgeous, but a blockhead nonetheless.

Can you believe it; Michael came here to ask for help with Maria. I’m stumped wondering why Michael would Max of all people? Come on, Dr. Phil he’s not!

Max shrugs admitting, “Can’t help you with that man. Never found myself in that situation."

Thank goodness, he told Michael the truth. No telling what kind of hare brained scheme Max could have gotten him into.

I decide that a definite plan needs to be formulated and start the ball rolling.
“Michael, Maria is a tough nut to crack, but I think we can put a plan in motion.”

“Oh you do?” In a playful mood, Max nudges me.

I play along with him with a wink.
“Watch carefully, you might learn something.”

Michael overhears and laughs causing Max’s face to turn red just a tinge.

After Max composes himself, the three of us get down to business devising Operation Cease Fire.

TBC

Operation Cease Fire has been formulated and it goes into affect today! Knowing that he's not Maria's favorite person, Max thought it best to leave carrying out the plan to Michael and I.

I persuade Maria to go to the library with me under the guise of not wanting to go by myself.

When I get inside I ask her to have a seat while I go hunt down a book I need for an assignment. I find Michael a few minutes later in the movie/DVD part of the library checking out horror movies when he notices me.

“ I held up my end of the bargain, it’s time for you to do yours.”
I point to where Maria is sitting and he accompanies me to the table.
Maria eyes get as big as saucers as she looks up to find Michael standing next to me.

“What the hell is this?” Maria is staring right at me. She looks as if she’d like to body slam me to the ground.

“Come on Maria, you and Michael need to talk things out in a calm and rational manner.”

“I’M NOT CALM, I’M NOT RATIONAL?”

Maria’s outburst and the ensuing argument with Michael send three librarians over to kick us out of the library without delay. Maria can be heard fussing about what is it with her and libraries; she’s always getting shushed or kicked out.

After making sure that Maria won’t cut and run; I leave her and Michael to be alone and talk things out. It’s my hope that Michael can talk some sense into that girl.
I must say that I’ve come to really like him.

Maria relents and Michael helps her into the Navigator. After getting in he has a request for her.


“Maria there’s this place I’d like to take you to so we can hash out our issues. Is that alright with you?”

Maria agrees,
“We need to talk, lets go.”


Michael’s favorite place is the middle of Central Park. He loves it because most of it is just trees, like the rural part of Canada that he’s from. He stumbled across it when he first got to NY and it became his favorite place in all of New York. He goes there to draw or to unwind when he’s stressed.


They arrive there and take a leisurely walk to his favorite spot. Michael stops by a bank of black park benches and gestures for Maria to have a seat before he takes one. He turns to her with a serious expression and begins to tell Maria all that is in is heart.


“Maria, there’s something I need to tell you about myself. The people I call my parents adopted me when I was eight. They are wonderful people and I thank God for them. I don't know who my real parents are.

Before they took me in, I was shuffled from foster home to foster home. Some were better than others and then there were those that just sucked. I mean some of those places shouldn’t be allowed to have animals much less raise children.

I was told I was found on the steps of a church as a newborn. I want my child to know both his parents.”

Michael goes silent as Maria takes in what she's hold. She takes his hand and tells him her story.

“Michael, I've got a confession to make as well. My dad walked out on me and my mom when I was two. It’s been just the two of us ever since. Needless to say, Father’s day didn’t exist at our house. What happened with my parents made me fearful about trusting or sharing a life with a man.”

Michael nods in understanding.

“Maria, I’m going to be a part of my baby’s life. We can do it together or apart; I’d rather do it as a father and a husband.

Maria takes the time to make amends for the way she's treated him.
" My past made me fearful of even wanting to be happy with you, but I know you are my destiny. I'm sorry for being such a bitch."

Michael nods and pulls a box out of his pocket. He takes her left hand,gets down on one knee and gazes into her large green eyes.

“What more can I say, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life making you and my kid happy. Maria Deluca, will you do me the tremendous honor of agreeing to be my wife.”


“Yes Michael, I will marry you!”

Tears are streaming down her face as she leans in to hug him.

To lighten the situation Michael cracks a joke.
"You damn well better mean yes. I don't think I could handle another rejection.”

His outburst causes Maria to nudge him affectionately. Michael places a two carat green diamond ring on her finger.

Then they hug, kiss and head to the house.
****

Mission Accomplished!

A newly engaged Michael and Maria head to the brownstone where unbeknownst to her, everyone is there waiting to celebrate with them.

Maria is in shock when she sees a large streamer with Congratulations On Your Engagement! going across a part of the living room wall. Isabel and I rush Maria to hug her and check out the ring while Max and Alex congratulate Michael on a job well done.

I notice Tess standing off to the side as if she doesn’t belong. Maria figures this is the time to mend fences between her and Tess. She walks over to Tess to start the dialogue.

“Hey hon, I realize that both of us had a part to play in what happened with you and Michael. Why don't we forget about the past and start fresh."

"I'd like that. I really regret what I did, and I'm glad that you and Michael got past everything. You two belong together."

Tess and Maria continue to talk while Izzie interrupts the guys’ conversation to pat Michael on the back.

“Michael, I’m more than impressed with you, the ring you bought Maria and your stepping up to your responsibilities. You know what, Alex and Max can learn something from you.”

Before Michael has a chance to respond to what was said, Max blurts out some nonsense.

“You keep being impressed Iz, better him than me!” Max shivers at the thought of being tied to someone legally."

It's not that he minds being tied per se; we’ve done that before. He prefers silk scarves.

As a matter of fact, Max and I have been doing alot together. We've become very close over the past few weeks and I've never been happier. Dare I think of myself as his girlfriend, well we haven't had that talk...yet.

Maria and Tess emerge from their corner of the room seeming to have come to an understanding. Maria announces the cease-fire to everyone, but mainly to me.

“Ok everybody, I just wanted to tell you that Tess and I have admitted that we both had big parts to play in what happened concerning Michael that day. All is well; how about that Liz?”

I run over to Maria and give her a big hug. I know that wasn’t easy for her to do and I’m glad she did it. She’s beginning a new life while a new life grows within her.
****

The gang spends the rest of the evening hanging out and celebrating the engagement.

Convinced that Michael would get the job done, Max brought champagne and sparkling cider (for me and Maria) to toast the happy union.

The doctor took Max off the pain medication a few days ago, so he can toast the happy couple properly.

“Music, I need music,” Maria bellows and Michael grants her wish by turning to his favorite station. He’s listening happily as Metallica blasts out of the speakers.

Knowing Maria doesn’t share his taste in music he turns to her asserting,
“Hey you didn’t say what kind of music, you just asked for music.”

I’m cozy sitting on Max’s lap having a great time when the phone rings; it’s amazing that it could be heard above the music and steady chatter. Tess answers the phone and finds it’s Kyle on the other end.

“Hey, you’re having a party and neglected to invite me?” Kyle can hardly hear anything other than the background noise.

“Well yes, one of my roommates got engaged to Michael Guerin tonight. We’re hanging out here celebrating.”

“The hockey player Michael Guerin, oh ok. Hey I called you because I’m bored, is there possibly room for one more at the party?” Kyle is hoping she’ll say yes, he really wants to be with her tonight.

“Sure come on over!” Tess is glad she called. She didn’t like being the only girl without a guy. All is right in her world,things were hashed out with Maria and Kyle is on his way over.
****

After a while, Kyle makes it to the house and Tess makes the introductions. Then Maria sways Michael into changing the station in favor of something softer. Liz can feel Max moving just a bit to the music and decides to tease him.

“Now you know that’s not cool jazz you’re listening to. I know you have your standards.”

“I guess I can get used to anything, I’m with you aren’t I?” Max does this playful thing with his eyes then kisses me on the cheek.

Then I hear the first melodic bars of Vogue; I leap off Max's lap onto my feet.
“Hey girls lets dance!”

Each guy has their eyes bolted on their girl as Madonna whips us into a frenzy. We gyrate happily to the music.

The next song on the radio is I’ll Be by Edwin McCain and the guys take the opportunity to dance with us.

As Michael opens his arms to enfold Maria for the dance she tells him,
“You better enjoy this baby, after a while you won’t be able to get your arms around me. I wanna be married before I have to be rolled down the aisle."

“Whatever you want doll, whatever you want!” Michael takes Maria into his arms and they start to sway to the music.

Michael convinces Maria to agree to go to Vegas to get married as soon as both schedules allow. I'm named Maid of honor and Max is made Best man.

Izzie begged Maria to let her organize the nuptuals, but was informed that everything was going to be no fuss no muss. Izzie gave up only when Maria made her a bridesmaid telling her she could pick whatever dress she wanted to wear.

The party is still going strong when I receive a mysterious call.
****



There’s a call on my cell phone while Max is nibbling on my ear. Lord knows I can’t think when that man is touching me so I hop off his lap and answer my phone. That's when I get the surprise of my life. The person on the other end of the phone is my ex boyfriend from Roswell.

“Hey Liz, it’s been a long time. How are you doing these days?”

“Oh I’m great, how are you?” I’m glancing at Max out the corner of my eye to find him peering at me.

“I’m doing ok but would be much better if you’d let me see you. I’m in NY checking out some job prospects. Can I see you say tomorrow? I know this is short notice but I’d really love to see you.”

“Oh I don’t know about that, I don’t know if I can tomorrow…”

Just when I’m trying to tell the ex I can’t see him, Max is at my side gesturing for me to invite the ex to his house for lunch tomorrow. Oh shit I know this isn’t going to be good but I do as Max asks giving the ex Max's address.

In a gesture to make me feel at ease about him and the ex being in the same room, Max interrupts the merriment to invite everyone to his house tomorrow for lunch.


TBC

The day of doom arrives; the ex makes it to Max’s house. I answer the door and invite him inside. He walks in giving me a warm hug while Max looks on. Slowly I release myself from the Ex’s embrace and escort him around the room to introduce him to all gathered.

Tess and Kyle opted out of coming to Max's. They decided to stay at the brownstone and amuse themselves with chocolate and whipped cream.

Of course I leave Max for last because I have no idea how to introduce him.


“Um this is...this is Max Evans.”

Max tilts his head showing his disappointment at how I didn’t show possession when I introduced him, but why? We never got around to the relationship talk.

As I try to pry myself from a potentially sticky situation, Isabel is making a mental record of Max’s reactions to everything the Ex says and does. Of course, she’s going to give me a full report later after everyone leaves.

Hey, I’m not a mind reader. I’m dealing with a serial dater whose reputation puts Paris Hilton to shame. It would be wrong of me to assume that just because I’m staying with him and we sleep together every night that we’re in a solid relationship. You know what they say; assuming makes asses out of you and me.


Ok, back to the drama at hand. The Ex and I get comfortable then start reminiscing about Roswell. Then he goes on to make observations on how I was then as opposed to how I am here In NY.


“Liz was so focused on academics that she hardly had time for friends or socializing. I’m surprised to see that she’s not buried under a pile of books and that she’s actually taken time to maintain friendships.”

Just as I'm wondering how painful this visit is gonna be, Maria gets a craving for something sweet.
“Hey pregnant woman here! Max can I raid your fridge, I’d kill for some ice cream.”

Did my ears deceive me, is Maria asking Max~the anti-christ~ Evans for something!? Anything!?


Max grins while nodding his head.
“Then you’re in luck. Ice cream I have, but it’s chocolate chip cookie dough. Does that fill the bill?”


“Oh yeah that works, thanks Max”
Maria goes happily into the kitchen to help herself.

WOW!

Instant replay, Maria and Max had a pleasant moment. Michael bringing Maria to her senses has helped her on so many levels.

Suddenly I’m in the mood for something sweet as well.
“Hmmm I think I’ll get some ice cream myself.” Maria turns and we head into the kitchen arm in arm.

Never one to let sleeping dogs lie, the Ex feels the need to point out another way that I’ve changed since I’ve left Roswell.
“Wow Liz, I remember when the only flavor you’d eat was Vanilla.”

Seemingly annoyed by the trip the Ex is taking down memory lane, Max decides to play the jealous boyfriend.
“That was until I introduced her to something better. Times change, people change, tastes change.”

Somehow, I don’t think Max was just talking about ice cream.

I think Max hit a nerve with the Ex.
“Is that right,” the ex counters.

It’s right at this time that Maria and I re-enter the room. The Ex decides to give me a compliment.
“Liz, everything is exactly the way it was when you left Roswell, but you have certainly changed. You possess a radiance that wasn’t there before. You are a breath of fresh air.”


“Well, thank you. Being in NY has opened my eyes to a lot of things.”

Oh my, could that radiance be from having mind-blowing sex with Max every night?

As thoughts of ecstacy with Max takes over my consciousness, I glance at him for a moment. The Ex catches my dreamy gaze and realizes that Max and I are together. Like the typical man, he pays no attention to that. His campaign to get me back goes full steam ahead.

MEN Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Did I tell you that I think Testosterone is poison to the male brain over time?

The conversation with the Ex continues. He makes it known that the job prospect he was referring to was employment with the Ranger Organization. Well that peaked Max’s interest.
****


The afternoon progresses to mid evening; Maria and Michael are the first to leave. Maria said something about having a taste for something sweet again, but I don’t think she has food in mind by the way she was oggling Michael.

Isabel saves my life by offering to help me clear the living room and wash stuff up. That was just her plan to get me alone to share her observations concerning Max and the ex.

“My dream is coming true!” Isabel states almost egomaniacally.
I’m waiting for the evil scientist laugh; I’m wondering if she’s flipped her lid.

Slowly I back away from her as I ask,
“ Iz, are you ok?”

“Oh stop it. Seriously Liz, I’ve seen my cousin in action with a lot of women and I’ve never seen him act the way he did today. The Ex certainly hit a nerve with him.”

“I don’t know what to say…”

Isabel interrupts me with a point blank question.
“Do you want him?”


That question attacked my brain the rest of the evening. I guess it’s because I never actually thought that I could be with Max. Not long ago, I was content with the thought of lusting after him from afar.

Now I’m staying in his house and sleeping in his bed. To be honest, I’m waiting to wake up in my bed at the brownstone any minute and realize that everything I’ve experienced with Max was just a beautiful dream.
****


Isabel and Alex are the last to leave. All that is left is Max, the Ex, and me. The Ex can't wait to get me alone.

"It's getting late, wanna share a cab ride."

I tell him, “This is it!”

Wow! I can’t believe those words fell out of my mouth so easily.

Adding insult to injury, Max comes up from behind to wrap his arms around me possessively, nuzzling my neck.

The Ex is looks visibly disappointed but determined to get me back.
He waits until I’ve ushering him to the door to hand me his cell phone number and tell me what hotel he’s at. I think nothing of it. I place the piece of paper in the back pocket of my jeans and forget it’s there… until Max brings him up after dinner.
****

Max places a call and It’s clear he doesn’t want me to overhear. He's keeping track of my whereabouts as he speaks. I’m getting a bad feeling about this.


Later in bed, Max asks me to invite the Ex back to the house the next day. He conveniently waits for this time to ask because he knows I can’t think straight with him touching, kissing, and grinding into me.

Reluctantly I agree to do it only because he mentioned something about the Ex and his job search. I’m having mixed feelings about the ex coming back, but they fade away as Max begins making delicious love to my senses.
****

The next day, Max gets a call and once again he’s acting as if he’s hiding something. Lord only knows what’s going to happen today.


The three of us are back together at Max's. Sitting in the living room I ask the ex how the job search is going and if he’s had the chance to do some sightseeing.


The Ex answers, “it’s going well. I would love to do some sightseeing if you’re available.”

It's now that I find out what all the mysterious phone calls were about.
Max is looking very smug. I don’t like the way this is going at all.
”Excuse me, but did you say you had a job prospect with the Rangers? I didn't realize the organization was hiring for any positions at this time.”

The Ex glares at me very disturbed.
“Liz is there something you forgot to tell me?”

Before I could say a word, Max decides to tell him the gory details.
“My family owns the Rangers, and Liz didn’t forget to tell you anything. You set yourself up for this when you mentioned a job prospect with them instead of coming clean as to why you’re really in NY.”

The Ex's face freezes as I try changing the subject. I send Max a warning look but he pretends not to notice. He’s too busy pressing the issue, trying to make the ex feel stupid. The testosterone is flowing; poisoning his brain.

Max is acting like a pit bull that tasted fresh blood. He’s going for the jugular, but why?
"I repeat, why are you here? I’m sure Liz would like to know.”


The Ex stands to his feet and confesses, “He’s right Liz. I’m not here for a job; I came here to see you. I've missed you and I want you back.”

I’m trying to collect and express my thoughts when Max shocks me by walk up to the Ex and blurting out something so startling, so unexpected.


“Liz belongs here, so why don't you just go back to Roswell.”

Did he say what I thought he said?

But no, the ex is having none of that.
“I'll go back to Roswell when I'm good and ready!
No, I think I’ll stay in town and convince Liz to go out with me.”

Now I can see the vein in Max’s forehead pulsate as he continues his tirade.
“I think Liz has made it clear that she is happy here. Why don’t you do yourself a favor and leave her alone, now!”


“Look Max or whatever your name is, you want me to leave her alone. I don’t give a damn what you want!”

The Ex tries to ignore Max and turn his attention to me.
Liz we meant something to each other once. We can recapture that if you'll allow it to happen.”

“I'm sorry but...”
Again I try to make my feelings known, and again Max who’s turning red in the face cuts me off.

Max and the Ex have been locked in verbal combat for some time. It’s becoming clear to me that they’ve stopped arguing over me. Now they’re arguing to preserve their pride, their maleness, and the right to have testosterone coursing through their veins.

Oh, I get it! Max and the ex are arguing to establish who’s the alpha male and I’m the prize!

I try to get their attention, to make them stop this madness. I’m literally jumping around in an effort to get someone to notice me.
“Will you two please listen to me?”

They didn’t turn to me, and there was no outward show of my being in their presence on their faces at all!

Ok, they can continue their silly little game, but without me.
“That’s it, I’ve had it with both of you!”

Angrily I head right for the door looking back to see if someone would stop arguing long enough to stop me, but no one does. The guys are too wrapped up in themselves to realize that I was even there.

In a last ditch effort I figured I could get their attention by saying something totally out of character.
“Since you two want to find out who’s the bigger man, whipping your dicks out would be a step in the right direction.”

The words came out but then I realized that I no longer cared about stopping the may lay.


SLAM!!!

They face the door then look at each other. Now the Ex gets a clue and runs after me. Max gets to one of the front windows, to find the Ex trying to hug me. He turns away in disgust; just missing me push the Ex away. I tell him to leave me alone and head to the brownstone very upset.
****


Max wants to avoid a heated argument with me at all costs, I’m sure he’s going to wait until later in the evening to thrash out what happened. I wonder, is wait until the woman cools off before arguing with them in a Man Handbook? And if it is, are there any women in the world that have seen it? Again I digress.

I get to the brownstone where Maria meets me with open arms. I’m shocked that she doesn’t tell me "I told you so" as I give her the play by play. I continue my rant and we have dinner alone when my cell phone goes off. I peer at the phone and let it ring until it stops.

I glance up at Maria.
“You know who that was right?”

“You’re not gonna talk to him,” she asks seeming very surprised.

“Why should I Maria, he was way too busy stating his case to the Ex that I couldn’t get a word in edge wise. Not that he wanted to hear me say anything other than get out to the Ex.”


“Just listen to what Max has to say when he calls again, and he will call again.”
Is the world coming to an end, it must be if Maria Deluca wants me to hear Max out.

DAMN!, could it be that Max made a friend in Maria because he had ice cream at the house? She’s practically brimming with wisdom, why is that. Anyway the phone rings again not ten minutes later; it’s Max. I’m still ticked off wanting to know why he attacked the Ex the way he did. He has questions of his own for me.

“Are you taking his side against me?” It sounds like Max is puffing on something between sentences.

“Max, It's not about taking sides. You waged a campaign to embarrass him in front of me and that was wrong.”

I plop myself into the nearest chair. I get the feeling I’ll be fussing with Max for a while; why not be comfortable while doing it.

My answer infuriates Max to no end.
“So you want him back, is that it?”

“NO, that is not it Max! He may not be my boyfriend but he's still my friend, at least he was until you what you did. How could you do that?”


Max doesn't answer, seemingly afraid of admitting that he was jealous of him and afraid of losing me. Hey, I never thought I was something he could lose. I thought we were just having a good time being together.

When did he get serious? There’s a long pause, either he’s trying to answer my question or he’s decided he doesn’t have to.

Ticked off by the sustained silence I declare,
“ So be it!”
Frustrated, I slam my cellphone closed.


DIAL TONE


Max stares at his cell phone in total disbelief.

TBC

Max doesn't answer, seemingly afraid of admitting that he was 1) jealous of the ex or that he was 2) afraid of losing me. Hey, I never thought I was something he could lose. I thought we were just having a good time together, nothing serious.

When did he get serious? There’s a long pause, either he’s trying to answer my question or just decides not to.

Ticked off at his silence I declare, “so be it!”
Frustrated I hang up on Max.

Max stopped calling after I hung up on him. I hated to do that but I have my pride. He didn’t want to explain why he went out of his way to embarrass the ex, so I decided that there was nothing left to discuss.

Maria and I stayed up all night listening to music and pondering why we gravitate to the men in our lives. It was after three am when we turned in.

So why is it that Maria is in the kitchen whipping up another home made chocolate cake looking fresh as a daisy while I feel like I got ran over by a truck? Isabel is with Maria staring at the baker's chocolate wrapper intently.

That's not a good thing!

Maria is just about to put the cake in the oven when Izzie decides to ask a pointed question.
“Maria, if you’re gonna put so much effort into making a cake from scratch, shouldn’t you put that much thought into the brand of chocolate you buy?”

Maria turns to Izzie with the filled cake pan still in her hand, she’s not pleased with the snobby inquiry.
“Iz what the hell are you talking about, chocolate is chocolate. Besides, I’ve been using Nestles for years.”

Isabel answers the question; she's gonna wish she hadn't.
“If I were making this cake, I would use Valrhona Chocolate. Martha Stewart swears by it.”

Maria smirks at Izzie then fires back with both barrels.
“What is this Planet Martha? It figures you would be a devotee. Both of you got money pouring out of your ass and are anal to the point of nausea!”

That statement hit Izzie like a ton of bricks.
“What? Well, I never!”

Maria nods her head.
“And the way you are, you probably never will!”

Like clockwork, Isabel heads to her room to sulk. Wow, just as soon as I get myself re- settled here, I find myself back in the role of referee.
“Hey, hey, hey, give me a break sad woman walking.”

Maria stops frowning then heads right for me with a hug.
“Oh snookums, still thinking about what big bad Max did or didn’t do? He’s just being a man hon.”

Imagine that, I never thought that Maria would take my complaining about Max so lightly. Then again I never thought Max could develop the warm and fuzzies for me.
****

A week passes and no one has seen hide or hair of Max, so Izzie appeals to Alex and Michael to go to Max’s to pick him on what happened. My lips were sealed on the details.

What they witness when he answers the door is so totally out of character, so anti-Max.

He answers the door and stares at the guys wondering why they’re there. He’s looking like Grizzly Adams about the face, with grungy hair, crumpled clothes and a cigarette pursed snuggly between his lips.

“Max is that you?”
Michael asks taken by surprise by the sight of the normally well turned out Max looking almost like a skid row bum.

“What?”
The beginnings of a frown forms on Max’s face.
Taking his cigarette into his right hand, he blows smoke rings while leaning into his doorframe.

“I had no idea you smoked.”
Alex utters in between coughs.

Max gestures for the guys to come inside.
“Its not something I do regularly.”

Without saying a word he places the cigarette back between his lips. Once inside, the guys’ ears and senses are assaulted by a haunting melody.

Elizabeth by Frank Sinatra.
<center>Dressed in dreams for me
You were what I wished to see
Elizabeth, Elizabeth
Love was very new
Make believe was coming true
Elizabeth, Elizabeth
You were all much too much
Out of reach and out of touch
When you came to me
I found it could never be
Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth
So a dream has to end
When it's real
Not pretend
Dressed in memories
You are what you used to be
Elizabeth, Elizabeth
Elizabeth</center>

After taking a few steps into the house and surveying the area, Alex deduces,
Damn this house needs to be aired out and cleaned.

Michael on the other hand feels quite at home with the smell and clutter. He shoves some clothes from a seat on to the floor and sits down.

Pizza and Chinese food boxes have taken up residence on the living room table along with a mound of cigarette butts in a sterling silver ashtray. Empty and full Corona bottles are congregating around the couch area.

Max faces the guys asking,
” So what brings you two here?”


“Iz was worried about you. She does that when she doesn’t hear from you. You should be aware of that by now.
Alex states while trying to find an uncluttered seat.


Max gets a faraway look on his face as he tells the guys what he wants.
“I don’t want to talk to anyone but Liz. She hung up on me, can you believe that?”

Michael gets up and stands next to Max.
“WOMEN! Hey, I’m engaged to Maria Deluca remember?”

Michael takes a deep whiff then informs Max,
“Hey dude you smell ripe. Why don’t you go upstairs and take care of that.”

Max raises his arm and sniffs himself.
“Sorry man, ok I’m going up right now.”

He goes upstairs and takes off a white T-shirt, gray sweat pants and silk boxers. Then he gets into the shower stall. Grabbing the showerhead, he directs the steady stream all over his body.

While gliding a masculine scented soap over his sinewy muscles, he gives himself a pep talk.

She's just a woman; pull yourself together man! Being with her has changed you but you’re still every bit Max Evans.

Then suddenly, a vision of him and I making love the night before the argument invades his thoughts. He leans against the cool tile of the shower stall hoping to redirect his mind before arousal takes control.
****


While Max is upstairs, Alex is trying to get Michael to help him clean the living and dinning rooms. Not feeling the task at hand, Michael looks around stating,
"Why should I clean this place up, my place looks like this everyday!”

Alex shakes his head bewildered.
“It's the right thing to do.Come on, let’s get this done ok?”

After getting out of the shower and drying himself thoroughly, he goes over to his medicine cabinet for his electric shaver. Carefully he goes over his beard until it's back to the sexy five oclock shadow style he's known for.
****

Max walks from his bathroom back into his bedroom. He goes to his closet and picks out a black Ralph Lauren polo shirt and black jeans. While dressing, he decides he’s going to find a fox and fuck his feelings for Liz away.

Max makes it downstairs just as Michael places the last of the empty Corona bottles into a garbage bag. Slowly he surveys a clean living space.
“Hey guys you didn’t have to do that, but I’m glad you did. It looks like my house again.”

Alex can’t help taking a good-natured jab at Max.
“Now you can walk around without tripping over stuff.”

“Ha ha ha, right.”
Max takes the ribbing in stride.

The ribbing continues when Max expresses his desire to go out. Alex and Michael agree. Max pushes both guys out the door good natured on his way out.
****
The guys decide to head for the nearest pool hall. They get a pool table, a pitcher of beer and start playing.

Alex notices three girls staring at him, Michael and Max out the corner of his eye. After a few minutes, the girls make their way over to the guys.

A red head approaches Alex, a blonde tries to chat up Michael and a petite brunette walks up to Max and smiles.

Michael tells the blonde that he’s engaged while Alex tells the red head he’s got a steady girlfriend. When the guys turn their attention back to their game, they notice Max showing the petite brunette how to make a bank shot on the table.

His front is dangerously close to her back and he’s whispering something in her ear. Whatever it is must be very amusing because the bitch is giggling almost uncontrollably.

Michael and Alex can’t believe what’s going on but figure that all is well as long as Max remains in their sights. It’s not as if he’s going to take the girl right in the pool hall, right?

After a while it seems as though Max and the petite brunette aren’t playing pool at all. They’re just pressed against each other while leaning on the table. Max decides to up the seduction stakes by inviting the brunette to have Tequila shots with him at the bar.

“I thought you’d never ask.”
The brunette runs her index finger along his jaw line with a feather light touch while gazing into his eyes.

They make their way to the bar to find the bartender busy with a customer, so the tramp decides to make conversation.

“What’s your name baby,”
The brunette asks in a tone dripping with desire.

“You know my name, it's Max!"
He answers as he gestures for her to take the seat next to him.

“You are too funny, you know my name Liz.”
Yes, Max has gone over his liquor limit. He actually thinks the girl he’s with is me.

Now how should I feel about that?

The petite brunette is confused but determined to get what she wants, and that’s some of Max.
“Baby, you can call me Bertha if you’ll come home with me tonight.”

Wow, this broad really wants him!

Max gives the brunette a knowing grin and orders the first of many shots.
Now on their second round, Max’s libido gets the best of him. He picks the brunette up and lays her on top of the bar.

Gasps are heard from the girls and catcalls from the guys as everyone in the room wonders what he’s going to do next.
“Max, what are you doing?”
The brunette is breathless as he gestures for more shots.

“Foreplay!”
The most dazzling, smile eminating from glazed eyes graces Max’s face.

“May I,"
He asks while tugging gently on the brunette’s snug purple T-shirt.
The brunette nods, then Max takes a shot glass and pours the contents into the brunette’s navel. The sensation of the cool spirit makes her shiver.

“Hmmmm.”
Max likes the way her breasts are bobbing against her shirt.

Alex makes his way to the bar to see what’s drawn the crowd now gathered there. His eyes widen and he goes back for Michael. He pulls him closer to the bar to get a birds eye view of Max in action.

“What are we gonna do,” Alex asks Michael seemingly overwhelmed.
“Look dude, Max is a grown man. I guess everything is fine as long as he doesn’t leave with her.”

Max gazes into the brunette’s eyes as he leans down to lick the Tequila from her navel. Her imagination gets the best of her as she wonders what that tongue could do elsewhere.

“Lower baby lower!”
The brunette purrs to him.

Max whispers his replies in his smooth sexy baritone.
“You want more, then lets get out of here!”

The brunette rises up and throws her legs over the bar so Max can gather her up to place her back on the floor. She lets her leg graze Max’s hard cock. Maxie boy is ready to play and so is she!

In passing Max shouts over his shoulder to Alex and Michael,
“Don't wait up guys.”

The guys watch Max and the brunette leave. She’s got her left hand inside the right back pocket of his jeans while his right arm is wrapped around her shoulders. They watch somewhat dumbfounded until Max and the brunette make it out to the parking lot.

“Shit, we gotta stop him or Izzie and Maria will kill us!”
Alex bellows pulling Michael out of his fog and out the door to the parking lot.

Max is led to the brunette’s car while Michael and Alex give chase. They reach the couple just as he is opening the passenger side door. Michael grabs the door from Max and maneuvers his body between Max and the car.
“What the hell do you think you're doing Maxwell?”

Clearly in the grips of a drunken stupor, Max answers,
" It’s-Liz-she’s-driving-me-crazy-I-have-to-have-her-I-love-her."

“That’s just it Max, Liz is not here. You’re about to mess up anything you have with Liz if you leave with this woman.”

“I don’t believe you.”
Max is furiously trying to push his way past Michael and into the passenger seat of the brunette’s car.

Finally Max gets the upper hand and plops himself forcefully in the passenger seat.

In a last ditch effort to save Max from himself, Michael runs over to the driver’s side to tell the brunette,
“Find another boy toy sweetheart, this one is taken.”

Michael’s presence startles the brunette. She’s wondering if Max is Bi-sexual and Michael is his boyfriend.

Not wanting any trouble, she turns to Max stating,
“I want you but I’m in no mood to tangle with him. I know you’re in no condition to. . Hey getting you in my bed would have been fun but you don’t always get what you want.”

After a few more minutes, a visibly upset Max goes along with the brunette and exits the car. The petite brunette waves at Max and drives off. Michael is trying to figure out the real reason for Max’s actions tonight.
“Why Max?”

Max doesn’t answer; all he gives Michael is a lost little boy expression.

Michael shakes his head realizing how far Max had fallen emotionally and takes him then Alex home.
****


But wait, how fair would I be to show Max in such an unflattering way and not go into how being without him has affected me?

And what about me? I tried pretending that the argument I had with Max and leaving him didn’t affect me. But it did, to the point that I decided to clear my mind of all thoughts of him with alcohol. The details are pretty fuzzy now and I’m lucky I didn’t die of alcohol poisoning.

Hey I'm young, sue me!
****


Tess always has wine or liquor on hand. I’ve been told that hard liquor tastes like shoe polish, so I choose a full bottle of her red wine. not wanting to waste time getting a glass, I open the bottle and guzzle the liquid right from the bottle all at once.

I’ve never been drunk before so chugging all the alcohol down at once leaves me with such a buzz that I stumble and fall right in front of the fridge. Feeling my head swim, I decide to stay where I am until I can collect my bearings.

BAD IDEA!


It is then that Isabel, Tess and Maria get home to find me in this stupor.
Feeling no pain, I wave while trying to get up but stumble on to my knees.

I manage to get out, “Hi guys.” Then I start to laugh almost hysterically.

Maria walks up to me asking, “What’s going on?”

Tess walks up behind her asking, “Is that my wine?”

Izzie stays planted where she is while bellowing, “Why is she drinking?”

When Isabel does move, she walks over to me and takes the empty wine bottle from my hand. I procede to call her a party pooper to her face as she raises the bottle high and shakes it to show Maria and Tess it’s empty.

Isabel gets into my face asking more forcefully why am I drinking?
So I tell her or should I say I stammer,
“It’s because of that bastard you have for a cousin. Maria was right; I'm better off without his arrogant ass!"

Maria says something that sounds like,
“And I was just warming up to Max!”
Not quite sure she actually said that because of my state.

It’s clear that Izzie is not pleased with what I called Max. She places her hands on her hips while addressing me.
“I'm going to ignore what you said because you're drunk. No one calls Max a bastard but me!”

She turns away from me visibly annoyed while she thinks to herself,
Dear lord how did his ass screw up now?

Izzie walks past Tess who utters,
“Oh give the girl a break. She’s almost twenty-one and she looked like she could use it.”

Izzie sniffs while giving Tess her usual glare of disapproval.
Tess counters by stating,
“Can’t you leave the girl alone just this once, she needed to loosen up. She could have picked a different way but shit, let her live a little.”

Then out of nowhere, I start balling my eyes out.
The girls turn to me asking simultaneously,
“What’s wrong?”

“Max called me a tight ass once.”

Maria comes over to me and lifts me up off the floor. She takes me to my room for my fluffy pink robe and matching slippers. Then she suggests that I take a soothing bubble bath and sleep off the effects of the alcohol. The alcohol really loosened me up, so getting in the tub finished me off. Maria came to check on me and found me sound asleep.

With Izzie and Tess's help, they were able to get me out of the tub and into bed.


Separately, Max and I had quite a night.
***


After Michael gets Max home safely and drops Alex off, he realizes that group participation to get Max and I back together is needed.
He calls the brownstone to arrange an emergency meeting for the next day at his place.


TBC

The next day, I don’t wake at my usual time; the wine really did a number on me. Maria enters my room and does the weirdest thing.

She places a mini mirror under my nose. It's like she wants to make sure I’m still breathing. Tess catches Maria with the mirror, laughs, then informs her,
“She’s ok silly. She’ll probably be asleep for most of the day. I’m going to tell her what I caught you doing as soon as she wakes up.

Maria Isn’t amused by that.
“If you know what’s good for you, you won’t breathe a word of what you saw to Liz!”

Tess continues to joke with Maria.
“I think we can come up with some kind of equitable agreement to keep me from doing that.”


“Watch what you do Blondie!” Maria informs Tess while wagging her finger in her direction. She leaves my room in a huff.

"Oh I'm so scared!"
Tess follows her out laughing.

So the girls leave me sleeping, and take off to Michael's for the meeting.


Izzie, Maria and Tess enter the house, Alex notices and stands as Izzie heads his way. He kisses her then comments,
“Max wasn't kidding about Michael’s place always looking a mess.”

Izzie laughs and takes a seat in a spot Alex cleared next to him.

Maria overhears and giggles declaring,
“This is my future!” She gestures around the living room with her hands.

Everyone in the room breaks out in laughter at what Maria said then the conversation turns serious.


“Izzie was right to worry about Max,” Michael tells the gang.

Izzie counters with "Liz isn’t any better. I still can’t believe we found her drunk at the brownstone last night. She’s sleeping it off right now.”


“I can beat that revelation hon. Max’s house resembled a smoke stack with cigarette butts strewn everywhere,” Alex informs everyone.


“Oh no, that’s not good at all. That means he’s smoking again.” Isabel goes on to tell the gang the story Max told her of meeting two seniors at a posh boarding school. They introduced him to that nasty habit...among other things.

“His mother convinced him to stop with the help of the family physician when he graduated and came back home.” Izzie thought he kicked the habit but noticed he would pick it back up whenever he was stressed.

“Liz isn't a drinker, so the same thing is happening to her as well,” Izzie adds.

A very concerned Maria wants me to be as happy as she is.
“Being apart is taking a toll on both of them, what can we do?”


Tess nods in agreement then asks; “What do you do with two stubborn people who want to be together but allow their pride to stand in the way?”

A bewildered Kyle stands with his own question to ask, “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s clear this discussion has nothing to do with me. Why am I here?”

Tess, sitting next to him, shoves him while playfully uttering, “Oh shut up and relax!”

In a playful mood, Kyle shoves her back. They both laugh as he returns to his seat.

The conversation and interaction between Tess and Kyle makes Maria’s curious. She snickers then asks Tess,
“No offense Kyle but why is he here Tess?”

Tess turns to Maria and answers her.
“I needed eye candy, you got yours and I wanted mine!” She sticks her tongue out at Maria. Maria scrunches her face while Kyle smirks clearly satisfied with Tess’s answer.

News flash:
Kyle is around because Tess has realized that she likes having him around, and that’s weird. Usually Tess is interested in a man until he makes her cum, then it’s hasta la vista baby.

Well if they can get a man on the moon, I guess it’s possible for Tess to find a man she likes inin and out of bed.


Anyway, back to the drama at hand.

“Wait!”
Isabel jumps up from her seat to address everyone in the room.
She has an idea to reunite Max and I and is excited to share it with everyone. Her unexpected outburst startles all in the room.

“ We’re here to reunite Max and Liz, right? Liz believes in the concept of soul mates, I say we call our little plan Operation Soul mates! Great name eh?”

That’s our Isabel; she's such a softy. She’d have to be to remember we had a conversation where I alluded to the concept of soul mates.

Of course her enthusiasm isn’t lost on Tess and Maria. They try but find they can’t help laughing at her and her eternal optimism...not to mention her enthusiasm.

Michael shakes his head thinking about how much his friend has changed.
"They're both schmaltzy in their own annoying little way. It just took Liz to bring out Max’s inner sap.”

Everyone in the room nods agreeing to what he said.


“That's sweet and all, but how do we pull this off with out Gidget and Moondoggie finding out we’re scheming on them,” Kyle asks.


Isabel declares the reply to Kyle’s question with conviction, “we will lie like Persian rugs and scheme like common thieves until we have them back together!”


Maria chuckles at Izzie’s enthusiasm then informs all in the room,
“Michael and I will start the lies to get the ball rolling. Just follow our leads and this plan will work”

So, they set their plan in motion. Maria tells Max I wouldn’t be at the wedding but that Michael expected him to be there. Michael spews the same hunk of hog headcheese to me about Max.


It’s also decided that the girls and I would travel to Vegas for the wedding separately from the guys. They con me into thinking that I’ll be Maid of honor with Alex filling in for Max as Best man.


The lies continue as Maria tells me the reason her and Michael are traveling separately and staying at separate hotels is because she’s superstitious about being seen by and sleeping with Michael before the wedding.

Of course the real reason is that she doesn't want me to know that Max will be in Vegas with Michael, Kyle and Alex.
****

I must tell you that Maria wasn’t amused with the idea of getting married in Vegas, but once the crispness of fall turned to the bitting chill of winter, the idea of a Vegas wedding grew on her more and more.

Believing herself to be a quintessential event planner, Isabel figured that Maria would allow her to orchestrate the wedding. She found the idea of a Vegas wedding tacky, but believed it was her duty to bring a touch of class to the nuptials.

Isabel bugged Maria every chance she got for the job.
“Maria you only get married once, why not leave all the important details to me? That way all you have to do is to be radiant and make sure Michael makes it to the church on time.”

“Izzie, making sure Michael gets the church on time is the best man’s job not mine. Besides, I’m pregnant remember. I don’t want anything complicated, I just want to get hitched, and have my honeymoon. There’s no need for a big do.”

Isabel’s mouth flies open at Maria’s statement. She has trouble comprehending why someone would want a simple wedding.

“Maria I beg to differ. Don’t you want to remember this moment; you‘re going to need a top-notch photographer.

You want the perfect dress; you’ll need to go to a great dressmaker. You want a beautiful bouquet; you’ll need to find the perfect florist.

Of course I realize time is not on our side but I have connections who owe me favors. I can call…..”

Maria has been shaking her head since Izzie started her soliloquy. She figures now is the time to stop her and inform her of her streamlined plans.

“Izzie I need you to listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth. I’m not and have never been the type to make a fuss.

My dress will come from a thrift shop; my bridal bouquet will be small and understated. If there is no staff photographer at the chapel, Liz will carry a digital camera for me and I’ll get my pictures that way.

So, as you can see, I’ve planned out the way I want the wedding. Michael and I are in agreement, and that’s all that matters.”

Izzie starts to wobble as if she’s about to faint from Maria’s admission that she’s satisfied with a minimalist wedding. She’s not ready to give up on her idea of a perfect ceremony from start to finish, so she steadies herself on a piece of nearby furniture and catches her second wind.

pleading continues!

“Maria, you’ve just got to let me help you. You’ll regret it if you don’t.” With a slightly crazed look in her eyes, Isabel places her hands on her hips in a show of her determination to win this debate.

Maria peers at Isabel very surprised by her hysterical pronouncement and appearance. Worry quickly turns to distress as she watches Isabel’s statuesque body slide down to her shoes. She’s concerned about her friend’s mental state at this point in the conversation.

“Please Maria, you can’t have an economy wedding, it’s just not right. You’re marrying a rich man!”

Scared to make any sudden moves, Maria takes Izzie’s hands in hers
while speaking in a slow calming tone.
“Iz, what if I let you do my hair the day of the wedding? I’ve always admired the way you style your hair in between salon visits.”

Isabel rises slowly from the ground and concedes defeat upon hearing Maria say she’ll let her do something constructive.

“Ok, if that’s all you’ll offer me then I’ll work with that. I’ll give you a world class chignon for the big day.”

Maria breathes a sigh of relief realizing that the worst is over.
“Whatever will make you happy hon.”

Needing to decompress, Maria heads for the kitchen for some lemon cookies and ice cream. After getting her treat, she rushes into her room and locks the door behind her. Izzie on the other hand, goes into her room to check for classic chignons in her latest issue of Town and Country magazine.


Lets review:
Maria lied to me and Michael lied to Max about either of us being at the wedding. So they think it's up to them to reunite us because we can't... or
won't do it for ourselves.

Of course, I'm missing Max something awful, but what he did in regards to the Ex and me was wrong. He must realize that I’m not a carnival trinket to be won or lost. What I am is a warm and giving person that deserves to be treasured.

All I want to do is stay home, eat junk food and watch tacky talk shows but there is much to do. I've got to pack, the girls and I leave for Vegas tomorrow.

TBC