Lost & Found (UC/ MA/MA-MATURE) [COMPLETE]

[Midwest Max]

Part Twenty One – Epilogue

“The fuchsia or the green?”

I put my finger on the dress in the catalogue, wait for an answer. When I look up, I see Isabel sitting in the booth across from me and working vigorously on her chemistry homework. School has been back in for about a week now and I’ve found that Isabel is as much a geek as her brother when it comes to studying, only she hides it better.

I’m looking at a catalogue of formal dresses, getting ready for Homecoming. I know it’s over a month away, but I know I’ll have the perfect date, so I might as well start looking for the perfect dress.

“Isabel,” I say. “The fuchsia or the green?”

She looks up, her brow still furrowed with the remnants of concentration. Reaching over, she turns the magazine and gives the dress a quick look. “The emerald. That pink is going to wash you out.” Then she pushes the magazine back and returns to her homework.

I cock my head, looking at the dresses. She’s probably right. That bright pink is a bit much.

Then she swings the magazine around and eyes the dresses again. “I might look good in that pink, though,” she muses, working her mouth.

I raise my eyebrows and one corner of my mouth. “Really. Got a date in mind?”

She looks up, startled and shakes her head. “No,” she says, too quickly.

I allow myself to smirk just to watch her squirm. “Yeah? What about the guy at the bar?”

We both turn to look at Alex, who is munching on a plate of fries I served him before I sat down to take my break.

Isabel looks wary. “Maria, I don’t know…”

I shrug. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Who wants a sweet, smart, funny guy like that around all the time?” I turn back to the catalogue, but I’m secretly watching her from beneath my eyelashes.

She stares in his direction for a long time, her expression conflicted. Finally, I let out a sigh and look up at her.

“You can go talk to him,” I offer. “He doesn’t bite.” Unless she wants him to, then he’d probably comply.

Another few moments of uncertainty pass and then she picks up her chemistry book and heads over to the counter. I have to smile – she’s going to use the old “I need help with my homework” excuse. I watch her walk up beside him, startling him, then point to something in the book. Of course he moves his stuff out of the way and lets her sit down. I grin widely and feel a little jolt of happiness deep down.

And I have no reason to be unhappy these days. Mine and Max’s relationship grows every day; every day we learn something new about one another. I’ve decided I don’t want to receive the flashes just yet – I want to learn about him the old-fashioned, human way. I want experience and long talks to reveal to me what Max Evans is, not some momentary implant directly plugged into my brain. He understands and has agreed to keep the flashes blocked until I change my mind. Maybe some day I will, when we are old and gray and life together has become routine. But for now, I’ll do my own investigation.

Max and Liz had a lengthy discussion about where they’ve been and where they’re going. Max wanted me to be a part of the meeting, but I told him I trusted him and sent him off on his own. I don’t know what they talked about or anything, but I’ve noticed when they bump into one another, there is less tension and a little more civility. I hope some day they can be friends again. I hope we can all be good friends.

My thoughts are interrupted by a shadow passing in front of me as Michael Guerin slides into the booth. Inwardly, I sigh. I don’t feel like letting him spoil my mood.

“I wanna talk,” he says in a rush, his eyes darting nervously.

I give a half-shrug. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

“Maria, I made a mistake.”

“Oh, Jesus, Michael! I’m with Max –“

He holds up a hand, cutting off my words. “Truce,” he says, his tone even. “That’s not what I was going to say.”

I withdraw a bit, surprised that this isn’t the confrontation I was expecting.

“I made a mistake letting you go,” he confesses. “I was wrong.”

Hello? Was that Hell I just saw freeze over?

“And I want to say I’m sorry for hurting you.” He looks like it has taken even inch of courage in his body to speak those words. “So, here it is – I’m sorry, Maria.”

My gaze softens and I nod my head. “Apology accepted, Michael.”

He looks away, humbled for a moment. “I want us to be friends someday,” he confesses. “Is that possible?”

I wrinkle up my nose a little. “Let’s play it by ear, okay?”

He nods. “Okay. Good. I can take that.” He gives a nervous smile, mumbles something about getting back to work and disappears.

I watch him go, and I can’t help but think about how much life has changed over the summer. Three months ago, I thought I’d lost Michael. I guess what I didn’t realize was that you can’t lose something you’ve let go of, and somewhere along the way I let go of Michael. Because what I found was so much better.

I found Max.

I smile just thinking about him, about his laugh, his smile, his beautiful mind. He brings me flowers, walks me to my classes, calls me every night before he goes to bed. No one I have ever dated has done those things for me. He is the gentlest, kindest person I’ve ever met and some days I can’t believe he’s mine. I hold a paranoid fear that one day I will wake up and this will all be just a dream.

The bell above the Crashdown door chimes and I look up to see Max walking toward me, that easy smile on his face and all of my fears flutter away. I know deep down that he isn’t going anywhere. Because Max once lost Liz.

But then he found me.

THE END