Stow Away (AU, ML, Adult) Ch 14 3/31/07 [WIP]

[maya]

Title: Stow Away



Disclaimer: "The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended."
Banner by Chynna Princess
Pairings/Couples/Category: M/L
Rating: Mature to start. Adult Eventually.

Summary: Liz and her family flee El Salvador for New York city where they try to build a life for themselves.

Author's Notes:

Spanish is their first language and they are also fluent in English. I have chosen to write it all in English rather than putting in Spanish phrases. Assume they speak in Spanish in El Salavador and when at home. Outside the home in New York they are speaking English writing it all in English.


Part 1

El salvador 1993

“Your father and I need to talk to you,” Alita Perez spoke to her children once they were all seated at the dinner table. Eliza was the youngest at 16 years of age, Amata was one year her senior and Gaspar the eldest at 18.

Amata, the youngest son and joker of the family let out a laugh. “Oh, sounds serious Mamma. We are on the edge of our seats.” Alita flashed him a look of resentment causing him to quiet down straight away.

“It is Amata,” Omar said, sadness in his dark eyes as his wife squeezed his hand lovingly from across the table. “We have to leave El Salvador,” he sighed as the words left his mouth. They were not words he had ever planned to say.

“Why daddy?” Eliza asked shocked. This had to be some cruel joke. They couldn’t leave their beautiful home, her friends, her school, not when the junior dance was only one month away and Pedro had finally asked her to go.

“Something I said on my show has stirred up some trouble. The government didn’t like it. There coming after me Eliza. We are all in danger.”

“Papa, everything you say is controversial. That’s why your show is so popular. How is this any different?” Amato asked.

Gaspar, the eldest son, shook his head. He had just started university where he was studying economics and history, eager to learn all of the inner workings of the world. Amata was only 2 years younger than him, but sometimes it seemed that a world separated them. He understood nothing about politics, and had no interest in it, all his time was spent playing his guitar, a hobby Gaspar considered silly and fruitless. “It’s different because this time there is some truth to it. That’s it,isn’t it papa? You’ve hit a nerve, something that they don’t want others to know. Well I say we stay and fight it out. What’s the worst they can do? Throw you in jail. You’ve got to stand up for what you believe in,” Gaspar banged his fist on the table, emphasizing his point.

Omar smiled meekly at his son. He felt admiration for his fighting spirit, although he was much wiser than Amata, he still had a lot to learn about the world. This was not the land of Law and Order that many believed it to be since the civil war had ended. Corruption still lurked in every city, street and occupation. “They wouldn’t throw me in jail. That would have to be explained. They need to silence me.”

The table was silent. Everyone understood the meaning in that.

“When will we be coming back, Papa?” Eliza asked sadly. Surely this stay in America was temporary until they worked things out. Her father was a good man and once the authorities realized that, they would be able to come back.

Gaspar reached his hand over and ruffled the top of her head lovingly. “We won’t Eliza. We won’t.” A knot in her stomach began to form. They would never be coming back.

An hour later, Eliza found herself crying in her room as she tried to decide what to pack. Her father said they could be leaving as early as the end of the week once he had worked out their immigration to America and that they had to pack light. Her mother who usually would have taken time to comfort Eliza was busy get everything organized, so Gaspar decided to sit and comfort his sister for a while.

“Gaspar, I know it’s selfish but I don’t want to leave all of this. I’m scared,” she hadn’t touched her teddy bear in years, but now she was clutching it to her chest fiercely.

Gaspar looked into his sisters large chocolate brown eyes that were pooling with tears and tried to offer an explanation that she would understand. “Our life here, it hasn’t been like most. We are fluent in English, go to the best school in El Salvador, live in a huge house and spend our spare time swimming and partaking in games. You haven’t seen what it’s like out there. There is so much unrest; people settle their disputes in the streets, not in the courts. The government it’s not the democracy they would have us believe.”

“Why did papa have to say those things?” she lashed out in anger. “Why?” she demanded of her brother.

“Free speech,” he explained.

“What’s so great about that, if it means they want him dead? If it means we have to move?”

Gaspar shook his head. He knew it was hard for Eliza to understand, she had been spoiled and sheltered. He just wished she could understand what a wonderful man their father truly was. He had done so much for the people of El Salvador and now when he needed their help not one person would step up to the plate. Of course Omar had favors he could call in but that was not something he would ever do, Omar begged for nothing and no one. “Freedom is everything, Eliza. One day you will see. You have had it all your life. You don’t know what life is like in it’s absence.”

With that, Gaspar closed the door behind him. Although he loved his sister he could not relate to her selfish attitude. He would go to his father’s office and make himself useful.


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-



Mr. Lopez opened his front door to find a teary eyed Eliza Perez on his door step. Her make up was smudged and she was wet from the rain having worn no coat.

“Eliza, what is wrong child?”

“Can I…..spp..eak with Pedro,” she stuttered. Her mind was still reeling from the news.

“Of course. He’s in his room, just go right down,” he said, ushering her down the hallway.

Eliza walked down the hall until she reached Pedro’s door which was open. She smiled the moment she saw him, her crisis at hand momentarily forgotten. He was sitting on his bed, pen and paper in hand, looking so handsome, with his dark wavy hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a white shirt and black dress pants.

She had fallen in love with him the moment she had seen him in school 2 years earlier but he had shown absolutely no interest in her. An extremely hard worker with the top GPA in school, Pedro had no time for girls. His goal was to one day walk in his father’s footsteps. His father had worked in the ministry of defense. He had been offered early retirement and was brought back with the special title of ‘consultant’, which basically meant he made big bucks to offer the government advice.

When Eliza and Pedro had been assigned to work on a Biology project together 6 months ago, things between them changed. Eliza excelled in science and her abilities really impressed him. They began to study together and visit the astronomy center but he still showed no interest in dating her. Then out of the blue, 3 months ago, he had asked her out for dinner. That night she had experienced her first kiss and they had been together ever since. So many of her friends were jealous. Everyone wanted to date Pedro, if for no other reason then he was unattainable.

Pedro looked up from his studies to see Eliza standing in his doorway, her face stained with tears. He got up and walked towards her, taking her hand, pulling her into his room and closing the door. “What’s wrong Eliza?” he asked as he wrapped his arms around her. “Have you been crying?”

She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder allowing him to run his hands through her hair soothingly. “Everything.”

He lifted her head and wiped her tears with his thumb. Her heart melted when their eyes met and he placed a soft kiss across her lips. “It can’t be that bad.”

She nodded. It was worse than bad. At that thought she began to cry again. “We’re leaving,” she said through a hiccupped sob.

“What do you mean?”

“Something has happened. Father is in trouble. If we don’t leave they will kill him.” she said.

“I don’t understand. Where will you go?”

“The US. They can’t get to us there,” she was throwing around the word they, not really knowing who ‘they’ were, just knowing that ‘they’ couldn’t be any good.

“Pedro. I can’t loose you,” she cried.

“Come here,” he took her in his arms once again and began to run his hands across her back in soothing circles, trying to calm her down.

She couldn’t live without Pedro. If only there was a way they could be together. She suddenly had a thought. “Run away with me,” she exclaimed, her face lighting up at the idea.

“Eliza, are you crazy. I can’t do that. I have school,” he chuckled. “You read too many of those romance novels. This is real life not a soap opera.”

“You think I’m silly?” she asked, shattered by his words. Was he making fun of her?

“No, no.” He kissed the tops of her eyes. “Not silly. Just emotional, dramatic where as I am practical, but I love that about you Eliza. You have such passion.”

She smiled meekly at his words. “Don’t you love me?” she asked.

“Of course I love you but,” he racked his brain for a way to reassure her. “When you get there write to me. I’ll write you every week and when I finish school in two years I will come and find you.”

Eliza nodded. “OK. You promise?” She kissed his neck and breathed in his scent committing it to memory. It was like apples.

He nodded. “It will be ok. You’ll see.”

She would cling to that promise. It would become the anchor that kept her afloat in the coming months as the life she knew ceased its very existence.


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_


“I just want to take a few of these files,” Omar motioned for Gaspar to pass him a box he could pack them in.

“Do you know which story they were so afraid of?”

“No, but it was something recent. I’ll take everything I can from the last few months. When we get to the US we can go through them and figure it out. I can start writing articles from there.”

Gaspar nodded and joined his father at the cabinet, grabbing any files that were dated in the last few months and throwing them into the box. Once again, when his own life was in danger, his father was trying to get to the truth at any cost.

15 minutes later Omar had had enough. “Let’s get out of here. They’ll be looking for us and we don’t want to get caught.”

They walked down the corridor towards the door that exited near the parking lot. Just as the two were about to exit the building they were met at the door by a familiar face.

“Lopez,” Omar cursed.

Mr. Lopez was blocking the exit. “Going somewhere Perez?” His tone was firm. Gaspar looked at his father nervously. Omar gave him a look that told him he would deal with the situation. He tried to remain calm but the look in Lopez’s eyes scared him.

“Just home,” Omar tried to sound casual, tried to keep the worry out of his voice.

Lopez cocked an eyebrow and leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms at his chest. “Really, because I heard you were trying to get to the US.” Panic flickered through Omar’s face. How had Lopez found out? Only a handful of people knew and none of them would leak that information. “Unfortunately for you the immigration process is quite lengthy.” Lopez threatened.

“Don’t hurt my family.” Perez begged.

“You have 24 hours. We are fair men after all. Say goodbye to your family. Tomorrow night at 10pm the national civilian police will come and escort you to the prison. Of course we all know you’ll never make it the court, you’ll be conveniently misplaced but your family will be fine. Oh and Omar we’ve confiscated your passport so don’t try to leave the country.”

“Oh and you won’t be needing these,” Lopez grabbed the boxes from Omar and Gaspar and took them to his own car.

When they got to their car, Gaspar threw up all over the seat. “I’m sorry papa. When I got mad at you earlier for not fighting I didn’t realize…it’s bad, isn’t it.”

Omar shook his head.

“And I’m such a wimp, I can’t even keep anything in my stomach.” What a fool of a boy he was.

Omar put his hands on his sons shoulder and gave him a light shake. “No. You are strong and brave and I need you to look after your mother , your sister and Amata. Do you hear me. If anything happens……”

Gaspar nodded.

Omar started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Once they got home he would figure something out.

As they drove something occurred to Gaspar. “Papa, how do you think Mr. Lopez found out? Do you think he found out through Pedro? I know Eliza was going over there earlier.”

“Yes. In fact I’m sure of it.” Then after further thought added. “Remember how she had a crush on him for almost 2 years and he never so much as batted an eye at her. Then 3 months ago he is suddenly interested.”

Gaspar’s eyes widened. “You don’t think it was a coincidence?”

Omar shook his head. “He could have heard any number of things over the last three months.”

“My god. He was never interested in her he was just…,” his voice trailed off, not able to utter the words he was thinking. Pedro had been using his sister for three months, using her to spy for his father and they had just let it happen. The very thought of it made him feel sick. Then he felt angry.

Omar looked at his son seriously. “She never has to know.”

Gaspar looked at his father in disbelief. He couldn’t be serious. “Papa, you can’t keep sheltering her like this.”

Omar sighed and looked at his son through tired eyes. “What good would it do?”

“She would see that life isn’t the way she thinks it is. She would see through the illusion,” Gaspar explained. Wasn’t it always better to hear the truth?

Omar shook his head. “No she wouldn’t. It would only break her heart.” Some things were better left unsaid.

[maya]

Part 2

Eliza’s stomach was churning as she felt herself slide across the steel floor once again. This time, her mother who had secured herself in the corner, grabbed a hold of her and held on tightly. Eliza sighed as she buried her head against her mother’s chest, she still didn’t feel safe but this was the closest she had come since they had left home two weeks earlier. It was dark and so much colder in here than any of them had anticipated. Alita, wrapped the blanket tighter around them both to calm their shivers, although she knew it was the fear more than cold that had Eliza shaking so intensely.

Outside it looked like an ordinary marine container. It would be declared at US customs as a container filled with women’s clothing bound to a well known clothing company in New York, raising no alarms, no need for examination, masking its true contents. Inside it was equipped with blankets, a portable flush toilet, bottles of water and cans of sardines, salmon, tuna, crackers and other non perishable items, everything needed to sustain the real cargo, the Perez family.

Omar had known it was risky to stow away on a container ship bound for New York City; it was a three week voyage, they could get sick, be discovered but he saw no other option that would keep the family together and keep them safe. If they could get to America they would be ok.

When he and Gaspar had arrived home after their run in with Lopez he knew he must act as quickly as possible. He parked the car in the driveway and entered the house with Gaspar giving the illusion that he was staying put for the night. Omar had a friend that worked the shipyard, he was sure would help him, the question was how could he contact him? The phones were probably bugged; he would have to go by foot.

He made his way to the patio doors that opened into the backyard and made his way out onto the wet grass, down to the riverbank behind the house. The path there was secluded, there were so many trees and it was already getting dark. He ran for hours, until he reached Dante’s house. Within an hour of his arrival Dante had made arrangements for them to smuggle their way into the states on a container ship that night, at 3 am at the port of Cutuco. Although already weary, feeling he was on his last leg he pushed himself to run home just as quickly as he had down the river all the while thankful Alita had forced him to join the running club to reduce what she referred to as ‘love handles,’ a loving American term. If he had been out of shape he never would have made it in time. Once he arrived home, he gave the family 10 minutes to gather up what they needed and then they left their home and all of its contents behind.

Now, after 2 weeks on the water, no one was doing well. Not one word had been uttered in that container in the last 24 hours, all were too tired or to depressed or to scared to. It seemed like it was night all the time as the container was so dark. They had two flashlights but limited themselves to only them twice a day to get their food together. The rest of the time they could only hear or feel each other and smell sardines and canned salmon in the air.

Amato was the most affected. It has been said that when one becomes sad he becomes vulnerable and more susceptible to infection, well that certainly was the case with Amato. He had been unable to take his one true love, his guitar; Omar had said there would be no room for it and it would only slow them down. When Amato had protested, Omar had said it was not a necessity and chided him for causing problems when their lives were at risk. Those who new Amato knew his guitar was his life, his muse, his passion, the very blood that flowed in his veins and Omar knew it to, but it would be too heavy he had reasoned with himself, take up too much room. Once they were settled in America he vowed that he would buy his son a new guitar, an even better guitar. But Amato had said little since their departure and did not look good. Alita was worried about him, it was hard to see him in the darkness but when the flashlight was on she was noticing the hue of his face becoming paler, he was lethargic, unable to keep his meals down. She only hoped his body could hang on for another week.

Omar and Gaspar were both as stoic as ever, attending to Eliza, Amato and Alita’s needs without complaint. They were both extremely worried and spoke only to each other of there fears which were becoming realer with every passing moment. There rations were running out.

“Papa,” Gaspar whispered. “What are we going to do?” he asked. It wasn’t the food they were worried about, they still had lots of canned fish and crackers left as they were all sick of them as it was and eating as little of it as possible. Beside, one could go over a week without food anyway. The issue was the water.

“We accounted for a liter per person per day. We must still have a lot left,” Omar reasoned.

Gaspar shook his head. Because Amato had been getting so sick and was losing so many fluids they had given him extra water to keep him hydrated. When Gaspar had checked the water at lunch time there were only four 1 Liter bottles left and he told Omar so.

“That is one day’s supply,” he whispered, his voice etched with worry.

“What should we do, Papa?”

“We can’t survive 6 days without water. One of us will have to leave the container and find some on the ship.”

“What will we tell the others?” he asked knowing Omar wouldn’t want them to worry.

Omar shrugged. They would have to tell them the truth. He cleared his throat, called them all to attention and relayed the details of their conversation to the others.

“So only Gaspar is going?” Eliza asked. “How will one person carry six days of water for five people?” she asked, quickly doing the math in her head. Wouldn’t it make sense for more of them to go and bring back as much as they could? One person taking more trips would only increase the risk.

Omar was surprised at his daughter’s proposal and couldn’t help but agree with her. “I’ll go as well,” he said

“No,” Alita said looking towards Amato who was looking worse by the minute. Omar and Gaspar were the strongest and one was needed to stay behind in case Amato’s conditioned worsened.

“I’ll go,” Eliza offered and before her father could protest added “I’m the smallest, I won’t be detected.”

Omar couldn’t argue with her reasoning and nodded.

The plan was simple. She and Gaspar would go out at midnight once most of the crew were in bed. For now they would try and get some sleep.



-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-



They had done it, found the bottled water and carried 10 back to the container between them. Now they were getting ready to make a second run. Once that was completed they would have enough water to last 4 days.

“Let me go first. Wait for my signal then follow,” Gaspar said to Eliza as they both hid behind their container.

Eliza nodded and then Gaspar walked around the container to check if the coast was clear.

“My my, what do we have here?” Gaspar heard as a flashlight shone brightly in his eyes. He squinted enough to see it was one of the crew members, he had dirty blonde hair and didn’t look a day older than he was. “No, your not part of the crew that’s for sure,” he said excitedly to which Gaspar did not reply. Please Eliza, stay where you are he thought to himself.

“Hey Kyle, what’s going on over there?” a much older man in a uniform approached the area where Gaspar and this man that had been addressed as Kyle were standing.

“I don’t know Sir. I just found this man on board,” he explained as the man continued to walk towards them.

Gaspar looked around quickly. He wanted to run but where could he go? Instead he just froze in place. His legs felt heavy, like they had been nailed to the deck.

When the man reached them he gave Gaspar a stern look. “A stow away. It’s been a while since we’ve had one of them,” a small laugh escaped his lips.

Eliza popped her head around the corner, wondering why she hadn’t received the all clear from Gaspar. When she did her mind let out an internal scream. There were two men with Gaspar, one was in uniform, holding him by the collar. What should she do?

“Should we put him down below and turn him over to immigration when we get to New York?” Kyle asked.

“Are you crazy. The captain is charged $10,000 for every stow away on board when we reach the states.”

“What, that hardly seems fair. It’s not like he was involved in it.”

“I know but a while back a few of them were part of a whole ring transporting stow away’s for cash. That’s why they have this new rule.”

“So if we don’t turn him in to immigration what do we do?”

“Throw him overboard.”

“What?” Kyle exclaimed. “But he’ll die. I mean there are sharks and..” he trailed off. Could he really be serious or was he just playing with him. Kyle wasn’t sure This was his first voyage with the crew and they had been giving him all sorts of initiations. Could this be one of them?

“He won’t be eaten by sharks. He will either die on impact or the cold water will have him unconscious pretty fast,” he replied seriously.

“Come on we don’t have much time. Throw him over,” he motioned towards Kyle.

“What. No I can’t.” He couldn’t kill a man.

Gaspar looked back towards the container and saw Eliza peering in his direction. She pleaded at him with her eyes, asking him what she should do. He only shook his head. There was nothing she could do and he hoped she understood that. If he was the only one here he would put up a fight, but the rest of the family was involved, he couldn’t risk their discovery.

“Oh, you’re a pansy Valenti. I have to do everything.” With that comment he pulled Gaspar over to the side of the ship by the collar and without hesitation gave him a big swift push over the side of the ship.

As Gaspar fell through the air to the water, he wanted nothing more than to yell for his Mama, his Papa, to say goodbye to Eliza and Amato but he did not for it would draw the men’s attention to the fact there might be others on the ship. Instead, he met the water in silence. With courage, he fell to meet with death in the water below.

Kyle felt guilt as he watched this unknown man fall to his death. If he had known this would be his fate he would have hidden him, not alerted his superior to his presence. He now felt that it was at his hand that death had made its claim.

Tears streamed down Eliza’s frozen face. Everything was spinning. Her brother had just…..no that couldn’t have happened. She was paralyzed with fear, her head resting against the side of the container. Then she heard their footsteps getting closer.

“We have to check the rest of the ship. There could be more of them. They rarely travel alone.” It was the voice of the man that had pushed her brother over.

“You go right, I’ll go left,” he continued.

Eliza’s already racing heartbeat quickened again. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists at her sides. This was it. They were coming for her and there was no way out. She could hear the footsteps getting closer.

Kyle walked over to the row of containers on the right of the ship, close to where he had seen Gaspar. As soon as he walked to the side of the container he saw her. A beautiful teenage girl with chocolate brown hair. Her eyes were shut tightly but tears flowed down her cheeks anyway. Her hands were clenched just as tightly at her sides. Her clothes were dirty, a black mark across her face. Definitely a stow away. He stood in front of her frozen, wondering what relation she was to the man who had just been killed.

Eliza heard him stop but knew he was still there because she could hear his breathing. Any minute know, he would grab her and she too would meet with a death at sea. She took a breath and waited. Finally the apprehension was just too much and she opened her eyes to see Kyle standing directly in front of her, his breathing choppy, his eyes mirroring the fear in her own.

“Kyle, find anyone over there?” The booming voice caused her to jump.

Kyle took a deep breathe and looked at Liz once again and then hollered “No. No one on this side of the ship.”

“Ok well get your ass over here and help me search this side,” he hollered back.

“Yes sir.”

Kyle and Liz shared one last silent glance; his filled with shame, hers with fear, before Kyle turned and headed in the other direction and Liz quickly made her way back into the container without her brother.

[maya]

Part 3

6 months later

Omar grabbed the brown bag lunch his wife had prepared for him and stuffed it in his bag, it was 5 am and he was already on his way to work.

“Oh, your daughter wanted you to mail this,” she said, handing him a letter.

He took a look at it and shook his head. Another letter addressed to Pedro. He and his wife exchanged a knowing glance, as he stuffed it into his bag, gave her a kiss and headed out the door.

He didn’t have to be at the construction site for an hour, but a subway pass was out of the question; money was just too tight, so rain, shine, sleet or snow; he walked the 7 miles each way to work and back every day. It was February now, so cold he could feel the tips of his fingers burning behind the light gloves, but he never complained. When compared to the alternative, this life was a utopia. Besides, in eight more weeks the start of spring would be in the air and the walk would be much easier.

As he walked, he found himself fretting over his wife and children, just as he did every day. Things had been so hard for all of them over the last 6 months. Without a social security card it was impossible to find legal work or a decent place to stay.

They had arrived safely in New York, having had many days trapped in that container morning the loss of Gaspar. As soon as they had arrived in New York they had changed their names to ones that were more common in America. He was now Andrew. Eliza, was Liz and Amato, Alex. His wife had changed her name to Anna. The only time he ever called her Alita was when they were in the throws of passion, calling her Anna would only make him feel he was betraying her in some way. That didn’t happen often now days, making love. They couldn’t afford birth control, so they only made love on days that Anna was sure she could not get pregnant. The rest of the time he called her Anna, although she just didn’t look like an Anna to him. Their family name had become Parker.

After a week of living in a shelter he had found employment at a construction site. Half of the workers there were illegal, many from Mexico. As a result, the pay was low, the hours long, the conditions unfathomable, and there was no way for the workers to complain about it. They were paid weekly in cash.

Through one of the workers he had found out that an apartment above a Chinese restaurant was for rent. There were two apartments above the restaurant. The owners, didn’t claim they were rented out and as a result the Parkers were able to rent one of the apartments for a steal with no credit check. It was only a one bedroom. Anna and Andrew allowed Alex and Liz to share the bedroom, while they slept on a pull out couch in the small living room. It was a far cry from the mansion on the river they had lived in El Salvador but they were still a family, they were alive and they were together.

The first few months were hell. His sweet Liz, now 17 was no longer innocent, nor naïve about the world. He feared her wake up call had come both too soon and too fast. She was so strong though, never complained about all they had lost. Spending her days helping her mother find cheap food, cook and clean. She wasn’t able to attend school and without an education her dream of working in science would never materialize. It broke his heart to know that she had given that up.

The other apartment next door was occupied by a single mother who worked at the restaurant named Amy. She was an American but had little money. Her daughter, Maria also waitressed there part time after school and was Liz’s age. Liz and Maria had formed a close friendship and Andrew was happy that they had that. Liz’s only exposure to the world of science was vicariously through Maria. Liz would rush over to her apartment after school to hear all about what Maria had learned in school, paying special interest to her biology Labs.

Alex barely said a word the first few weeks they were in New York. Just as on the journey, he had difficulty keeping food down and seemed almost in shock most of the time.

The day before Christmas, Andrew came home from work to find his wife sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea, her long luxurious black hair had been cropped off.

“What happened to your hair?” he asked her.

“I sold it,” she stated matter of factly, eyes on the floor.

“Why?” he asked and she motioned towards the side of the couch where he saw a black case. He walked over, picked it up and opened it to find an old battered classical guitar. He looked to his wife with question.

“He needs it,” she said and it was then that he had realized she had been crying. Her eyes were so puffy and red. “To break out of this,” she continued. “If not I don’t know what else to do….” She trailed off.

He smiled and took her in her arms. “It will work.”

That night when they got into bed she turned to look at him with sad eyes. “Am I very ugly now?” she asked, knowing how much he had loved her long hair.

He kissed her eyes, her nose, her chin and then shook his head. ‘You are even more beautiful,” he replied causing her to smile like a school girl. And she was beautiful. The fact that she was willing to give up the only thing she had left that was her own for an old guitar to help their son was the definition of beauty itself.

And it had worked. From the moment Alex’s eyes had fallen upon the guitar on Christmas morning the transformation had begun. He began eating and in a few weeks had regained all of his weight. He had fixed up the guitar and was playing a few hours each day. He was laughing with the family again. A few weeks ago he had gone out and found a job in the restaurant downstairs bussing tables, knowing that the family needed help. That guitar that his wife had so selflessly purchased had saved his son’s life.

Just before he reached the construction site, Andrew stopped at a garbage. He pulled the letter to Pedro out of his pocket and ripped it in four, throwing it into the can on top of some coffee cups and a banana peel.

Every Monday morning, Liz gave him a letter to send, and every Monday he ripped it up and discarded of it in some trash can. He knew that although she never talked about it she was suffering in silence, wondering why the man she loved hadn’t replied. But what choice did he have? He couldn’t alert them to their whereabouts but he also couldn’t tell his daughter the truth. Better to have her think Pedro had loved her and moved on than that he had never loved her at all.

Every Monday that he did this he found himself second guessing himself, wondering if Pedro had ever had true feelings for his daughter. Every Monday his mind answered with the same resounding answer ‘No’. And even if he was wrong, contacting him would only alert Lopez to their whereabouts. It was just too risky.


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_



“Liz, open up.” Maria yelled through the closed apartment door. “Come on over to my apartment when your ready,” she panted, out of breathe from running up the stairs. She than went to her own apartment across the hall. Her mother was still at work at the dinner so she grabbed some cookies and through her book bag on the floor and plopped down on the couch.

“Can I mamma?” Liz asked as she finished drying the last of the dishes. Her mother nodded with a smile knowing how much Maria meant to her. The only time Liz let her guard down and behaved like a teenager was when she was with Maria and that was what she wanted for Liz, a real childhood.

“So?” Liz asked, sitting crossed legged on Maria’s bed grabbing a few potatoes chips from Maria’s the bag open on Maria’s bed. Maria’s was the only place she could have junk food. It was just too expensive to eat at home where they stuck to thinks like beans and rice or pasta.

“So, what?” Maria asked with a grin, pretending she didn’t know what Liz was asking her.

“Maria,” Liz whined. She hated it when she teased her about this.

“Oh alright,” Maria laughed. “We did a lab on PH balance. It was actually pretty boring. We mostly used PH strips to figure out what was an acid or base. Here,” she said passing her lab notebook to Liz who grabbed it quickly and allowed her eyes to devour its contents.

Maria wasn’t exactly an academic and talking science was not high on her priority list but she knew how important it was to Liz. Plus her own marks had really improved since she started rehashing the day’s labs to her best friend. It was after all a form of studying.

Besides, science wasn’t the only thing they talked about. Maria couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be to be kept from school, and the hallway of gorgeous boys, especially senior year. How could one live a life without prom?

“So, I know your dying to tell me. How did it go with Jack?” Liz asked trying to hide her grin.

Maria sighed heavily. ‘It didn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t ask him.”

“Why not, Maria?” Maria had rehearsed on her and everything.

“I just don’t think someone like Jack would ever go out with someone like me,” she whispered, tears brewing in her eyes.

Maria was quite smarmy and could talk a good game but deep down she was hiding a lot of insecurities. Things she had never discussed with another soul before Liz. Liz was just so easy to talk to and had quickly become her best friend.

“Maria, you’re gorgeous and funny…” Liz began to list some of her many positive traits.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Maria laughed and Liz threw a pillow at her.

“It’s just that you know how those kids talk to me Liz. They talk about my father and what he was. They tease me for smelling like Chinese food all the time. I can’t help it that my father was…..and that we live here.”

“Of course you can’t.” Liz’s heart broke for her friend. “If Jack cares about those things than you don’t deserve him.”

“I know and I don’t think he does. It’s just….” She trailed off.

“Ask him,” Liz prodded her.

Maria just sighed. Would she ever work up the nerve?

“If something is that important to you, it’s better to try and succeed then to loose the chance,” Liz said quietly. “You don’t know how quickly your options can be taken from you.”

Maria looked up from the pillow she was holding to Liz questionly. “Pedro?” she asked wondering if that was what her friend had been thinking about.

Liz just nodded.

“Still no word?”

Liz just shook her head.

“Maybe I should just say screw prom. It will just be you and me drowning our sorrows in a giant container of ice cream,” she suggested with a laugh.

“Maria. No.” Liz said. “You have to go. I mean it’s senior prom,” she said thinking back to the dress she had been planning to wear to hers. It was emerald green with a tapered waist. She and Pedro would have probably made love that night. Now she would never have that night.

“So when are you asking him?” she asked, not willing to let Maria off the hook.

“You’re not going to drop this are you?” Maria asked with frustration.

“Nope. And if you don’t ask him tomorrow, I will march down to your school myself and ask him for you.”

Maria’s mouth fell open. “You wouldn’t?” she looked at her stubborn friend assessing her. “You would!” she exclaimed.

Liz just nodded.

“Fine,” Maria said crossing her arms with a sulk. ‘I’ll ask him tomorrow.”

“Good.”

[maya]

Thanks: LairaBehr4, Alien_Friend, Dreamer, POM and jamy21

Part 4

2 months later and the day of Maria’s Senior prom


The older man with the limp and white hair approached Liz at the desk in the clinic waiting room, in obvious agony. “My arm is killing me,” he said. “I really need to take something,” he complained.

“I know Mr.” Liz looked down at the sheet in front of her to read his name. “Mr. Kellog, but I’m afraid it’s going to be a while. Have a seat and I’ll bring you some water,” she replied.

Mr. Kellog was a regular, always complaining of an ache or pain for which the doctor could never find any cause. The doctors at the clinic told her all he really needed was a little attention and that they were happy to oblige.

Before Mr. Kellog could turn to go back to his seat, the outside door flung open and two men entered carrying another man between them, his arms draped over their shoulders. They immediately dumped him on the floor in front of the reception desk and took off again before Liz could even react.

Liz immediately ran to him, ducking down, she could see his shirt was covered in blood. His face was pale and he seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness, not a good sign. “Can you hear me?” she asked. She immediately reached for a pulse and was happy to find one, but it was weak and wiry, a sure sign that he was going into shock. “Dr. Evans,” she yelled but was sure he couldn’t hear her, as he was in a consultation with a patient behind a closed door down the hall.

Mr. Kellog was still standing there right beside her shaking, looking as though he had seen a ghost.

She ran back to her desk and grabbed a pair of scissors and some heavy cloths. She cut his shirt open down the center and found the wound, put both cloths onto it and applied as much pressure as she could. “Your going to be ok,” she said, not sure if he could even hear her.

Her eyes scanned the waiting room, looking for someone that could help her out. Mr. Kellog definitely wasn’t a candidate. The man in the corner looked high. Her eyes finally settled on Belinda, a woman in her 30’s, who had been coming in once a week for counseling. She would have to do.

“Belinda, could you please…” she said pointing towards the wound.

“No, I don’t want to get involved,” she said. Liz understood exactly what she was saying, this man was obviously part of a gang but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Just for a minute,” she insisted. “So I can go get the doctor.”

Belinda put down the magazine she had been reading and apprehensively walked over to Liz who signaled for her to bend down beside her. She immediately took her hand and laced it over hers. “Just apply as much pressure as you can, ok?” she asked.
Belinda nodded as Liz removed her own hand, grabbed a baby stool that was nearby, using it to elevate his feet, then immediately got up and started down the hall. “Whatever you do, don’t move your hand,” she warned.

Liz knocked on the door and then opened it, “Dr. Evans, we need you now. A man was shot and he’s losing a lot of blood.”

Dr. Evans ran after her. He assessed the situation quickly and looked to her, “Liz, I’m going to need your help.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-


Liz had been working at the clinic for 4 weeks. It had actually been something that Maria had suggested one night when she was over at the Parkers and they had all readily agreed. Since she couldn’t work in science, why not volunteer? She had felt guilty about it at first, I mean her father and brother were both working so hard but her father insisted. “One day we will be legal here and you will work in science.”

The job was supposed to be answering phones, making sure the patients waited calmly. It was a free clinic. They took appointments but also allowed walk- ins. Most of the patients had no health insurance for one reason or another, either poverty or they were illegal aliens like her. Lately, the job had turned into so much more.

There were three doctors that worked at the clinic. Dr, Evans, Dr. Green and Dr. Pratt. However, they were short staffed right now because Dr. Pratt was on vacation. Dr. Green was working today but had gone on a supply run. She hoped he would get back soon.

After assisting Dr. Evans, she left the room to go check on the situation in the waiting room. She found poor Mr. Kellog still standing in the same spot he was when she had left and now his pant leg was wet. “Oh come on,” she said as she took his hand. “let’s go get you cleaned up.” She led him towards the bathroom.

When Dr. Evans came out of the room, quite sometime later he found Liz doing some filing, the waiting room filled with patients.

He motioned for her to come to one of the empty examination rooms with him. When he closed the door behind him and gave her a brief smile she noticed he looked exhausted.

“How is he?” Liz asked.

Max let out the breathe he had been holding in. “He’s gonna be ok.”

“Good.”

“I’ve called someone to take him over to the hospital,” he explained. They weren’t supposed to do any surgeries in the clinic and weren’t set up to do them properly. However, in situations like this people always came here, knowing no questions would be asked. “They will keep him overnight for observation.”

He looked at her, taking the time to carefully form his words, he had something else he wanted to say to her but know he had to tread very carefully.

She wasn’t sure what he was going to say. This was Dr. Evans clinic but Dr. Green had hired her and she had only worked with Dr. Evans a handful of times, didn’t know him well enough to read him yet.

“Liz, what we did in here, it can’t leave this room.”

She knew what he was talking about. She had helped him with the procedure, carried out nurse duties, but she had no qualifications or training. She was a volunteer, a receptionist meant to answer the phone, take appointments, order supplies, greet the patients. It was one thing to do a surgery here, but something totally different to have someone unqualified helping out.

“A man is alive Dr. Evans. That’s all that matters,” she responded. Dr. Green wasn’t here. He needed help. She had given it. That was that.

Their eyes met. He knew that she understood what he was saying and was relived.

“Besides,” she continued “most of what I’ve done was first aid. I mean any civilian can do first aid, right?’ she asked.

Inwardly, he shook his head. What she had done in the waiting room had been first aid, but the rest…the rest he could loose his license for.

But he understood what she meant. She would keep the days events between the two of them and so he nodded. “And I am so grateful that Dr. Green hired you, Liz. You really are fantastic.” Fantastic didn’t even begin to cut it. She was a god send.

“Thank you,” she smiled proudly. It was good to feel useful again.

Liz might have been ok with what had transpired, for that he was grateful, but he couldn’t let it happen again. “I’m going to bring in someone new from Boston for a few weeks until Dr.Pratt gets back from vacation.”

“Good idea,” she smiled. “So,” she said motioning towards the door. ‘I have a whole room full of patients. Should I send one in?” she asked.

“Good idea,” he looked at his watch. “It’s going to be a long afternoon.”

“I don’t mind staying,” she replied.

“Thanks Liz,” he said as she went out to fetch Mr. Kellogg.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-


It was 7 pm. Dr. Evans and Dr. Green had finished with the last patient and Liz had locked the clinic door.

“I’ll drop the blood off for testing on my way home,” Dr. Green said as he grabbed his coat and headed out the door.

“Good night,” Dr. Evans and Liz hollered after him finding themselves the only ones left in the clinic.

Dr. Evans disappeared for a few minutes and when he came back was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt. Liz had never seen him without his white Dr. Coat and couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was. “That’s much better,” he smiled. “So what’s left?” he asked.

Now wanting him to notice her staring at him, Liz immediately averted her gaze to the floor. “I just have to sweep,” she explained picking up the broom.

“I’ll help,” he said grabbing the other broom.

“Dr. Evans, you don’t have to clean,” Liz was mortified.

He let out a laugh. “That’s what happens when you run a free clinic, Liz. You save money on things by cleaning the floors yourself. And please call me Zan,” he said with a smile.

She sad nothing but smiled back and they both continued to sweep in silence.

“So, Liz,” he said while they put the brooms away. “I would be more than happy to write you a reference letter for medical school.

Medical school. He thought she was applying for medical school? “Oh,” she wasn’t sure how to answer him. “Thank you Dr. Evans.”

“Zan,” be corrected her. He was starring right at her. His amber eyes piercing right through her and she felt nervous.

She took a deep breathe. “I’m not going to medical school,” she said although the words physically hurt her. But she would have to get used to saying them, medical school was completely out of her reach now. Her world was now a different place.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I just assumed.” She seemed so passionate about it all and with what he had seen today, she was a natural. “I thought you were taking a year off after college to get some experience in while applying to med schools,” he explained. Was that regret he saw in her eyes?

“Oh no. I didn’t go to college. I just finished high school actually.” Technically it wasn’t a lie. She had finished, just hadn’t graduated.

He looked surprised. “Oh. Sorry.” He was at a loss for words and Zan Evans was not known for ever being at a loss for words.

Sensing his uncomfortableness, she forced a smile. “No it’s ok. A perfectly valid assumption. I’m actually only 17 and I just…. for now, I prefer volunteering.” It was the only thing she could legally do. If only….

“And your very good at it,” he said trying to veer off the awkwardness of the situation. There was something more there but it just wasn’t his place to ask.

They both gathered their things and walked out the clinic door. Zan took out his keys and locked the door behind them.

“So, Liz, any plans for tonight or the weekend?” he asked.

“I’m helping my friend get ready for senior prom,” she explained.

“Your not going?” he asked, looking surprised. She would surely have guys lined up to ask her.

She shook her head. “Not my thing.”

He laughed. “Was never mine either when I was in high school. I had medical school on the brain.”

“Did you go last year?” he asked.

She shook her head. How pathetic did she look? Maybe she should have said she had gone. She needed to get better at lying. “What about you?” she asked changing the subject.

“Oh I’m looking forward to watching some TV and taking my dogs on a long walk,” he smiled.

“Do you need a ride?” he asked gesturing towards his bike.

“No. I don’t live far,” she explained, not wanting him to see where she lived.

“You sure?” he asked as he put his helmet on and got on his bike.

“Sure,” she said.

She waved at him as he sped off and she began her own one hour trek home.

As Zan took one look back he felt a grin forming on his face. She was so beautiful and yet didn’t want to go to the prom. She was a shoe in for medical school and yet wanted to devote herself to volunteering instead. There was a lot more to Liz Parker than met the eye and he couldn’t help hoping that maybe she’d let him close enough to unravel the mystery.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-


“Jack’s gonna be here any minute. Come help me, I need my boobs to look bigger. What can we stuff this with,” Maria asked in a panic.

“Maria,” Liz whined. “Your boobs are fine.”

Maria grabbed a necklace and held it against her chest to see if it would match her dress. ‘So tell me about this Dr. Evans again. Is he cute?”

“Maria,” Liz whined, yet again.

“I know,” Maria rolled her eyes. “Can you do this up?” she asked handing the necklace to Liz. “You love Pedro. You’re serious about science. Ya da, ya da, ya da.

“Just answer the question, please.”

“Yes, he’s cute. Happy now?” she asked, hands on her hips in mock irritation.

“Yes very,” but Maria wouldn’t stop there. “So is he like old?”

Liz shook her head. “He finished high school at 17 and zoomed through undergrad and med school. He’s only 25 now.”

“And a doctor,” Maria added, very impressed.

“And he could be out there making big bucks. Instead he works at a free clinic and when he’s not doing that he is busy raising funds for it,” she said proudly which didn’t go unnoticed by Maria.

“So is there a woman in the picture?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know. I wouldn’t know.” Liz replied. She’d only talked to him a handful of times.

“What do you mean you don’t know? Does a woman drop by the clinic? Does he get picked up? Does he talk about a woman?”

Liz thought back to their earlier conversation. He’d said he was going to spend time with his dogs and watch TV. She shook her head.

“Then he’s gay. I mean someone like that is just too good to pass up. There’s no way some woman hasn’t snagged him yet,” Maria said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Liz’s jaw fell open. “He’s not gay.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know Maria.”

“Ha-I knew it. You have noticed him in that way,” Maria said a smile on her face. Mission accomplished.

Liz opened her mouth to protest but was prevented from doing so by the sound of a honking horn.

“That’s Jack,” she said.

“But…” Liz started. Wasn’t he going to come in?

“Not exactly the come to your front door with a corsage type of guy…but I never said he was.”

Liz laughed. There were always surprises when it came to Maria. “Have a great time Maria,” Liz said leaning forward to give her a hug.

“I will and this conversation is not over Chiquita.”

[maya]

Thanks: so much for your feeback. It means a lot!

Alien_Friend
LairaBehr4
imniotic
jamy21
Dreamer<3
Drea
Erina

Part 5

The following week, things ran quite smoothly at the clinic. Dr. Baylor arrived from Boston and quickly became a valuable part of the team. He was an older man, in his early 50’s with salt and pepper hair and a wonderful bedside manner. He was almost a father figure to Liz, and told her all about his work with Tay Sachs research. Of course, like all things medical related, Liz gobbled the information up.

She was slowly getting to know her boss Mr. Evans, or Zan as he insisted she call him. He had started talking to her more but she found herself more guarded with him, then with Dr. Baylor. She knew part of it was embarrassment over her attraction to him. He was her boss and older for God’s sake. Although, not that much older.

Her conversation with Maria had got her thinking and she found herself observing things like the fact that he wore no wedding ring. The only girls he talked about were his two dogs, Bella and Sam. He spent most of his time in the clinic with patients.

One day when he was updating a patient’s file she found his eyes drifting towards her. When he noticed she had caught him, he had flashed her a devilish smile giving her the impression he had wanted to be caught and she found herself blushing and looking down at the floor.

As the week progressed she found it happening not once more, or twice more but three times and was actually glad when the week was over. She was getting tired of looking at the floor.

Friday evening, like the previous week he asked her if she had any plans. “Not really,” she replied.

“Do you ever go to movies?” he asked.

“Sometimes,”she replied although she had only been to one movie since she had arrived in New York. It had been Maria’s treat. She had said a girl couldn’t survive without seeing Brad Pitt on the big screen. Liz didn’t see what the big deal was with Brad Pitt, but didn’t have the heart to express that sentiment to her friend.

“That’s good to know,” was Zan’s reply as he got on his bike, gave her a wink and zoomed away.

Was he flirting with her? Or was this just how he was with everyone? She hadn’t seen him around any other woman that weren’t patients and so she was left to wonder.


********************

“Maria, why do we have to come down here again?” Liz asked as she and Maria walked into the ‘Oriental rose’, the restaurant Maria and Alex worked in, and they all lived above.

It was 11 pm, the restaurant was closed and as Liz fumbled alongside Maria trying to find her way in the dark she felt a shiver of trepidation slinking across her spine.

“I told you. Something Jack gave me…it’s just so cute I have to show it to you but I left it down here when I worked my shift…come on.” Maria grabbed Liz’s hand and pulled her to the front of the restaurant. “The lights back here.”

“Maria,” Liz couldn’t help but giggle as she bumped into a table.

“Ah, here it is,” she could hear Maria yell from somewhere in front of her. Then the lights came on and her heart was jolted as she heard the word ‘Suprsie!” being yelled.

“Maria!” Liz’s hand covered her mouth in shock and looked around the restaurant in awe. Her parents, Alex, Amy Deluca and Jack were all there. There were streamers and balloons and a cake sitting on one of the tables.

“You didn’t think I’d let my best friends 18th birthday just pass by, did you?” She mock scolded.

“Well actually…” Liz muttered. With all that her family had been forced to deal with this last year, a party was the furthest of her expectations.

“I knew she’d be surprised,” Alex laughed. “Pay up.” He looked to Maria.

“Chiquita, I was sure you’d suspect,” she replied and then looked to Alex adding. “Just know your taking my very hard earned tip money.” To which he just shrugged.

She pulled five dollars out of her jean pocket. “A gentleman wouldn’t hold a lady to said bet,” she said as she handed it to him grudgingly.

Alex laughed and stuffed the five into his own pocket, patting it for effect. “I don’t remember saying I was a gentleman,” he replied.

Liz and Maria looked at each other mischief in their eyes and then pounced on Alex, tickling him from head to two.

“Torture. Torture. Ok. Ok. Take it. It’s yours,” he yelled.

Maria bent down and grabbed the five from her pocket.

“You really know how to hurt a guy. That wasn’t fair.”

Maria shrugged. “I don’t remember saying I was fair,” she said. Isn’t it great to beat someone at their own game?

Andrew and Anna watched from the next table with a smile. It was so rare to see their children happy and was something they wanted to cherish.

As if reading their minds, Amy jumped up, camera in tow. “Ok, everyone squeeze together. Oh stand in front of the aquarium. That would make a good shot.”

A few minutes later, Andrew and Anna gave Liz her birthday gift. It was an anatomy and physiology book. “Mama, papa. It’s perfect,” she gushed.

“I know it’s not much but…..”

“No, it’s great really.”

“And we couldn’t afford to book a place for the party. That’s why we had to have it here after closing. I….” There was so much he wanted to say to his daughter. So much he wanted to apologize for. But where did one start? And so he decided that actions spoke louder than words and he found himself leaning forward and pulling her into a tight embrace instead.

Liz didn’t care about the location for the party, the lack of expensive gifts. There was only one thing she wished for that her father couldn’t give. “I wish Gaspar was here,” she whispered in his ear.

“Me too, my beauty. So much.”


***************

“So I hear congratulations are in order,” Zan whispered to Liz the next morning when he came out to get the chart for his second patient that morning.

“Thanks you,” she replied and wondered how he had found it. Had Dr. Baylor said something? She had mentioned it to him last week.

“18?” he asked.

She nodded.

“So you’re officially an adult now then?” He asked. “I mean you’re not old enough to drink but….” he said and when he saw the look on your face. ‘Let me guess, not your thing?”

“Right,” she nodded with a smile.

“But you can drink coffee,” he replied.

“Yes. I could drink that when I was 17 too though,” she looked at him, a puzzled look on her face.

“Right,” he said awkwardly.

Had he just been flirting with her? No. For all intents and purpose he was her boss, was 7 years older and…but maybe he was.

But you can drink coffee? What was he thinking? Zan chided himself but regained his composure quickly, after all he had a clinic to run. “Are Mr. Cane’s blood test back from the lab?” he asked.

She nodded. “They’re in the file,” she replied as she handed it to him.

“Mr. Cane, come on back,” Zan called out.

“Oh and Liz, I think there is something that is ‘your thing’ behind the desk.”

She looked at him questionably. “Take a look,” he urged her as he waited for his patient.

Liz found herself walking back to the desk. Sure enough on the floor was a large gift bag. The tag was addressed to her, from Zan.

As Zan and Mr. Cane made there way down the hall towards an examination room, she opened it up and gasped. The “Dorland’s medical dictionary’. It went for over a hundred dollars. She’d been dying for one for a while but couldn’t afford it.

Zan took a look back before he closed the door behind him, just long enough to see the smile spread across her face. Yep. Definitely ‘her thing’. He couldn’t help but smile himself. Happiness, hers in particular was contagious.

[maya]

Please see the bottom of page 5 for the thanks to feedbacks. The post was too large to include them here. Maya

Part 6

“Liz, your father forgot to take his lunch this morning. Can you bring it to him on your way to the clinic?” Anna asked her daughter.

“Of course, Mama. I’ll leave right away,” Liz said as she got her things together, gave her mother a kiss and headed out the door.

When she arrived at the site, she saw her father guiding the driver of a cement truck as they lay a foundation for one of the newer buildings. It was the 5th one they had started in this complex, in the last 8 weeks. The complex itself was going to be huge.

When her father saw her he waved and Liz held the lunch bag up, so he’d know why she was here. She didn’t want him to think there was some sort of emergency.

He waved her over with a grin.

“Hi, Papa,” she said giving him a hug and handing him the lunch bag.

“Thanks sweetie. I hope you won’t be late for work now,” he said looking at his watch.

“I’ve never been late before. I’m sure they won’t mind this once.” Then remembering it was Monday morning she added “Did you mail my letter?” It hadn’t been beside the lunch so she assumed he had remembered to take it.

“Have I ever forgotten?” he asked guiltily.

Liz just shook her head. ‘Thank you, Papa.”

“So,” she said looking at the foundation that was taking form, “What’s this going to be for?” She knew this was so far from her father’s dream job, but that he was proud he was still able to provide for his family and she wanted to show some interest.

“The cinema. So you’ll be able to check out those Brad Pitt movies you love so much,” he teased, knowing full well she was not a fan.

Liz scrunched up her nose in disgust. “Not,” she replied and they both laughed at the American term, Maria always used.

********

Across the lot, the site manager was shocked to see his son walking towards him. “You’re back,” he hollered pulling him into a stiff hug.

“Only for a few weeks, then I’m going back out again,” his son replied.

The manager’s jaw dropped. “You’re going back?” he asked with disbelief. A little over a year ago when his son turned 19, he became concerned. He was too much of a pansy and he blamed that on his bitch of an ex wife’s influence. She had coddled him, made him express his feelings, and was always going on about what a sensitive boy he was. The whole thing made him ill. So he had demanded he leave home and take this job. It would be grueling, he knew that, it would be a shock and he hoped that it would be enough to toughen him up. From the look of the boy he saw standing in front of him, or should he say man, it had done the trick.

“Yup,” he said puffing his chest out with happiness. His father had always looked at him like he thought he was inferior. Now when he looked at him, there was something else there, something he liked.

And there was. His father was beaming with pride.

“So,” he said looking around the work site. “I see your still hiring illegal, cheap labor?’ he asked, noticing that most of the workers looked like foreigners.

“Gotta watch the bottom line,” his father replied.

“That you do,” he replied and then someone caught his eye. ‘Who’s that?” he asked pointing towards Andrew and Liz.

“Oh, that’s Andrew, he’s been here a while” he answered.

“Who’s that girl with him?”

“I think that’s his daughter. Why?”

He still hadn’t seen her face. Her back was facing them, but there was something so familiar about her, about the chocolate brown hair that cascaded down her back, about the way she held herself. He had seen her somewhere before.

“Where are they from?” he asked, looking for more information.

His father shrugged. “I don’t know. They’re Spanish, I think.”

“You mean like from Spain?” he asked with surprise.

“Naw, maybe Mexican?”

“Could they be from El Salvador?” he asked.

“I guess. Why are you so interested in my workers?” he asked. He had wanted to hear about his son’s adventures, not discuss his workers nationality.

“I don’t know, I just….she looks familiar…..” he trailed off still unable to place her.

It was when she bid her father goodbye and turned, heading towards the street that he got a look at her. “Oh my god,” his jaw dropped.

“What is it?” his father asked.

It was her. She had haunted his every dream for what seemed like an eternity and he had never thought he’d see her again.

He turned to look at his father. “Father, I need you to do something for me.’

“Anything,” he replied, happy that his once meek son was asking for what he wanted.

He had always hoped that he would follow in his footsteps, adopting his own ‘stop at nothing’ philosophy. Whatever he wanted, he would make sure was his.


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_



“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Alex yelled at Liz as he walked back and forth in their small bedroom.

He looked to Liz who lay on her bed, clutching her pillow to her chest. “And,” he added “How can you be so calm?”

She threw the pillow at him, her brow furrowed in anger. “Calm. You think I’m calm? You act As if I have a choice,” she spat.

Alex was frustrated beyond words. ‘You do. The choice is no.”

“Then daddy will get fired. That’s what his boss said. Either I go out with his creep of a son or that’s it. That means no food for any of us. Worse, he could report us and we could be shipped back. Then we’d be killed.”

“You know what he’ll ask of you,” Alex whispered. Although ask wasn’t really the word that came to mind, force was far more fitting.

“I know,” she replied. A single tear ran down her face and she bravely wiped it away.

Alex pulled her into an embrace. “I wish I could save you,” he murmured against her hair.

“Papa sacrificed everything for us. I guess that now it’s my turn,” she replied as she pulled away from him. She quickly pulled back the covers and got into bed.

She felt dead inside. It was like she was watching someone else’s life. Maybe that’s how she’d get through. By pretending she was someone else, she could survive.


***********

“It’s like you’re prostituting your own daughter.” Anna was mortified.

“What other choice did I have?”

Anna looked away. “I don’t know,” she whispered. She could only wish she had the answers.

“Look. Maybe his son’s a nice guy. Maybe nothing like that will happen. He’ll take her to dinner and then drive her home,” Andrew suggested. After all, they had no idea why this boy had set his sights on his Eliza.

“What reality do you live in?” his wife asked him “Really, Andrew. A boy who would use threats to force a girl to go out with him, was only after one thing. If he had any real interest in Liz, he wouldn’t have gone about things this way.”

Andrew hung his head in shame. “You’re right,” he sighed preferring denial to this. “You better talk to her. Make sure she’s prepared.”


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-


Tuesday morning at the clinic was busy. Liz had been hoping it would be dead. She wanted each hour to pass as slow as molasses in hopes that this evening would never arrive and she wouldn’t have to meet this boy at the steakhouse. This boy whom she knew nothing about, not even his name.

“Excuse me,” a girl who couldn’t have been more than 14 approached her nervously.

“Yes?” Liz asked, happy to be able to focus on someone else’s problems, rather than her own.

The girl leaned forward and whispered. “I think I…can I…get a test for HIV here?” she asked.

“Of course, of course. The doctor will want to do an exam to test for other diseases as well. Just go to room four, Dr. Evans will be there shortly,” Liz explained, the girls question reminding her of her conversation with her own mother this morning.

“There are diseases,” her mother had said nervously, filled with so much guilt, she couldn’t look her own daughter in the eye.

“Mama, I’ve taken health class. We don’t need to have this discussion.”

Twenty minutes later, when Liz was getting a glass of water for a pregnant woman in the waiting room, Zan came out and pulled her aside.

“She’ll be fine but she’ll have to come back in a week for the blood tests results as well as the results of the swab.”

Liz nodded, unsure as to why he was telling her this.

“It’s just she’s nervous, around men and there are no female doctors here. Would you mind?”

“Ok, what should I say?” Liz asked.

“Just send her home with lots of condoms and talk to her about safe sex. This is just so sad to see especially….she’s only 13.”

Zan called the next patient into one of the exam rooms. Liz walked into the supply room and grabbed a handful of condoms to bring to the patient.

“It’s just your father and I don’t have anything…it’s so expensive…but you must have it at the clinic right?” her mother had asked.

Liz grabbed two more condoms and put them in her own pocket. She then headed for exam room four.


**********

At 5pm, she and Zan found themselves closing the clinic once again.

“Thanks for earlier,” Zan said. “She came bounding out of the exam room with a big smile on her face. What exactly did you say to her?” he asked.

“No, Dr. Evans..I mean Zan,” she said when he gave her a look. “I can’t reveal all of my secrets.”

“Well whatever it is, you truly are gifted Liz.” He smiled.

Liz couldn’t help but blush. Zan was such an incredible doctor and his compliment meant a lot.

“Thank you,” she said, as she put the mop back in the bucket, squeezed the water out and then took it out once again to finish the floor. As she moped, she accidentally stepped on one of the broom strings, it was wet as was the floor behind her and she found herself falling backward.

“Whoa,” she yelled, but instead of hitting the floor as she expected, she found herself landing in a pair of strong arms instead.

“You ok?” Zan asked her.

“Yes,” she replied huskily. Staring into his amber eyes she suddenly felt very weak.

Zan couldn’t stop starring. Her face was flushed and her large brown eyes were looking up at him, and suddenly he realized how inappropriate it was that he was still holding her and so to break the silence, he reached down and gave her tummy a slight tickle.

Liz reacted immediately, jumping out of his arms. She was so very ticklish and she wondered how he knew, “Oh, I’ll get you for that,” she yelled as she chased him around the waiting room with the mop.

“Truce. Truce,” he screamed once he found himself in the corner, no where to run.

The tickle fest had really broken the ice and the two continued to laugh as they cleaned and closed up the clinic.

When they left the clinic and Zan locked up, he looked to Liz. ‘There’s this great coffee shop two blocks from here, if you want to join me?” he asked.

“Coffee?” she asked. ‘Oh, no, I can’t” she replied, her face taking on a guarded quality.

Zan was surprised. It had seemed like they were really getting along, almost flirting for the last half hour. Had he misread things? “Oh, maybe another time,” he suggested.

“Maybe,” she said apprehensively.

As he watched her walk down the street he felt disappointed. He was finally seeing a more carefree side of Liz Parker and then Bam, she had thrown a wall up once again.

It wasn’t that he wanted to date her. Sure she was beautiful, but he sensed she saw him as a boss, nothing more. He had just wanted to get to know the mystery girl a little bit better, form a friendship with her. Sure he had friends, but they were all interested in status, spending their money on as many gadgets as they could. They were interested in making their own lives better, not any one else’s.

But Liz…she was different; charming, witting, compassionate and intelligent. He was normally a very serious person but with Liz, he was different. He liked the way he found himself able to let loose when in her presence.

What had happened to her, forced her to keep an emotional distance from others? And how despite that was she able to care for others so deeply?

He’d try again and hope that eventually she’d let him through that wall she had so carefully constructed.

Liz sighed as she walked away, a sense of foreboding about her upcoming date.

She thought back to her earlier conversation with her mother.

“You don’t have to do this. We can run.”

Liz shook her head. ‘I know that but then we’d just have to run again. When would it end?” She was no longer the naïve girl she once was.

“I’ll do it.” Liz replied. She knew all to well what the world was truly like. And that scared Anna, more than anything else.

She turned around and could see Zan in the distance throwing his helmet on his head as he got on his motorbike and headed out of the parking lot. She would have rather gone for coffee with Zan, but the fact she had to turn him down was for the best anyway. If she let him get too close, maybe she’d let something slip....she was already a slave to a nameless man waiting for her in the steakhouse. She wouldn’t be a slave to anything or anyone else.

[maya]

Part 7

“So who is this guy again?” Maria asked. She was sitting on Liz’s bed, in the room she shared with Alex helping Liz get ready for her date.

“My dad’s boss’s son,” Liz explained with the roll of her eyes.

“And you’re wearing that?” Maria asked, pointing to the turtleneck and jogging pants Liz was holding. Sure Liz’s wardrobe was nothing spectacular but she did have a few cute pieces she had brought with her when she first came to New York. “I mean, that’s not exactly going to impress.”

Liz gave Maria a stern look. “Good, I don’t want to impress.”

Maria scrunched up her nose in confusion. “Then why are you going?” she asked.

Liz let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. ‘Maria. Don’t. Please,” she pleaded with her.

Liz had never actually told Maria that she was in the country illegally but she knew that Maria had figured it out. However, Liz’s father had made both his children promise that they would never share the secret with another living soul. So, Maria knew, and Liz knew she knew but it remained something the girls never discussed.

“Come here,” Maria said, patting the space beside her on Liz’s bed.

Liz hung her head and took the seat beside her hoping Maria wouldn’t force things out into the open after all of this time. She had so much to worry about and couldn’t handle anything else.

Maria was silent for a minute, taking the time to choose her words correctly. Finally she turned and looked at Liz. “So I take it for whatever reason, you have no choice?” she asked to which Liz nodded.

“Ok then, just know that if you need anything, I am here. Anything at all Liz,” she said and then pulled Liz into a warm hug.

“Actually, “Liz replied when the hug broke. “Can you mail something for me?” she asked. Her father normally mailed them but it was Friday night and he was still working.

“Sure thing,” Maria replied.

Liz got up, opened her dresser drawer and pulled out an envelope.

“Pedro?” Maria asked in confusion. Didn’t Liz usually send him a letter on Mondays?

“Ya,” Liz looked away as tears sprang to her eyes. When she had first written to Pedro and received no response, she had worried that something had happened to him and his family. A few months later she was able to do an internet search at the public library and found that he and his father will still living in the same house they always had. She double checked the address she was mailing the letters to confirming it was correct.

It was obvious from his lack of reply that his feelings had changed but she continued to write every week anyway, just to keep a glimmer of hope in the air.

Tonight as she got ready for her date, she prayed that he would somehow come and save her, like a prince on a white horse, but she knew that would never happen. Instead she wrote him another letter. “It’s the last one,” she explained to Maria. In it she had begged him to write back and let her know how he felt one way or another. If he hated her so be it. It was better to know then to wait on baited breathe. She had also said that if he truly loved her and wanted a future with her he would come to America. “If he doesn’t write back…..I’m finished with him.”

Thoughts of Pedro had kept her going the first few months in New York, but now she feared those thoughts were nothing short of a delusion. Now, she needed the truth to slap her in the face. If he didn’t love her back, she would move on.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Liz took a deep breathe and opened the door to the steakhouse, apprehension coursing through her veins. She slowly walked inside and then took a look around. She wasn’t sure who she was looking for, and although she knew the next few hours of her life were inevitable she still clung to the hope that she wouldn’t find him.

Her gaze quickly made its way around the room. The restaurant was fairly quiet. There was an old couple sitting a few feet away from her, a large family of 10 sitting in the middle and a few other couples scattered at tables across the dining room.

“Can I help you?” the host asked her.

“I’m just waiting for someone,” she explained nervously, feeling more like the naïve school girl she was over a year ago than the strong woman she was sure she had become. It was feeling that she didn’t like at all.

“Who?” he asked, looking at his reservation book.

“Umm,” she shifted her weight nervously. ‘I---I’m not sure,” she stuttered. God she felt stupid.

The host smiled, a twinkle in his eye. “Ah, I understand. Must be a blind date,” he assumed.

A blind date. Wasn’t there supposed to be excitement surrounding a blind date, over something set up between mutual friends. Weren’t candy and flowers supposed to be involved? Liz fought against the knot in her stomach. “Yes. a blind date,” she answered. What else could she say? “I’ll just wait here for him, if that’s ok.”

“Of course it is sweetie,” he answered with a wink and headed off to make his rounds of the restaurant. You could never have too happy customers.

A few minutes later Liz still found herself standing in the same place, her mystery date still not in sight. . She looked at her watch. It was now quarter after seven. They had agreed to meet precisely at seven and she had arrived on time. She felt a sense of relief at the thought that he might not show up at all. Maybe he’d thought better of it.

How long would she have to wait for him? If she left now and he showed up a few minutes later, would he believe she had waited or would his father carry out on his threats?

If she knew his name, she would leave a message with the host. Why hadn’t he given her father his son’s name? She felt like she was in the middle of a mind game, being kept in the dark to increase her helplessness. That thought had her light headed and sick to her stomach. She had to get out of here, to hell with the consequences.

She turned to wards the door.

Then she heard someone calling after her. “Liz, wait.”

With dread she turned around.

Walking towards her was a man in his early 20’s with sandy blonde hair. As he got closer she got a better look at him. “Kyle?” she asked in disbelief.

“Ya. Sorry. I got us a table in back so I wasn’t able to see you when you came in,” he said as he gently took her arm and guided her to the back of the restaurant where a table was set for them.

“So you remembered my name?” he asked once they were seated across from each other at the candlelit table.

Liz smiled. “Yes, of course.” How could she forget the man that had spared her life?

Liz took a deep breathe. Her heart was no longer beating rapidly. She had been so worried about what her date would be like and had pictured herself ending up in a multitude of catastrophic situations.

She had thought he would be a mean hard man but instead Kyle was sitting in front of her and he would never harm her. Things were actually going to work out. That would be a first.

Liz removed her jacket and put it on the back of her chair.

“I guess you weren’t looking forward to tonight.” Kyle asked looking at her turtleneck and jogging pants.

“What?” Liz asked. “Oh, no I wasn’t. I just didn’t know what to expect.”

“And now what do you think about this, Liz?”

“It’s good to see you, Kyle,” she replied.

“I’m glad,” he grinned. “Let’s order. I am starved.”

They ate dinner and engaged in light conversation. Kyle told her all about his time working on the ship and how would eventually work with his father in construction.

Liz spoke of the work at the clinic, the trials of being in the city illegally. It was nice to not have to talk to someone who already knew her situation.

After the waiter cleared the dishes, they sat in silence for a moment.

“Kyle, why did you ask me here?” she asked.

“I recognized you when you brought your father his lunch the other day and I just had to see you, see how you were.” He had thought of nothing else since that night on the ship but he wouldn’t tell her that yet.

“Oh,” she replied. Was it because he had saved her life? Maybe he wanted her gratitude. ‘Thank you so much for what you did for me Kyle.”

“No problem. It was worth it, Liz.”

He offered to drive her home and she accepted. He already knew where she lived so she figured it would be better than walking in the cold.

When they pulled up in front of the apartment, Kyle stopped the car. “So tomorrow I was thinking Italian,” he explained.

She turned to look at him. “Italian? I don’t understand.”

“For dinner,” he clarified.

“Oh,” she said in understanding. “Thanks for the offer Kyle but I just..I’m not interested in dating right now. Thank you so much for checking up on me. It was really kind but…: she trailed off.

Kyle’s face hardened. ‘I think you misunderstood Liz. I wasn’t checking up on you.”

“What. I don’t understand.”

“I’m going to have you Liz and whether you’re interested or not doesn’t matter to me.”

“Have me?” she swallowed nervously. “You mean,” she said and he nodded. “but I thought…”

“You thought I was just going to say ‘nice seeing you again’ and drop you off?” he asked with a smirk.

Liz nodded.

“Sorry, but no. You’re all I’ve thought about since that night. You’ve been the vixen haunting my dreams.

“But why?” she asked in a whisper. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Well 2 reasons really. First you owe me. I saved your life. This is how you can repay me,” he explained.

“But you don’t really think that….I mean that man, he was going to kill me, you did the right thing.”

“And you wouldn’t be sitting here if it wasn’t. I really don’t think this is too much to ask.”

Liz’s heart sank. How could she have been so naïve? “You said there were two reasons,” she prodded him. This was all so surreal. An hour ago she had been thanking god it was Kyle she was out with, now she felt like she was in an alternate universe, a very dark alternate universe.

“I was a pansy before I took that job. A fraidy cat, a cry baby but it hardened me. I’m a different man and I take what I want now and what I want is you.”

She would have to sleep with him? He was going to force her? Liz looked away as she fought back tears. She would not cry in front of him, refused to give him the satisfaction.

He reached out, grabbed her chin and turned her face towards him. “Look I’m not some monster who’s just going to fuck you and be gone.”

His comment snapped something in her and she felt her strength coming back. “Really?” she asked with spite. “Cause that’s exactly what it sounds like to me.

“Don’t get me wrong. We are going to have sex but we’ll work up to it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Work up to it?”

He nodded. “So this is how it will work. I ship out again in 3 weeks. Between now and then we’ll go out to dinners. Movies, I’ll bring you flowers and then when I think the time is right I’ll have my way with you.”

“What a gentleman,” she said sarcastically.

Kyle grabbed his arm so hard, his fingers were digging into her arm. “If you don’t follow through on this, I’ll expose your whole family as well as some of my dad’s other workers,” he warned.

Liz just nodded in defeat. She couldn’t cause her family any more pain.

“Are you a virgin?” he asked.

Again Liz nodded but wouldn’t look at him.

“Well, it won’t be that bad for you, I promise. Like I said I’m not a monster.”

“That’s exactly what you are,” she spat at him.

Kyle choose to ignore the comment. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow night at 7pm,” he said.

“I don’t know what’s happened to you but that fraidy cat, that person you were before, he was a real person. You’re just a sick bastard,” she screamed and then opened the door and bolted from the car.

Kyle sat back in the car with a grin. This was going to be fun. He was convinced that over the course of the next week she would come to want him as much as he wanted her and if she didn’t he would take her anyway. Either was would be fun.

[maya]

Part 8

When Liz got out of the car she wanted nothing more than to run up the stairs to her apartment and crawl into her safe, warm bed, but she didn’t. The thought of having to face her parents and Alex, listening to their 20 questions, was more than she could bear. She just didn’t want to talk about what had happened, probably because it would make what was about to happen seem more real.

Once she crossed the street she found Maria’s boyfriend Jack sitting on the front steps smoking a cigarette.

“Can I?” she asked pointing beside him.

He nodded and she took a seat.

‘Where’s Maria?” she asked as she watched him take another drag.

“You know how she feels about these things,” he said motioning toward his cigarette. “First she didn’t want me smoking in her apartment. Now she’s got her panties in a twist cause I’m smoking at all.” He gave a shrug.

Liz laughed a little at the image it painted in her mind. When Maria went off on a tangent you had no idea when she would every stop.

“Where were you?” he asked.

“At work,” she explained, not wanting to go into her so called date.

“Oh ya, you work at that clinic right?” he asked.

Liz just nodded and then silence ensued. They really didn’t have much to talk about and Jack was known to be a man of few words. Liz found herself wondering exactly what Maria saw in him. I mean he wasn’t bad looking and he was a nice guy but he just seemed so blasé when it came to everything. He was failing school and didn’t care. He spent most of his time playing music for some rock band that never got any gigs, just practiced in his mother’s garage. How could someone with Maria’s zest for life be with someone that lacked a certain ummph, she wondered?

Well his lack of interest was working out favorably for Liz right now. Sitting quietly next to someone who asked no questions, who had no pretenses, was allowing her to sort through her own personal hell and calm down.

After half and hour, Liz realized it was time to go upstairs and face whatever was in store. She’d kept her parents waiting, they would be worried about her and Alex was probably about ready to send out a search party.

“Thanks, Jack.” She gave him a small smile of gratitude.

“What?” He looked up and realized she was leaving. “Have a good one,” he added as Liz made her way up the stairs.

When she opened the door, just as she had suspected, she found her parents and Alex sitting in the living room. Her parents pull out couch was already made up for the night. They were sitting on it and Alex was sitting on the floor.

She expected questions but was met with an interested silence. They all wanted to know but were afraid they would upset Liz if they asked.

Wanting to get it over with, Liz decided to speak first. “It went fine.”

Anna’s worried face softened with relief. “I knew he was a good boy.” She grabbed Andrew’s hand and held it to her chest, saying a silent thank you to god.

“He didn’t touch you?” her father asked skeptically.

Liz shook her head.

“Hurt you?” he asked.

“No, papa, I’m fine. Look.” She walked over to her parents and turned around so they could see she was in one piece.

Suddenly she was in her mothers arms. “It’s over,” her mother whispered.

“And I am exhausted,” Liz replied, hoping to retire to her room.

“Yes, I’m sure you are. It’s been a stressful day. Sleep well my beauty.” Her father gave her a kiss on the forehead and she walked towards her room.

It wasn’t technically a lie. She had answered all their questions honestly. It was only a lie of omission and those weren’t as bad. Besides, what use would there be to upset everyone when she could handle things on her own.

So absorbed in her own thought she didn’t hear Alex come in the room behind her and close the door. “You put on a good show.”

“What?” she asked turning around.

“Come on Liz. It’s just me. What really happened tonight?”


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-


The next day at work was a mixed blessing. Part of Liz was happy to be in familiar surroundings again, doing something she loved. The other part was falling to pieces over the fact that it was now ‘tomorrow’ and her date this evening with Kyle was that much closer.

The day flew by filling Liz with so many distractions she actually found herself forgetting about Kyle once in a while.

In the late afternoon Liz was surprised to see Janet, the 13 year old girl she had helped with the previous day, walk into the clinic nervously.

“Liz,” she whispered. “Can I talk to you?” she asked.

“Of course. Let me see if an exam room is free.”

A few minutes later she found herself sitting in an exam room, Janet in tears.

“I lied to you yesterday when I said I had a boyfriend,” she sobbed.

“Why would you do that?” Liz asked.

“Because I didn’t want you to know. Oh god, I have to get out of here.” Janet bolted for the door.

“No wait please.” Liz said as sympathetically as possible. Yelling would only encourage her to run. “Please sit down. You know you can talk to me.”

“It’s my father. He did this to me.”

**********

“So, child protection services will be here for her soon. Let’s just keep her in the exam room until then. I don’t want her to take off,” Zan explained. “Bring her some cookies and juice.”

“I think we have some books in back too,” Liz suggested hoping it might offer Janet a distraction.

“I know we’re busy,” Liz said eyeing the waiting room. “But I’d like to go sit with her until…”

Zan grinned. “Go ahead. I think Dr. Baylor and I can manage the roster as well as seeing our patients, just this once,” he said with a wink.

Liz started to walk back to the exam room. Her hand was on the knob when Zan yelled, “Liz” stopping her.

“Yes, is there something that you need?” she asked as Zan approached her.

“I just wanted to say thank you.” He still couldn’t get over how giving the mysterious Liz Parker was.

“You already did, earlier,” she said softly noticing how close he was now standing to her.

Her hair was down today. She normally wore it up. It was wavy and shiny and he longed to run his hands through it.

Liz bit her lip nervously. He was so close she could smell his musky scent. He leaned in even closer and Liz couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to kiss her. “I should.” She motioned towards the room thinking of a sad, scared Janet sitting on the other side.

“Right,” Zan said and suddenly realizing how inappropriately close he was standing to her, took a step back.

“Allow me,” he said putting his hand on the door to open it for her. Their hands brushed for just an instant and a jolt flew through both of them, the evidence of which could be found in Liz’s crimson cheeks and Zan’s huge grin.

“If you need anything,” he said as the door opened.

“I know.”


*******************

At closing once again Zan noticed that Liz wasn’t herself. She seemed preoccupied and jumpy. And she was both, it was already 6 o’clock, her date with Kyle was looming heavily in the front of her mind. If only there was a way she could keep herself from going with no detriment to her family.

Zan was determined. He just wanted to spend a little time with her outside of work. Yesterday, he had asked her for coffee and she had said no. Would she again? It was only a harmless coffee after all. What he needed was a reason to get her to go out. But what reason could there possibly be, the only thing he knew for sure she was passionate about what work and…..suddenly the perfect idea came into his mind.

“I’m just going in the back to get something. I’ll be right back,” he explained.

Just like the night before with Alex, Liz was so deep in though she didn’t even notice him go.

A few minutes later, the sweeping complete, Liz grabbed her coat and bag from behind the counter ready to leave. At this point Zan emerged from the back room.

“Ah, where did you disappear too just when it was time to sweep?” she asked with mock irritation.

“Are you implying that I deliberately avoided sweeping up?” he asked with a laugh.

“That’s exactly what I’m implying.”

“Well you caught me. It’s just that you do such a better job,” he joked.

“Ya. Ya. Butter me up all you want. Tomorrow you’re cleaning the floor.”

Zan held out one of the brochures he had gotten from the back. “What’s this?” Liz asked.

“Oh, Sunday’s I volunteer at a clinic, well it’s more of a camp. It’s about 2 hours outside of the city. I was wondering if you’d like to get involved.”

Liz’s eyes flashed with excitement over the idea but then the flash quickly faded. “But, I’m not a doctor,” she protested.

“We really need compassionate people like yourself to put others at ease. We also need someone with medical knowledge that can explain how drugs are to be taken, prevention, that sort of thing.”

Liz couldn’t help but smile. Was this for real? “I’d love to!”

Zan grabbed his bag. “We could go for coffee, talk more about it,” he suggested.

Liz looked at her watch. It was 6pm. Kyle would be arriving at her home in 30 minutes to pick her up. She knew she should go home and wait for him but her heart just wouldn’t let her. She’d rather be anywhere else then there and spending time with Zan would be the perfect distraction.

“I’d love to.”

“Great!” Zan yelled a little too over zealous. She said yes! “I mean, there’s a spot just around the corner,” he said as calmly as he could.

Liz swallowed the lump in her throat as she followed him down the sidewalk. What would the repercussions be once Kyle realized she was a no show? She doubted he would ever let her go, so for the next few hours she was resolved to keep him out of her mind. She would be Liz Parker, 18 year old aid worker with a world of possibilities in front of her.

*******

“Is it as good as I said it was?” Zan asked as Liz took a bite of the lemon pie he had insisted she order.

She closed her eyes. It was like heaven. “My god. It is,” she said with a sigh. “How on earth did you discover this place?” she asked looking around at the grungy dinner. It was old, and practically empty but the pie was to die for.

“Coffee run. This was the closest place. One day, Trina,” he motioned to the waitress, “offered me a piece of pie on the house and after that I was sold.”

“I bet.” Liz took another scrumptious bite.

Zan was having such a wonderful time, he couldn’t wipe the grin off of his face. Everything Liz Parker did had his full attention. Who’d have thought he’d enjoy watching her eat a piece of pie so much.

When she took the last bite she licked the fork and he found his eyes following her tongue as it….no no.. snap out of it, he told himself. She’s a friend, an employee. You took her out to get to know her a little better, to talk about the Sunday clinic. Ya right, another part of him said, delude yourself all you want but you’ve got it bad.

“So tell me more about the clinic?” she asked as they drank their coffee.

“Well, I hope you like coffee.”

“It’s ok. Why?”

“It’s a 14 hours shift. We need to drink a lot of it. I bring thermoses full.”

Liz laughed. “Ok so aside from being on a major caffeine buzz,” she prompted him.

He poured more sugar in his coffee and stirred it with his spoon. “It’s for people with HIV or aids,” he explained.

“Why not come to the city?” she asked.

“The anonymity of it,” he explained. “We also offer a special program. A supply of medication for the week. It’s all free.”

Liz was impressed. “How long have you been involved?” she asked.

“Since med school. It was what inspired me to open my own free clinic in the city.”

“Does that run in the family?” she asked.

He shook his head. “My father is in a totally different line of work.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“My father works construction. My mother stayed home with us.”

“You have siblings. How many?” he asked.

“I had two but my older brother died last year. He drowned.” Thinking back to that day reminded her of that day on the boat and also brought images of Kyle back into her mind. Damn it. She promised herself she wouldn’t think about him.

Seeing her eyes well up with tears Zan felt like kicking himself. They were supposed to be out having fun and instead he’d made her relive an unpleasant past. “I’m sorry.”

She looked up at him and smiled. It was wasn’t his fault, he was only showing an interest in her, something no one outside of Maria and her family had done. It was partly her own fault, she had to be cautious, but it was nice all the same. “It was hard. I looked up to him. As corny as it sounds he really was my hero.”

“That’s nice. I have a sister. I wouldn’t say she’s my hero but she’s pretty great.”

Zan started to feel bad. She’d opened up to him about her brothers death and yet he was keeping a secret of his own. It wasn’t right. He wanted to come clean. “Liz. There’s something I should tell you.”

She looked up from her coffee. “Yes?”

“My name…it isn’t really Zan. It’s Max Evans.”

“But…why?” she asked, wondering just what he was hiding. Her face reflected her fear.

“No. It’s nothing bad,” he said wanting to reassure her. “My middle name is Zan so I started going by that when I opened the clinic. My dad Philip Evans is a district attorney. Since many of our clients are criminals or here illegally I didn’t think they’d come to my clinic if they knew I was his son,” he explained.

Liz thought back to the day Zan had saved the gang members life and understood what he was saying.

“I mean part of what we offer is anonymity.”

“Kind of ironic isn’t it. Your dad prosecutes the people you save,” she laughed then caught herself. “I’m sorry. How insensitive.”

“No, no,” Max laughed back. “Dad and I joke about it all the time. He wanted me to be a doctor but what he refers to as a real doctor, working in general practice, not a free clinic.”

Liz reached out and took his hand. “Well your dad doesn’t know what a real doctor is.” She smiled. “Max. I like the sound of that,” she looked away shyly.

“Thank you.” God she was beautiful when she blushed.

They continued to talk, Liz answered as many of Max’s questions as she could, careful not to give too much away.

She learned that Max’s sister was a fashion designer. His mother had her own cooking show. He had his own place but sometimes spent weekends at his parent’s home.

She felt bad that he had opened up, even told her his real name and yet she hadn’t done the same. But she couldn’t. After all she was trying to protect more than herself.

As they left the dinner, Liz felt a shiver travel up her spine. “Your cold,” Max said removing his coat and putting it around her shoulders.

“Thank you,” she replied but knew it wasn’t the cold that was making her shiver. It was knowing she would soon have to deal with Kyle. She doubted he had reported her family. He wanted her, he had said so himself and if he made that call he would loose his bargaining chip. She just hoped he didn’t doing anything else to hurt her family. She would simply call him, tell him she’d had to work late and reschedule for tomorrow.

“Are you sure I can’t take you home?” Max asked as they rounded the corner to the clinic.

“No. Thanks. I’ll just walk from here.”

“But it’s late and it’s dark.”

“No really,” Liz insisted as they found themselves standing in front of the clinic. “And here’s your coat,” she said removing it from her shoulders.

Max couldn’t understand why she was being mysterious again. Minutes ago they were laughing, sharing, and now he didn’t know what to make of things. Did she honestly expect him to leave her standing here on the street in the dark? He just couldn’t do that.

It was then that she saw the man emerging from the shadows. “Kyle.” She jumped back caught of guard. Just seeing him made her pulse race in fear. “What are you doing here?”

“7 o’clock Liz. Was that so easy to forget?” he asked in an angry growl.

“How did you find me?” she asked with a whimper.

“What you didn’t think I’d be able to find you? That you could just back out!” He yelled.

Max jumped in front of Liz shielding her. “What the hell is going on here?” he asked, not liking the way this man was talking to Liz.

“Just stay the fuck out of this,” Kyle said moving closer to the two of them.

“I don’t think so. Liz clearly doesn’t want you here so I suggest you leave before we get the police involved.”

The police. That would be the worst possible thing that could happen. “No, Ma..I mean Zan. It’s fine really it was just a misunderstanding,” Liz explained, trying her best to hide her fear.

“What?” Max spun around in confusion to look at Liz.

Liz took a deep breath and walked over to Kyle. “Kyle and I did have a date. I was so excited when you mentioned working at the Sunday clinic that I totally forgot about it.,” she explained and then looked at Kyle. “I’m sorry Kyle. You forgive me right?” she asked.

Kyle looked at Liz, then Max, not sure how to react. He knew she was lying. She hadn’t forgotten but did he really want to start a scene in front of Zan? No no. He’d play along for now. “That’s ok, sweetie,” he said putting his arm around her. “We can still catch a late movie.”

“Sounds great,” Liz replied and then looked to Max. “Thanks for everything. The job offer, the coffee.” It was taking all her willpower not to run into Max’s safe protective arms and beg him to rescue her from the fate that awaited her. “I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?”

Max didn’t know what to do. Her body language and words weren’t in sync at all. But if she’d needed his help, surely she would ask. Kyle didn’t have a weapon. He obviously wasn’t forcing her to go out with him. “Liz, are you sure. Because it seemed earlier that you…”

“Yes, of course I’m sure. Good night.” She looked at him pleadingly

“Good night.” Max hesitated and then finally turned to walk away.

She and Kyle watched as Max got on his bike and sped off into the night.

Once they were alone, Kyle removed his arm from around her waist and slapped her hard across the face. “You Bitch.”

[maya]

Finally an update from me...I know shock horror. LOL You might have a few questions with this part but it will all come together over time. Happy New Year!

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L-J-L 76



Part 9

Liz hadn’t shown up to work in four days. It was so unlike her; she had never been sick, had an appointment or even arrived late. In fact, she was more dedicated then most people Max knew and they were working for pay.

Max was worried but it wasn’t as if she was missing or anything. She had called in sick, everyday. Unfortunately, he had never been by the phone when it rang and so Dr. Baylor had taken the messages and then passed them along to him.

“Did she say what was wrong?” Max asked worrying that it was something serious.

Dr. Baylor looked at him inquisitively. It was a common rule of practice, never to ask an employee the nature of their illness. It made it look like you didn’t believe them. Why was he asking?

“I’m just concerned, that’s all,” Max explained when he saw Dr. Baylor’s look.

“Just that nasty flu bug. She’ll be in again in a few days,” he explained. It didn’t take a genius to notice that Max was bothered by Liz’s absence. Sure, it was a pain having to work the front office and get their own files, but it was manageable and she would be back soon enough.

Max nodded, but didn’t look relieved at all.

All of Max’s questions had Dr. Baylor wondering for a brief moment if something had been going on between them, after all he had witnessed them flirting many times in the past and yet so many things didn’t add up. For one, if they had some sort of relationship, Max would surely know what was going on and wouldn’t have to ask him. Better yet, he would pick up the phone and ask Liz himself. He shook his head. Maybe there was nothing go on, but Max wished there was? That was the only explanation that held some sort of sense he thought to himself as he grabbed his next patient’s file. He had work to do and it didn’t include time to figure out a real life soap opera.


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-


Max knew the moment Liz arrived Tuesday morning. Just like yesterday, he had been watching the door around the time she usually began.

Liz walked straight to the file room where she stored her purse, coat and other personal items while she was working.

Max waited a minute and then went in to get the file for his first patient of the day, pretending he didn’t know that Liz was back. When he walked in, Liz was taking out the patient roster for the day. She looked up, their eyes met, and for a minute no words were exchanged.

Max took in her appearance. She looked much better than he expected and at that he breathed a sigh of relief. She had large bags under her eyes, which of course was to be expected, but other than that she looked ok, and as beautiful as ever.

“Liz, so glad your back. How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Better,” she replied nervously. Max always made her nervous. “It was just a nasty virus. I hadn’t had one for years, so I think I was due.”

He chuckled at that. “You should have come in. I could have taken a look, given you some antibiotics.”

“Oh, that’s ok.” She tucked a stand of hair behind her ear, once again nervous. “I just went to my family doctor and he gave me antibiotics.” In reality she had done nothing of the sort. “I mean this clinic is for people who don’t have health insurance.” She hoped that didn’t sound too harsh but what else could she say, gee Max, I’m an illegal alien without health insurance?

Max felt a mild slap in Liz’s previous statement and he wondered if it had been intended that way. “Right, you have your own doctor. Of course…I wasn’t thinking.”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Well, I’m glad your back. Don’t push yourself. If you need to leave early….” Why was this conversation so damn awkward? Why couldn’t he tell her how worried he’d been, give her the hug he wanted to? That’s right, he reminded himself, it was because she had a boyfriend. A fact, that had shocked him, since they arrived back at the clinic that night to find a very pissed off boyfriend waiting for Liz.

“I will, Dr. Evans.”

He winced at that, again it showed the lack of relationship between them, but tried to cover it up with an immediate smile and a laugh. “What, your away a week and it’s back to Dr. Evans?”

“I mean, Max,” she said with the utmost professionalism.

Her reserved demeanor was back. He had thought that after their evening at the diner it would finally be erased but he had been wrong. In fact, there was a coldness there that hadn’t been there before and he couldn’t figure out why. Was it because she was with Kyle and she wanted to make sure that he knew that? It was all he had thought about the last week but they had been getting along so well that he had thought upon her return they would still be friends. Truthfully, he hoped to be more than that, her having a boyfriend didn’t change his feelings. He hoped that maybe the Sunday’s at the clinic would bring them closer together and she would decide she had more in common with him than this Kyle fellow. But talking to her now, he wondered if he even had a chance.

“I tried to call you.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. He knew he was shooting himself in the foot and he was unsure why. Maybe he wanted her to know how concerned he’d been? That would surely work in his favor.

“Really?” Liz said, acting as if it was no big deal, trying to busy herself with a file but knowing what was to be said next.

“And did you know, the number in your file, isn’t a valid number?” he asked. He had also driven by her house, or lack there of, the street she’d provided was real, but the number was not, it landed him right in front of a children’s park. He was only hoping to check if she needed anything, but he wouldn’t tell her that, she might not take it the right way at all.

“I know,” she replied like it was no big deal.

Max’s jaw dropped. She knew? He had thought that maybe she had made a mistake or…..he wasn’t really sure what.

“I don’t like to give out personal information. Besides, I’m a volunteer. Max, it is not like you need my address to mail a pay stub,” she explained.

“I know, but I might need to get a hold of you in an emergency. What if a water pipe broke and the clinic closed for the day?” It was a lame excuse he knew, but not out of the realm of possibility.

She looked like she was about to burst into laughter at his example but then thought better of it. She shrugged. “Then I’d come in and find out for myself.”

Sadness overcame him. “I thought we were friends.”

We are, her heart cried, but she said nothing out loud. If only she could go back to that night at the diner, the pie, the laughing. But she couldn’t, not now, not after….everything had changed now. “You know Max, it was so nice of you to spend the time with me the other night, going over all the information on the Sunday clinic. I’m sorry I missed last Sunday, but this Sunday I will be there with bells on…that is if you still want me to help with the program.” She hoped she was clear enough. There was no way he could misunderstand now.

Her answer had spoken volumes but Max hid his disappointment well. “Of course, the offer still stands.”

“Well, I better get started, I’m a week behind.” She gave him a weak smile as she walked past him into the reception room.

Max stood there for a minute dumbfounded. Had that been all the evening was to her, a fact finding mission on the Sunday clinic? Because for him it had been so much more.

She was in love with this Kyle guy and was making every effort to assure him of that. His father had always said that he only saw things for what he wanted them to be, never what they were. Maybe he was right.


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-


On the other side of town, above the ‘Oriental rose’ Maria was throwing one of the Deluca hurricane’s she was so famous for. Poor Jack, with his lackadaisical personality, would never calm her down, but continued to persist anyway. He figured, that as her boyfriend, he had to at least try.

“She was sick and now she’s doing much better.” He had seen her this morning and she looked great. A little tired, sad even, but definitely on the way to recovery

“Really was that it? Then why was Alex acting so weird and why when I made that batch of chicken soup would he not let me deliver it to her myself?” she asked.

“Maybe Liz didn’t want you to get sick,” he offered.

Maria thought about that one. Liz was very considerate of others, but come on; she could have stood at a safe distance. She shook her head. “No, that’s not it.”

“Things will work out. Whatever it is, she doesn’t want you to know so…just let her be.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he wished he could spoon them back in.

“Let her be?” Maria yelled with eyes as wide as saucers. That wasn’t even an option, so why would he suggest it? “She’s my best friend.”

‘So?” What did that have to do with anything?

“You do have a best friend, don’t you?”

He scratched behind his ear. “Well, John is, I guess.”

Once again Maria’s eyes looked like saucers. “Dear lord. John, wouldn’t warn you off of bad macaroni and cheese.”

She motioned for him to take a seat behind him. He had a lot to learn about friendship. “Ok, when someone is your best friend, it’s your job to look out for them and help them.”

‘Even when they don’t want your help?” he asked because as far as he was concerned, that was called an invasion of privacy.

“Of course, you idiot.” Maria picked the pillow off her bed and smacked him over the head. “That’s when they need it the most.”

[maya]

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Part 10

Alex and Maria were both working the closing shift at the ‘Oriental rose’ tonight, Maria as a waitress, Alex as the bus boy. As they cleared a table together, Maria did her best to find out what was going on with Liz, it had been bugging her for days now. Jack had been of absolutely no help on the subject but she was convinced that Alex had answers. Liz told him everything, why should this be any different?

When the subtle approach didn’t work she decided to just speak her mind, most boys didn’t pick up on hints anyway. “Look Alex, I know she wasn’t really sick,” Maria argued. She was far more stubborn than Alex and would do whatever required, in order to break him down.

“This isn’t the time or place Maria,” he replied sternly, looking around to make sure that no one had overheard them.

Maria wasn’t giving up. “Look, I know about your whole family thing.”

Alex cocked any eyebrow. “Family thing?” he asked. This should be interesting, although with Maria, everything was.

“Ya, you know the fact that you’re not from around here and I’m pretty sure none of you have green cards.”

Shock coursed through Alex’s body. “Sh.” He looked over his shoulder and then sent a glare Maria’s way. “I told you to keep your voice down.”

Maria rolled her eyes. There was only one Asian family left in the dining room and they were absorbed in there own family squabble. “You know they don’t even speak English and if they did they wouldn’t know who we were talking about.” She couldn’t believe how paranoid Alex was being.

Alex was stunned, not just that Maria knew but that Liz had obviously told her. They had made a pact as a family to tell no one and there was no exemption made for best friends. “Look I don’t know what Liz told you but…” he started, planning to deflect the situation the best he could.

“Oh take a chill pill,” Maria said with a laugh, placing her hand reassuringly on Alex’s shoulder. “Like Liz would say anything.”

Alex looked at her with question.

“It’s like this unspoken thing, she knows I know. I mean it wasn’t exactly difficult to figure out. The cheap place, under the table jobs. The fact that she’s a total brain but doesn’t go to school.”

Alex sat down at one of the tables, a tense look on his face. “It’s me , Maria. Relax, I won’t say anything.”

“Your promise?” he asked, not looking convinced.

“I can do better,” she said holding her pinky out. “I can pinky swear.” And at that, Alex couldn’t help but laugh.

“But look,” Maria added still pressing for information. “I can tell when Liz lies and I know she’s lying about being sick. Something happened and I know it has to do with that Kyle guy.”

Alex found himself tensing once again at the sound of Kyle’s name. “Amateur detective now, are we?” he asked.

“I saw her leaving his car at like 3 in the morning, last week,” she explained.

‘And what pray tell were you doing up at three in the morning and with who?” he asked.

“Nothing sinful. I was actually in the midst of my beauty rest but my window was open and you know my room faces the street.”

Alex listened to Maria go on in detail, about the set up of her room, what she had eaten that night and a million other details. Getting to the point of a story was not exactly Maria’s strong suit but he had to admit she was very entertaining.

“Anyway,” she continued. “I hear Kyle’s clunker of a car round the corner and slam on the breaks and I wonder what’s going on…..so I look out the window just in time to see Liz bolt out his car door like a flash of lightening. Take it from me, when a date ends that way, it is not a good sign.”

“No, no it isn’t,” Alex muttered. She was right about that.

Maria waited for more but it never came. “Even after all my explaining, you’re still not going to tell me, are you?” she asked, mortified. She was the queen of information begging; usually people gave in just to get her to shut up.

Alex just shook his head. She was incorrigible. “No.” A pact was a pact.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_


It was almost closing time and the clinic was still busy. There was still a teenage girl to be seen; she had a minor stab wound from getting in the middle of a gang fight, trying to help her boyfriend, something she said he refused to ever forgive her for. Ungrateful bastard, she had said and Liz had tried to sympathize as best she could although she found herself wondering why she had been dating a gang member in the first place.

There was the man with a severe case of dementia who kept forgetting he had signed in and so Liz had to keep listening to him reintroduce himself, sign the patient roster and explain about his sore knee.

And last but not least, the woman who was unable to hide her junkie status when she demanded a refill on her painkillers but didn’t want to see the doctor. Why couldn’t Liz just give some to her, she had asked? It’s against protocol, Liz had argued. Can’t you see I’m in pain, the woman had responded, why would you want me to suffer? Liz felt that she was suffering more having to listen to her dreadful whining.

Poor Liz, normally thrived on a day like this, helping people, discussing medical conditions, but today it just felt like too much. She just wanted to send them all home or better yet go home herself. After all, she wasn’t a paid worker; nothing was preventing her from walking out that door.

Then an older gentleman came in complaining of trouble breathing and all thoughts of leaving left her mind. As she took down his information and proceeded to take his blood pressure, she noticed a tall, gorgeous blonde woman walk in; it was impossible not to notice her; a stark contrast to the others in the waiting room in her designer clothes, high heels and perfect highlights.

“Just fill these out,” she said handing her a new patient form. “But we are really busy so unless it’s an emergency…” She really should go flip the closed sign on the door.

The woman threw her head back with a laugh. “What, you thought…..no I’m not a patient. I’m just here to see Max.”

“Max?” she asked. This was the first time anyone other than a patient had come to see Max. “He’s busy right now.”

Again the blonde laughed and flipped her hair back. “Max is always busy, but he always makes time for me. I’ll wait.” And with that she joined the others, taking a seat in the waiting room, picked up a magazine and started flipping through the glossy pages.

Liz just didn’t like this woman at all. For one, she had picked the worst time ever for a social call. Any normal person would see how busy they were and come back at a more convenient time, but not this woman who continued to flip the pages in her magazine, completely oblivious to the chaos around her. Her teeth were so white, they had to be fake and her chest, well something that size just didn’t come on a frame that small, did it?

The more Liz watched this woman the more her blood began to boil. She ran into the back for a moment trying to compose herself. What’s wrong with you, she asked herself. That woman had been kind and polite and had given her no reason to dislike her, besides she rarely had a mean thought about anyone, it just wasn’t in her nature. What was happening to her?

Then something Maria had said, hit her. She had asked if any woman showed up at the clinic, when she was trying to determine if Max had a girlfriend.

Could this be his girlfriend? What other explanation was there? And Liz was jealous. The realization that she might be jealous pissed her off even more and she found herself storming down the hall, just as Max came out of one the examination rooms.

He smiled when he saw her. ‘Is it still a zoo out there?” he asked.

“Yes, there are three more patients and we technically close in 15 minutes,” she snapped as she gave him his next chart. “Oh and your girlfriend is here,” she said before tuning and marching back to reception.

“Wait my what?” he said but Liz was gone.


***********

Somehow they had managed to see all of the patients. Liz swept the floors and moped. Max didn’t help her as usual. He was too behind closed doors in examination room one with the mystery woman.

Just as she was grabbing her coat, the two emerged. “Liz, wait there is someone I want you to meet.”

“Sorry Max, maybe another time. I have to get home.” She was out the door so fast she didn’t even see Max’s face fall.


***********

Liz knew she had behaved immaturely but she just couldn’t help it. Max was the only thing she had truly wanted for herself since they had arrived in America and finding out he was dating some blonde bombshell, was like a knife pushed through her heart.

She wasn’t being fair and she knew it, he had been obviously interested in her and she had purposely pushed him away. It was only right he find happiness with someone else, what did she expect, for him to pine away for her like she did him? Maybe it was for the best. She would have to let him go, just like everything else she ever wanted, and the fact he was with someone else would just make it easier.


***********

“I really wanted you to meet her,” Max frowned.

“Well, I plan to come by much more often so there will be plenty of chances.”

“I hope so,” Max replied but he wasn’t convinced. Liz Parker had changed almost overnight, and he wondered if he would ever see the old her again?

“How about that Chinese place?” she suggested.

“Sounds good. Just let me get your coat.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_


“Dinner? With what money?” Liz asked Alex a smile.

“A very generous waitress just happened to tip me out tonight.”

“A very generous….wait, you worked with Maria, didn’t you?”

“Yup. And I have ten bucks to take my darling sister out for a slice of pizza. What do you say?” he asked.

Liz licked her lips. “I’d have to be crazy to turn down a pizza.”



******************


When they arrived home, after a slice of pizza each and a nice walk, they were shocked to find Kyle sitting on the steps that led to the apartment.

“Liz,” he spoke softly as he approached them.

Alex, immediately jumped into action like a mamma bear protecting a cub. “You have some nerve,” he spoke through clenched teeth.

“I just want to talk to Liz.” Kyle said, once again softly. It was as if he was a different person than she had seen last week.

“Well too damn bad. This is our home for God sake. Nothing is sacred with you, is it?”

“Look I…”

“No, I don’t care, expose us. We’ll just run. I’m not letting your threats hurt her anymore.” Alex pushed Liz directly behind himself, sheltering her from Kyle.

Liz knew Alex well enough to know he was going to attack Kyle. “No Alex, don’t even think it,” she pleaded.

He turned around to face her. “You’re defending him?” he yelled angrily. “After all he has done?”

“No. But you will make it worse. Please Alex,” she pleaded with him in a whisper.

“I’m counting to ten and then you better be gone,” Ale said, Liz once again safely behind him.

“One, two…”

“Liz,” Kyle started through guilty eyes. “I just wanted you to know I’m shipping out early. Tomorrow, for Italy..they needed an extra crew…”

“Four, Five…not joking Kyle,” Alex continued.

“Good. I never want to see you again,” Liz whispered, tears starting.

“Liz, about….look, I’m sorry…I…” Kyle stammered.

“Don’t,” Liz cried. ‘Just go.”

“Eight, Nine…call my bluff and you will never make it on that ship.”

The look on Kyle’s face was one Liz could not decipher. How could a monster wear the face of a chastised little boy?

“Ten” Alex turned around.

Kyle was gone.

*********

Later on as they sat in their room after supper they talked over what had happened. “You should have let me beat him.”

“And how would we have explained the blood on your hands to Mamma and Papa?”

He shrugged. “Maybe it is better they know.”

“No Alex, they can never know…..” Liz trailed off and stared blankly at her hands.

‘What is it?” he asked.

“I don’t know. He was different tonight.”

“Different, how?”

“I don’t know. He was like he was on the ship. Quiet, scared, remorseful. Not like the last two weeks where he was so mean and nasty.” Liz couldn’t help but wonder what was going on.

“Don’t think about it. He’s gone now. Don’t ever think about Kyle again. Promise me.”

That was easier said than done. She nodded. “I’ll try.”