They went by so fast! Only 50 more weeks till my next one.keepsmiling7 - Well, Barry is nothing if not consistant
Twighlighteyes - Sorry for the wait
Michelle in LA - Ooops - forgot about that Law. But then, I suspect they do too
eririn - Things are GOLDen here
Aren't the games great? Good Luck to your daughter.L-J-L 76 - I think Lix and Barry are almost done. Just a few more things to clear up and then...
begonia9508 - Congrats to you son... and to everyone elses sons and daughter
Yes, Barry blinked first and has given Liz an alternative. HE is the one demanding the divorce. Max's fear of flying came with the accident he had with the alien space ship, remember? (My version of the story as discussed by Maria and Isobel earlier in the story)HypnotiqueBlueEyes - ah, and Max and Liuz have only just departed for Seattle.
nitpick23 - As yet, Max is not really poaching Liz as a client. As Michelle says, he is more likely to be annoyed that Liz is more interested in Max as a potential partner.
dreamerfiend - Just a few i's to dot and t's to cross
clueless - No, I think even with Liz's fading determination to make the best of it, it's going to take some saving now.
mary mary - Thank for that explanation. I did wonder why they the schedules routed me that way.
dreamon - Thanks
Chapter 20
Monday May 11th
It was a little after one o’clock in the morning when a tired Max Evans and Elizabeth Drake emerged from the arrival hall of the Sea-Tac Airport.
“Do you want to go straight to your Mom’s house?” Max asked in a gently cautious tone.
The closer they got to Seattle, the quieter Liz had become. As she grew quieter, her sorrow grew deeper.
“I don’t think I could sleep there,” Liz shook her head. “We should find a hotel.”
“This way,” Max hefted both of the bags onto his shoulder and pointed toward the signs for the taxi rank.
“Could we just rent a car, Max?” Liz yawned. “I really don’t want to risk some taxi driver recognizing me. Besides, we’ll need to be able to get around, tomorrow.”
“In that case,” Max looked around and saw the familiar yellow and black sign. “We go this way.”
* * *
“You’ll have to give me directions,” Max checked the road before pulling out onto it. “I have no idea where I’m going.”
“Oh, right,” Liz nodded, almost numbly. “Follow the access road here, over there, look. We want to merge onto the highway, the 518.”
Max followed the road as Liz indicated, grateful that at that hour, there was little traffic to worry him. Although a good driver, he liked to have room to maneuver when he was following someone else’s directions. Slipping in between a huge truck hauling massive logs and an old Chevrolet Station Wagon, Max soon guided the car onto Highway 518.
“Okay,” Liz looked around herself to check her bearings. “In about a mile, we’re gonna come up against an interchange. You want to watch the signs for Highway 5, okay? And we need to head north, follow the signs for Seattle.”
“Got it,” Max nodded.
While Max watched the road, his eyes being straining against the oncoming lights, Liz pulled her cell phone out. She tapped in a short number and pressed the dial button.
“Yeah, hi,” she spoke. “Can you connect me to the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle, please? Thank you.”
“Can I use your name?” she waited to be connected.
Max nodded.
“There it is, there,” she pointed ahead at the intersection.
Having already seen it, Max nodded and prepared to join the correct filter lane.
“Hello, Fairmont Olympic Hotel?” Liz sat upright. “Yeah. Do you have any rooms available? A Suite, if you have one. Preferably the Cascade Suite. You do? Excellent. Uh, yeah. Yes please. In the name of Mr. M. Evans. Yes. Hold on, I’ll get his card.”
She covered the speaker with her other hand.
“I need your card,” she whispered loudly.
Dipping into his jacket pocket, Max handed her his wallet.
“Okay,” she fished out the card. “I have it here. Ready?”
“Sorry,” Liz slipped his card back into his wallet. “I didn’t want it getting out where I was. I’ll pay you back, Max.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Max shook his head.
“That’s easy for you to say, Max,” Liz gave her first smile since she had received her devastating news. “You have no idea how much the suite costs.”
“Than you better apologize to Maria,” Max chuckled.
“She gave you a card in your name?” Liz looked impressed. “Wow. You must be a great friend.”
“She owes me,” Max gave a mysterious grin.
“I’ll say,” Liz nodded. “What did you do? Save her life or something? Oh, follow this road for about ten miles.”
It was less than thirty minutes when Max pulled his rental in front of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. To say that Max was impressed would have been an understatement. Huge illuminated colonnades stretched up the six or seven stories of the building. Flags fluttered in the chilly spring breeze. He strained forward, peering up through the windshield.
“Max?” Liz called his attention. “Uh, Max? The valet wants to park the car.”
“Oh, right,” He looked over at Liz surprised to find that she had already replaced her baseball cap and was sliding on her dark glasses. “Let’s go.”
A bellboy had already retrieved their small carry on bags.
“Is this all your luggage?” he asked as the valet pulled away with the car.
“Uh, yeah,” Max didn’t know where to look.
“Come on, Pathfinder,” Liz laughed, taking his arm. “Reception’s this way.”
The interior was just as spectacular as the exterior. It looked like a big budget set from a thirties film. It was all gold and glass and rich creams. Even in the small hours of the morning, there were still a lot of people milling about.
“Max?” Liz called him again, an indulgent smile on her face. “They need your card.”
“Right,” Max nodded, pulling his eyes from the décor. He produced his wallet again and made a mental promise to stop acting like Gomer Pyle on a day trip to the big city. He had seen elegance before. Miami had not been without culture.
“Have you stayed here before?” Max whispered to Liz as the bellboy took them up in the elevator.
“Yeah,” Liz gave a sad nod. “Once or twice. It’s lovely. You’ll like it.”
“How much do I tip the guy?” he whispered even softer.
Liz started to laugh. She looked up into Max’s confused eyes and laughed some more. She laughed all the way to their room. She was still laughing when the bellboy opened the door and deposited their bags on an elegant sideboard. Having experienced the elegance downstairs, Max was not surprised by how luxurious the suite was. Lavish furnishings, a fireplace with a chimney breast, deep pile carpeting and sturdy, ornate furniture.
“It’s been a long day,” Max apologized as he slipped the young man a twenty.
Max hoped it was enough. He hoped it wasn’t too much, either.
“Some help you were,” he grumbled as Liz collapsed into an armchair, holding her sides with laughter.
He couldn’t help smiling, though.
“Your room is through there,” Liz regained control of herself and climbed to her feet, heading for her room. She paused for a few moments before looking back at Max. “Uh… you know… I’m going to go to bed, now.”
“Good night, Liz,” Max nodded, collecting his bag and started walking toward his room.
“Max?” Liz called his attention. Her face was serious, now. The sadness had returned. “Thank you. For everything you’ve done. For coming to Seattle with me. For… For caring.”
“You’re welcome,” Max gave her a soft smile of comfort. “I’m glad I can be here for you.”
* * *
Monday May 11th
Max had not slept very well. In actual fact, Max had not slept at all. He had tossed and turned all night. He didn’t need a connection to tell him that a very beautiful young woman was lying in a room a couple of dozen yards away and that woman was in a certain amount of emotional pain. Pain caused not only by the sudden death of her mother but by the actions of someone who should definitely have been doing more to help her in her time of need - her husband.
Max wondered if Barry Drake had ever realized just how lucky he was? He got to hold Liz whenever he wanted. He got to kiss her any time and any where the desire struck him. He was allowed to take Liz to bed and spend all night – and all day, too, if he wanted – making sweet, passionate love. Barry Drake had it all while Max had to lay in his room and wait, wanting to offer her something as simple as comfort but knowing that it had to be her call.
Dawn was a long time coming.
* * *
“You ready to go down for some breakfast?” Max asked in a gentle voice.
They had both showered and dressed. Knowing that she did not have to look the glamorous part today, Liz elected to wear jeans and a T-shirt, the same as Max. she had pulled her hair up into a messy bun and had hidden it with a Padres baseball cap. With a pair of sunglasses, Liz would be almost unrecognizable.
“Do you mind if we just call room service?” Liz pleaded with her eyes. “It’s just… I have a lot of personal stuff to attend to, today and I could really do without journalists following me everywhere, asking me how I feel. I know that it’s unlikely someone will recognize me, but… Why take the risk, you know?”
“Of course,” Max nodded. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to this. I don’t think like you do. I guess I’ve never had to worry about things like that, before.”
“It’s annoying,” Liz gave him a weak smile. “And at times, it can be very invasive, and I won’t say you ever get used to it. But you do learn to live with it. But if they stopped paying attention, then I guess that would mean my career was over.”
“What would you like?” Max found the room service menu. “You like tea, right? Earl Gay and lemon?”
“And a croissant,” Liz gave a nod. “With butter and marmalade.”
“Just the one?” Max raised an eyebrow.
Liz nodded.
“Got it,” Max reached for the phone.
* * *
Monday May 11th
The day was as long and tiring for Max as it had been for Liz. With her hat hiding her hair and pulled down low over sunglasses, he drove her everywhere. She visited Dr. Julius to complete the necessary paperwork. She visited a funeral home and asked them to take care of the arrangements. She went to the house that had been her home for a long time and sorted through the papers, taking care of anything urgent that had to be resolved while Max emptied the kitchen fridge, freezer and cupboards of any perishable items or packages that had been opened. These ended up in the trash can. Everything else was boxed up and delivered to a nearby charity food bank.
Liz spent at least a whole hour, just sitting in one of the arm chairs, her thoughts a great distance away. A distance that was perhaps measured in time. A gentle, sad smile was on her lips while tears rimmed her eyes. And all the while, Max was there, offering help in whatever capacity she chose to use him; offering comfort in whatever way she chose to take it.
“I guess that’s all I can do for now,” she took a last look around the house that had once been home. “I’ll arrange for Alex to see to the rest of her affairs. I suppose all this will have to be sold.”
“You ready to go back to the hotel now?” Max touched her elbow.
With a sad nod, Liz turned to look up to the young man who had been her rock that day. The dam burst and tears flooded from Liz’s eyes.
“Oh, Max,” she sobbed, pressing herself against his solid body. Max didn’t disappoint her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her quaking body tightly. “What am I going to do without her? I’m all alone now.”
“You’re not alone,” Max shook his head. “You have people who love you. Your… your husband. You have Maria and Michael. And there’s your friend, Alex. My Mom already loves you.”
“You?” she looked up with a hint of teasing through her tears.
“Me,” he confirmed, his face turning several shades of red. “Always.”
“Come on,” Liz reluctantly broke out from his protective embrace and wiped her eyes. She pulled Max by the hand toward the door. “I’d like to reward you for your help, today. Let’s go back to the hotel and get dressed for dinner. But first, I just need something from my old room.”
* * *
Monday May 11th
When you can manipulate molecular structure, right down to knitting together sinew and bone, not to mention connect and seal severed arteries, then changing your jeans, T-shirt and wind-cheater into a smart, elegant suit with just a wave of your hand was a walk in the park.
At first, Max thought that Liz was trying too hard to take her mind off her mother’s passing, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that going out to dinner, rather than hiding in the hotel was what she needed. And he would do his level best to keep her mind off of the bad things that had been happening in her life, just lately. He did wonder, however, how she was going to keep the journalists off of her back. He had no doubt that if anyone recognized her, which was bound to happen, then they would find themselves surrounded by the pests. They knew that she was in Seattle, they just didn’t know where. They had already managed to evade a few photographers that were loitering near the hotel, stationed there just in case, not to mention the ones they found camped out near her mother’s home. Ready for his evening with Liz, Max left his room and entered the living room.
When she joined him from her bedroom, Max was speechless. It wasn’t the dress that had left him that way. It was a simple affair, a pale blue sheath dress with shoestring straps that extended to just past her knees. It made her look stylish and elegant. Neither was it the modest two-inch heels that she wore. No, what made Max lose his powers of speech was Liz’s hair. The long, gorgeous chocolate curls were gone, replaced by long, straight strands of platinum blonde. Her eyes were blue. If Max hadn’t known that Liz changed in the next room, he might have thought this woman a stranger. The fact that he could feel her presence helped.
“It’s a wig,” Liz smiled. “Do you think anyone will recognize me?”
“I don’t think so,” he shook his head, reaching out to touch the blonde hair. It felt strange. “What’s it made of?”
“It’s a manmade fiber,” she told him. “It’s called Modacrylic. When I bought this for a fancy dress party, I couldn’t afford to buy a wig made from real hair.”
“And the eyes?” Max narrowed his own as he stared into Liz’s.
“Contacts,” she shrugged. “Same party. No one even knew who I was, not even Barry. It was a real hoot.”
“For the record,” Max smiled at her. “You look so much better as a brunette.”
* * *
Monday May 11th
“If you could only do one thing while you were in Seattle,” a blonde Liz explained as Max stared in wonder at the panoramic scene in front of him, “then the Space Needle is it. I mean, it ‘is’ Seattle.”
Liz giggled as Max kept moving around the edge of the window, trying to take it all in.
“Three hundred and sixty degrees of heaven. I’m so glad we have a clear evening Max. Sunsets here are just…”
“Awesome,” Max agreed. “Almost as good as in the desert.”
“You should see it at night, Max,” she rolled her eyes. “When Seattle is all lit up. I bet the desert can’t compete with that.”
“You mean you don’t remember the desert night sky?” Max raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure it’s beautiful, Liz. But the night sky, free from light pollution… All those stars… all that…”
“It’s a shame we don’t have time to see it,” Liz tugged on his hand. “The night sky here, I mean. Our dinner reservations are for eight.”
* * *
“I love this place,” Liz gave a smile of reminiscence. “When my cousin got married, we had the wedding breakfast here at The Metropolitan Grill. It was a good thing there were only fourteen of us. The bill came to over two thousand dollars.”
“So what’s good here,” Max looked down at the menu.
“Well, the seafood platter hors d'oeuvres are absolutely scrumptious,” Liz informed him. “But it’s rather a lot for just the two of us. That could probably feed a small family. But Max? You just have to try the ‘Kobe-style’ steak. It will be the most fantastic cut of meat you will have ever tasted. And you don’t even need a knife to eat it with.”
“This, I’ve got to see,” Max smiled. “Or rather, taste.”
Liz decided to order the same, and because Max was drinking only soft drinks, she too declined a glass of wine, or anything stronger.
“Were you a regular at the Crashdown?” Liz asked while they were waiting for their order.
“No,” Max shook his head. “By the time I was old enough to start hanging out anywhere, the Crashdown had already become a bit of a… It was not somewhere that sane people went to eat.”
“My Dad used to own it,” Liz gave a sad smile. “It was a great place, back then. Too bad the new owners let it run down. We traded it for a diner here in Seattle.”
“I’d have become a regular,” Max nodded. “I’d have taken a regular booth and spent as much time as I could, just watching a certain… During high school, did you work as a waitress in your Dad’s diner?”
“Yeah,” Liz blushed, trying to hide the grin that was spreading in her face. She knew what Max was going to say. “Thankfully, he didn’t have a lame uniform like he had at the Crashdown.”
“Pale green, weren’t they?” Max struggled to remember. “With silver aprons shaped like alien heads. Oh, and deely bopper antenna.”
“Oh my god!” Liz burst our laughing. “I can’t believe you remember those.”
“I can’t believe I missed out on seeing you wearing it,” Max chuckled.
Liz blushed even harder.
* * *
Liz yawned as they stepped into the suite they were sharing at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. She held her hand over her mouth.
“Sorry,” she looked up at Max with tired eyes. “I guess these last two days have taken their toll on me.”
“That’s okay,” Max waved away her apology. “I can only imagine.”
“I’m going to go straight to bed,” she started to pull her platinum wig off. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” Max gave a gentle smile as he watched her shaking her head to fluff up her flattened hair. “Good night, Liz. Sleep well. I hope… I hope you feel better in the morning.”
“Thank you,” she nodded, turning away to head for her room. She stopped and looked back. “And thank you, Max. For being such a… such a great friend. I really don’t know how I would have coped on my own. Thank you so much for coming.”
“It was a pleasure, Liz,” Max looked down at his feet and rubbed his ear. “I’m glad that I’m being of use to you.”
She closed the distance between them and reached up on tiptoes to give Max a light kiss on his lips.
“You are wonderful,” she whispered before moving away.
Max placed his fingers on his lips where she had kissed him and watched her go.
“So are you,” he shook his head. “And Barry has no idea what he has.”
* * *
Monday May 11th
Maria sat in front of her piano, testing out a few compositions on the keys, trying to get what was in her mind, down on paper. It was a laborious task but so worth it when she got it right. Michael was in the other room, watching the hockey game. Because there were times when she couldn’t be with Michael, they liked to spend their days together, each doing their own thing in the evening, but close enough to call to one another. And Michael liked his hockey.
“Maria!” Michael burst into the room, moving with an urgency she had not seen from him since the days of the Skins. “You gotta come see this.”
He ran back to the living room.
“Michael,” Maria growled. “If you are dragging me in to see some stupid goal or penalty or something, so help me, I’m going to kick your…
The huge television screen wasn’t showing the hockey game, however. Instead, the screen showed the backdrop for E! News. Superimposed behind the two presenters, were photographs of Barry Drake and Elizabeth Parker.
“On E! News, tonight, we ask the question,” the attractive, blond female presenter started. “Is it all over for Hollywood’s golden couple. Barry Drake, star linebacker of the San Diego Chargers and Elizabeth Parker, Hollywood darling and star of the acclaimed, ‘Nancy’. We’ll be right back, after the break.”
“This can’t be good,” Michael shook his head.
“D’ya think?” Maria groaned.
* * *
I don;t think that Barry is capable of cheating with another woman, let alone being caught 
