Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)155 - 8/24/19 - Complete

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Eva
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Re: Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)129-8/31/

Post by Eva »

Oh my! The confrontation between Catherine and Amy was sharp and I can just see the problems appearing when michael announces his big news (about not going to college directly). I can easily see who Catherine is going to blame. Let's hope it doesn't pull Michael further away, 'cause you can just see how important his mom is for him.
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Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)130-9/6/15

Post by ArchAngel1973 »

Eva: Yes, college is important for Catherine, but it’s Michael’s life and decision there.


Part 130

As the rush of Christmas finally ended and life returned to normal in the Evans household, Isabel found herself with nothing to occupy her time. School was out until after the first of the year, New Years’ was still several days away, and she didn’t have anything to keep her thoughts off of the possibility that she and Michael were siblings. The longer she thought about it, the more she was convinced her suspicions were correct.

Alex had suggested that talking to Liz might be helpful but she still wasn’t sure she could just sit down and have a conversation with the girl. The problem was, it was a sensitive subject and one Max wasn’t likely to take very well when she got around to bringing it up with him. There was a good chance Alex was right about drafting Liz to help, she just didn’t know if she could swallow her pride and approach her to ask for her help.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the front door close and she turned her head to see who had come in. It was only a matter of seconds before Max walked past the doorway and just a second more before he backtracked to stand in the frame and look at her. “Hey.”

“Hey, figured you’d be out with Alex.”

Isabel shrugged and turned her gaze back to the television screen she’d been ignoring earlier in favor of her thoughts. “He has band practice today.” She picked up the remote and flipped through a few channels. “What about you?”

“Oh, Liz said she and Maria were doin’ something this afternoon so I thought I’d come home, see if there was anything to do.”

“There’s not.”

He crossed the room and dropped into one of the chairs, slouching down and staring at the television. “Got any plans for New Years’ Eve?”

Her eyebrows lifted at his leading tone. “Do you?”

“I don’t know, maybe. You’ve heard of Enigma, right?”

Had anyone in Roswell not heard of Enigma? She rolled her eyes. “The mythical party?”

“It’s not mythical,” he denied. “Liz said her dad went one year.”

“Mr. Parker? The guy who owns the Crashdown?” Her tone expressed her disbelief. “No.”

“I’m serious.”

“So that’s your plan? You’re gonna look for a party when you’re not even the kinda guy who goes to parties?”

“Hey, I can go to a party if I want to.” He ignored the look she shot in his direction.

“Okay,” she said slowly. He was full of it if he thought she was buying that story. Max going to a party? Willingly? No way.

“Well, it kinda depends on whether or not Liz can get the night off. She usually does that early New Years’ thing with her dad for the Desert Inn Retirement Community.”

Yes, they were sitting there actually discussing this. She sighed and pressed her thumb and forefinger to her closed eyes.

“Hey, so Liz and I were talking the other day and,” he glanced at his sister, frowning at her bored expression, “do you think Michael knows about the cave we were hidden in before we were found? I mean, obviously he knows about it because we told him what the code talker told you but, do you think he might know where the cave is?”

“I think he would’ve told us by now if he knew.”

“Would he? Does he trust us enough to reveal that kinda information?” He’d been back and forth over that question, debating with himself and he still wasn’t any closer to an answer. “I’m not sure he does.”

“Does it matter where the cave is?” She was sure it didn’t really matter to her. She knew where she belonged and she knew where she was going.

“I guess I’d just like to know so I can close that chapter, y’know?”

“It’s that important to you?” She watched him and nodded when he shrugged noncommittally. “Okay, we’ll just ask him.”

“Really?”

“Why not? We’re not doing anything else and I’m about to go mad from boredom. You said Liz is with Maria, right? So call your girlfriend and ask her to ask Maria to call him and find out when we can all meet up.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” he mused quietly. “Thanks.” He got to his feet and left the room without another word.

Isabel rolled her eyes. Of course it was a good idea. It was her suggestion, wasn’t it? She shook her head and focused on the television again, flipping through the stations over and over in a vain attempt to find something to watch.

*****

Michael rode along beside Maggie, his eyes roving over the fence and looking for breaks or other damage that required repair. They had finished their chores around the house early that morning and since then they had been riding fence and checking the cattle. They would talk for a while before falling silent and retreating into their own thoughts before one of them would speak up and another conversation would begin.

“Hey, Michael?”

He grunted in response, pointing at a broken strand of barbed wire and dismounting to make the repair, alien style.

Maggie shifted and hooked her right leg over the saddle horn while she watched him. “Who’s gonna do this when we leave after graduation?” She propped her elbow on her knee and rested her chin in her hand. “I mean, Dad won’t have time to do this on a regular basis like we do and if the fences aren’t maintained we run the risk of the cattle getting out. I know it’s not like we make a ton of money off of the cattle but having a working ranch is something he always wanted and there’s no money to pay a hired hand.”

He’d wondered about that too. “I don’t know. The family will pitch in to help and he might be able to hire someone part time. At least the place isn’t so big that it’ll be unmanageable with us gone.”

She unhooked her leg from the saddle horn when he pulled himself up into the saddle and they continued on their way. “Have you made any decisions about which colleges you wanna apply to?” She shrugged when he shot a look at her. “What? It’s kinda hard to notice that you do your best to avoid that topic every time it comes up.”

“Yeah, well,” he guided Sundance around a hole in the ground, “maybe I don’t wanna go to college.”

Her eyebrows shot up when he finally verbalized what she’d suspected for some time. “So why hide it?”

“Are you kiddin’? Do you know what Mom’s gonna do when I let that cat outta the bag?”

“Probably have a cow,” she said and laughed. “It’s not the end of the world if you don’t go to college, Michael. Okay, Mom might think it is, but she’ll get over it. Not right away, but in time she’ll accept your decision.”

“Yeah, right,” he muttered.

“You’re gonna have to tell them sooner or later. Time’s running out to get applications in.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Besides, I’ve applied to enough colleges for both of us.”

“Yeah, I was gonna ask you about that.”

“Why? Wanna follow me to college?”

He rolled his eyes. “No. What’s up with applying to ENMU?”

“Why not? It’s in Portales so it’s close, the tuition’s more than reasonable and they do have a women’s basketball team.”

“Yeah, with a ranking that’s in the toilet. Tuition aside, because we both know student loans are gonna take years to pay off anyway, you can’t choose a college based on proximity to home because it’s not what you want. Mom and Dad, they’re not gonna be alone. We’ve got a large family and they don’t want us to limit ourselves because we’re afraid to reach for somethin’ bigger. Besides, you want a law degree and you’re not gonna get it there.”

“Well, they have some programs – “

“Some programs aren’t gonna get you what you want,” he interrupted. “I thought you had your sights set on Yale, Harvard, Duke, Stanford and Columbia?”

“Yeah, and I still do. I mean, Stanford’s my dream college, but…” She sighed and trailed off as she turned her attention to the landscape around them.

“But it’s hard to leave what you know and step out of your comfort zone. I get that, but you’ve always wanted to get your law degree and come back here to change things, to make a difference and make sure our people have representation that’s fair and understands and respects our customs. Plus now you’ve got a boyfriend you don’t wanna leave, right?”

“Jesse could get into any college he wanted to. He’s got the grades and they’d be lucky to have him but his situation’s kinda tied his hands for now. I really respect how devoted he is to his family.”

“Yeah, I can understand that. I’m guessin’ that doesn’t mean he wants you to miss out on what you want though.”

They rode in silence for a few minutes. “Do long distance relationships ever work out?”

Why was she asking him? He had no idea if they worked out or not. “I guess that depends on the people involved and their willingness to commit to the relationship. Hell, people cheat on each other when they live in the same house, Maggie, so proximity isn’t exactly a sure thing. You’ll be goin’ off to college and there’s gonna be a lot of distance there because you’re not gonna give up your dream for any reason,” he gave her a pointed look, “and you’re gonna have all kinds of new experiences, you’ll be meetin’ new people and tryin’ new things. You’re gonna change to some degree and so is he, that’s to be expected. You guys might stay together and be stronger than ever.” He shifted slightly and rested his right hand on his thigh. “You guys might go your separate ways.” He ignored the annoyed look she aimed in his direction. “Whatever happens, you can’t risk your dreams for what might or might not happen. That’s the point I’m tryin’ to make.”

“So what about you?” She didn’t want to think about her and Jesse not being together after college.

“What about me?”

“Well, are you just gonna follow Maria to college?” Her eyes widened when he smirked. “She doesn’t wanna go either?”

“So? Amy’s fine with her decision. She hasn’t made it official or anything yet, but what’s the big deal?”

“Yeah, well, they’re not exactly handing out college degrees in the White world either, but you know why it’s such a big deal for people on the Rez. If I were you I think I’d have a plan before I talked to Mom and Dad and told them I didn’t want to go to college. Matter of fact, I don’t think I’d just outright nix the whole college thing. I’d make a compromise and say I just wanted to take a year off. That way you have that year to get on your feet and when they see you’re happy and supporting yourself it’ll be a little easier to swallow if you decide after that year that you’re not gonna go at all.”

“A compromise, huh?” He mulled her advice over for a few minutes. “That’s actually a pretty good idea.”

Maggie rolled her eyes at him. “I know, that’s why I shared it with you since you obviously don’t have any idea how to approach Mom and Dad with this ticking time bomb.”

He snorted and nodded at the fence line they still had to check. “I’m gonna ride up ahead, start at the end of the line and work my way back to you. Let’s see if we can get this knocked out and get back home.”

“Got a hot date tonight?” she teased with a knowing grin.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Um-hmm, well, just so you know, I do too so the bathroom’s mine when we get back.”

“It’s yours if you get there first,” he countered.

Maggie shook her head when he spurred Sundance into a gallop and she leaned forward to pat Rascal’s neck. “No way he’s gonna get back to the house first, right, boy?” She laughed when the horse tossed his head and whinnied in agreement.

For the next hour they checked fences and made repairs, each lost in their own thoughts about their impending departure from home and all they knew. Michael hauled himself back up into the saddle after repairing a small break and his thoughts went back to his sister’s advice. It was disgustingly well thought out considering she’d spit that response out with no time to really think it up.

He was jerked out of his thoughts when he heard a scream and he pulled on the reins, turning Sundance in a tight circle as his gaze scanned the fence line for his sister. His eyes widened as he saw Rascal’s muscular body reared up and falling backwards and he slapped the reins against his thigh as he spurred his horse into a run. He was too far away to do anything and he felt panic clawing at him when Maggie hit the ground hard and her horse rolled over her before getting to his feet.

Michael pulled back on the reins and Sundance planted his hooves, coming to a stop and tossing his head as his rider dismounted. He ran over to her, slipping on loose rocks and dropping to his knees next to her prone body. Unconsciously, he noticed the rabbit from the corner of his eye, and he knew the small animal must have jumped out and spooked Rascal.

“Maggie,” he called her name as he ran his hands over her, searching for broken bones. He frowned when she suddenly inhaled sharply and her eyes shot open. She reared up, fighting to draw breath. “Easy, easy, you got the wind knocked out of you.”

She shook her head, her eyes wild as she clutched at her chest and fear shot through him when he saw blood begin to trickle from one corner of her mouth.

“Okay, Maggie, you’ve gotta stay calm for me, okay?” He shifted to get into position so he could ease her back down. Her breathing was still labored but he was worried that the blood was a sign of internal injury. “Don’t move a muscle. I’m gonna fix this,” he promised as he got to his feet and hurried over to his horse.

He lifted the flap on the saddlebags and pulled out the portable radio, checking the frequency and then keying the mike. “Eddie, if you’re there pick up.” He turned to watch Maggie, waiting just a few seconds before repeating the call.

After nearly a full minute there was a burst of static and then Eddie’s voice came over the line. “Michael, what’s going on?”

“No time to talk. We’re about two miles west of the house, riding fence. I need you to call Maria,” he weighed his words, trying to say what he needed to say without revealing anything that anyone else might understand, “tell her I understand why things changed and I need to see her right away. Tell her it can’t wait, Eddie.”

“Got it. I’ll make sure she gets to you.”

He released a relieved breath when Eddie let him know he understood what he couldn’t say directly. He put the radio away and hurried back over to his sister, shrugging out of his coat and covering her with it. He sat down beside her and pulled her upper body across his lap to prevent the cold from the ground from getting into her back.

For more than an hour he sat there, talking about nothing in particular, just trying to keep her from slipping away. He knew falling unconscious was a bad sign and every time her eyes closed it seemed to take longer for her to open them again. The sound of tires bouncing over the uneven ground made him look up and he shook her gently. “Maggie, he’s here. You’re gonna be okay.”

The tires slid across the ground as the brakes were applied with too much force and then doors were being opened and shut in rapid succession.

“Michael, what happened?” Maria’s hands settled on his shoulders and she rubbed them briskly when she felt how cold he was.

“Horse rolled over on her,” he said as he looked up at Max. “I think she might be bleeding internally.” He let his weight rest against Maria, drawing strength from her presence.

Max knelt down next to Maggie and he rubbed his hands together before resting the right one over her abdomen. His movements were slow and steady as he sought out the damage and healed it, relying on instincts he’d possessed for as long as he could remember.

Michael kept his eyes locked on Max as he worked, following his every move and easily seeing the strain in his features that increased with each passing moment. He tore his gaze away from the other guy when Maggie suddenly inhaled deeply, drawing in a breath without pain or going into a coughing fit. He held her tight when she surged up and threw her arms around him.

“Is Rascal okay?”

Michael laughed with relief when the first thing out of his sister’s mouth was concern for her horse. “He’s fine. You broke his fall.”

She eased her grip on him and slowly turned to look at Max. “Thank you,” she said, and without warning she launched herself into his arms.

Maria had to work to control the laughter that wanted to break free at the look of discomfort on his face. He was very reserved around anyone outside of his family and Liz, and his movements were awkward and almost wooden as his arms came around Maggie briefly. She looked down when Michael reached up and caught one of her hands in his.

“Thanks for getting him here so quickly,” he said gruffly.

She had never questioned it when she’d received Eddie’s call. She’d known from the message he’d relayed that something bad had happened and she’d immediately called Liz. The couple had been out together and he hadn’t hesitated when she’d asked for his help. She rubbed Michael’s shoulder and leaned over him to grab his coat. “Here, you need to put this on.”

He watched his sister as she got to her feet, moving slowly as if testing her body for signs of injury, and her movements became more confident with each step. “Thanks for comin’ out here,” he said as he extended his hand in the other guy’s direction. “You saved her life.”

Max shook his hand. “I’m glad I could help. It’s not often I have that opportunity. Healing leaves a mark though. It’s temporary,” he rushed to assure him when Michael looked worried. “It’ll fade within 48 hours or so but if anyone sees it…”

“The only ones who might see it would be our parents, but they’ll understand.”

“You told them about us?”

He turned his head when Isabel voiced the question, noticing her for the first time. “My parents know about you. I couldn’t keep that information from them, especially not with Tess on the loose.” He looked down at his hands; hands that were capable of taking a life but not saving one.

“Hey, would you guys like to stay for dinner?”

Max turned to look at Maggie, surprised to see her leading a horse towards them. “You’re gonna get back on that thing?”

“Of course.” She laughed at him and shook her head as she met her brother’s eyes. “City boys. You fall off and you get back on, that’s just the way it’s done out here.”

Michael shrugged. “It’s not the first time a horse has fallen, thrown or rolled on one of us.”

Maria rolled her eyes. “And your mom was having a fit about the bike?”

“Yeah, I know.” He got to his feet, wincing at the stiffness in his joints from sitting on the ground for so long. “I thought you said you had a date tonight?”

“Well, if I’m gonna have a silver handprint on me for the next couple of days or so I don’t want Jesse to see it, do I?”

His eyes widened comically at the implication in her words.

“And don’t think you get to threaten him either, Michael.” She would be 18 in just a few more months and she was sure anything she and Jesse had done was tame in comparison to what her brother and Maria had gotten up to. She turned her attention back to the others. “So… dinner?”

“Would it be alright if we took you up on that offer another time?” Max asked without consulting Isabel. He wasn’t prepared to deal with more people who knew about them.

“Sure, anytime.” She smiled at him as she swung up into the saddle. “And thanks again.”

He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. After so many years of no one knowing the secret it was unnerving to be surrounded by so many people who knew and were a part of it. “Are we still on for tomorrow?” he asked with a glance at Michael.

“Yeah, I’ll meet you at Maria’s house at noon like we agreed.” He looked at Eddie when he saw him speaking with Maggie, nodding at something she said before stepping back and watching her ride back towards the house. “Thanks for getting to Maria so quickly.”

Eddie shook his head. “I’m glad I was home. Just a couple minutes later and you would’ve missed me. Got a job so I’m gonna have to hit the road soon as I drop them off at their vehicle.” He slapped his friend’s shoulder. “We’ll catch up when I get back.”

“Sounds good.” He looked at his girlfriend. “They ride out here with you?”

“No, Mom had the car so I rode out with them.”

“Wanna hang here with me and I’ll take you home later?”

“Well, we did have plans for tonight.” She looked down at herself, taking in the jeans and shirt she wore. “I had a different outfit in mind but if you don’t care…”

“You’re perfect the way you are, Maria.”

“Then, yes, I’ll stay with you. There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” She pulled away to look at Max but before she could speak he raised a hand and nodded. She could see he was ready to go, to get back to Liz, so she didn’t hold him up.

“Let’s go, Isabel.”

For several long moments she stood rooted to the spot, her eyes locked on Michael as he shrugged into his coat and let Maria fuss over him. It was true, she was sure of it; she and Michael were related. She sighed and turned to go when Max called her again. Maybe it was time to suck it up and have that talk with Liz.

Michael swung his leg over the saddle and kicked his left foot free of the stirrup as he held a hand out to Maria. When she hooked her foot in the stirrup and took his hand he pulled her up behind him. She settled into place easily and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding onto him as they started to move.

She knew where his thoughts were. She’d seen the way he’d stared at his hands after watching Max heal Maggie and she’d easily pegged the internal battle being waged: Killer versus healer. She’d give him a little space; wait until they left his house to go out, before she brought it up. If he didn’t talk about it she knew it would only eat away at him.
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Re: Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)130-9/6/1

Post by keepsmiling7 »

Good for Max......still healing, and leaving marks behind.
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Re: Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)130-9/6/1

Post by Eva »

Maggie and Michael go well together. They really love each other (as brother & sister) and their advices towards each other were great.

The accident was horrible. Michael's reaction was very quick and good. But it was sad to see him compare himself with Max.
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Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)131-9/13/15

Post by ArchAngel1973 »

keepsmiling7: Well, Max can’t help it, can he? It’s his brand, after all.

Eva: Michael has already killed in the story so witnessing Max healing Maggie, that’s tough, especially when he, Michael, couldn’t heal his beloved little sister.


Part 131

Michael stepped down out of the truck and shut the door with his elbow before walking up the walkway to the front door. He was raising his fisted hand to knock when the door was suddenly pulled open and before he could so much as draw breath Maria was in his arms. Was there anything better than this, he wondered when her arms came around him and her lips landed on his.

Maria made a small sound when his hold on her tightened and he pulled her even closer. There was something so thrilling about being held by him; feeling his strength, the leashed power that just pulsed through him, and knowing that those things were tempered by love. In her wildest dreams she never could have imagined this, and her notions of what being in love felt like had been sadly lacking.

They broke apart when the need for air became necessary and their foreheads came to rest together as they breathed each other in. For several minutes they just stood there, lost in a moment where nothing existed beyond the two of them. It was the sound of a throat clearing that finally pulled them back to reality and she giggled at the annoyed look on his face.

“Good,” Amy said as she stepped out of the house, “I have your attention.” She had been in their shoes so she understood the intoxicating combination of raging hormones and that all consuming first love. “I’m leaving now but I’m not going far and I could be back at any time.” She directed a pointed look at Michael. “And whether I do or not, my daughter will be in the same condition I’m leaving her in, won’t she?”

“Mom,” Maria groaned in protest. In spite of it not being the worst thing she could’ve said, it was still embarrassing.

“Yes ma’am.” He grinned at her. “Mostly. When she kisses me like that I end up makin’ a mess of her hair.” He gestured at his girlfriend’s hair. “It’s a lot worse than that sometimes.”

Amy hid a smile when her daughter reached up to check her hair before hitting Michael’s arm with the back of her hand and running back into the house. It was hard to contain her amusement at the confused look on his face. It was obvious that he was quite proud of his handiwork and that he didn’t understand her rush to fix it. “All joking aside, Michael, I’m trusting you with my daughter and I don’t give that trust lightly.”

“I don’t take it lightly either,” he assured her, his expression completely serious.

She nodded, satisfied that they understood each other. She walked down to her car, confident that her daughter’s innocence would remain intact for another day. She knew it was only a matter of time before the two of them had sex. She was too much of a realist to think differently. She slid in behind the wheel and glanced up in time to see the front door open and the young couple fall into each other’s arms as if they had been apart for days rather than the minutes it had taken Maria to fix her hair.

The time would come when extracting a promise wasn’t going to protect her daughter’s virtue and she knew that time was coming soon. She would never be ready for her baby girl to take that step, but between experience and the fond memory of her own first love, she knew that decision was ultimately Maria’s to make. She backed out of the driveway and couldn’t deny her relief when she recognized the cars pulling into her vacated spot. If nothing else, having the other kids there would keep them in check. Maybe. She focused on calming techniques as she drove back to work but it was the knowledge that she and Maria maintained an open line of communication more than the voice at the back of her mind shouting that she’d bought one more day that helped calm her nerves.

Alex waved to Maria’s mom as she drove past and he laughed when she craned her neck in an unnatural position in an effort to keep her daughter in sight for just a few more seconds. “I think you make Ms. DeLuca nervous,” he said as he and the others joined the couple on the porch.

Max snorted softly. “I can’t imagine why.”

“No,” Michael muttered with a glance at him and Liz, “I’m sure you can’t.” He smirked when the guy looked at him sharply. Max was probably the kind of guy that walked his girl to her front door and gave her a chaste peck on the lips before saying goodnight.

Maria pinched his side, hard. “You be nice.”

He shoved the offending hand away. “I was.” He nodded at Max. “Mom’s dyin’ to meet you after what you did yesterday. No, seriously,” he went on when the other guy shook his head, “she really is. Both of you.”

“Let’s go inside.” Maria rolled her eyes when he held the screen door open for her and followed her inside, expecting someone else to catch it before it slammed shut. She nodded when Alex offered to grab drinks for everyone and she wasn’t quick enough to hide her surprise when Isabel went with him to help.

“So, what’re we meeting for?” Michael asked as he dropped down on the couch next to his girlfriend.

“Max doesn’t have enough excitement in his life,” Isabel stated when she and Alex joined them.

Michael frowned. “You wanted to hang out ‘cause you’re bored?”

“No.” Max sat forward and looked at him. “I wanted to know if you know where the cave is.”

“I live in the desert.” He shrugged. “I know where lots of caves are. Is there one in particular you’re lookin’ for?”

Was he really that clueless or was he just pretending to be that dense? “The one we were in before we were found.”

“Oh, that one.” He shook his head. “No, I’ve never found it.” He scratched his chin, his expression thoughtful. “You know where you were found?”

“Yeah.” His eyebrows shot up when Alex picked up the backpack he’d been carrying, watching him unzip it and pull out a laminated map that he unrolled and laid out on the coffee table after the girls hurried to clear the surface.

“We’ve got the location marked here,” Alex said, tapping his finger against the spot circled on the map.

“Huh.” Michael leaned in closer, frowning as he studied the surrounding area. “Weird.” He looked up at them. “You’re sure this’s where you were found?”

“Yeah, why?” Isabel rested her elbows on her knees as she leaned over the map.

“The date written here, that’s when you were found?” He nodded when she repeated her first response. “I was found a week after that.” He turned the map around and tapped an area more than sixty miles west. “This’s where my grandfather found me.”

Alex reached out and drew a circle around the area he’d indicated. “Okay, well, that’s a place to start. It’s unlikely you walked that far in a week. Superior genetics aside,” he added as an afterthought.

“Well, I didn’t fly,” he growled.

The comment went ignored.

“Our mom thought she saw another little boy that night but they couldn’t find him,” Max said. “That bein’ said, he must’ve managed to cross in that timeframe because there are only three of us.”

Alex hummed to himself as he drew a line between the two points and he chewed on the cap of the marker as he studied the map.

“What’re you doin’?” Michael asked.

“Shhh!” Isabel insisted as she shot a look at him. “Don’t interrupt him. Can’t you see he’s thinking?”

He rolled his eyes but he fell silent.

That wouldn’t last, Maria thought and smirked when he opened his mouth after less than a minute.

“That route wouldn’t have been passable,” he said, shaking his head at the course Alex was plotting. “There were heavy rains that year and these low lying areas flooded quickly.”

“And there’s no way to know which direction we came from or how long we were out there before we were found,” Max added.

“You guys couldn’t have been on the other side of the Reservation, there’s just no way. Besides the distance, you’ve got the White Sands Missile Range and then there’s Jornado del Muerto.” Liz shook her head. “If you’d had to cross that you wouldn’t have survived. No, I think Alex is on the right track.” She nodded when he looked at her with a smile before going back to the grid he was drawing.

“What track is he on?” Michael demanded to know. “He’s not doin’ anything but…” He tipped his head to one side, studying the squares. “It’s a grid.”

“You guys started out from the same point but based on the fact that you were found in completely opposite directions it’s probably safe to say that your point of origin is somewhere central to both locations. You moved away from civilization while they moved towards it. You said this path wasn’t viable because of flash flooding,” he made an ‘x’ through several of the squares. “This path takes you too close to the road and I’m guessing your instincts were strong enough to keep you well away from it.” He crossed out several more squares before glancing at Max and Isabel. “You two ended up here, so based on directionality it’s unlikely you came from the south side of the highway.” More boxes were crossed out. “That leaves us with this grid to work from.”

“That’s still a lot of ground to cover.” Max rubbed the back of his neck. “We’ve gotta narrow that down further.”

“Alright, well…”

“I think we can nix anything north of I-70 and below I-82.” He crossed off more boxes. “That puts us in this area.”

Liz leaned over and circled an area with her finger. “This area’s completely flat, no above-land formations, so we can probably cross it off too.”

“Okay,” he made a wide circle around Michael’s location and another one around Max and Isabel’s location, rapping his knuckles against it to draw their attention to the point where the two intersected. “I’d say we start in this area and work our way outwards.”

“Why d’you want to know about the cave?” Maria asked. “I mean, does it really matter now?”

Max shrugged. “I just need to see it.”

Michael looked at Isabel. “What about you?”

“He needs to see it.” She shook her head when he continued to stare at her. “No, I’m not really interested in finding it. It’s not gonna make a difference. Who I am, where I’m going in life, I don’t need to see where we came from to know those things. But Max does, so we need to find it.”

He considered her words for a few minutes before he nodded. “Alright,” he said finally, “looks like we’re gonna be tyin’ our weekends up for a while.”

“We’ll have to put together a schedule that works for all of us,” Liz spoke up. “We’ve all got stuff we’ve gotta do; work, school, family things, so if we can create a schedule it’ll make it easier to make plans to meet up and search the desert. I can do that.”

“Of course you can.”

Michael and Isabel looked at each other when they responded at the same time with the same remark and after a moment they shared a smirk.

“She’s really good at stuff like that,” Maria tossed in, studying the similar expressions on their faces and wondering if Michael’s belief that he and Isabel were really brother and sister could be true. She could see it. The physical similarities and temperaments were obvious of course, but watching them together, the way they interacted, the way they responded to things, it made it hard to think otherwise.

“Great, it’s all yours.” Michael pulled the map closer and scanned over the area they had narrowed it down to. It was still miles of desert to search. “I’m thinkin’ we should do our best to devote at least one day a week to the search. We can split each grid up into three sections and we’ll be able to determine if what we’re lookin’ for is in that area faster.”

“I’ll keep one of my days free,” Max said with a nod. He spent most of his free time with Liz anyway and she’d be out there too, so it wasn’t like that would be much of a hardship. “What about you? I mean, it looked like your work keeps you pretty busy.”

Michael shrugged. “I can work around it. We just need to mesh our schedules.”

“How’re we gonna cover all that ground?” Isabel asked. “There really aren’t any roads to speak of once you get off the interstate.”

“Any of you know how to ride a horse?”

“Isabel does.” Max snickered. “She went through that phase girls go through where she wanted a pony and Dad said she had to learn to ride and take care of that pony before he bought her one”

She studied her nails. “Learning to ride was the easy part.”

“Didn’t care for muckin’ out stalls?” Michael asked with a knowing grin and then laughed at her disgusted expression. “Well, I’m only concerned with your abilities in the saddle.” He looked at Max. “I guess you didn’t go through the pony phase?”

“No, not even close.”

Liz waved one hand to get his attention. “What about the rest of us who don’t know how to ride a horse?”

Michael considered her question. “Any of you know how to handle an ATV?”

“I do know how to do that,” Max answered. “And they’re easy enough to handle that I can show Liz.”

“Okay,” he nodded and shifted his gaze to Isabel, “can you keep your boy there in the saddle?”

“Alex learns and adapts quickly, no problem.”

“I’m really glad the two of you get along so well, but I’m capable of speaking for myself,” Alex said, looking directly at Michael.

“Okay,” he shrugged, “so speak.”

“Just get me a horse that’s older than dirt. Or an ATV. Like Isabel said, I’m adaptable.”

“Alright, I’ll handle desert transportation one way or the other.” He had no idea what he’d have to do to get his hands on the ATVs but he knew he could do it. It was just a matter of making a deal with his cousins. He motioned to Liz. “It’s on you to work the schedules. Alex, you’re in charge of keeping track of the search grid.”

Max listened as the plans was laid out and something inside of him settled. There was no guarantee that they would find the cave, but at least they were going to try. Isabel didn’t have any interest in finding it and Michael had obviously looked for it but he hadn’t expressed a desire to continue looking, but because it was important to him they had taken it on themselves to try and find it. He sat back, silently watching as Isabel and Michael debated over the best location to start their search, both certain they were right and neither of them willing to give an inch.

It was strange how alike they were, he mused. They were both stubborn, strong-willed, they had similar coloring, tall and blonde with dark eyes. Why hadn’t he noticed it before? There were so many similarities it defied logic that he’d missed it. Sure, the fact that he and Isabel were complete opposites in just about every way had been glaringly obvious, but neither of them had ever given it much thought. Lots of siblings had personalities and looks that contrasted, that was nothing new.

But they had ended up separated in the desert as small children. What if he and Isabel had never been related? What if she and Michael were the ones that were supposed to be sister and brother? Something in him recoiled at that thought. He and Isabel had been together for as long as either of them could remember. The two of them suddenly stopped trying to talk over each other and after sharing a look they started to laugh. What if he wasn’t the only one who noticed it? What if Isabel or Michael noticed it and they acted on it? What if he lost his sister to Michael because of it?

He was glad when the meeting ended because he needed to get some air. He declined their offer to go over to the Crashdown for something to eat, claiming he and Liz had made plans to go see a movie. She didn’t say a word to let anyone know they had no prior plans, simply going along with him and telling Maria she’d give her a call later that day. He knew he’d have to explain as soon as they were alone, but maybe she’d be able to ease his mind.

*****

Liz wiped down the tables while keeping an eye on the tall blonde that had taken up residence in the booth at the back of the café. She hadn’t thought much about it while Alex was there but he’d taken off over an hour ago and Isabel was still sitting there. The girl made her nervous with nothing but her presence. It wasn’t that she thought Isabel would do anything to her because she was past that. She just didn’t have anything in common with the other girl and the only time they really spent any time together was when the others were around. That wasn’t so bad, but just the two of them? Yeah, that still made her a little nervous.

She thought about the conversation she’d had with Max the day before as she moved to get a fresh rag. His nerves had been stretched thin as he unloaded his thoughts and even though the idea had so recently occurred to him, it was easy to see he was very uncomfortable with it, even a little insecure.

She finished wiping down the last table and called out a goodnight as the last couple paid their tab and left the café. It had been a long day and she was tired but she’d assured her parents she could close because it was their date night and she didn’t want them to miss that. She had no idea what Isabel was waiting for but she didn’t move as she went about closing, locking the doors, turning the open/closed sign over, and eventually sending the others home.

“So…” she twisted a dry towel between her hands, a motion that did nothing to hide her nervousness.

“We need to talk.”

She’d always thought it was funny when guys in the movies talked about how nervous those four words made them when spoken by a woman. Different situation obviously, but suddenly she felt like she could relate. “We do?”

Isabel just gestured to the seat across from her. “I’ve had something on my mind,” she said, choosing to ignore the anxious behavior. She wasn’t being aggressive, she wasn’t being hostile, so she had no idea why Liz was acting as if she was going to lunge and take her head off at any second. “Alex suggested that maybe you could help me with it.”

“Oh, well… okay.” She knew she sounded uncertain, but she was in uncharted territory.

She chose not to beat around the bush, to just get right to the point. “It’s about Michael.” She frowned when the other girl averted her gaze and muttered something under her breath. “What?”

“Nothing, please, go on.”

“Well, anyway, I’ve been noticing quite a few similarities between the two of us.” Her eyes narrowed when Liz suddenly expelled a heavy breath. “Max has noticed it too,” she guessed.

“Yeah, he was pretty wound up about it yesterday when we left Maria’s house.”

Isabel sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I was hoping you might have some advice about how to handle the situation.”

“Max is like anyone else, Isabel; he has fears and insecurities, and losing his family is the biggest one on that list. I’m not suggesting that you would just drop him in favor of Michael, but fear is rarely rational, and he’s afraid that if it’s true that you and Michael are related and you and Max aren’t that it’ll create distance between you and things won’t be the same.”

“Max has always been my brother and that’ll never change,” Isabel said, her tone vehement.

“No, and I believe that. He’s just scared and he could probably do with some reassurance from his big sister. I think he’ll be okay if you can make him understand that you’re not trading your relationship with him for one with Michael.”

“Maybe I should just drop it.”

“No.” She cleared her throat when Isabel pinned her with a look. “No, I mean, he wouldn’t want you to drop something that’s clearly so important to you.”

“Then what do you suggest I do?”

“Well, we’re gonna be spending a lot of time together and it’s a good chance for them to bond a little bit. Besides,” she rolled her eyes, “get them out in the desert and turn them loose with ATVs to hunt for the cave? They’ll probably bond effortlessly. I’m sure we can convince them to go off for a few hours at a time and me and Maria can work together to search a section of the grid.” She shrugged. “It’s an idea.”

“So maybe let it rest for a while.”

“Yeah, but you know what? Talk to Max about it, let him know what you’re thinking and that it’s not a matter of him or Michael. There’s no reason why you can’t have both of them in your life in that capacity if that’s what you want.”

“That’s actually pretty good advice.” She was silent for a short while. “Thanks Liz, that helps a lot.”

Liz sat there for some time after Isabel left the café and after a while she slowly smiled and got up to turn the lights off and go upstairs. She had a feeling she and Isabel had just made a lot of progress. It wasn’t until she was in her room that she realized once she had gotten past that initial conversation opener the nervous butterflies in her stomach had fled. They did have common ground. They had Max and they both wanted what was best for him. She had a feeling things were only going to get better from here on out. She didn’t know if they would find the cave or what it would reveal, but she knew the future was wide open and full of promise.
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Re: Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)131-9/13/

Post by Eva »

Amy was hilarious and very "Amy Deluca", if you know what I'm saying. I always liked her remarks towards men and Michael in specific. Great woman, you girls nailed her completely as she is.
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keepsmiling7
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Re: Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)131-9/13/

Post by keepsmiling7 »

I wonder just what the best for Max would be??
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Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)132-9/20/15

Post by ArchAngel1973 »

Eva: Amy is an unconventional mother, it’s great to write for her.

keepsmiling7: Good question, wait and see.


Part 132

Maria walked into the kitchen and went to the refrigerator to get a drink. She turned to watch her mom as she grabbed a couple of potholders and leaned over the open oven, reaching inside to pull the baking dish out. Her stomach rumbled at the aroma of cheese and seasonings emanating from the oven.

“Please tell me that’s not vegetarian lasagna,” she begged as she stretched up on her toes and peeked at the hot cheese bubbling on the surface.

“Traditional lasagna tonight,” Amy promised as she reached for the pan of garlic bread and slid it into the oven. She adjusted the temperature and moved to the cabinet to pull down the plates so she could set the table. “Why don’t you pull the salad out since you’re standing there with the refrigerator door open?”

“Oh, right.”

“How was work today?”

“Not bad. Kinda slow but at least it gave us time to pull the decorations down for tomorrow night. Liz is still trying to talk her dad into letting her out of Crashdown New Year’s so she can go hunt down Enigma.”

“Mmm, now that was a party,” Amy murmured with a smile.

“Wait, you found Enigma?”

“Once, a long time ago.”

Maria’s eyebrows lifted in interest at the wistful tone in her mom’s voice. “Was it with Dad?”

“Like I said, it was a long time ago.” She sighed when her daughter sat down across from her, arms crossed over her chest as she stared unblinkingly at her. “Yes, it was with your dad.”

“It’s okay if you talk about him, Mom.”

Amy shook her head. “I have a lot of good memories of your dad, honey, but unfortunately they’re tainted by the way he walked away and never looked back.”

“But when you guys found Enigma he hadn’t done that. You hadn’t even had me, right?”

She chuckled. “No, of course not. We tried to be a little more responsible than that when I got pregnant with you.” Her expression sobered and she leaned over the table to cup her daughter’s face. “You’ve got a lot of your dad in you; your artistic streak, your strong sense of right and wrong – “

Maria shook her head as she reached up to cover her mom’s hands. “Yeah, my artistic side might’ve come from him, but my sense of right and wrong? That’s all you, Mom. He’s not the one who was here for the past eleven, almost twelve years, making sure we had a roof over our heads and food on the table. No, when it comes to hard work and knowing right and wrong? I got those things from you.”

Amy smiled and shook her head. She wasn’t sure how much of that she could actually take credit for. Many times over the years she’d thought about the way she was raising her only child, knowing that in so many ways they were growing up together. “You definitely got your independent streak from me.”

“I know, and it’s served me well.”

She moved to retrieve the lasagna and place it on the table before going back to open the oven and pull the pan of garlic bread out. “So are you and Michael planning to look for Enigma?” she asked as she placed the hot bread in a basket that she carried over to the table.

“We hadn’t really made any plans because I’ll be working but he said he was gonna try to get here before midnight.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s been cramming on college applications to send out before the deadline.”

Amy cut the lasagna and slid a piece on each of their plates before adding a slice of garlic bread. “So he’s decided to apply?” Considering his stance on that subject just a few short months ago she was surprised.

“No, he’s decided to submit applications to put off the confrontation with his mom for a while longer.” She chewed a bite of lasagna as she thought about that situation. “It’s just stupid, Mom. She’s being completely irrational about it. It’s like she wants him to be happy but for him to be happy he has to meet all these standards or something. Why can’t she open her eyes and see that he’s happy with me? That we’re happy together? Or that he’ll be happy working and not sitting in a classroom all day? Shouldn’t she just be happy that he’s happy?”

She listened to her daughter ranting about her boyfriend’s mother and her thoughts drifted to her own impending meeting with Gabriel’s parents. She’d avoided that for as long as possible but things were getting pretty serious and she knew soon enough she was going to have to give in and meet them. “Parents want things to be better for their children than they were for them and she knows how important a college education can be in this world. Her feelings on that are quite clear and very strong.”

“Just because it was the right thing for her and John, that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for Michael. He’s driven, Mom, he just has different goals in life. But Catherine’s just so locked in on the college thing that she’s gonna make his life hell when he tells them he doesn’t want to go.” She sighed and pushed her salad around on the plate. “According to their customs he’s a man now and according to the law he’ll be a man in just a couple of months so I don’t know why she can’t accept that it’s his decision to make.”

Amy sensed that Maria had more to say on the subject so she waited patiently and dinner continued in silence for a few minutes.

“His sister gave him the idea. Well, not about sending out the applications. He came up with that one on his own and he’s only sending them to a few colleges. But Maggie told him to come up with a plan before he talks to their parents. And she also told him to make it like a compromise when he finally does talk to them. She said explaining that he wants to take a year off before going to college and then using that year to show them he can hold down a job and support himself, and that he’s happy, might work best.”

“That sounds like a very good plan. Does he have one yet?”

“No, we’re still working on that. They’re not gonna be easy to convince so it’s gotta be good.” She sighed. “And it’s probably not gonna help his case any that I don’t wanna go to college either. Someday maybe, but I just don’t wanna graduate and go right back to school. We just want some freedom, y’know?”

She nodded. “I do know, yes, and I think if that’s what you want, what you need, that you should go for it. I also think having a good plan makes very good sense.”

“Yeah.” She tore her garlic bread into tiny pieces as her thoughts bounced around. “We both wanna travel and I’m sure we could do that and get jobs in different places, but there’s no way that’d convince his parents. So we’ll backburner that for now and try to figure out something that’ll make everyone happy.”

“Honey, it’s your life, yours and Michael’s. The only ones you have to make happy is the two of you. Sometimes we just can’t make our parents happy with our decisions and sometimes that’s a very hard path to take because we don’t want to disappoint them.”

“Well, we’ve talked about it and while we haven’t exactly nailed anything down, we did decide that just taking off without having some money saved isn’t a good idea, so we do know whatever we do, we’ll have to be stationary for a while. And we’re okay with that. We just haven’t figured out where or how yet.”

“The answer will come to you.” She smiled reassuringly. “Just give it time and don’t rush into anything.”

“You’re right,” Maria agreed and dug into her lasagna as her appetite suddenly reasserted itself. “So what’re you and Gabriel doing for New Year’s?”

Amy chuckled at the smooth change in topics and went with it, sharing their plans and just enjoying the opportunity to sit down with her daughter and talk over dinner. She cherished these times spent together, knowing soon enough they would be few and far between.

*****

Isabel waited until the morning of New Year’s Eve to approach her brother, spending her time getting her thoughts in order and trying to figure out the best way to bring up the sensitive subject. After breakfast their parents left for work and Max disappeared into his room. It wasn’t unusual for him to go into seclusion when he felt threatened and it bothered her that he felt that insecure about their relationship.

Stopping at the closed door to his bedroom she rapped her knuckles against the frame and waited impatiently for him to respond. She heard the lock turn and she frowned. Since when did he lock his door? He didn’t say anything when he pulled the door open to look at her so she did what she’d done a thousand times before – she just pushed her way past him and took up residence at his desk.

“C’mon in,” he muttered as he turned to look at her.

She rolled her eyes at his choice of music, familiar with his tendency of listening to what had to be some of the most depressing songs she’d ever heard when he was down. “You really need to work on your playlist,” she said and shook her head.

“I like it.”

“I know. That’s what worries me.”

“Yeah, well, when your boyfriend gets a record deal send me a copy.”

“Alex isn’t my…” She trailed off and glared at him. “Let’s just stick to the topic.”

“I wasn’t aware we had one.”

She hated it when he was in this kind of mood. “I want to talk about Michael.”

“I’m sure Maria’s home. Give her a call.”

“Contrary to what you seem to think, Max, this isn’t easy for me.” She knew Liz had talked to him about their conversation. She hadn’t asked the girl to keep it in confidence and even if that thought had occurred to her she wouldn’t have made the request. “You’re my brother. Nothing will ever change that and no one will ever come between us.”

“Really?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I know you, Isabel, and you’re gonna pursue the possibility that he’s your real brother.”

“Do you really have that little faith in me? In our relationship? God, Max, nothing can take the place of a lifetime together and I don’t want it to. Yeah, I do think Michael and I are related, but this isn’t about trading you for him. It’s like the cave; you need to find it because it’ll give you some closure.”

“It’s not the same thing,” he argued. “Once we find the cave I’ll be able to let it go.” He dropped down to sit on his bed.

“And if Michael feels the same way I do…” He’d become even more a part of her life. “Max, why would you ever think it has to be one of you or the other? You’ve seen him with his sister. Do you really think he’d just walk away from her?”

“No,” he answered grudgingly.

“Then please explain to me why you have more faith in someone we hardly know than you do in your own sister.”

“It’s always been the two of us.” And without you I don’t know where I fit in. “I watched the two of you the other day, Isabel, and the similarities are blindingly obvious. You’re just alike.”

“Yeah, and we’re not, which is probably a good thing. We wouldn’t have survived all these years together if we were. We’re like that, what is it… yin and yang. If you and I were both like me we would’ve been in competition for almost everything growing up. And if we were both like you we’d have spent all that time in the library studying.”

Max snorted at her assessment of his social life. “Yeah, but just think, if that was the case you and Alex could’ve gotten together sooner.”

She laughed at that and shook her head. “Alex isn’t looking for a study hall type of girl. If he was he wouldn’t still be single.”

He’s not. It almost slipped out but he stopped the words before they could be given life. One of these days she was going to open her eyes and see the truth that was right in front of her.

“Look, the point I’m trying to make is that nothing and no one can ever take our relationship away from us and I’d fight anyone who tried. Michael and I may be related, we may not be, but no matter which it is, he could never replace you.”

He nodded. “Are you gonna tell Mom and Dad?”

“It depends on how things go. He may not be interested in considering the possibility. I mean, there’s really no way we can even prove it one way or the other.”

“And meeting his parents? How do you feel about that?”

“You’re the one they want to meet.”

“Yeah, but if he tells them about you possibly being his sister they’re gonna want to meet you too.”

“It’d be interesting to see what they’re like. They know how he’s different and he hasn’t had to hide that part of himself from the people closest to him.” She pondered that for a few moments. “And now they know about us as well.”

Max watched her, trying to figure out what she was thinking. “You still wanna tell Mom and Dad the truth, don’t you?”

“One day,” she said wistfully. “For now it’s enough that they know we’re different.”

“You got any plans for tonight?”

“Alex mentioned trying to find Enigma.” She shrugged. Actually, what he’d suggested was that it might be good for her and Max to be in on the search together. “I know you and Liz are doing that so if you want to we could join forces to find it. After all, we’d have two of the smartest people in school working on the clues.”

Max grinned at her. They had never moved in the same social circles so going to a party together was unheard of. “That sounds like fun.” He still wasn’t sure what to think of the possibility that Michael was Isabel’s real brother, but she had made it a point to reassure him that their relationship was solid and he believed her. No matter what happened nothing was going to take that away because they wouldn’t let it go.

*****

Maria tore through the living room, moving things around, digging between the cushions, and looking under the furniture in a vain attempt to find her keys. She’d already been through the room twice and even though that hadn’t yielded any results she was back again, hoping the third time would be the charm.

“Your keys were on the counter in the bathroom,” Amy said as she shook them to get her daughter’s attention.

She whirled around, mouth already open to reply but the words were forgotten the second her eyes landed on her mom. “Wow, Mom, you look… Wow.”

The older woman smiled at the compliment and smoothed her hand over the dress. “You don’t think it’s too much?”

“Are you kidding? It’s great! Gabriel’s gonna love it.” Her mom definitely had her own style but she was a knockout in that dress. “Where’re you guys going?”

“He wouldn’t tell me. He wants it to be a surprise.”

“Maybe he’s taking you to meet his parents,” Maria teased.

“Don’t even joke about that, Maria.” She drew in a calming breath because the mere thought of a meeting that was looming over her head put her nerves on edge.

“You don’t have anything to worry about, Mom. They’re gonna love you because you make him happy.”

“It’s not his happiness they’re gonna question.”

“You’re not old.”

“No, but I’m not 28 anymore either.”

“So what? You’re healthy, you’re active, and you take really good care of yourself. And Gabriel loves you. They’re gonna see that.”

It wasn’t their son’s love for her that she was worried about them seeing. It was that freight train called middle age that was racing towards her that she was afraid they wouldn’t be able to look past.

Maria watched her mom as she fussed over her appearance in the mirror. Mom wasn’t normally insecure and she wondered if there was something more going on than she knew about. “You love him, right?”

“Yes.” The answer to that question helped to calm her nerves. “It’s just that ten years can be difficult to overlook for parents no matter which side of that age difference their child is on.”

“Well, yeah, maybe if he was 18 and you were 28, but he’s more than old enough to know what he wants in a relationship. Is he this worried about you meeting his parents?” She smiled when her mom sighed. “He’s not, is he? Not even a little bit.”

“No, he’s sure it’ll be fine. But it’s easy to be biased and to be so sure your parents will approve of someone simply because you love them.”

“Well, Michael says they’re very traditional, but their son’s happiness is their priority.”

“You talked about this with Michael?” She was mortified. After a moment though, she straightened up and turned to look at her daughter. It didn’t get rid of her trepidation about the impending meeting but it did help ease it just a tiny bit.

“You do look great, Mom, and wherever he’s taking you I’m sure his parents won’t be there.” She grinned and shook her head. “He wouldn’t spring that on you for New Year’s Eve.”

No, she realized, he wouldn’t. “Is Michael going to make it into town before midnight?”

“I talked to him a while ago and he said he’d be here.” She smiled at the thought of him being there for their first New Year’s together.

“And did Jeff give Liz the night off?”

“They compromised. She’ll get off at Crashdown midnight.” She chuckled as she recalled the rant Liz had gone on as soon as Mr. Parker had left the room. “It wasn’t what she wanted but she finally decided that it’s probably gonna be the last time they do this together for a while so she gave in and said getting off at 10:30 was better than midnight.”

“Good. I know it’s hard for Jeff to let her go.” She checked the time. “I know you need to be leaving for work pretty soon and I wanted to talk to you about something. I didn’t mean to get sidetracked talking about me.” She gave her daughter her complete attention. “Do you remember Deanna Saunders?”

“Your friend that does all that humanitarian work overseas?” She nodded when her mom gave an affirmative response. “Yeah, she was really cool.”

“Well, her base of operation is out of San Francisco now and she’s going to be leaving for a three-year contract working overseas. Her organization is part of the relief effort helping to rebuild a village that was nearly wiped out by a tsunami recently so it’s a long-term situation and since we had talked about you and your situation we started brainstorming an idea.”

“My situation?”

“You told me a few days ago that you and Michael were trying to come up with a plan to present to his parents, right? Um-hmm, well, San Francisco has plenty of opportunities available and it has something no other city has.”

Maria looked at her expectantly.

“Deanna owns a houseboat in the Bay Area and she’s not interested in selling it and renting can be a nightmare when you don’t know who you’re renting to. So since we had already talked about your situation she asked if you and Michael might be interested in staying there and taking care of it for her while she’s gone. If it was the two of you she said she wouldn’t want you to pay rent as it’s already fully paid for. You’d be responsible for the bills and maintenance and she has plenty of contacts in the area so if you were interested she could point you in the right direction for jobs.”

“Are you serious?” Living in San Francisco would be a dream come true! She loved the city, with its rich history and diverse culture.

“It’s yours if you want it. She’s making arrangements with the organization and placing all of her people and volunteers right now so she said it’s going to be a few months before she’s out of there for her extended stay. She’ll be back and forth for the next six months or so but once she has operations established overseas she’ll relocate there for the duration. If you don’t have plans for Spring Break that might be a good time to head out there and take a look at it.”

“I’ll talk to Michael,” she said with thinly veiled excitement. “But, Mom… that’s an amazing offer.” She threw her arms around her mom and hugged her tightly. “Thank you!”

Amy closed her eyes as she held her daughter close. She was going to miss this; miss coming home to the conversations, the emotional outbursts, the companionship, and the friendship that her only child gave her. She was going to miss her like she’d never missed anyone else but she knew letting her go, freeing her to expand her horizons and live life on her own terms was the right thing to do.

“Alright,” she sniffed as she released her only child and stepped back, “you’d better get going. I’ve kept you much longer than I should have. You don’t want to be late for work and I’m about to ruin my makeup.”

Maria just smiled and nodded. “Happy New Year’s, Mom.” She gave her another quick hug and kissed her cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too, honey.” She drew in a shuddering breath when Maria grabbed her keys and coat before running out the front door. She cleared her throat and turned back to the mirror, shaking her head at her reflection. “You’re gonna be a blubbering basket case when she leaves home for good.” She shook her head and leaned in to repair her makeup, hoping to have it done before Gabriel arrived to pick her up.
keepsmiling7
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Re: Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)132-9/20/

Post by keepsmiling7 »

Loved the conversation between Maria and Amy about the missing dad. I'm sure this was long overdue.
Now I'm anxious for the Isabel/Michael relationship to be found out.
Thanks,
Carolyn
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Eva
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Re: Doo 'awéé ééhoozIIh da-The Lost Child(M/M,TEEN)132-9/20/

Post by Eva »

This is what I missed in the show: the deeper conversations, the worries and the dreams,...

Isabel was great with her brother, the same Maria and Amy were together. They are all so much stronger with that magical world 'family'. If something goes wrong or when they feel insecure, they can fall back on each other. They will always be there for each other, in good and in worse. And it was great to see Isabel spell that one out to Max.
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