Title: I will Return for You, My Love
Author: ken r
Disclaimer: The story starts out in the pilot but Max is worried about Liz knowing that he healed her and about the sheriff finding this out so he leaves town. Liz and Kyle are going to the UFO festival but Kyle asked Liz to stay at his house instead. In the TV show she doesn’t stay instead she meets Max, but in my story Max is gone so she stays. The story develops with these changes. The characters, of the TV show, develop loosely from this. As always honor and respect is given to the original creation of Roswell and the many variations.
Category: conventional couples with the addition of Jake Alvarez, because I liked the character Jesse Ramirez and he won’t work here, and Alicia Valenti who will be my principal in part two
Rating: Adult there are references to abuse, and violent death.
Warning: death, divorce, intimate mind reading, Kyle becomes a bad person through circumstance
I Will Return for You, My Love
Part one
Chapter 1 Deviation
Max and Michael were sitting in the Crashdown. Max was indulging himself in his favorite obsession, watching Liz Parker. Ever since he had started school, in the third grade, he had been on the sideline of her life. In Class, they were usually lab partners, but everywhere else they were barely friends. Sometimes Liz would sit and talk with him, usually when there was no one else around. To Max’s discomfort, he was destined to watch as she grew toward womanhood, dated and moved on with her life. Max always felt that his life was static. He had no future and very little past, to think about. Max only had two friends, his sister Isabel and a boy named Michael. They both shared certain characteristics with him. Max was an outsider. He was an alien, an alien hiding in plain view in Roswell. That information had taken the three of them most of their short lives to discover. They looked human and in many ways they were. They had memories and manipulative powers that other humans didn’t have. Isabel was a person who could use others ‘without getting involved’ as she put it. She could interact with humans without becoming obsessed with them, as Max was, especially when it came to Liz. Michael didn’t seem to need or want anyone else except for Max and Isabel. Max, though, always wanted something more. Max had so much empathy that he never could use people, but as an empath he needed so much to feel the emotions of others, especially of the one he secretly loved. He especially wanted someone that he could trust and talk to other than Michael or Isabel.
“Hey Max, Michael,” Liz greeted. She was a good waitress because she always made her customers feel like they had her undivided attention. “You want the usual?” That would mean a cherry Coke and plate of onion rings. Max’s heart followed his eyes as he watched Liz move about the restaurant.
Maria, Liz’s best friend, was waiting on the front half of the restaurant while Liz covered the rear. Max always sat in Liz’s section when he could. Michael didn’t make any secret that he felt Max’s obsession for Liz was foolish and dangerous. Isabel just couldn’t understand that if Max wanted Liz, he should take her out, but not get personally involved. Isabel never understood, or maybe it was her fear that prevented her from accepting what Max wanted and needed. Isabel, who seldom went with any guy for more than three times, just couldn’t see why Max was willing to endanger all of them just because he only wanted one girl.
Liz delivered their order and went about her other tables talking to the customers and laughing making them smile with her personality. Maria was trying to do her best but two of her customers were arguing. This made Maria nervous, but even she didn’t see the gun until it was too late.
“Liz gun!” Maria screamed. Liz turned to call her father when she felt light and for some reason she was lying on the floor. The pain of the shot had not yet registered, but she felt her life slipping away. As a scientist, Liz wished she could be taking notes. She looked for a bright light, but there was only a fog where her vision blurred, no bright lights. She felt wetness about her body and a burning sensation about her middle.
Max got up immediately. “No, Max, no,” Michael called but Max was already in motion. Michael did the next best thing he grabbed Maria and shouted “Ambulance, now!” He physically turned her and shoved her toward the phone. He blocked the other patrons with his body yelling, “Give them room, give them air.”
Max had gone up to Liz and his senses could feel her slipping away. “Liz, Liz you have to look at me.” Her eyes fluttered and Max concentrated on getting into her mind. He saw the bullet and he saw the path of carnage it had made. He used every bit of the knowledge he had learned in his advanced Biology class. Two years ago Max would not have had nearly enough knowledge to do this. Max imagined the bullet dissolving, Then he imagined the wound sealing from the inside out. Max imagined any impurities being removed and finally he imagined the blood on her uniform and on the floor disappearing. He imagined her anatomy healing itself and it did. He looked down and saw a bullet hole in her uniform top. He didn’t have much time. Max ripped the cloth with his fingers and pushed a bit of the cloth in the metal frame of a nearby chair to look as if the uniform had been torn as she fell.
Michael was keeping the rest of the people away from Max and Liz but he heard the ambulance. “Max, the keys, hurry!” he cried. Max stood up and threw him the jeep keys. He moved to the front of the restaurant just as the ambulance crew arrived. Michael drove by barely slowing down to let Max jump in the jeep.
Liz was stunned. She remembered Max, but she couldn’t remember what he had been doing. The crew saw a discoloring of her stomach, but they also saw the cloth caught on the chair edge. She felt some pain, but she also felt some kind of euphoria.
Her father ran in. “Liz what happened?” he asked, tears showing through his concern for her.
“I don’t know dad. There was a shot and I fell.”
“The ambulance driver helped, “It looks as if she fell against the chair and ripped her uniform. We checked her over and we cannot find any sort of wound. I think she is just lucky.”
Jeff Parker felt himself about to faint. He held Liz. She was his baby and he felt that he had been holding her for sixteen years. If something had happened to her, he wouldn’t have wanted to live either. They helped Liz to stand and except for a bit of pain in her middle she could walk and seemed all right.
Liz went to her apartment over the restaurant to clean up. She took off her uniform and standing in front of the mirror she looked at her body. The skin had a slight silver color, but otherwise she had no wounds. Liz was still bothered about the vision of Max. She was sure that there was something she should ask him about.
That night, she had several visitors who had heard about the shooting and wanted to assure themselves that she was unhurt. Maria and Alex, her best childhood friends, acted as buffers along with her parents to not let people stay too long and tire her.
Liz had a maybe boyfriend. She had gone out with him longer than she had with other boys but she was still ambivalent about what he meant to her. He was the sheriff’s son. Kyle came in and went right over to Liz. He kissed her and made her very uncomfortable in front of her parents. He had the air of taking over, which was Kyle’s way. He tried to fend off Maria and Alex, but Liz’s father ushered him out after a few minutes. Liz was sent to bed by her parents after both Maria and Alex hugged her. The next morning as Liz got ready for school; Max and Isabel were also getting ready. Isabel noticed that Max was very nervous and distracted. “What happened Max? I heard about the Crashdown. Who got hurt?” Isabel questioned.
“Nobody.” Max was never a fount of information, but this was short even for him.
“Come on Max, what gives?” again Isabel interrogated.
Max hung his head. “Liz was shot yesterday. She was dying. I healed her.”
Isabel was both frightened and furious. “How much does she know? How much did she see as you healed her? Did anyone else see?” Isabel was on the verge of panic.
“Michael covered for me. I do not think anyone else could see what I was doing. Liz was just barely conscious. I had a lot of trouble getting in to stop her bleeding, remove the bullet and heal the wound.
When Liz and Maria got to school stories abounded. No two of them agreed. Kyle was bragging how his Liz had almost been shot and how he was going to stand by her in case the shooters returned. There were all sorts of stories about how she had been raised miraculously from the dead. Liz and Maria did their best to ignore these stories. Liz felt she should see Max, but he wasn’t at school. He should have been in at least two of her science classes, but he was absent, a first for Mr. Evans. Max had perfect attendance since he started school.
When Isabel got home, she found Max had cut school. He was in his room staring at the wall. “You want to talk, little brother?” Isabel asked.
“Isabel don’t play that age card on me. Neither of us knows who is the oldest. I guess I screwed up badly. To save Liz from dying I have to completely give up being around her.” Max said sadly. “I have brought attention to her and I do not want to bring attention to us. She is going with the sheriff’s son and if the sheriff suspects something, he will not stop until he finds out all about us.”
“I know Max. What are you going to do now? You can’t hide from school forever. In fact, since you are absent for the first time that is likely to make them notice us anyway.” Isabel sat beside Max.
Isabel you have wanted to tell our parents for a long time about us being aliens and now I think it is the right time. I need help. I need to leave for a while until everyone forgets about this incident. That night after supper they approached their parents.
“Mom, Dad, we need to talk.” The Evans were usually pretty understanding people and they really loved their children calling them their gifts from heaven. “Do you remember how you found us? Do you remember how you could not find anyone that would take responsibility for us? How easy it was to adopt us with no family ties to be found?”
“First of all Max, it was not easy to adopt you. We had to pull a lot of strings and call in a lot of favors to get the courts not to take you away. We were just lucky that we were both lawyers and knew our way around the court,” Max’s father stated. Max saw a spark of pride in what their Dad and Mom had been able to do.
“Well, we did not have any family because we are different.” Their parents just looked at them. “We weren’t from this Earth.” Max and Isabel saw a look of consternation in their faces. They wanted to be there for their children, but they were busy professionals. They did not like them wasting their time on a joke. Max tried again. “There are many things we can do that others can’t. Do you remember the pigeon I healed several years ago? Look!” Max took his hand and changed the color of his Mom’s pot plant on the table. Both parents jumped. Isabel waved her hand across her face and her lipstick went from red to a gothic black.
Isabel continued. “These are not tricks. We have learned to do many things simply because we are different.”
“We do not completely understand why we can do theses things. That is why we work so hard in school,” Max added.
This discussion went on way into the night. Max and Isabel assuring their parents that these were not magic tricks, but alien abilities that their children had. By morning their parents were convinced enough for their children to be able to explain the current problem.
“Liz Parker was shot the other day at her parents restaurant. She was dying. I couldn’t just allow her to die, so I healed her. Now she is asking questions and her boyfriend is the sheriff’s son.” Max explained.
Philip knew how the old sheriff, the father of the one they had now had become obsessed about aliens. His son would investigate completely if he had any idea he could vindicate his father. There was no telling what he would do if he found evidence of aliens.
Philip suggested that they send Max to his aunt’s ranch in Montana for a few weeks. He made a few inquires and wrote an excuse for the school naming a personal emergency. Max had good grades so it wasn’t too much trouble.
Liz looked everywhere. She just couldn’t find Max. She sat down alone in the quad. She was getting very depressed. She felt that there was something about Max that she should recall. There was something about Max or about what he did that she didn’t understand. She felt a presence and she looked up to see Isabel. Liz barely knew Isabel. Isabel would accompany Max to the Crashdown, but she and Liz just didn’t travel in the same circles. “May I sit down?” Isabel inquired. “You seem to be quite depressed for someone who escaped a near death experience.” She said.
“Isabel, where is Max?” Liz pleaded.
“Why?” Isabel returned quickly.
“I just keep thinking that there is something I should talk to him about.” Liz stated. “There is something about the other day that is bothering me, but I can’t remember what it is.”
“We had an aunt in Montana who had an emergency. Max went to stay with her and help her for a few weeks. He will be back later in the fall.” Isabel stood up. “Liz ,I am glad you are all right.” She said with more feeling than Liz had ever heard from her.
About that time Kyle walked up. “What the hell did she want?” he asked.
“Nothing, Kyle, she just wanted to ask if I was all right.” Liz returned.
“I don’t want you to have anything to do with those Evans brats,” Kyle stated
“Kyle, I talk to whom ever I please. I do not see either Isabel or Max that way.” Liz was becoming a bit vexed with Kyle.
“The advantage with having a boyfriend whose father is sheriff is that you can learn who is safe to associate with and who is not. My dad has his eye on both of those Evans,” Kyle made this almost as a pronouncement.
“I have to go, Kyle” Liz was pretty mad at this point. Kyle tried to smother Liz with a kiss, but she pushed him off.
Liz’s next stop was the Evans’ house. She went there when she felt Isabel wouldn’t be home. Mrs. Evans opened the door. “Liz Parker, am I right?” Liz was greeted. “Come in Liz. What can I do for you?” she asked.
Mrs. Evans is there any way I could call Max? I really need to talk to him.”
“I am sorry Liz. He is on his aunt’s ranch and it is way out in the country. They do not even have consistent phone service.” Liz felt that this answer was a bit evasive.
Liz wrote down her personal cell phone number. “Please if you hear from him, give him this number and tell him to call collect. I really need to talk to him.”
Liz left and Diane Evans felt a tug at her heart. This was the kind of girl she had always hoped for as a someday daughter in law. She gave the number to Isabel and when Isabel next talked to Max, she told him about it.
“She is still asking questions Max. I do not know what to do. I sat and talked with her, but as soon as I left the sheriff’s son was with her.” Isabel gave Max the information she had, but she noticed that Max’s voice broke badly when he was trying to talk about Liz.
The UFO festival was on that weekend. Kyle had arranged to take Liz. It was a date that had been made several weeks before. “Liz you have to see what a costume I got,” Kyle excitedly told her. Liz tried to build up enthusiasm as she had enjoyed the dates she had in the last couple years for this festival. They all dressed up as aliens and danced and watched fireworks and even with the tourists, they enjoyed themselves. Liz really needed cheering up and she thought maybe going to this festival would be fun. Kyle had been fun earlier and maybe this was a chance to mend their being together. Kyle told her to meet him at his house at about six thirty that evening.
Liz showed up. She was dressed as some sort of brown alien bug. Kyle welcomed her at the door, but he hadn’t put his costume on yet. “Liz, we have plenty of time. Have a beer?” he asked.
Now Liz’s parents had talked to her a lot about underage drinking. She knew that she could lose scholarships and many other privileges if she was caught drinking illegally. They also had warned her many time about not drinking when she was on a date. They were worried that someone would take advantage of her if she was drinking. Liz really didn’t even like beer. “No, thank you, Kyle. Hadn’t we better get ready to go?” she inquired.
“Aw come on, Liz, a couple of beers will make you have a better time. We still have a lot of time before we need to go.” Kyle had already had more than a couple of beers. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her.
Liz had made out with Kyle before and she had enjoyed it. Kyle was very experienced in making a girl feel good. Sometimes he might go too fast but Liz had heard talk about how good he was at making out from other girls. She knew that since the shooting she had been very upset so she took this time to try to just relax. She drank one beer and felt a little better. Kyle caressed her face with his lips. He moved from her lips to her forehead. His warm lips caressed her skin. He proceeded down her throat as far as the costume would allow. His tongue traced the outline of her lips and darted between them. His kissing proceeded too her ear which was strangely erotic. With his arm around her, he massaged her temple with his hand as he massaged the opposite temple with his lips. As he began kissing her, she found herself responding. Her back arched as she thrust her breasts against the closure of her costume. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the closeness of having someone care for her. His other arm came around and rested on her arm. As she seemed to fall into a trance, he slowly moved to her breast, barely touching it. The bug costume had big buttons down the front. One by one the buttons became undone. As they were undone, Kyle returned to her throat and neck with his lips, showering her with kisses and caresses. Liz delighted as Kyle approached the afore thought forbidden Zones. Kyle’s hand slowly slipped inside the costume to contact her flesh. Liz felt a shudder. She shook herself and tried to pull away. “Come on Liz, don’t be a tease. You know you want me. I have never waited this many dates before and not had a response,” Kyle coaxed.
TBC
I will Return For You, My Love (adult)-COMPLETE Jan 4 2007
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
I will Return For You, My Love (adult)-COMPLETE Jan 4 2007
Last edited by ken_r on Thu Jan 04, 2007 1:02 pm, edited 19 times in total.
Good teachers are born that way, not made. No! Good human beings, are born that way. Some of them become teachers.
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
Chapter 2 Doctor Max
Ten years later
Max was just tired. His family had followed him to Montana and then to California that fall, so many years ago. They decided that it would be best for him not to return to Roswell. The sheriff had been asking too many questions. He had tried to corner Isabel, but she quickly called her father and he put a stop to the interrogation. Max had always missed Liz, but he knew that it was too dangerous for him to go back and probably too dangerous for her as well. Both he and Isabel had attended Stanford. He was unhappy there and he missed the deserts and the slower pace of New Mexico. Max had studied pre-med and Isabel had gotten a degree in design. It had taken Max several years after graduation to finish his medical school. He, to everyone’s surprise, opted to study family medicine. When those he rubbed elbows with all were talking specialization, Max could only think of those that he had the ability to heal and the talents he had at diagnosing disease and trauma. Isabel and his parents both understood, but they were always afraid Max would take his powers to a level where he would be discovered. Max had learned to use medicine and occasionally he would nudge nature along. His ability to correctly diagnose disease was legendary. Max always smiled and said he was just lucky, but his teachers and peers all attributed it to his great memory and to the fact that he seemed to have empathy with the patient. They never knew how far this went or how true this was.
Isabel had started a business in design. She also had a bit of trouble concealing how she was always able to achieve the dramatic results that made her successful. The shapes and colors she chose were always just a little better that those of others. Their parents, having experienced their children’s success, were talking about retirement. They hadn’t sold the house in Roswell. It had been leased for so many years. Within the next six months, the lease was going to be up and the house would be vacant again. Diane and Philip had discussed that they would like to return to the milder climate and slower pace of Roswell. This was something for Isabel and Max to consider because they had been near their parents most of their lives.
Lately Max had been having disturbing dreams. “Isabel, it was just like she was right here sitting on the bed talking to me. Only I do not remember anything she said.” Max was talking to his sister. She was the only person he could ever talk to when he had serious concerns. “This has been happening for the last few weeks. We sit and she talks and I listen, but I do not remember anything she says.”
Isabel didn’t say much. She had to decide how much she should reveal to Max. Finally she said, “There is a child there also. She has great fear and great sadness.”
Max looked at his sister. “You to? Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“Probably for the same reason you haven’t talked to me about it either. Are we getting a message or are we reacting to our parents announcement that they want to return to Roswell?” Isabel was the expert in dreams. She manipulated them and she created them sometimes. These happened to come on their own.
“Iz do you ever think about going back?” Max inquired.
“Sometimes. My business is now mostly consulting. When I have to do hands on creations, I have to travel anyway. Sometimes I wonder if we could have found more fulfilling lives if we had stayed in Roswell?” she mused.
“I do not know if I want to return. The only thing I had back there was Liz. I understand she is married to Kyle, of all people. I wonder what happened to her hopes of graduate school? Why are we having these dreams about her? Me, I might understand, but you didn’t really even like her.” Max was trying to understand his own mind.
“I think I might have grown to like her. She was interesting and she was smart. I just do not see why she married Kyle. He was a dumb jock that always thought with his prick.” Isabel was also thinking about why they were having dreams.
That night, she came again. This time she had a little girl by the hand. The little girl had soft brown eyes just like those Max remembered of Liz. They both seemed so sad. Liz was talking to Max, but as usual he couldn’t understand her. They both sat on his bed and he could see Liz’s lips moving, but he couldn’t hear anything.
Max woke up. He looked at the time. It was Midnight. He got up and fixed some warm milk. He was sitting at his table looking at his apartment. He could afford anything he wanted, but he still lived like he had in med school. Max had dated a little, but he just couldn’t get into the lives of the women he met. Maybe it was because he just couldn’t open up to let them into his life. Maybe with the memories so strong of Liz, there just wasn’t any room in his life for others. He was sitting and thinking when the phone rang. This was not unusual for a doctor in family practice. He was surprised though, when he heard Isabel on the line.
“Max I had the dream again,” she started. “Liz was with a little girl and she was crying. She was thinking of what she had lost and trying to pray for her daughter. I couldn’t understand to whom she was praying. The words were not clear, but I am sure of the ones I heard.”
“I know, I had a dream also. The little girl was there, but I couldn’t understand anything. I could see her lips moving, but I couldn’t hear any sound,” Max said. “Mom and Dad are going to move next month. Are you still considering going with them?”
Isabel was silent for a while. “I do not know Max. It would take a couple of months for me to relocate, but I will miss our parents if they go.”
“Same here. I would have to find a position in Roswell. I do not imagine it would be that hard, but I will let you know what I find.” Max hung up and continued sitting, looking at the wall. His mind played tricks on him as an older and more rundown version of Liz kept going in and out of his mind.
Max was in terrible shape the next day. He had to concentrate to keep his focus during rounds and during his practice. He hadn’t missed this much sleep since he was an intern. A friend came up, “Hey Max want to go home?” he asked.
Max jumped and looked up, “Why?”
“Well you are from Roswell, New Mexico aren’t you? They are looking for someone in family practice. It is government sponsored so if you have any school loans to take care of, it would help.”
Max was perplexed. This was like fate giving him direction. Max didn’t believe in fate. He believed that you made your own fate, but he did call the number to ask for information.
Max had a good reputation and his additional ability at diagnosing disease was a plus. The Roswell hospital felt that it was a godsend for him to apply. They first wondered why he would be willing to leave his present position until someone looked up his biography and saw that he was originally from Roswell.
Their parents had already returned and Max and Isabel were correct in that it took about two months for them to relocate. Max found a small house not far from his parents home. He had bought a Jaguar, as a status symbol, when he became an attending doctor. He sold this and bought a pickup. He had a jeep growing up and he enjoyed exploring the deserts around the state. The pickup just made more sense. Isabel found a stately old house that she was sure she could fix up to be a landmark in town. Isabel installed Internet capability and soon her business was booming. She hired a retired couple to stay at the house and take care of the grounds. She was gone just as much as she was when living in California, but she felt that now coming home meant something different and perhaps more. Isabel enjoyed the pace of Roswell and she enjoyed being near Max and her parents. Isabel had a small circle of friends that she entertained and one or two that might someday be close. From the past Isabel had been keeping company with a man named Alex Whitman. She had known him in high school. After they had been in Roswell a few days another man from their past showed up.
Michael Guerin was now tall and filled out by hard work. He had been constantly on the move. He had been in and out of Roswell several times. It had been ten years since he had felt alien influence. In his travels, he had always been sensitive looking for the presence of aliens. So far, the only aliens he had known were the two teenagers he knew in high school. As he grew up he tried to make human contacts, but they were so foreign to his nature that they didn’t last long. His good looks and his rugged physic made women look at him, but when he tried to enjoy their company, their chatter, their pettiness and whatever made them products of their society annoyed him. He couldn’t decide if it was them or just that he was looking for something else, maybe it was the security he had felt in high school just knowing there were others like himself. This time he felt a change the minute Max and Isabel returned to Roswell. Their presence almost blanked out that other un-named power he had been hiding from for almost the last ten years.
Michael walked up to Isabel’s front door and knocked. Isabel answered and screamed with joy as she threw her arms around Michael. “Where have you been and how are you?”
Michael, as usual, was not very communicative. “I’ve been around Iz. After you left, I ran away from Hank and I have been making it on my own since. I do odd jobs and I move around a lot. I sensed you back, so I stopped by.”
Isabel felt her connection to Michael very strongly. He wasn’t the confused boy as he was before. He was confident and she felt a power emanating from him that was much stronger than it had been before. Isabel knew that Max would want to see Michael, so she made a date for them to get together that night for supper.
At the hospital Max felt that he really was doing something that was needed. He had a small practice and he even made a few house calls. At the hospital, he did his turns at emergency and he visited his patients that were recuperating. Max was busy, but he was also lonely. He knew that he didn’t have much to comeback to in the way of friends, but he did miss Liz. That is, the Liz he knew in High School. She was married now and he didn’t want to ever cause her trouble. The dreams had fallen off and neither he nor Isabel had had another since returning.
Max received the call from Isabel. She stated that she had a surprise for him and could he stop by for supper. Max arrived and he too felt a power stronger than he had felt before. When he entered the house, the tall well built young man that stood and greeted him was a total surprise. Michael was probably two inches taller than Max and a good twenty pounds heavier. Max had always been proud of being in shape. He pumped iron and ran every day, but Michael was a product of hard work. When they shook hands, Max found no desire in indulge in the male contest of grip. He clearly knew that Michael was the strongest. They embraced and Michael was embarrassed.
Michael felt the difference in both Isabel and Max. He decided that it must be just maturity. Michael knew that his attitudes had changed. Getting away from Hank allowed him to take charge of his own life. Knocking about the world had given Michael assertiveness in his character. He no longer worried that he had been dealt a bad hand in life but rather he had learned to make the best of things he faced and he succeed by hard work. Isabel was much the same, but she didn’t have the superficial shell she had worn in school. Isabel knew that she was successful and was now more than willing to share her fortune with others. Now Max had always been the nominal leader of the three, but before he had always been uncertain and untrusting in himself. Quite a pair he and Max had been in high school, Max was afraid of himself and Michael was afraid of everyone else.
“Are you two back for good or are you just passing through,” Michael asked.
Isabel was sitting opposite him on the couch. “I don’t know Michael. Our parents returned and both of us really miss the desert. I think we are going to have to wait and see.”
Max nodded his head also. “I don’t have much to return to, but Iz is right we do miss the desert.”
Michael smiled, “Of course you both know that Liz is married. It is not a happy situation, but one she tries to make the best of.” Max frowned as he was remembering the dreams. “I have been back from time to time and I have seen her from a distance,” Michael continued.
Isabel changed the subject, “What about you, Michael? How long do you expect to stay around Roswell?”
Michael just shrugged. “I have been pretty independent. I miss you guys, being with my own kind and such. Maybe I will see how things go.” He shrugged again, “There is a power here that I do not understand. Every time I returned, it was stronger. That is why I left. I wasn’t ready to face it alone. Now that you are back, we need to investigate it.”
Michael, Max and Isabel had a good reunion. Michael filled them in on what he knew about Roswell. Alex, as Isabel knew, had a doctorate in computer science and was a leader in a firm located in Roswell. He also played sometimes, in a small band, for fun. Liz, of course, had married and dropped out of school. She worked full time at the Crashdown. Her folks had grown older, trying to support her when they could. Her marriage to Kyle had little joy, and by the way, she had a daughter named Alicia. She had a friend that was in and out of town from time to time. Maria, who had landed a song writing contract and did a little performing. Kyle, Liz’s husband, worked as an assistant in an auto shop.
It was late when Michael left. He had rented an apartment and, at least for a while, agreed to stick around. It was amazing how he managed to find jobs. He got a night job working at the Crashdown with Liz and a day job at Alex’s corporation as a security guard. Max asked him about working two jobs but Michael said he didn’t like just sitting around and he didn’t have much to occupy himself.
One evening while working the emergency room, Max felt a terrible blow to the side of his face. He looked around, but he was totally alone. He looked in the mirror and his cheek was slightly red. It still smarted. A little later, he felt another blow and this one really hurt but on inspection there were no new marks on his face.
A few minutes later an ambulance came in. “One caucasian female, age twenty-six, falling accident, facial damage, not conscious.” The statistics followed.
Ten years later
Max was just tired. His family had followed him to Montana and then to California that fall, so many years ago. They decided that it would be best for him not to return to Roswell. The sheriff had been asking too many questions. He had tried to corner Isabel, but she quickly called her father and he put a stop to the interrogation. Max had always missed Liz, but he knew that it was too dangerous for him to go back and probably too dangerous for her as well. Both he and Isabel had attended Stanford. He was unhappy there and he missed the deserts and the slower pace of New Mexico. Max had studied pre-med and Isabel had gotten a degree in design. It had taken Max several years after graduation to finish his medical school. He, to everyone’s surprise, opted to study family medicine. When those he rubbed elbows with all were talking specialization, Max could only think of those that he had the ability to heal and the talents he had at diagnosing disease and trauma. Isabel and his parents both understood, but they were always afraid Max would take his powers to a level where he would be discovered. Max had learned to use medicine and occasionally he would nudge nature along. His ability to correctly diagnose disease was legendary. Max always smiled and said he was just lucky, but his teachers and peers all attributed it to his great memory and to the fact that he seemed to have empathy with the patient. They never knew how far this went or how true this was.
Isabel had started a business in design. She also had a bit of trouble concealing how she was always able to achieve the dramatic results that made her successful. The shapes and colors she chose were always just a little better that those of others. Their parents, having experienced their children’s success, were talking about retirement. They hadn’t sold the house in Roswell. It had been leased for so many years. Within the next six months, the lease was going to be up and the house would be vacant again. Diane and Philip had discussed that they would like to return to the milder climate and slower pace of Roswell. This was something for Isabel and Max to consider because they had been near their parents most of their lives.
Lately Max had been having disturbing dreams. “Isabel, it was just like she was right here sitting on the bed talking to me. Only I do not remember anything she said.” Max was talking to his sister. She was the only person he could ever talk to when he had serious concerns. “This has been happening for the last few weeks. We sit and she talks and I listen, but I do not remember anything she says.”
Isabel didn’t say much. She had to decide how much she should reveal to Max. Finally she said, “There is a child there also. She has great fear and great sadness.”
Max looked at his sister. “You to? Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“Probably for the same reason you haven’t talked to me about it either. Are we getting a message or are we reacting to our parents announcement that they want to return to Roswell?” Isabel was the expert in dreams. She manipulated them and she created them sometimes. These happened to come on their own.
“Iz do you ever think about going back?” Max inquired.
“Sometimes. My business is now mostly consulting. When I have to do hands on creations, I have to travel anyway. Sometimes I wonder if we could have found more fulfilling lives if we had stayed in Roswell?” she mused.
“I do not know if I want to return. The only thing I had back there was Liz. I understand she is married to Kyle, of all people. I wonder what happened to her hopes of graduate school? Why are we having these dreams about her? Me, I might understand, but you didn’t really even like her.” Max was trying to understand his own mind.
“I think I might have grown to like her. She was interesting and she was smart. I just do not see why she married Kyle. He was a dumb jock that always thought with his prick.” Isabel was also thinking about why they were having dreams.
That night, she came again. This time she had a little girl by the hand. The little girl had soft brown eyes just like those Max remembered of Liz. They both seemed so sad. Liz was talking to Max, but as usual he couldn’t understand her. They both sat on his bed and he could see Liz’s lips moving, but he couldn’t hear anything.
Max woke up. He looked at the time. It was Midnight. He got up and fixed some warm milk. He was sitting at his table looking at his apartment. He could afford anything he wanted, but he still lived like he had in med school. Max had dated a little, but he just couldn’t get into the lives of the women he met. Maybe it was because he just couldn’t open up to let them into his life. Maybe with the memories so strong of Liz, there just wasn’t any room in his life for others. He was sitting and thinking when the phone rang. This was not unusual for a doctor in family practice. He was surprised though, when he heard Isabel on the line.
“Max I had the dream again,” she started. “Liz was with a little girl and she was crying. She was thinking of what she had lost and trying to pray for her daughter. I couldn’t understand to whom she was praying. The words were not clear, but I am sure of the ones I heard.”
“I know, I had a dream also. The little girl was there, but I couldn’t understand anything. I could see her lips moving, but I couldn’t hear any sound,” Max said. “Mom and Dad are going to move next month. Are you still considering going with them?”
Isabel was silent for a while. “I do not know Max. It would take a couple of months for me to relocate, but I will miss our parents if they go.”
“Same here. I would have to find a position in Roswell. I do not imagine it would be that hard, but I will let you know what I find.” Max hung up and continued sitting, looking at the wall. His mind played tricks on him as an older and more rundown version of Liz kept going in and out of his mind.
Max was in terrible shape the next day. He had to concentrate to keep his focus during rounds and during his practice. He hadn’t missed this much sleep since he was an intern. A friend came up, “Hey Max want to go home?” he asked.
Max jumped and looked up, “Why?”
“Well you are from Roswell, New Mexico aren’t you? They are looking for someone in family practice. It is government sponsored so if you have any school loans to take care of, it would help.”
Max was perplexed. This was like fate giving him direction. Max didn’t believe in fate. He believed that you made your own fate, but he did call the number to ask for information.
Max had a good reputation and his additional ability at diagnosing disease was a plus. The Roswell hospital felt that it was a godsend for him to apply. They first wondered why he would be willing to leave his present position until someone looked up his biography and saw that he was originally from Roswell.
Their parents had already returned and Max and Isabel were correct in that it took about two months for them to relocate. Max found a small house not far from his parents home. He had bought a Jaguar, as a status symbol, when he became an attending doctor. He sold this and bought a pickup. He had a jeep growing up and he enjoyed exploring the deserts around the state. The pickup just made more sense. Isabel found a stately old house that she was sure she could fix up to be a landmark in town. Isabel installed Internet capability and soon her business was booming. She hired a retired couple to stay at the house and take care of the grounds. She was gone just as much as she was when living in California, but she felt that now coming home meant something different and perhaps more. Isabel enjoyed the pace of Roswell and she enjoyed being near Max and her parents. Isabel had a small circle of friends that she entertained and one or two that might someday be close. From the past Isabel had been keeping company with a man named Alex Whitman. She had known him in high school. After they had been in Roswell a few days another man from their past showed up.
Michael Guerin was now tall and filled out by hard work. He had been constantly on the move. He had been in and out of Roswell several times. It had been ten years since he had felt alien influence. In his travels, he had always been sensitive looking for the presence of aliens. So far, the only aliens he had known were the two teenagers he knew in high school. As he grew up he tried to make human contacts, but they were so foreign to his nature that they didn’t last long. His good looks and his rugged physic made women look at him, but when he tried to enjoy their company, their chatter, their pettiness and whatever made them products of their society annoyed him. He couldn’t decide if it was them or just that he was looking for something else, maybe it was the security he had felt in high school just knowing there were others like himself. This time he felt a change the minute Max and Isabel returned to Roswell. Their presence almost blanked out that other un-named power he had been hiding from for almost the last ten years.
Michael walked up to Isabel’s front door and knocked. Isabel answered and screamed with joy as she threw her arms around Michael. “Where have you been and how are you?”
Michael, as usual, was not very communicative. “I’ve been around Iz. After you left, I ran away from Hank and I have been making it on my own since. I do odd jobs and I move around a lot. I sensed you back, so I stopped by.”
Isabel felt her connection to Michael very strongly. He wasn’t the confused boy as he was before. He was confident and she felt a power emanating from him that was much stronger than it had been before. Isabel knew that Max would want to see Michael, so she made a date for them to get together that night for supper.
At the hospital Max felt that he really was doing something that was needed. He had a small practice and he even made a few house calls. At the hospital, he did his turns at emergency and he visited his patients that were recuperating. Max was busy, but he was also lonely. He knew that he didn’t have much to comeback to in the way of friends, but he did miss Liz. That is, the Liz he knew in High School. She was married now and he didn’t want to ever cause her trouble. The dreams had fallen off and neither he nor Isabel had had another since returning.
Max received the call from Isabel. She stated that she had a surprise for him and could he stop by for supper. Max arrived and he too felt a power stronger than he had felt before. When he entered the house, the tall well built young man that stood and greeted him was a total surprise. Michael was probably two inches taller than Max and a good twenty pounds heavier. Max had always been proud of being in shape. He pumped iron and ran every day, but Michael was a product of hard work. When they shook hands, Max found no desire in indulge in the male contest of grip. He clearly knew that Michael was the strongest. They embraced and Michael was embarrassed.
Michael felt the difference in both Isabel and Max. He decided that it must be just maturity. Michael knew that his attitudes had changed. Getting away from Hank allowed him to take charge of his own life. Knocking about the world had given Michael assertiveness in his character. He no longer worried that he had been dealt a bad hand in life but rather he had learned to make the best of things he faced and he succeed by hard work. Isabel was much the same, but she didn’t have the superficial shell she had worn in school. Isabel knew that she was successful and was now more than willing to share her fortune with others. Now Max had always been the nominal leader of the three, but before he had always been uncertain and untrusting in himself. Quite a pair he and Max had been in high school, Max was afraid of himself and Michael was afraid of everyone else.
“Are you two back for good or are you just passing through,” Michael asked.
Isabel was sitting opposite him on the couch. “I don’t know Michael. Our parents returned and both of us really miss the desert. I think we are going to have to wait and see.”
Max nodded his head also. “I don’t have much to return to, but Iz is right we do miss the desert.”
Michael smiled, “Of course you both know that Liz is married. It is not a happy situation, but one she tries to make the best of.” Max frowned as he was remembering the dreams. “I have been back from time to time and I have seen her from a distance,” Michael continued.
Isabel changed the subject, “What about you, Michael? How long do you expect to stay around Roswell?”
Michael just shrugged. “I have been pretty independent. I miss you guys, being with my own kind and such. Maybe I will see how things go.” He shrugged again, “There is a power here that I do not understand. Every time I returned, it was stronger. That is why I left. I wasn’t ready to face it alone. Now that you are back, we need to investigate it.”
Michael, Max and Isabel had a good reunion. Michael filled them in on what he knew about Roswell. Alex, as Isabel knew, had a doctorate in computer science and was a leader in a firm located in Roswell. He also played sometimes, in a small band, for fun. Liz, of course, had married and dropped out of school. She worked full time at the Crashdown. Her folks had grown older, trying to support her when they could. Her marriage to Kyle had little joy, and by the way, she had a daughter named Alicia. She had a friend that was in and out of town from time to time. Maria, who had landed a song writing contract and did a little performing. Kyle, Liz’s husband, worked as an assistant in an auto shop.
It was late when Michael left. He had rented an apartment and, at least for a while, agreed to stick around. It was amazing how he managed to find jobs. He got a night job working at the Crashdown with Liz and a day job at Alex’s corporation as a security guard. Max asked him about working two jobs but Michael said he didn’t like just sitting around and he didn’t have much to occupy himself.
One evening while working the emergency room, Max felt a terrible blow to the side of his face. He looked around, but he was totally alone. He looked in the mirror and his cheek was slightly red. It still smarted. A little later, he felt another blow and this one really hurt but on inspection there were no new marks on his face.
A few minutes later an ambulance came in. “One caucasian female, age twenty-six, falling accident, facial damage, not conscious.” The statistics followed.
Chapter 3 Liz
Max immediately took over and he began treating the lady. It wasn’t until later when he looked at her chart, that he realized who she was, Liz Valenti, his Liz. When he got her into a room, Max began to examine her body. She had two bad fractures to her face. He looked at her arms and saw multiple bruising. Max asked for her file and he was surprised at the lack of interest the staff paid to her. One of the Doctors on call leaned toward him and said, “She is the daughter-in-law of the sheriff. Nothing will come of it; just patch her up and help her back out.” Max frowned and still insisted on seeing her file. In the file, he saw how many times Liz had been to the hospital and each time the incident had been marked an accidental fall. When he returned to Liz there was a young man, with a beer gut asking when she would be released. Max, the attending physician, went up to him. “She is going to be held a while for observation.”
Kyle wasn’t happy, but he left. When Liz started to return to consciousness Max was there. As soon as he could look into her eyes he examined her body using his powers. There were several previously broken bones and some of them had not been set properly. Max wouldn’t have taken the chance with a normal patient, but this was Liz. He just couldn’t stand to see her in pain. The body that he had always lusted after, in his dreams, had endured hard use. Max, before she had fully regained conscious, repaired some of the old bone brakes. He tried to find other places that were causing her pain, but he didn’t have much time.
When Liz was awake, she smiled up at her doctor. He was tall and dark with a beard and bright amber eyes. She felt better than she had for a long time in the past. She had a strange feeling.
Kyle had been drunk as usual and she had spilled something. Liz couldn’t remember what it was. He hit her with his fist. Normally he just slapped her, but recently he had started using his fist. He hit her and then when she finally got up, he hit her again. At least as long as he was beating up on her, he didn’t hit Alicia. The terrible pain she had felt at the blows to her face was gone and some of the pain in her bones seemed to be gone also. Liz had long ago quit wondering why Kyle hit her. It was getting to be normal for him to come home and hit her for something. She was becoming fatalistic in this part of her life.
This was a strange doctor. She had been in the emergency room so much she knew most of the doctors, but not this one. There was something familiar about him but Liz was too fatigued to even try to figure what it was.
The doctor looked at her with those bright eyes and asked, “What happened to you?”
Liz lowered her eyes and said, “I fall a lot. I do not know why, but it happens.”
Her doctor just looked at her, “Ma’am you were assaulted. You didn’t fall. Your hospital file is full of so called falls. Don’t you want to go to the police?”
“My father in law is the police,” she said.
Max went back to the desk and saw that Kyle was arguing with the clerk. He was demanding that Max’s statement about assault be changed. Max just looked at Kyle with his piercing eyes. Kyle had long ago lost the power to stand up to people. He just lowered his eyes and slunk away.
Max signed Liz’s release. He could feel Kyle glaring at his back and knew that if he turned around Kyle would duck.
Later, Max asked for Liz’s file and that of her daughter. He saw that both of them were well known in the emergency room. He flagged both files with his pager number. He handed the files back to the clerk and said, “If either patient comes into the emergency room, page me immediately. Max also asked who Liz’s primary physician was. She had a Doctor Alvarez of record. Max made it his business to talk with Doctor Alvarez.
Doctor Alvarez was an elderly man. He had been the Parker’s doctor since Liz was a child. He had been part of the community all of his life. He enjoyed, for the most part, watching his many community children grow up, get married and bring their children back to him. He had known their parents and even some of their grandparents. He felt like a patriarch overseeing so much of this part of the town. Liz Parker, now Liz Valenti, was not a situation he was proud of. The sheriff would not let anyone question anything that happened to his daughter in law. Doctor Alvarez felt badly as he watched the bright cheerful little girl turn into the battered and frightened woman. He also watched the bright-eyed little girl that was her daughter, grow and be susceptible to so many injuries.
“Of course, I can’t tell you much unless you have more reason to be involved with Mrs. Valenti. I do appreciate the fact that you are concerned about her.” Alvarez leaned back and studied Max. “Son you are in family practice. How would you like to buy an established practice?”
Max looked at the elder doctor. “I do not know? My sister and I have just recently returned to Roswell, but neither of us knows how long we will be staying here. I have my work at the hospital and I would hate to give that up. I just really do not know.” Max had been trying to get information and here he was being offered a practice. There were several ways he could do this. He could borrow the money. He might even be able to get a government grant due to being willing to work in a small town. What did he have in Roswell? Liz was married and there wasn’t anyone else. Isabel was moving forward and she might even be considering a relationship with Alex. Michael would stay or go at his own arbitrary discretion. Max shrugged. “I just have to think about this.”
Doctor Alvarez looked at Max. He was thinking now how he could help the young lady. “How well do you know Mrs. Valenti?”
“I knew her in high school,” was Max’s reply.
“Well she married that bastard. I am too old to fight him and his father. He beats her up regularly. He also hits the little girl, but no one makes complaints because of the sheriff,” the old doctor mused. “There are many other things that happen here. If you want roots back in the community this is a way to get them. I want enough for a retirement. Us country doctors didn’t have the knowledge that you young folks now have with investments. There are many ways we could work this out.”
Max left. He had a lot to think about. That night he went to see his father. “I was offered a practice today.”
Both parents were concerned, “Max what are your plans? How long do you want to stay in Roswell?” they inquired. Then they stated, “We are going to start up a small law firm.” Max’s dad laughed, “Both of us want more to do than just hang around the house.”
Max took a deep breath. “I do not know. I do not have much in Roswell but I do have a few memories here. Michael came back and is going to stay for a while. Isabel seems to be satisfied to stay permanently.” Max had to bite his tongue to keep from mentioning Isabel’s maybe relationship with Alex. That was her story to tell and not his. “I may need some guidance though in buying the practice. Do you remember Doctor Alvarez? He is the one offering me the practice?”
Philip Evans smiled. Doctor Alvarez was well known in the community. “We are taking on a young lawyer to work with us. He is ambitious and as we age he will take on more and more of the work. His name is also Alvarez. I think he is the Doctor’s son. Tell you what, when you decide, we will talk terms with the doctor.”
Jake Alvarez had busted his butt to get through law school. His drive and charismatic charm were what made him a good lawyer. Jake was one of those truly rare young men that had taken up law to do good for people. He had been happy to meet Mr. and Mrs. Evans. They were not a pushy couple and they had similar legal values to his own. They were coming back to a community that had their roots. They were friends of his father’s and he felt comfortable working with them. He knew that at the start, he would be handling most of the Hispanic clients but he hoped to win trust with all of their clients eventually. He was pleased that his father wanted to sell his practice. It wasn’t the money, but rather that his father didn’t want to give up the practice to just anyone. He also had another surprise when Max contacted him. “I need to retain a lawyer. I want one that will, at least, be familiar with medical practice. If I buy your father’s practice will you agree to represent me?” Jake would let his father and Philip work out the details for the practice, but with his father’s recommendation of Max he was pleased to be asked to be his attorney.
Liz received a notice that a Dr. Max Evans had purchased the practice of Dr. Alvarez. If patients wanted to talk to Dr. Evans, they should schedule an appointment. Liz frowned. She tore up the notice. It would just set Kyle off on a tirade. She scheduled an appointment under her insurance for both herself and Alicia.
Liz couldn’t help it. She hadn’t been this excited since high school. She looked in the mirror and grimaced. The last ten years hadn’t been kind to her. The name of Max Evans brought back memories. Was this the same Max that she knew in high school? If he was, would he remember her? Liz had heard that the Evans family had returned to their old house. She tried to remember what it was she needed to talk to Max about so many years ago. Trying to remember took her back to the night of the UFO festival and this was a time Liz did not enjoy thinking about.
Angela greeted her in the waiting room. Max had found Angela with Jake’s help. She was very kind, intelligent and very interested in medicine. She had been working on her nursing degree when she had to drop out of school to care for her father. She smiled, “Hello Mrs. Valenti and Alicia.” She handed Liz two clipboards to update their records. When Dr. Evans came in, he went directly to Liz. She was surprised when he took both of her hands and kissed her on the cheek. Yes, he was the Max of a long time ago, but now he was grown and by the note she received, now he was her doctor. Dr. Evans bent and picked up Alicia. Usually Alicia was afraid of strange men, but she just stared at Max. Max put her down and asked Angela to entertain her as he talked to Liz.
Liz looked at Max. He was so tall. His beard made it hard to see that high school boy she remembered. His voice and his eyes were exactly the same. He was very self-confidant and this made Liz nervous. Then Liz remembered. This was the doctor she had seen at the hospital. The one that had angered Kyle.
“How have you been, Liz?” Max asked politely.
He was looking at her record so Liz didn’t answer. Max looked her right in the eye. “Why do you stay with him?”
Liz lowered her eyes, “I ruined his life when I got pregnant. I do not have any place to go. You do not know how powerful his father has become.”
Liz, you didn’t ruin his life. What was it anyway playing ball for some second rate team? Liz look at your life. You were the most promising science student in Roswell,” Max almost pleaded with Liz.
Liz wouldn’t raise her eyes to meet his. “I have no money and no place to go where his father couldn’t reach me.”
Max wrote down Jake Alvarez’s name. “This is a lawyer that would represent you, and here is a place where the sheriff can never reach you.” With that, he gave Liz Isabel’s cell number. He completed his examination of Liz and then he smiled and said, “I think we need to talk to Alicia.”
Alicia walked in without Max even calling her. She kept looking him in the eye. Max felt a little uncomfortable and that was unusual, because he had good rapport with children. Max patted the table and she climbed up on it without a word. Max got out the tongue depressor and she automatically opened her mouth. He listened to her heart and lungs. She coughed right before he asked her to. Max examined her arms and legs. She had multiple bruises. Max started to ask her about them and Liz started to interrupt but Alicia just stared at Max. He heard the words in his head, “Of course you know all about them.” Liz sat back down and said nothing.
Max thought, “Was it you who called?”
Alicia, still not saying a word out loud, “I do not know how to call yet. I just amplified her thoughts. She wanted you to come. She doesn’t even know why.”
Liz was watching the response between Max and her daughter. She couldn’t believe it. Sometimes she fancied that she could tell what her daughter was thinking. There was definitely something between the doctor and Alicia.
Liz and Alicia left. They had made an appointment as per their insurance for six months. She didn’t have to warn Alicia about not saying anything to Kyle because Alicia seldom talked to her father unless she had to. Even when he hit her, she just looked at him. That was one of the sore points in their marriage. Kyle didn’t like it that Alicia wouldn’t respond to him. Liz reminded Kyle that he had hurt Alicia, but he didn’t believe a child would remember something that long. Kyle remembered he hadn’t when his father hit him. In a few days, he was always over it. He did remember that his mother had left because his father had hit her. His father always said his mother was weak.
One afternoon while Liz was working, four people walked into the restaurant. They were not dressed like the regulars. The tall blond woman looked like a model, the young Hispanic man was wearing a suit, the other man, who she knew, was wearing a leather jacket and he did look tough. The last man was her doctor and he was still wearing greens. She handed out the menus. Max introduced his party to Liz. “Mrs. Valenti let me present my sister Isabel who you should remember. Jake Alvarez my attorney and Michael, who I think, has worked for you from time to time. Everybody this is Mrs. Valenti.” Liz went back to kitchen. About this time, a small ten-year-old girl bounded into the café. She ran toward Max, then stopped and looked at Isabel. Both Isabel and Michael almost jumped out of their seats. She walked stately over to Michael and said, “You are full of power.” Then she walked to Isabel and climbed into her lap before Isabel or anyone else could stop her. They stared at each other for several seconds. Isabel was plainly shaken and Jake didn’t know what to make of this. Alicia climbed back down and stood beside Max. As she gazed into his eyes, Liz came running frantically back into the café.
“I’m so sorry. I do not know what got into her. She usually is very reserved toward strangers.” Liz reached for Alicia, but Max raised his hand.
“That is all right Liz. We are just talking,” Max stated. Alicia reached up to Max and he bent his face down to her. She placed her hands on each side of his face and it was his turn to be surprised.
Alicia sat beside Max at the table. Liz was almost a wreck with worry. Max ordered a cherry coke and onion rings, Jake ordered coffee and fries, Michael ordered the onions rings with a straight coke and Isabel ordered a pineapple milk shake. Max looked at Liz and asked what his other guest could order that would not interfere with her supper. Liz said, “Milk and cookies, but wouldn’t you rather not be bothered with Alicia.” Max just waved her off and the five of them sat laughed and talked for over a half hour. Liz was pleased because her daughter was having a genuinely good time. About that time, Kyle walked in the back door. He recognized Isabel and Michael he knew, but Jake and Max he couldn’t place.
“What is Alicia doing with those strangers?” he asked.
She is just having a good time, Kyle,” Liz pleaded.
Kyle walked out into the café and up to Alicia, “Get in the back kid.” Alicia frowned and looked at Isabel.
Isabel said, “Lighten up Kyle, she was just having fun. Then Isabel looked at Kyle and said in a lower tone, “She was having a better time than you had with Patty this afternoon.”
Kyle almost strangled on his own spit. His face went white and he stumbled while running out the door.
Liz didn’t know what to make of anything. Alicia just stood on tiptoes and kissed her mother on the cheek. The four remaining people at the table got up and Max left a twenty-dollar bill for the check. Liz ran after him to tell him it was too much, but to her surprise it was Jake that caught her arm. “Mrs. Valenti you may need me. I work with Philip Evans. Max has asked me to help you anyway I can. Don’t worry about the bill.”
They dropped Jake off at his office and the three remaining friends went back to Isabel’s house. It was Michael who spoke first, “Alicia said she was going to kill him.”
They all looked at Michael. “What do you mean?” Isabel said.
Michael laughed, “Alicia, she said that if Kyle didn’t quit hitting her mother, she was going to kill him. That little girl could roll me into a ball. She is the power I have been sensing. I have never seen such a fount of power.
Isabel looked a little embarrassed, “She told me that her daddy was playing doctor with Patty this afternoon. It took me a few minutes to translate ten year old speech but it was as clear as could be what she meant.”
Michael look at everyone, “Liz doesn’t have a clue.”
Max hadn’t said a thing yet and they all turned to him. “You had her attention the longest what was that all about.”
Max took a breath, “She told me her mother needed help from someone from a long time ago.”
Michael said what they were all thinking, “The kid reads minds.”
Isabel put her hand to her mouth, “If Kyle finds out, then he will either destroy her or exploit her, which is the same thing.”
While they were talking there was a knock at the door and Isabel brought Alex into the room. Max confronted Alex, “You and Liz were friends, what can you tell us about her?”
Alex frowned and was reluctant to talk of personal things about Liz. Isabel sat beside him and taking his hand in hers said, “Alex it is important that we know. You know that we would not bring harm to Liz. Please tell us more about her. Perhaps we can help.”
“Well,” Alex, this time, started hesitantly, “Liz and Kyle were going together when you were still here. The night of the UFO convention apparently they got together over at Kyle’s dad’s place. I understand it was a little rough, but things just seemed to escalate. Maria and I were shut out of the Liz-Kyle world. About that time, you and Isabel left and Michael ran away. Liz got pregnant. There was a lot of talk, but finally it was decided that they must get married. Kyle finished high school and Liz had a baby. The sheriff was furious. He felt it was Liz’s fault that Kyle could not go on to college. Liz’s parents tried to help them, but it was difficult. They have always had trouble. Liz has tried to run away several times, but the sheriff hauls her back. He seems to be trying to punish both Liz and Kyle for the loss of his dreams.”
Max asked, “What can you tell us about the little girl?”
Alex smiled, “She might be a genius. She can out play me in chess and I was good in school. It is almost as if she knows my moves before I make them. Sometimes she falters in class, but usually she makes hundreds in her grades. She understands almost everything and has no fear. That part is scary. There was a mean dog on the grounds last year and he had nipped at several of the students. Alicia just went up to him with all of the teachers and students screaming at her to stop. The dog had a barbed wire twisted around his throat. Alicia removed the wire and kissed the dog. Then he lay at her feet until they could take him away. She does things like that.”
“Kyle beats her,” Max said this in a matter of fact statement.
Alex quickly looked at Max. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Kyle also beats the crap out of Liz all the time.” Max added.
Alex just sat with his head in his hands. He had always known that there was trouble in Liz’s marriage, but Kyle did not let her old friends get very close to her any more.
Michael added, “Kyle has no idea what he is messing with.”
Alex look up and returned with, “What do you mean?”
Michael just shook his head.
“I introduced both of them to Jake Alvarez my lawyer. He is with my father’s firm,” Max stated. “If you have any influence with her, talk her into seeing him.”
Isabel was sitting, staring off into space. “He is cheating on her with someone named Patty.”
Alex wanted to know how she knew that. “Trust me, I have my way.”
Alex felt that all of his fears about Liz had been validated. She and Maria were his oldest friends. Maria was traveling and Liz was sequestered by Kyle. This made Alex very sad and, for an instant, very lonely. Isabel wrapped her arms around him returning some of the security he needed.
Things were quiet for the next few weeks. Max would work in the hospital in the morning; in the afternoon and evening he would receive patients in his practice. His practice grew a bit, but Max took only the old or the very young patients. Others he sent to selected doctors in the area. Most of the original patients of Dr. Alvarez stayed with him also. Max could spot diseases and identify aliments quickly and he was always right. Even when others questioned him, in the end, they found him correct. Max and Isabel would visit the Crashdown, always to the joy of Alicia. Kyle no longer bothered them when they were there. He seemed to go out of his way to avoid Isabel. Sometimes they would have Jake with them, sometimes it would be Michael or Alex. Alicia approached Jake cautiously. She knew Alex very well and with Max, Michael and Isabel she was always bouncy. It bothered Liz that they often sat staring at each other, but she couldn’t doubt the joy Alicia had when she saw her friends. Michael taught her to play “go fish” and set up a game between Alex and her. She stripped poor Alex in a few minutes. Michael thought it was funny, but Alex just couldn’t see how she could be correct every time.
Max immediately took over and he began treating the lady. It wasn’t until later when he looked at her chart, that he realized who she was, Liz Valenti, his Liz. When he got her into a room, Max began to examine her body. She had two bad fractures to her face. He looked at her arms and saw multiple bruising. Max asked for her file and he was surprised at the lack of interest the staff paid to her. One of the Doctors on call leaned toward him and said, “She is the daughter-in-law of the sheriff. Nothing will come of it; just patch her up and help her back out.” Max frowned and still insisted on seeing her file. In the file, he saw how many times Liz had been to the hospital and each time the incident had been marked an accidental fall. When he returned to Liz there was a young man, with a beer gut asking when she would be released. Max, the attending physician, went up to him. “She is going to be held a while for observation.”
Kyle wasn’t happy, but he left. When Liz started to return to consciousness Max was there. As soon as he could look into her eyes he examined her body using his powers. There were several previously broken bones and some of them had not been set properly. Max wouldn’t have taken the chance with a normal patient, but this was Liz. He just couldn’t stand to see her in pain. The body that he had always lusted after, in his dreams, had endured hard use. Max, before she had fully regained conscious, repaired some of the old bone brakes. He tried to find other places that were causing her pain, but he didn’t have much time.
When Liz was awake, she smiled up at her doctor. He was tall and dark with a beard and bright amber eyes. She felt better than she had for a long time in the past. She had a strange feeling.
Kyle had been drunk as usual and she had spilled something. Liz couldn’t remember what it was. He hit her with his fist. Normally he just slapped her, but recently he had started using his fist. He hit her and then when she finally got up, he hit her again. At least as long as he was beating up on her, he didn’t hit Alicia. The terrible pain she had felt at the blows to her face was gone and some of the pain in her bones seemed to be gone also. Liz had long ago quit wondering why Kyle hit her. It was getting to be normal for him to come home and hit her for something. She was becoming fatalistic in this part of her life.
This was a strange doctor. She had been in the emergency room so much she knew most of the doctors, but not this one. There was something familiar about him but Liz was too fatigued to even try to figure what it was.
The doctor looked at her with those bright eyes and asked, “What happened to you?”
Liz lowered her eyes and said, “I fall a lot. I do not know why, but it happens.”
Her doctor just looked at her, “Ma’am you were assaulted. You didn’t fall. Your hospital file is full of so called falls. Don’t you want to go to the police?”
“My father in law is the police,” she said.
Max went back to the desk and saw that Kyle was arguing with the clerk. He was demanding that Max’s statement about assault be changed. Max just looked at Kyle with his piercing eyes. Kyle had long ago lost the power to stand up to people. He just lowered his eyes and slunk away.
Max signed Liz’s release. He could feel Kyle glaring at his back and knew that if he turned around Kyle would duck.
Later, Max asked for Liz’s file and that of her daughter. He saw that both of them were well known in the emergency room. He flagged both files with his pager number. He handed the files back to the clerk and said, “If either patient comes into the emergency room, page me immediately. Max also asked who Liz’s primary physician was. She had a Doctor Alvarez of record. Max made it his business to talk with Doctor Alvarez.
Doctor Alvarez was an elderly man. He had been the Parker’s doctor since Liz was a child. He had been part of the community all of his life. He enjoyed, for the most part, watching his many community children grow up, get married and bring their children back to him. He had known their parents and even some of their grandparents. He felt like a patriarch overseeing so much of this part of the town. Liz Parker, now Liz Valenti, was not a situation he was proud of. The sheriff would not let anyone question anything that happened to his daughter in law. Doctor Alvarez felt badly as he watched the bright cheerful little girl turn into the battered and frightened woman. He also watched the bright-eyed little girl that was her daughter, grow and be susceptible to so many injuries.
“Of course, I can’t tell you much unless you have more reason to be involved with Mrs. Valenti. I do appreciate the fact that you are concerned about her.” Alvarez leaned back and studied Max. “Son you are in family practice. How would you like to buy an established practice?”
Max looked at the elder doctor. “I do not know? My sister and I have just recently returned to Roswell, but neither of us knows how long we will be staying here. I have my work at the hospital and I would hate to give that up. I just really do not know.” Max had been trying to get information and here he was being offered a practice. There were several ways he could do this. He could borrow the money. He might even be able to get a government grant due to being willing to work in a small town. What did he have in Roswell? Liz was married and there wasn’t anyone else. Isabel was moving forward and she might even be considering a relationship with Alex. Michael would stay or go at his own arbitrary discretion. Max shrugged. “I just have to think about this.”
Doctor Alvarez looked at Max. He was thinking now how he could help the young lady. “How well do you know Mrs. Valenti?”
“I knew her in high school,” was Max’s reply.
“Well she married that bastard. I am too old to fight him and his father. He beats her up regularly. He also hits the little girl, but no one makes complaints because of the sheriff,” the old doctor mused. “There are many other things that happen here. If you want roots back in the community this is a way to get them. I want enough for a retirement. Us country doctors didn’t have the knowledge that you young folks now have with investments. There are many ways we could work this out.”
Max left. He had a lot to think about. That night he went to see his father. “I was offered a practice today.”
Both parents were concerned, “Max what are your plans? How long do you want to stay in Roswell?” they inquired. Then they stated, “We are going to start up a small law firm.” Max’s dad laughed, “Both of us want more to do than just hang around the house.”
Max took a deep breath. “I do not know. I do not have much in Roswell but I do have a few memories here. Michael came back and is going to stay for a while. Isabel seems to be satisfied to stay permanently.” Max had to bite his tongue to keep from mentioning Isabel’s maybe relationship with Alex. That was her story to tell and not his. “I may need some guidance though in buying the practice. Do you remember Doctor Alvarez? He is the one offering me the practice?”
Philip Evans smiled. Doctor Alvarez was well known in the community. “We are taking on a young lawyer to work with us. He is ambitious and as we age he will take on more and more of the work. His name is also Alvarez. I think he is the Doctor’s son. Tell you what, when you decide, we will talk terms with the doctor.”
Jake Alvarez had busted his butt to get through law school. His drive and charismatic charm were what made him a good lawyer. Jake was one of those truly rare young men that had taken up law to do good for people. He had been happy to meet Mr. and Mrs. Evans. They were not a pushy couple and they had similar legal values to his own. They were coming back to a community that had their roots. They were friends of his father’s and he felt comfortable working with them. He knew that at the start, he would be handling most of the Hispanic clients but he hoped to win trust with all of their clients eventually. He was pleased that his father wanted to sell his practice. It wasn’t the money, but rather that his father didn’t want to give up the practice to just anyone. He also had another surprise when Max contacted him. “I need to retain a lawyer. I want one that will, at least, be familiar with medical practice. If I buy your father’s practice will you agree to represent me?” Jake would let his father and Philip work out the details for the practice, but with his father’s recommendation of Max he was pleased to be asked to be his attorney.
Liz received a notice that a Dr. Max Evans had purchased the practice of Dr. Alvarez. If patients wanted to talk to Dr. Evans, they should schedule an appointment. Liz frowned. She tore up the notice. It would just set Kyle off on a tirade. She scheduled an appointment under her insurance for both herself and Alicia.
Liz couldn’t help it. She hadn’t been this excited since high school. She looked in the mirror and grimaced. The last ten years hadn’t been kind to her. The name of Max Evans brought back memories. Was this the same Max that she knew in high school? If he was, would he remember her? Liz had heard that the Evans family had returned to their old house. She tried to remember what it was she needed to talk to Max about so many years ago. Trying to remember took her back to the night of the UFO festival and this was a time Liz did not enjoy thinking about.
Angela greeted her in the waiting room. Max had found Angela with Jake’s help. She was very kind, intelligent and very interested in medicine. She had been working on her nursing degree when she had to drop out of school to care for her father. She smiled, “Hello Mrs. Valenti and Alicia.” She handed Liz two clipboards to update their records. When Dr. Evans came in, he went directly to Liz. She was surprised when he took both of her hands and kissed her on the cheek. Yes, he was the Max of a long time ago, but now he was grown and by the note she received, now he was her doctor. Dr. Evans bent and picked up Alicia. Usually Alicia was afraid of strange men, but she just stared at Max. Max put her down and asked Angela to entertain her as he talked to Liz.
Liz looked at Max. He was so tall. His beard made it hard to see that high school boy she remembered. His voice and his eyes were exactly the same. He was very self-confidant and this made Liz nervous. Then Liz remembered. This was the doctor she had seen at the hospital. The one that had angered Kyle.
“How have you been, Liz?” Max asked politely.
He was looking at her record so Liz didn’t answer. Max looked her right in the eye. “Why do you stay with him?”
Liz lowered her eyes, “I ruined his life when I got pregnant. I do not have any place to go. You do not know how powerful his father has become.”
Liz, you didn’t ruin his life. What was it anyway playing ball for some second rate team? Liz look at your life. You were the most promising science student in Roswell,” Max almost pleaded with Liz.
Liz wouldn’t raise her eyes to meet his. “I have no money and no place to go where his father couldn’t reach me.”
Max wrote down Jake Alvarez’s name. “This is a lawyer that would represent you, and here is a place where the sheriff can never reach you.” With that, he gave Liz Isabel’s cell number. He completed his examination of Liz and then he smiled and said, “I think we need to talk to Alicia.”
Alicia walked in without Max even calling her. She kept looking him in the eye. Max felt a little uncomfortable and that was unusual, because he had good rapport with children. Max patted the table and she climbed up on it without a word. Max got out the tongue depressor and she automatically opened her mouth. He listened to her heart and lungs. She coughed right before he asked her to. Max examined her arms and legs. She had multiple bruises. Max started to ask her about them and Liz started to interrupt but Alicia just stared at Max. He heard the words in his head, “Of course you know all about them.” Liz sat back down and said nothing.
Max thought, “Was it you who called?”
Alicia, still not saying a word out loud, “I do not know how to call yet. I just amplified her thoughts. She wanted you to come. She doesn’t even know why.”
Liz was watching the response between Max and her daughter. She couldn’t believe it. Sometimes she fancied that she could tell what her daughter was thinking. There was definitely something between the doctor and Alicia.
Liz and Alicia left. They had made an appointment as per their insurance for six months. She didn’t have to warn Alicia about not saying anything to Kyle because Alicia seldom talked to her father unless she had to. Even when he hit her, she just looked at him. That was one of the sore points in their marriage. Kyle didn’t like it that Alicia wouldn’t respond to him. Liz reminded Kyle that he had hurt Alicia, but he didn’t believe a child would remember something that long. Kyle remembered he hadn’t when his father hit him. In a few days, he was always over it. He did remember that his mother had left because his father had hit her. His father always said his mother was weak.
One afternoon while Liz was working, four people walked into the restaurant. They were not dressed like the regulars. The tall blond woman looked like a model, the young Hispanic man was wearing a suit, the other man, who she knew, was wearing a leather jacket and he did look tough. The last man was her doctor and he was still wearing greens. She handed out the menus. Max introduced his party to Liz. “Mrs. Valenti let me present my sister Isabel who you should remember. Jake Alvarez my attorney and Michael, who I think, has worked for you from time to time. Everybody this is Mrs. Valenti.” Liz went back to kitchen. About this time, a small ten-year-old girl bounded into the café. She ran toward Max, then stopped and looked at Isabel. Both Isabel and Michael almost jumped out of their seats. She walked stately over to Michael and said, “You are full of power.” Then she walked to Isabel and climbed into her lap before Isabel or anyone else could stop her. They stared at each other for several seconds. Isabel was plainly shaken and Jake didn’t know what to make of this. Alicia climbed back down and stood beside Max. As she gazed into his eyes, Liz came running frantically back into the café.
“I’m so sorry. I do not know what got into her. She usually is very reserved toward strangers.” Liz reached for Alicia, but Max raised his hand.
“That is all right Liz. We are just talking,” Max stated. Alicia reached up to Max and he bent his face down to her. She placed her hands on each side of his face and it was his turn to be surprised.
Alicia sat beside Max at the table. Liz was almost a wreck with worry. Max ordered a cherry coke and onion rings, Jake ordered coffee and fries, Michael ordered the onions rings with a straight coke and Isabel ordered a pineapple milk shake. Max looked at Liz and asked what his other guest could order that would not interfere with her supper. Liz said, “Milk and cookies, but wouldn’t you rather not be bothered with Alicia.” Max just waved her off and the five of them sat laughed and talked for over a half hour. Liz was pleased because her daughter was having a genuinely good time. About that time, Kyle walked in the back door. He recognized Isabel and Michael he knew, but Jake and Max he couldn’t place.
“What is Alicia doing with those strangers?” he asked.
She is just having a good time, Kyle,” Liz pleaded.
Kyle walked out into the café and up to Alicia, “Get in the back kid.” Alicia frowned and looked at Isabel.
Isabel said, “Lighten up Kyle, she was just having fun. Then Isabel looked at Kyle and said in a lower tone, “She was having a better time than you had with Patty this afternoon.”
Kyle almost strangled on his own spit. His face went white and he stumbled while running out the door.
Liz didn’t know what to make of anything. Alicia just stood on tiptoes and kissed her mother on the cheek. The four remaining people at the table got up and Max left a twenty-dollar bill for the check. Liz ran after him to tell him it was too much, but to her surprise it was Jake that caught her arm. “Mrs. Valenti you may need me. I work with Philip Evans. Max has asked me to help you anyway I can. Don’t worry about the bill.”
They dropped Jake off at his office and the three remaining friends went back to Isabel’s house. It was Michael who spoke first, “Alicia said she was going to kill him.”
They all looked at Michael. “What do you mean?” Isabel said.
Michael laughed, “Alicia, she said that if Kyle didn’t quit hitting her mother, she was going to kill him. That little girl could roll me into a ball. She is the power I have been sensing. I have never seen such a fount of power.
Isabel looked a little embarrassed, “She told me that her daddy was playing doctor with Patty this afternoon. It took me a few minutes to translate ten year old speech but it was as clear as could be what she meant.”
Michael look at everyone, “Liz doesn’t have a clue.”
Max hadn’t said a thing yet and they all turned to him. “You had her attention the longest what was that all about.”
Max took a breath, “She told me her mother needed help from someone from a long time ago.”
Michael said what they were all thinking, “The kid reads minds.”
Isabel put her hand to her mouth, “If Kyle finds out, then he will either destroy her or exploit her, which is the same thing.”
While they were talking there was a knock at the door and Isabel brought Alex into the room. Max confronted Alex, “You and Liz were friends, what can you tell us about her?”
Alex frowned and was reluctant to talk of personal things about Liz. Isabel sat beside him and taking his hand in hers said, “Alex it is important that we know. You know that we would not bring harm to Liz. Please tell us more about her. Perhaps we can help.”
“Well,” Alex, this time, started hesitantly, “Liz and Kyle were going together when you were still here. The night of the UFO convention apparently they got together over at Kyle’s dad’s place. I understand it was a little rough, but things just seemed to escalate. Maria and I were shut out of the Liz-Kyle world. About that time, you and Isabel left and Michael ran away. Liz got pregnant. There was a lot of talk, but finally it was decided that they must get married. Kyle finished high school and Liz had a baby. The sheriff was furious. He felt it was Liz’s fault that Kyle could not go on to college. Liz’s parents tried to help them, but it was difficult. They have always had trouble. Liz has tried to run away several times, but the sheriff hauls her back. He seems to be trying to punish both Liz and Kyle for the loss of his dreams.”
Max asked, “What can you tell us about the little girl?”
Alex smiled, “She might be a genius. She can out play me in chess and I was good in school. It is almost as if she knows my moves before I make them. Sometimes she falters in class, but usually she makes hundreds in her grades. She understands almost everything and has no fear. That part is scary. There was a mean dog on the grounds last year and he had nipped at several of the students. Alicia just went up to him with all of the teachers and students screaming at her to stop. The dog had a barbed wire twisted around his throat. Alicia removed the wire and kissed the dog. Then he lay at her feet until they could take him away. She does things like that.”
“Kyle beats her,” Max said this in a matter of fact statement.
Alex quickly looked at Max. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Kyle also beats the crap out of Liz all the time.” Max added.
Alex just sat with his head in his hands. He had always known that there was trouble in Liz’s marriage, but Kyle did not let her old friends get very close to her any more.
Michael added, “Kyle has no idea what he is messing with.”
Alex look up and returned with, “What do you mean?”
Michael just shook his head.
“I introduced both of them to Jake Alvarez my lawyer. He is with my father’s firm,” Max stated. “If you have any influence with her, talk her into seeing him.”
Isabel was sitting, staring off into space. “He is cheating on her with someone named Patty.”
Alex wanted to know how she knew that. “Trust me, I have my way.”
Alex felt that all of his fears about Liz had been validated. She and Maria were his oldest friends. Maria was traveling and Liz was sequestered by Kyle. This made Alex very sad and, for an instant, very lonely. Isabel wrapped her arms around him returning some of the security he needed.
Things were quiet for the next few weeks. Max would work in the hospital in the morning; in the afternoon and evening he would receive patients in his practice. His practice grew a bit, but Max took only the old or the very young patients. Others he sent to selected doctors in the area. Most of the original patients of Dr. Alvarez stayed with him also. Max could spot diseases and identify aliments quickly and he was always right. Even when others questioned him, in the end, they found him correct. Max and Isabel would visit the Crashdown, always to the joy of Alicia. Kyle no longer bothered them when they were there. He seemed to go out of his way to avoid Isabel. Sometimes they would have Jake with them, sometimes it would be Michael or Alex. Alicia approached Jake cautiously. She knew Alex very well and with Max, Michael and Isabel she was always bouncy. It bothered Liz that they often sat staring at each other, but she couldn’t doubt the joy Alicia had when she saw her friends. Michael taught her to play “go fish” and set up a game between Alex and her. She stripped poor Alex in a few minutes. Michael thought it was funny, but Alex just couldn’t see how she could be correct every time.
My personal favorite stories, always have Liz rising to be equal or even surpassing the aliens. But this Liz has to repair her self first. She is going to have to remove herself from the abuse. That is not easy without help. Then she is going to have to repair her body. If she doesn’t she will die. Max’s powers might her here. Then she is going to have to repair herself mentally. She is not at fault. There is nothing she could ever do to deserve this abuse. She was not solely at fault for getting pregnant. She did not ruin anyone’s life. They did that themselves. She paid a price for mistakes and deserves help to go on. Last she will have to heal her spirit. For ten years she has not been able to make any choices without blame. The act of buying a dress or buying something for her daughter has been denied her.
I have problems with the act of seduction being an act of equal blame.
I want the bestowal of her powers to be by a pure act of love. I am working on this.
Alicia was born with this tremendous power. She must come to grips with the responsibility. This is not easy for a ten year old.
The act of a corrupt public official at any level usually extends far beyond just petty personal actions. In small semi secluded areas these actions do not become visible to those that have the resources to right them.
The dominance of a parent trying to enforce their moral structure on their children often causes life long grief.
ken r
I have problems with the act of seduction being an act of equal blame.
I want the bestowal of her powers to be by a pure act of love. I am working on this.
Alicia was born with this tremendous power. She must come to grips with the responsibility. This is not easy for a ten year old.
The act of a corrupt public official at any level usually extends far beyond just petty personal actions. In small semi secluded areas these actions do not become visible to those that have the resources to right them.
The dominance of a parent trying to enforce their moral structure on their children often causes life long grief.
ken r
Chapter 4 Divorce
Once again it happened. There were shooting pains in Max’s left arm. It was shortly after that his pager called him to the hospital. Liz was there with a severally broken arm. She had been hit with some bat or rod. The bone had been smashed into several pieces. Liz was going to be headed for some very painful surgery. Max looked into her eyes. She got dizzy and almost fell off the table. He went into her head and deadened the pain. Then he looked at the crushed bone. Max sat holding Liz’s arm. He imagined the bone whole again and rebuilt. He dissolved the bone fragments. He left some of the pain and the discoloration in the arm so it would not be questioned why she was being admitted.
“This time he hit you with something hard. Liz, he is going to kill you.” Max took a deep breath. “Liz you are going to have to think of Alicia. He is going to try to kill her and some day he is going to learn who she is.”
“Max, she is his daughter. Liz said.
“Liz, she is his daughter biologically, but she is so much more than any of us. Liz, I am not ready to tell you everything I know, but do you remember the day you were shot?” Max asked.
Liz looked at him, “Max I never was sh…” she stopped. “Max you left right after that. I had so many questions.”
Right now Liz, I have no answers. Trust me, Kyle will kill you and he will try to kill Alicia when he discovers he has no more control over you. I do not know what the sheriff will do.” About that time his cell went off. He listened for several minutes. “Iz get Jake and dad over to your place tell them everything. Use your discretion about the alien business. Call Michael and Alex to come over and stay with you. Get dad to temporarily strip both parents of custody and have it assigned it to you. Get an injunction against both Kyle and the sheriff. They are not to be allowed in your house. I will try to send Liz over there if I can.”
Max turned his attention to Liz. “Alicia went over to Isabel’s house. She took a cab and charged it to Isabel. You are going to have to trust me. I want to temporarily remove custody of her from both you and Kyle.
Liz was frantic, “Please, no Max, please. Not that, do not take Alicia away from me. I have nothing else.”
“Liz, I am not going to take Alicia away. I want it so Kyle or his dad can’t touch her. I want you to go to Isabel’s. You will be with Alicia. Alex and Michael will be there along with my dad and Jake. Liz you are going to have to trust us. I will get your dad and mom, if you want, to also stay with you. Right now Jake is your lawyer. He will work in your best interest against me or anyone else. I hope that you will trust me.”
Liz was taken by ambulance right to the door of Isabel’s house. The first person she saw when she arrived was Alicia running toward her. “Mommy Isabel said you would come. We are safe here. Alicia proudly led Liz into the living room. Both Philip and Diane Evans were there. Diane took Liz’s good hand. “Liz I remember you fondly.” Jake was there with several papers to talk to Liz about. He was asking her to consider divorce. This was a very big step but the danger from her husband was escalating rapidly. There was a lady from child welfare; who wanted to talk to Liz about what had happened to Alicia in the past.
Kyle had tried to call but, his message was intercepted by Isabel, “Kyle you dumb bastard; you almost destroyed her arm. You scared Alicia so just keep your distance if you know what is good for you.”
The sheriff himself tried to enter Isabel’s home to get either Liz or Alicia, but he was faced with the united front of the Evans Law Firm and the physical intimidation of Michael. He also had to face Alex and Max who were citizens he couldn’t bully.
The evening was quite exciting in a very unpleasant way. Then Liz received a call from a person she did not hear from nearly enough. Maria was flying in and would be with Liz within a day. Max had called her.
It was late when Liz prepared to put Alicia to bed. Alicia shook hands with Jake and Michael. She hugged Isabel and asked Max to carry her up to bed. She wanted her mother to tuck her in, but she wanted them to do it together. Liz frowned at this because this was totally unlike Alicia. She seldom wanted Kyle to touch her and she also shied away from other people. It was amazing how quickly Alicia had embraced these people from her mother’s past. As her mother tucked her in, she whispered, “Ask him to tell you everything.” With that she turned over and went to sleep.
When Liz turned to Max he led her out into the moonlight. They sat in the dark and Liz turned to him. “What is your connection with my daughter?”
Max was quiet for a while. “Do you remember the third grade? I devoted my entire life to watching you. Later Michael and I would come into the Crashdown just so I could watch you at work. The day you were shot I healed you, but I was scared and my family got me out of town so I would not have to answer to the sheriff. We were also afraid that if I was found out, you might be in danger.
“Wait a minute Max, you mentioned this before. Are you some kind of faith healer?” Liz was clearly disturbed at this information.
“If I am, it is not a faith of this world.” Max chuckled. “We are pretty sure we are from the nineteen forty-seven Roswell crash. We were stored in pods until it was safe for us to come out. We can do many things that normal humans can’t. We can heal, we can change things and we can do certain mental things most people can’t do. We really don’t know as much as we would like about it. We are the Roswell aliens,” Max continued.
“Is that why you became a doctor? So you could heal?” Liz inquired.
Max was hesitant, “No, there are some side effects. Healing changes other things. When we heal, we make things more like us.”
“Do you mean that now I am an alien?” Liz asked.
“I am so sorry Liz,” Max was truly remorseful. “I have healed you three times. The effect is accumulative. The first time I saw you after I got back to Roswell, I repaired some old breaks in your bones. When you came in today, your arm was smashed. I destroyed the x-ray so no one would know what I did and then I fixed the bone. Other wise you would have had to endure a terribly painful surgery. The effects might show up at any time. Already there is one effect.”
“Where Max, I do not see anything different about myself?” Liz looked at her hands and turned them over and over.
“Liz have you ever seen anything strange about Alicia?”
“What do you mean strange?” Liz wondered where this was going.
“You ever play games with her like chess, checkers or card games? Michael taught her to play ‘go fish’ and she beat Alex. He couldn’t believe she could be right all of the time.” Max held Liz’s hand, “Alicia reads minds. When we are staring at each other, we are having conversations. She can talk to Michael, Isabel and me, but she can read every one. If her father finds out about this, he will try to exploit her. If he pushes her, well, she has asked Michael to protect her. Liz, she has more power than any of us.”
Liz shook her head. This was way too much to comprehend. “Kyle hits us when he is drunk, but he is not a killer,” She said.
“Wrong Liz, Kyle is the worst kind of killer! He is a coward. He is terrified of his father, of you and everyone around you. If he learns about Alicia, he will have no other choice but to try to kill her.”
“Kyle is afraid of me?” Liz couldn’t believe this.
“Liz, you are smart. Kyle beats you down because he is afraid of how much smarter you are than he is.” Max took Liz’s hands in his. “Liz I have always loved you but there is someone that is even more important than you who must be protected from Kyle. He must not ever get his hands on Alicia. You must protect her so she never feels called on to protect herself.”
Liz and Max walked back into the house. “Tomorrow I want you to spend time with Alicia. Get her to tell you how she feels about her father, you, your parents, the sheriff and everyone who could come in contact with her. She is a little girl and it will take all day to do this. She can’t be rushed.”
Isabel had an enclosed, Spanish style courtyard. Liz took Alicia out to play. It bothered Liz that Alicia was always so serious. To Liz, little girls should giggle and play house, have pretend husbands and give tea parties. Alicia had a ball and she was about twenty-five feet from Liz. She threw the ball underhanded to Liz. Liz caught it and tossed it back. They did this several times before Alicia held on to the ball and said, “We are supposed to talk about how I feel about people.”
There was a double swing under a tree in the courtyard. Liz sat there and patted the place beside her. Alicia sat down turning the ball in her hands. “So ask me.”
Liz looked her daughter in the eye. “Well, how do you feel about Michael?”
“Michael will protect me if he can. He knows that I must not unleash what I feel. Michael would gladly give his life for his duty.” Alicia said.
“OK, what about Isabel?” Liz listed the next person she thought of.
“Isabel is my legal mother right now. She tells me she is not replacing you but she has more resources that can be used to protect me. She says that as long as she is my guardian, you and I can be together and neither of us will be hurt.” Alicia waited a minute then continued, “She likes you. She wants you to be with Max. Her mother also wants you to be with Max.”
Liz took a deep breath. “What about Max?”
Alicia’s eyes clouded up, “Max should have been my father. He loves you and I think he loves me. He blames himself for you being with Kyle.” Liz noticed that Alicia did not call Kyle dad. Alicia continued again, “I called Max from a far away place and he came. He would never hit me. He wants both of us to be safe.”
Liz felt she was now on dangerous ground, “What about Daddy?”
“If you mean Kyle, he hates me. His father says I am his punishment for sleeping with you. Every time he looks at me, he wishes I had not been born. He doesn’t like you much either, Mommy. He plays with his other friends such as Patty, Christine and several others. He likes them better than he likes us.” Liz began to cry. “Mommy please don’t cry. If you cry I can’t answer your questions. Mommy I am most afraid of Kyle’s dad. He wishes we were dead.”
Liz was terribly shaken by hearing her daughter. These were all ideas that had flittered through her mind, but to hear Alicia give substance to them made Liz shudder.
Later that morning, Liz had two visitors. Jeff and Nancy Parker had been notified about the changes in Liz’s life. Isabel sent a car for them and they hurried to be with their daughter and granddaughter. “Elizabeth, are you safe with these people? We heard that they took custody of Alicia away from you. Do you need to get your own lawyer to fight this?”
“Mom, Dad, I am as safe as I have been since I married Kyle. I just do not think I can take the pain of being with Kyle any longer. He also is starting to hurt Alicia. If I can trust Max, he has arranged for his sister to be named Alicia’s guardian. As long as I stay here, I can be with her.”
Her parents were taken back. They knew that Liz was not happy in her marriage and they knew there was trouble, but like many parents they had kept a blind eye to the physical aspects of Liz’s life. They feared both Kyle and the sheriff. Jeff sometimes would defy Kyle, but the sheriff was a scary figure that loomed over their family and entire life.
That afternoon a taxi drove up to Isabel’s. A young blond lady with medium cut hair and carefully tailored clothes got out. She was met at the door by Isabel. Isabel looked at the style of her clothes and she approved. She looked at the lady and to her surprise, she recognized her. She was Maria, that sort of ditsy girl from school. Gone was the girl that always had a chip on her shoulder and a ready mouth. In her place was a confident woman who offered her hand to Isabel. “Isabel, Maria DeLuca here, it has been a long time since high school. Isabel was gracious. She would have to have a long talk with this woman later. They were now of the same world.
Maria couldn’t have been more surprised. The Ice Princess was charming. She wondered what other surprises she had in store. “Aunt Maria,” she heard and a bundle of energy came running out to see her. Maria tried to keep up with Liz, but being near Kyle was not very pleasant. The bundle of energy was a surprise since she remembered Alicia only as a toddler. She felt the little arms wrap around her neck and the boundless love of a child filled her. It was a surprise, but surprises were still coming. A tall husky man was right behind Alicia. He had brown hair and the heavy build of a wrestler. He was wearing sunglasses and Alicia caught his hand. “Aunt Maria, this is my friend Michael.
Maria found many things that were unexpected. She had been welcomed to the home of Isabel Evans. Alicia, without the fear of Kyle, was happy and very outgoing. The fact that Alicia had such a tall, good-looking friend, was something to consider. Maria was trying to place him when, Michael removed his glasses and took Maria’s hand. “Miss DeLuca, Ma’am.”
Maria caught her breath. This was the bad boy from high school. The boy that seldom attended classes. The boy that only took a bath occasionally. Maria knew that they were all growing up, but she never in her dreams would have seen a hunk like this, in that boy of so long ago. “Charmed to see you again, Michael,” she almost choked. “What are you doing here?”
Alicia interrupted, “He protects me.” She hugged Michael. Michael somehow looked a bit embarrassed. Alicia holding Michael’s hand on one side and Maria’s hand on the other, led them back into the house.
Maria’s heart almost broke when she saw Liz. Isabel was the perfect one in high school. Her clothes, her makeup and her demeanor were always right out of “Elle” magazine. Maria was well on the way to being overtly sexy as she sang in many musicals, danced and played her guitar. Liz had been like a China doll. Her eyes had been bright, she had been an intelligent, poised young lady who had promises of going to Harvard, being a great scientist, but now she just looked tired. Maria could see scars and bruises that added fifteen years to her friend. “Liz how are you doing,” Maria cried. Liz couldn’t stop crying. It had been so long since the two friends could be together without the threat of Kyle and his temper.
Maria had intended to have her bags taken to a hotel because she didn’t know the conditions where Liz would be staying. She was surprised when Michael came in and informed her he had put her bags in her room. She looked around and it was Isabel that spoke, “Max would like for you to stay here to support Liz as long as you can. This whole affair is going to be a drain on everyone.”
Maria’s time was essentially her own. She would be happy to spend it with her oldest and best friend. Besides, she was looking at Michael out of the corner of her eye. What a Hunk and where did he get those manners? She remembered the frightened boy who was rude to everyone.
Sheriff Valente had grown bitter with age. His wife had runaway when Kyle was very young. He had found this devastating. He had run a tight family and she had been the weak link. The sheriff was very strict both with his son and with the actions of his wife. His father had been strict and until his father had lost his mind looking for aliens, the sheriff had held him as his personal hero. He felt that his father had eventually proved to be weak also. To survive in this world, you must be strong. He considered himself to be strict, but fair. Kyle’s occasional drinking was considered to be just a rite of passage. The sheriff himself remembered the parties of his youth. Kyle’s dalliance with many girls was looked as a right. Young men needed to experience girls so they could learn to control women. The sheriff had always been raised in a household that was dominated by a father image. When he found that Kyle had taken Liz that day of the UFO festival, he was proud of his son becoming a man. It was later when Liz became pregnant that his bitterness developed. The sheriff had spent most of his time with Kyle in his sports. Kyle’s ability would be the ticket for him to get a better education. The sheriff ignored Kyle in many ways but he was very religious in his attendance and in his attention to his son’s progress in sports. Kyle’s announcement that his girlfriend was pregnant was the greatest blow to the sheriff since his father’s break down and subsequent incarceration. Kyle wanted an abortion, but, of course, Liz recoiled at this with horror. She would have preferred to just go away and raise her child by herself. The sheriff wouldn’t hear of it. Kyle had proved weak and now he must pay. It was the sheriff that insisted that they get married. It was the way he could make Kyle take responsibility and be a man. Liz’s parents, being religious, went along and agreed that she should be married. Liz was too young and too overwhelmed to think straight, so she agreed. Kyle finished high school but Liz had to drop out. College for her would now be impossible. Kyle tried to run his family the same way his father had. He wanted his wife at home and in the kitchen. He did refrain from barefoot and pregnant. Kyle had no desire to sire another child to have to support. Kyle did not have much promise in the adult world, so simple minimum wage jobs were his fate. The sheriff never let Kyle or Liz forget that she, Liz, had ruined Kyle’s life.
The sheriff was angry. He sat down and tried to think why he was angry. He had no use for a granddaughter. Now a grandson might have rekindled his hopes for a sports hero. He had been the law enforcement head in Roswell for many years. In some ways, he had just taken over from his father. He called several judges that he knew, but none of them wanted to get into a pissing contest with the Philip Evans Law Firm.
Kyle’s feelings went from anger to relief. He had never liked Liz that much. He considered her to be a nerd. He took her because he could. Damn woman, letting herself get pregnant. He seldom even approached Liz anymore. He had much more pliable playmates elsewhere. He was curious how that Isabel woman found out about Patty. His anger toward Liz had more to do with his concept of loosing.
Alicia now had a new best friend. Whenever she went anywhere, even if it was with her mother, her best friend, Michael, went with her. Twice, deputies had tried to serve papers on Michael for custody of Alicia. Michael did tend to intimidate. With Alicia’s help, he caused all sorts of personal information on the deputies to be broadcast. The deputies tried to serve papers on Liz and they found Jake at the scene immediately. Jake was a smart man and he enjoyed the power of the Evans firm behind him. Quietly he had started a recall petition against the sheriff. Michael and Alicia had learned many things that the sheriff had involved himself in.
Max worried that they were putting a ten-year-old girl under a lot of stress. Michael assured him that Alicia understood that they were working to protect her mother and herself. He told Max privately that Alicia understood that they were protecting her from using that other un-named power that she was working to keep chained up in her heart.
One day, Maria and Michael had taken Alicia to the mall to buy clothes. For Maria this was an exercise in fun. She had never had children and Alicia’s personality was so winning, Maria couldn’t resist. While they were at the mall, deputies thought they saw a chance to get Alicia. They didn’t see Michael and all they did see was Alicia with a blond lady. They ran up to her with their papers. Maria merely looked at them. Alicia was frightened; a feeling she had seldom displayed brfore. Maria dialed her cell phone and said a few words. She then hung up and smiled at the men. “What can I do for you boys?”
“We have a warrant to pick up the little girl.” They waved some papers. Maria took the papers and read them. This surprised the deputies. “Well gentlemen I think there is an injunction against you for even getting close to Alicia. While she is in my care, you will stand back and let the lawyers handle this.”
One deputy pushed Maria aside and started to step up to Alicia. About that time a flash went off. Then there were several flashes and the steady light of a television camera. Maria reached down and was handed a mike. She was the reigning queen. “Maria DeLuca of DeLuca, Garcia and Reveria Records. These men are trying to kidnap a little girl in my charge. This baboon has already assaulted me in trying to take her. I am waiting for my lawyers and be assured I will prefer charges,” Maria said confidently.
“Miss DeLuca, do they have legal cause to seize the little girl?” the newscaster shouted.
“No, the sheriff is trying to tilt a divorce settlement in his favor by gaining custody. The sheriff’s son is being charged with abuse to both the girl and her mother.” Maria held her hands out to Alicia and she came to her. Maria showed the bruises on her arms to the camera.
One of the announcers shouted, “Little girl, who did that to you?”
“Kyle, who is supposed to be my daddy. He hits my mommy and me all of the time. Sometimes we have to go to the hospital.”
Michael, who had been just a few feet back and was heading to protect Alicia until she told him to wait, smiled. He had called Jake at the first sign of trouble and he called him again to tell him what Maria had done.
That night, they all got together. Max kissed Maria on the cheek. She couldn’t get over how he had changed. He was always a leader, but in school he was always worried about the direction he was going. Now he was confident and masterful in taking charge. Liz had filed formally for divorce. She had filed for sole custody off Alicia. That was going to be the stickler. Isabel called them into the living room. She pointed to the national news broadcast.
“Maria DeLuca song writer, recording artist and record company executive, was assaulted by small town deputy in Roswell New Mexico, as they illegally tried to whisk away her charge, one Alicia Valenti, aged ten. It is alleged that Miss DeLuca was grabbed in-appropriately as she defended Miss Valenti. Discussion with Miss Valenti’s lawyer showed that there was an injunction against Sheriff Valenti forbidding him from, in any way, obtaining custody of the little girl. Newscasters were shown the multiple bruises on her body. Miss Valenti said her father regularly beat both her and her mother.”
They all sat down. “Wow,” was all Jake could say. “I do not know if this helps us or not, but it will make the sheriff keep his tail down.”
They looked at Maria who just shrugged. “I already filed a suit against the department, the sheriff and un-named deputies. My lawyers arrive tomorrow. I was always afraid of that man growing up and now I realize he and what he represents are just bullies.”
One of the problems Liz would have was, if it could be proved, that she had a relationship with someone. If she had infidelities, then they would be compared to Kyle’s infidelities and they would even out, bringing them to level ground once again in the custody suit. Whenever he was with Liz, Max managed to have someone else with them. He never stayed at Isabel’s house over night and he tried to be extra careful in everything he did. Having Maria there helped a lot and he brought Liz’s parents over to Isabel’s as often as they could get away from the Crashdown. At work, his coworkers would ask him what was going on? He would reply that his sister just got tired of a girl they knew in school being abused and Isabel had rallied several old friends to help Liz.
Maria came to the hospital and brought her guitar. She played for the patients and visited those who couldn’t come down to the commons room. Maria played for her old high school and told everyone how they must use caution as they grew up in their relationships. Maria never mentioned Kyle, but the news had taken care of this. Max worried that Liz would be facing too much embarrassment over all the happenings. Alicia had told him that she and her mother were together and they weren’t getting hurt, so Liz said that was enough to be happy. What the world said couldn’t be managed anyway.
The sheriff was having a war meeting with his rapidly dwindling supporters. He had tried to get out more warrants to search Isabel’s house. He couldn’t find a single judge who would go out on a limb for him. He tried to argue with Maria’s attorneys, but they looked down on him like he was fly shit. Sheriff Valenti was on a sinking ship. Kyle wanted to just get out and continue his life. The sheriff reminded him that he should be strong. Kyle only wanted to be strong when he took on both Patty and Christine in one night.
Kyle quietly met with Liz’s attorney, Jake Alvarez. He agreed to sign everything. Liz wasn’t asking for anything except for that queer kid. It wouldn’t cost him anything and he was tired to being used by his father. It was agreed that Liz would not file against Kyle in her name or that of Alicia for abuse.
Once again it happened. There were shooting pains in Max’s left arm. It was shortly after that his pager called him to the hospital. Liz was there with a severally broken arm. She had been hit with some bat or rod. The bone had been smashed into several pieces. Liz was going to be headed for some very painful surgery. Max looked into her eyes. She got dizzy and almost fell off the table. He went into her head and deadened the pain. Then he looked at the crushed bone. Max sat holding Liz’s arm. He imagined the bone whole again and rebuilt. He dissolved the bone fragments. He left some of the pain and the discoloration in the arm so it would not be questioned why she was being admitted.
“This time he hit you with something hard. Liz, he is going to kill you.” Max took a deep breath. “Liz you are going to have to think of Alicia. He is going to try to kill her and some day he is going to learn who she is.”
“Max, she is his daughter. Liz said.
“Liz, she is his daughter biologically, but she is so much more than any of us. Liz, I am not ready to tell you everything I know, but do you remember the day you were shot?” Max asked.
Liz looked at him, “Max I never was sh…” she stopped. “Max you left right after that. I had so many questions.”
Right now Liz, I have no answers. Trust me, Kyle will kill you and he will try to kill Alicia when he discovers he has no more control over you. I do not know what the sheriff will do.” About that time his cell went off. He listened for several minutes. “Iz get Jake and dad over to your place tell them everything. Use your discretion about the alien business. Call Michael and Alex to come over and stay with you. Get dad to temporarily strip both parents of custody and have it assigned it to you. Get an injunction against both Kyle and the sheriff. They are not to be allowed in your house. I will try to send Liz over there if I can.”
Max turned his attention to Liz. “Alicia went over to Isabel’s house. She took a cab and charged it to Isabel. You are going to have to trust me. I want to temporarily remove custody of her from both you and Kyle.
Liz was frantic, “Please, no Max, please. Not that, do not take Alicia away from me. I have nothing else.”
“Liz, I am not going to take Alicia away. I want it so Kyle or his dad can’t touch her. I want you to go to Isabel’s. You will be with Alicia. Alex and Michael will be there along with my dad and Jake. Liz you are going to have to trust us. I will get your dad and mom, if you want, to also stay with you. Right now Jake is your lawyer. He will work in your best interest against me or anyone else. I hope that you will trust me.”
Liz was taken by ambulance right to the door of Isabel’s house. The first person she saw when she arrived was Alicia running toward her. “Mommy Isabel said you would come. We are safe here. Alicia proudly led Liz into the living room. Both Philip and Diane Evans were there. Diane took Liz’s good hand. “Liz I remember you fondly.” Jake was there with several papers to talk to Liz about. He was asking her to consider divorce. This was a very big step but the danger from her husband was escalating rapidly. There was a lady from child welfare; who wanted to talk to Liz about what had happened to Alicia in the past.
Kyle had tried to call but, his message was intercepted by Isabel, “Kyle you dumb bastard; you almost destroyed her arm. You scared Alicia so just keep your distance if you know what is good for you.”
The sheriff himself tried to enter Isabel’s home to get either Liz or Alicia, but he was faced with the united front of the Evans Law Firm and the physical intimidation of Michael. He also had to face Alex and Max who were citizens he couldn’t bully.
The evening was quite exciting in a very unpleasant way. Then Liz received a call from a person she did not hear from nearly enough. Maria was flying in and would be with Liz within a day. Max had called her.
It was late when Liz prepared to put Alicia to bed. Alicia shook hands with Jake and Michael. She hugged Isabel and asked Max to carry her up to bed. She wanted her mother to tuck her in, but she wanted them to do it together. Liz frowned at this because this was totally unlike Alicia. She seldom wanted Kyle to touch her and she also shied away from other people. It was amazing how quickly Alicia had embraced these people from her mother’s past. As her mother tucked her in, she whispered, “Ask him to tell you everything.” With that she turned over and went to sleep.
When Liz turned to Max he led her out into the moonlight. They sat in the dark and Liz turned to him. “What is your connection with my daughter?”
Max was quiet for a while. “Do you remember the third grade? I devoted my entire life to watching you. Later Michael and I would come into the Crashdown just so I could watch you at work. The day you were shot I healed you, but I was scared and my family got me out of town so I would not have to answer to the sheriff. We were also afraid that if I was found out, you might be in danger.
“Wait a minute Max, you mentioned this before. Are you some kind of faith healer?” Liz was clearly disturbed at this information.
“If I am, it is not a faith of this world.” Max chuckled. “We are pretty sure we are from the nineteen forty-seven Roswell crash. We were stored in pods until it was safe for us to come out. We can do many things that normal humans can’t. We can heal, we can change things and we can do certain mental things most people can’t do. We really don’t know as much as we would like about it. We are the Roswell aliens,” Max continued.
“Is that why you became a doctor? So you could heal?” Liz inquired.
Max was hesitant, “No, there are some side effects. Healing changes other things. When we heal, we make things more like us.”
“Do you mean that now I am an alien?” Liz asked.
“I am so sorry Liz,” Max was truly remorseful. “I have healed you three times. The effect is accumulative. The first time I saw you after I got back to Roswell, I repaired some old breaks in your bones. When you came in today, your arm was smashed. I destroyed the x-ray so no one would know what I did and then I fixed the bone. Other wise you would have had to endure a terribly painful surgery. The effects might show up at any time. Already there is one effect.”
“Where Max, I do not see anything different about myself?” Liz looked at her hands and turned them over and over.
“Liz have you ever seen anything strange about Alicia?”
“What do you mean strange?” Liz wondered where this was going.
“You ever play games with her like chess, checkers or card games? Michael taught her to play ‘go fish’ and she beat Alex. He couldn’t believe she could be right all of the time.” Max held Liz’s hand, “Alicia reads minds. When we are staring at each other, we are having conversations. She can talk to Michael, Isabel and me, but she can read every one. If her father finds out about this, he will try to exploit her. If he pushes her, well, she has asked Michael to protect her. Liz, she has more power than any of us.”
Liz shook her head. This was way too much to comprehend. “Kyle hits us when he is drunk, but he is not a killer,” She said.
“Wrong Liz, Kyle is the worst kind of killer! He is a coward. He is terrified of his father, of you and everyone around you. If he learns about Alicia, he will have no other choice but to try to kill her.”
“Kyle is afraid of me?” Liz couldn’t believe this.
“Liz, you are smart. Kyle beats you down because he is afraid of how much smarter you are than he is.” Max took Liz’s hands in his. “Liz I have always loved you but there is someone that is even more important than you who must be protected from Kyle. He must not ever get his hands on Alicia. You must protect her so she never feels called on to protect herself.”
Liz and Max walked back into the house. “Tomorrow I want you to spend time with Alicia. Get her to tell you how she feels about her father, you, your parents, the sheriff and everyone who could come in contact with her. She is a little girl and it will take all day to do this. She can’t be rushed.”
Isabel had an enclosed, Spanish style courtyard. Liz took Alicia out to play. It bothered Liz that Alicia was always so serious. To Liz, little girls should giggle and play house, have pretend husbands and give tea parties. Alicia had a ball and she was about twenty-five feet from Liz. She threw the ball underhanded to Liz. Liz caught it and tossed it back. They did this several times before Alicia held on to the ball and said, “We are supposed to talk about how I feel about people.”
There was a double swing under a tree in the courtyard. Liz sat there and patted the place beside her. Alicia sat down turning the ball in her hands. “So ask me.”
Liz looked her daughter in the eye. “Well, how do you feel about Michael?”
“Michael will protect me if he can. He knows that I must not unleash what I feel. Michael would gladly give his life for his duty.” Alicia said.
“OK, what about Isabel?” Liz listed the next person she thought of.
“Isabel is my legal mother right now. She tells me she is not replacing you but she has more resources that can be used to protect me. She says that as long as she is my guardian, you and I can be together and neither of us will be hurt.” Alicia waited a minute then continued, “She likes you. She wants you to be with Max. Her mother also wants you to be with Max.”
Liz took a deep breath. “What about Max?”
Alicia’s eyes clouded up, “Max should have been my father. He loves you and I think he loves me. He blames himself for you being with Kyle.” Liz noticed that Alicia did not call Kyle dad. Alicia continued again, “I called Max from a far away place and he came. He would never hit me. He wants both of us to be safe.”
Liz felt she was now on dangerous ground, “What about Daddy?”
“If you mean Kyle, he hates me. His father says I am his punishment for sleeping with you. Every time he looks at me, he wishes I had not been born. He doesn’t like you much either, Mommy. He plays with his other friends such as Patty, Christine and several others. He likes them better than he likes us.” Liz began to cry. “Mommy please don’t cry. If you cry I can’t answer your questions. Mommy I am most afraid of Kyle’s dad. He wishes we were dead.”
Liz was terribly shaken by hearing her daughter. These were all ideas that had flittered through her mind, but to hear Alicia give substance to them made Liz shudder.
Later that morning, Liz had two visitors. Jeff and Nancy Parker had been notified about the changes in Liz’s life. Isabel sent a car for them and they hurried to be with their daughter and granddaughter. “Elizabeth, are you safe with these people? We heard that they took custody of Alicia away from you. Do you need to get your own lawyer to fight this?”
“Mom, Dad, I am as safe as I have been since I married Kyle. I just do not think I can take the pain of being with Kyle any longer. He also is starting to hurt Alicia. If I can trust Max, he has arranged for his sister to be named Alicia’s guardian. As long as I stay here, I can be with her.”
Her parents were taken back. They knew that Liz was not happy in her marriage and they knew there was trouble, but like many parents they had kept a blind eye to the physical aspects of Liz’s life. They feared both Kyle and the sheriff. Jeff sometimes would defy Kyle, but the sheriff was a scary figure that loomed over their family and entire life.
That afternoon a taxi drove up to Isabel’s. A young blond lady with medium cut hair and carefully tailored clothes got out. She was met at the door by Isabel. Isabel looked at the style of her clothes and she approved. She looked at the lady and to her surprise, she recognized her. She was Maria, that sort of ditsy girl from school. Gone was the girl that always had a chip on her shoulder and a ready mouth. In her place was a confident woman who offered her hand to Isabel. “Isabel, Maria DeLuca here, it has been a long time since high school. Isabel was gracious. She would have to have a long talk with this woman later. They were now of the same world.
Maria couldn’t have been more surprised. The Ice Princess was charming. She wondered what other surprises she had in store. “Aunt Maria,” she heard and a bundle of energy came running out to see her. Maria tried to keep up with Liz, but being near Kyle was not very pleasant. The bundle of energy was a surprise since she remembered Alicia only as a toddler. She felt the little arms wrap around her neck and the boundless love of a child filled her. It was a surprise, but surprises were still coming. A tall husky man was right behind Alicia. He had brown hair and the heavy build of a wrestler. He was wearing sunglasses and Alicia caught his hand. “Aunt Maria, this is my friend Michael.
Maria found many things that were unexpected. She had been welcomed to the home of Isabel Evans. Alicia, without the fear of Kyle, was happy and very outgoing. The fact that Alicia had such a tall, good-looking friend, was something to consider. Maria was trying to place him when, Michael removed his glasses and took Maria’s hand. “Miss DeLuca, Ma’am.”
Maria caught her breath. This was the bad boy from high school. The boy that seldom attended classes. The boy that only took a bath occasionally. Maria knew that they were all growing up, but she never in her dreams would have seen a hunk like this, in that boy of so long ago. “Charmed to see you again, Michael,” she almost choked. “What are you doing here?”
Alicia interrupted, “He protects me.” She hugged Michael. Michael somehow looked a bit embarrassed. Alicia holding Michael’s hand on one side and Maria’s hand on the other, led them back into the house.
Maria’s heart almost broke when she saw Liz. Isabel was the perfect one in high school. Her clothes, her makeup and her demeanor were always right out of “Elle” magazine. Maria was well on the way to being overtly sexy as she sang in many musicals, danced and played her guitar. Liz had been like a China doll. Her eyes had been bright, she had been an intelligent, poised young lady who had promises of going to Harvard, being a great scientist, but now she just looked tired. Maria could see scars and bruises that added fifteen years to her friend. “Liz how are you doing,” Maria cried. Liz couldn’t stop crying. It had been so long since the two friends could be together without the threat of Kyle and his temper.
Maria had intended to have her bags taken to a hotel because she didn’t know the conditions where Liz would be staying. She was surprised when Michael came in and informed her he had put her bags in her room. She looked around and it was Isabel that spoke, “Max would like for you to stay here to support Liz as long as you can. This whole affair is going to be a drain on everyone.”
Maria’s time was essentially her own. She would be happy to spend it with her oldest and best friend. Besides, she was looking at Michael out of the corner of her eye. What a Hunk and where did he get those manners? She remembered the frightened boy who was rude to everyone.
Sheriff Valente had grown bitter with age. His wife had runaway when Kyle was very young. He had found this devastating. He had run a tight family and she had been the weak link. The sheriff was very strict both with his son and with the actions of his wife. His father had been strict and until his father had lost his mind looking for aliens, the sheriff had held him as his personal hero. He felt that his father had eventually proved to be weak also. To survive in this world, you must be strong. He considered himself to be strict, but fair. Kyle’s occasional drinking was considered to be just a rite of passage. The sheriff himself remembered the parties of his youth. Kyle’s dalliance with many girls was looked as a right. Young men needed to experience girls so they could learn to control women. The sheriff had always been raised in a household that was dominated by a father image. When he found that Kyle had taken Liz that day of the UFO festival, he was proud of his son becoming a man. It was later when Liz became pregnant that his bitterness developed. The sheriff had spent most of his time with Kyle in his sports. Kyle’s ability would be the ticket for him to get a better education. The sheriff ignored Kyle in many ways but he was very religious in his attendance and in his attention to his son’s progress in sports. Kyle’s announcement that his girlfriend was pregnant was the greatest blow to the sheriff since his father’s break down and subsequent incarceration. Kyle wanted an abortion, but, of course, Liz recoiled at this with horror. She would have preferred to just go away and raise her child by herself. The sheriff wouldn’t hear of it. Kyle had proved weak and now he must pay. It was the sheriff that insisted that they get married. It was the way he could make Kyle take responsibility and be a man. Liz’s parents, being religious, went along and agreed that she should be married. Liz was too young and too overwhelmed to think straight, so she agreed. Kyle finished high school but Liz had to drop out. College for her would now be impossible. Kyle tried to run his family the same way his father had. He wanted his wife at home and in the kitchen. He did refrain from barefoot and pregnant. Kyle had no desire to sire another child to have to support. Kyle did not have much promise in the adult world, so simple minimum wage jobs were his fate. The sheriff never let Kyle or Liz forget that she, Liz, had ruined Kyle’s life.
The sheriff was angry. He sat down and tried to think why he was angry. He had no use for a granddaughter. Now a grandson might have rekindled his hopes for a sports hero. He had been the law enforcement head in Roswell for many years. In some ways, he had just taken over from his father. He called several judges that he knew, but none of them wanted to get into a pissing contest with the Philip Evans Law Firm.
Kyle’s feelings went from anger to relief. He had never liked Liz that much. He considered her to be a nerd. He took her because he could. Damn woman, letting herself get pregnant. He seldom even approached Liz anymore. He had much more pliable playmates elsewhere. He was curious how that Isabel woman found out about Patty. His anger toward Liz had more to do with his concept of loosing.
Alicia now had a new best friend. Whenever she went anywhere, even if it was with her mother, her best friend, Michael, went with her. Twice, deputies had tried to serve papers on Michael for custody of Alicia. Michael did tend to intimidate. With Alicia’s help, he caused all sorts of personal information on the deputies to be broadcast. The deputies tried to serve papers on Liz and they found Jake at the scene immediately. Jake was a smart man and he enjoyed the power of the Evans firm behind him. Quietly he had started a recall petition against the sheriff. Michael and Alicia had learned many things that the sheriff had involved himself in.
Max worried that they were putting a ten-year-old girl under a lot of stress. Michael assured him that Alicia understood that they were working to protect her mother and herself. He told Max privately that Alicia understood that they were protecting her from using that other un-named power that she was working to keep chained up in her heart.
One day, Maria and Michael had taken Alicia to the mall to buy clothes. For Maria this was an exercise in fun. She had never had children and Alicia’s personality was so winning, Maria couldn’t resist. While they were at the mall, deputies thought they saw a chance to get Alicia. They didn’t see Michael and all they did see was Alicia with a blond lady. They ran up to her with their papers. Maria merely looked at them. Alicia was frightened; a feeling she had seldom displayed brfore. Maria dialed her cell phone and said a few words. She then hung up and smiled at the men. “What can I do for you boys?”
“We have a warrant to pick up the little girl.” They waved some papers. Maria took the papers and read them. This surprised the deputies. “Well gentlemen I think there is an injunction against you for even getting close to Alicia. While she is in my care, you will stand back and let the lawyers handle this.”
One deputy pushed Maria aside and started to step up to Alicia. About that time a flash went off. Then there were several flashes and the steady light of a television camera. Maria reached down and was handed a mike. She was the reigning queen. “Maria DeLuca of DeLuca, Garcia and Reveria Records. These men are trying to kidnap a little girl in my charge. This baboon has already assaulted me in trying to take her. I am waiting for my lawyers and be assured I will prefer charges,” Maria said confidently.
“Miss DeLuca, do they have legal cause to seize the little girl?” the newscaster shouted.
“No, the sheriff is trying to tilt a divorce settlement in his favor by gaining custody. The sheriff’s son is being charged with abuse to both the girl and her mother.” Maria held her hands out to Alicia and she came to her. Maria showed the bruises on her arms to the camera.
One of the announcers shouted, “Little girl, who did that to you?”
“Kyle, who is supposed to be my daddy. He hits my mommy and me all of the time. Sometimes we have to go to the hospital.”
Michael, who had been just a few feet back and was heading to protect Alicia until she told him to wait, smiled. He had called Jake at the first sign of trouble and he called him again to tell him what Maria had done.
That night, they all got together. Max kissed Maria on the cheek. She couldn’t get over how he had changed. He was always a leader, but in school he was always worried about the direction he was going. Now he was confident and masterful in taking charge. Liz had filed formally for divorce. She had filed for sole custody off Alicia. That was going to be the stickler. Isabel called them into the living room. She pointed to the national news broadcast.
“Maria DeLuca song writer, recording artist and record company executive, was assaulted by small town deputy in Roswell New Mexico, as they illegally tried to whisk away her charge, one Alicia Valenti, aged ten. It is alleged that Miss DeLuca was grabbed in-appropriately as she defended Miss Valenti. Discussion with Miss Valenti’s lawyer showed that there was an injunction against Sheriff Valenti forbidding him from, in any way, obtaining custody of the little girl. Newscasters were shown the multiple bruises on her body. Miss Valenti said her father regularly beat both her and her mother.”
They all sat down. “Wow,” was all Jake could say. “I do not know if this helps us or not, but it will make the sheriff keep his tail down.”
They looked at Maria who just shrugged. “I already filed a suit against the department, the sheriff and un-named deputies. My lawyers arrive tomorrow. I was always afraid of that man growing up and now I realize he and what he represents are just bullies.”
One of the problems Liz would have was, if it could be proved, that she had a relationship with someone. If she had infidelities, then they would be compared to Kyle’s infidelities and they would even out, bringing them to level ground once again in the custody suit. Whenever he was with Liz, Max managed to have someone else with them. He never stayed at Isabel’s house over night and he tried to be extra careful in everything he did. Having Maria there helped a lot and he brought Liz’s parents over to Isabel’s as often as they could get away from the Crashdown. At work, his coworkers would ask him what was going on? He would reply that his sister just got tired of a girl they knew in school being abused and Isabel had rallied several old friends to help Liz.
Maria came to the hospital and brought her guitar. She played for the patients and visited those who couldn’t come down to the commons room. Maria played for her old high school and told everyone how they must use caution as they grew up in their relationships. Maria never mentioned Kyle, but the news had taken care of this. Max worried that Liz would be facing too much embarrassment over all the happenings. Alicia had told him that she and her mother were together and they weren’t getting hurt, so Liz said that was enough to be happy. What the world said couldn’t be managed anyway.
The sheriff was having a war meeting with his rapidly dwindling supporters. He had tried to get out more warrants to search Isabel’s house. He couldn’t find a single judge who would go out on a limb for him. He tried to argue with Maria’s attorneys, but they looked down on him like he was fly shit. Sheriff Valenti was on a sinking ship. Kyle wanted to just get out and continue his life. The sheriff reminded him that he should be strong. Kyle only wanted to be strong when he took on both Patty and Christine in one night.
Kyle quietly met with Liz’s attorney, Jake Alvarez. He agreed to sign everything. Liz wasn’t asking for anything except for that queer kid. It wouldn’t cost him anything and he was tired to being used by his father. It was agreed that Liz would not file against Kyle in her name or that of Alicia for abuse.
chapter 5
Liz is now free of physical pain. She no longer has to fear abuse. Her body will heal but her mind is going to take much longer. Liz is faced with two paths to travel. First she can give into the offered help of everyone around her, or second she can stubbornly insist on making all of her own decisions alone by herself. It has been ten years since she has had the permission to make her own decisions. Can she make the best decisions alone? Can she learn to assume her independence while accepting the help freely offered?
Stories by ken_r
Chapter 5 Rebuilding
The divorce was final. There was no waiting period in New Mexico, so Liz was now a free person. She began to wonder what it meant to be free. She had no place to live. Her only job was working for her parents at the Crashdown. She had no education. This made her sad because at one time she had so much promise. Getting married had hurt her as much as Kyle’s father had said that it had hurt Kyle. Liz was free of fear. No longer would she cower in fear from Kyle. She, again, thought of that evening when she stayed with Kyle instead of going to the festival.
Liz went up to Isabel, “I will get my things together as soon as I can and be out of your way.”
Isabel took both of Liz’s hands. “ Liz, I know that you want to be on your own, but for Alicia’s sake don’t rush it. You are welcome for as long as you need to be here. Maria is thinking about making her room permanent and establishing a residence. She wants a place out of the main stream music world to write and she thinks that being back home would be a good place for a retreat. I am thinking of investing in her record company.”
“Isabel, it is just that I will never have enough money to repay you. The legal fees alone must be very high. I am free of Kyle, but I have to think about what I am going to do now.” Liz said.
“Liz have you thought about going back to school? You have several people that love you and will protect you. You also have several people that love Alicia. If you choose to go back, then I think we can find enough people who will help out with taking care of Alicia.” Isabel was thoughtful as she looked at Liz.
“Isabel, I would be in my thirties before I could graduate. What would be there for me at that age?” Liz had thought of school many times, but she knew that Kyle would never have allowed it and she did not want to leave Alicia without support.
It was almost two weeks before Max came back to Isabel’s. Michael would come by and talk to Alicia. Talking for them involved both sitting at a table staring at each other. As they practiced, they were able to develop a shorthand. They got better at communicating at longer distances. Maria was in and out. She rented a store-front and set up a distribution point for her records. She also used Roswell to arrange for charity performances for herself and others under her contract. Michael and Isabel set Alex and Maria down one night and explained their alien heritage. For the time being, they left Jake out of this because Max wanted him to be able to argue in court without worrying about this issue.
Max decided to take them all out for dinner. Maria and Isabel took Liz into town for a makeover. Liz was still Liz, but she had not been able to care for herself for ten years. Maria helped pick out a blue dress and Isabel marveled how much the two women had grown to have similar taste in clothes. It had been so long since Liz had been able to shop, she didn’t dare voice an opinion except to worry about how much the women were spending on her. The hair styling, the facial and body soak all felt so good. Her nails were done for the first time since she had been in high school. She picked medium heels because she was not sure she could still walk in the really high heels that Isabel picked out. It had been over a month since she had been with Kyle so most of her bruises were healing. She felt so good that she didn’t hurt. It was the first time in ten years. Wearing hose was another pleasure she had almost forgotten.
When she got home, Alicia ran up to her and said, “He will think you are swell tonight.”
Liz sat Alicia down and had a talk with her. “Max is a friend, yes, a good friend. I am not sure if I want more right now. Marriage was not nice to me and that is where it would go if I let it.”
Alicia’s eyes clouded up. “Mommy are you sad you had me? Are you sad you married Kyle? Would you do things differenly if you did it over?”
Liz held her, “No Alicia I am not sad I had you. You are the only thing good that has happened to me in the last ten years. Yes, I am sad I married Kyle. I let others talk me into something I knew wouldn’t work. We could have had a better life if it had been just the two of us. Would I do things different? Of course, Alicia, you never repeat anything exactly the same way and each time you do it differently. You will have different results, but you were supposed to be with me. I would be lost without you, knowing you as I do now. I do not want to be close to someone for the wrong reasons again and you keep out of my mind and Max’s mind also. If you try to push me, you will be just like those others who tried to live my life before.” Liz tried to be firm, but she couldn’t be angry with Alicia.
Maria and Isabel had a surprise for Liz and Alicia, although they knew that keeping secrets from Alicia was difficult. They had bought another dress for Alicia that was the same color as her mother’s. The two ladies made quite a splash when they came to dinner. Max was wearing a sports jacket and slacks. Michael was dressed in a western suit complete with cowboy boots. No one would have recognized the scared, lonesome boy from high school.
Max had booked a table for all of them at one of the better restaurants in Roswell. Isabel and Maria always made quite an entrance. Max entered with Liz on one arm and holding Alicia’s hand. Michael brought up the rear like the protector and guard he felt he was. Alicia looked up at Max and her mother glared at her. She smiled, but she kinda stayed out of their heads. Well, maybe she took a peek from time to time. Besides, she and Michael could talk all they wanted. Maria wanted to dance, but she wasn’t about to ask someone to walk her onto the floor. Alicia told that to Michael and he stood up and asked her if she would like to dance. Michael, who was before afraid of anything refined, had in his years of experience, learned a lot. His arms were stronger than those of others that Maria remembered being with in recent times.
Max asked if Liz would like to dance. She lowered her eyes and said that it had been so long. Max didn’t know where it came from, but the thought appeared, “She is scared.”
He picked a slow dance and she finally gave in. Max held her close and he didn’t do anything that might trip her or embarrasses her. Liz truly had a wonderful time in her mind going clear back to high school.
The dinner was great and they all had fun. The only thing missing was Alex. Next time Max was determined that he would make sure they took him for Isabel.
Back home, Michael and Maria took a walk through the nearby park. Isabel put Alicia to bed while Max and Liz sat in the back courtyard. This was the first time they had been together since the divorce and legal wrangling. Max kept his mind on the fact that she had just gotten over a traumatic experience. He led her by guiding her arm, but he didn’t get any closer.
They sat and talked. Liz looked up at the stars. “Where do I go from here Max?”
“Where ever you want to Liz. Please do not turn down those who want to help you. None of us are self made, except maybe Michael, and I think he had some people to lean on through the years.” Max said.
“But, I already owe so much. How do I repay any of this?” Liz asked.
“You don’t Liz. You in turn do something for someone else. That way you know that anything you are given is not a payment to receive something back.” Max declared. Also, you let people into your heart or reject them from your life, not for what they do for you, but because your heart wants or rejects them.”
“Max, what did they do for you? That someone that gave you so much that you were willing to help me.” Liz inquired.
“First I wasn’t the only one helping you. There was that stunt that Maria pulled with the television cameras and Isabel has taken you as a friend and she has very few friends. Alex was one of the first that contributed to your defense fund. My dad and Jake were working for me, but you do not get the service they gave from a retainer or from family obligation. Jake’s father, Doctor Alvarez, wanted someone to care for you so much. All of these people contributed to helping you. Even Kyle saw fit to break with his father and this helped you obtain your freedom. I am just the lucky one who is privileged to be sitting with you tonight.” Max held her close.
You asked what someone did for me? Once, years ago, I needed a reason to get up in the morning and a human gave that to me. I had only two friends, but this one human saw fit to enjoy my company sometimes. That was what allowed me to live and I have passed this on. Max realized that he had violated his own thesis about returning to those that had given to him.
Liz perceptibly leaned against Max. Unfortunately, he broke the mood of the moment, but he had made a promise to Michael and Isabel. “Oh Liz, there is one thing that Isabel, Michael and I would like from you. It is pretty important.”
In a whisper Liz said, “What is it Max?”
“All three of us want to continue our friendship with Alicia no matter what you do or where you go.” Max said so quietly and distant, that Liz almost misunderstood what he said.
“Of course Max, Alicia loves you all so much.” With that, they went in and Max left.
As he was getting in his Pickup, a voice in his head said. “She loves you Max, but she is so scared.”
Every so often, Doctor Alvarez would come by to see Max at his office. Max welcomed him every time. Max found that the doctor knew about the medical history of so many people. Even some who were not in his, and now Max’s practice. Occasionally Doctor Alvarez would be talking to patients and forget that he was retired. Max always laughed because the patients thought how nice it was that Max was willing to consult with their old doctor. Doctor Alvarez was so happy that Max had retained his son. Max always told the doctor how much he appreciated Jake’s help. The doctor, from time to time, asked about Mrs. Valenti.
In the hospital, Max still enjoyed his ability to diagnose so accurately. His relationship with the medical community was getting stronger all the time. He had instituted a better system of keeping track of questionable emergency situations. The new police department was much more committed to listening to him and the rest of the hospital staff.
Liz was still living at Isabel’s house. She felt so guilty, but she had taken her GED and she now was enrolled in classes at the university extension in Roswell. It would be a long time, but everyone, including her parents, were happy that she was back in school. Liz truly felt she had a wealth of friends.
Alicia kept in touch with Michael from longer and longer distances. All of them enjoyed her company. Even Diane Evans would keep her sometime when she was bored at the office. Alicia like to go to the Evans home because her mother hadn’t placed any forbidden rules upon her with respect to them. She found them refreshing. They knew what she was but never looked at her as being any different. She saw in their minds that they loved Liz very much. Alicia saw that Diane was worried that Max was so alone. She saw in Diane her happiness about Isabel’s relationship with Alex. Alicia saw in them that they really liked her.
When Liz would get behind in her school work, her friends, even surprise, surprise Isabel, would take her shift at the Crashdown. Jeff and Nancy felt that they finally were having the daughter they dreamed of. They, also, were very happy at the support her friends were giving her. Nancy worried about Max. She had known for years that he had a crush on her daughter. Her real life was in Alicia. The little girl that looked so much like Liz, when she was at that age.
Max only came by Isabel’s to see Liz when Isabel or Maria were home. He was still careful about the propriety of pushing Liz. At night, he would sometimes cry real tears at home, because his love, if anything, was getting stronger. The six of them went dancing a lot. Liz had enjoyed this in high school and it was coming back. She was an adult now and she enjoyed the ballroom type dancing. Maria was really taken with the new Michael while Isabel and Alex were making an ideal couple. Isabel’s investment with Maria was making money hand over fist. Isabel started doing the album decorations and the sets for the music videos. Maria and Deluca, Garcia and Reveria records, with Isabel as a silent partner, were on the way to making a fortune. Isabel set up a trust fund for Alicia and supported some of Liz’s school related bills. Maria and Isabel still would take both Alicia and Liz shopping. Liz would always worry about the money, but Maria and Isabel would tell her they enjoyed buying clothes and they didn’t have room in their closets for anymore.
Isabel and Liz sat down one afternoon. Alicia was in school and everyone else was out somewhere. Liz started, “Iz, what do I do about Max?”
Isabel was surprised because Max was the only one that Liz was seeing and she assumed that things were going the way Liz wanted. “What about Max? Liz, if you want to quit seeing him, please let him off easy. You are the only girl he has ever loved.”
“Oh no! Iz, I do not want to quit seeing him, but I do not seem to please him. We go out as a group and he is so formal. What does he want from me?” inquired Liz.
Isabel stared at Liz for some time. “How truthful do you want me to be and how blunt can you take it?”
Liz looked at Isabel. She was a bit frightened. “What do you mean?”
“Well, Liz, since the third grade I have heard nothing but Liz. We left town because we felt we would be a danger to you. My whole family picked up and moved because of you. What does Max want from you? What any man wants from the girl he has always loved. He wants to take you to a hotel and ravish you the whole night, but he will do anything to not frighten you off.”
This was not what Liz was expecting. She wasn’t clear about what she was expecting. Kyle had wanted her and he had used guile to talk her into having sex. After she had become pregnant, he had regretted that he had ever been with her. If Max wanted her that much, why hadn’t he found a way to take her? Liz started to cry, “If I had only know that, I never would have been with Kyle.”
“And you never would have known Alicia.” Isabel raised her eyebrows. “You can change the future, but always leave the past alone.”
“What do I do now?” Liz queried.
“I do not know, Liz. He is more afraid of you than you are of him.” Isabel sat back in her chair. This advise had been given from someone who was still trying to straighten out her own relationships.
It was almost thirty minutes before Liz talked again. “ Isabel, don’t you resent me sponging off of you so much. I do very little, but you help me in everything.”
I am making plenty of money with Maria that I do not ever need. I dearly love your daughter. I remember just before we left Roswell that I sat down with you and we talked for a minute. I have listened to Max talk about you for over twenty years. Take your pick. I really do not know. All of these reasons and others probably are valid. Liz, please do not ask. Just do your best and love your daughter. Everything else will work out, I hope,” sighed Isabel.
Stories by ken_r
Stories by ken_r
Chapter 5 Rebuilding
The divorce was final. There was no waiting period in New Mexico, so Liz was now a free person. She began to wonder what it meant to be free. She had no place to live. Her only job was working for her parents at the Crashdown. She had no education. This made her sad because at one time she had so much promise. Getting married had hurt her as much as Kyle’s father had said that it had hurt Kyle. Liz was free of fear. No longer would she cower in fear from Kyle. She, again, thought of that evening when she stayed with Kyle instead of going to the festival.
Liz went up to Isabel, “I will get my things together as soon as I can and be out of your way.”
Isabel took both of Liz’s hands. “ Liz, I know that you want to be on your own, but for Alicia’s sake don’t rush it. You are welcome for as long as you need to be here. Maria is thinking about making her room permanent and establishing a residence. She wants a place out of the main stream music world to write and she thinks that being back home would be a good place for a retreat. I am thinking of investing in her record company.”
“Isabel, it is just that I will never have enough money to repay you. The legal fees alone must be very high. I am free of Kyle, but I have to think about what I am going to do now.” Liz said.
“Liz have you thought about going back to school? You have several people that love you and will protect you. You also have several people that love Alicia. If you choose to go back, then I think we can find enough people who will help out with taking care of Alicia.” Isabel was thoughtful as she looked at Liz.
“Isabel, I would be in my thirties before I could graduate. What would be there for me at that age?” Liz had thought of school many times, but she knew that Kyle would never have allowed it and she did not want to leave Alicia without support.
It was almost two weeks before Max came back to Isabel’s. Michael would come by and talk to Alicia. Talking for them involved both sitting at a table staring at each other. As they practiced, they were able to develop a shorthand. They got better at communicating at longer distances. Maria was in and out. She rented a store-front and set up a distribution point for her records. She also used Roswell to arrange for charity performances for herself and others under her contract. Michael and Isabel set Alex and Maria down one night and explained their alien heritage. For the time being, they left Jake out of this because Max wanted him to be able to argue in court without worrying about this issue.
Max decided to take them all out for dinner. Maria and Isabel took Liz into town for a makeover. Liz was still Liz, but she had not been able to care for herself for ten years. Maria helped pick out a blue dress and Isabel marveled how much the two women had grown to have similar taste in clothes. It had been so long since Liz had been able to shop, she didn’t dare voice an opinion except to worry about how much the women were spending on her. The hair styling, the facial and body soak all felt so good. Her nails were done for the first time since she had been in high school. She picked medium heels because she was not sure she could still walk in the really high heels that Isabel picked out. It had been over a month since she had been with Kyle so most of her bruises were healing. She felt so good that she didn’t hurt. It was the first time in ten years. Wearing hose was another pleasure she had almost forgotten.
When she got home, Alicia ran up to her and said, “He will think you are swell tonight.”
Liz sat Alicia down and had a talk with her. “Max is a friend, yes, a good friend. I am not sure if I want more right now. Marriage was not nice to me and that is where it would go if I let it.”
Alicia’s eyes clouded up. “Mommy are you sad you had me? Are you sad you married Kyle? Would you do things differenly if you did it over?”
Liz held her, “No Alicia I am not sad I had you. You are the only thing good that has happened to me in the last ten years. Yes, I am sad I married Kyle. I let others talk me into something I knew wouldn’t work. We could have had a better life if it had been just the two of us. Would I do things different? Of course, Alicia, you never repeat anything exactly the same way and each time you do it differently. You will have different results, but you were supposed to be with me. I would be lost without you, knowing you as I do now. I do not want to be close to someone for the wrong reasons again and you keep out of my mind and Max’s mind also. If you try to push me, you will be just like those others who tried to live my life before.” Liz tried to be firm, but she couldn’t be angry with Alicia.
Maria and Isabel had a surprise for Liz and Alicia, although they knew that keeping secrets from Alicia was difficult. They had bought another dress for Alicia that was the same color as her mother’s. The two ladies made quite a splash when they came to dinner. Max was wearing a sports jacket and slacks. Michael was dressed in a western suit complete with cowboy boots. No one would have recognized the scared, lonesome boy from high school.
Max had booked a table for all of them at one of the better restaurants in Roswell. Isabel and Maria always made quite an entrance. Max entered with Liz on one arm and holding Alicia’s hand. Michael brought up the rear like the protector and guard he felt he was. Alicia looked up at Max and her mother glared at her. She smiled, but she kinda stayed out of their heads. Well, maybe she took a peek from time to time. Besides, she and Michael could talk all they wanted. Maria wanted to dance, but she wasn’t about to ask someone to walk her onto the floor. Alicia told that to Michael and he stood up and asked her if she would like to dance. Michael, who was before afraid of anything refined, had in his years of experience, learned a lot. His arms were stronger than those of others that Maria remembered being with in recent times.
Max asked if Liz would like to dance. She lowered her eyes and said that it had been so long. Max didn’t know where it came from, but the thought appeared, “She is scared.”
He picked a slow dance and she finally gave in. Max held her close and he didn’t do anything that might trip her or embarrasses her. Liz truly had a wonderful time in her mind going clear back to high school.
The dinner was great and they all had fun. The only thing missing was Alex. Next time Max was determined that he would make sure they took him for Isabel.
Back home, Michael and Maria took a walk through the nearby park. Isabel put Alicia to bed while Max and Liz sat in the back courtyard. This was the first time they had been together since the divorce and legal wrangling. Max kept his mind on the fact that she had just gotten over a traumatic experience. He led her by guiding her arm, but he didn’t get any closer.
They sat and talked. Liz looked up at the stars. “Where do I go from here Max?”
“Where ever you want to Liz. Please do not turn down those who want to help you. None of us are self made, except maybe Michael, and I think he had some people to lean on through the years.” Max said.
“But, I already owe so much. How do I repay any of this?” Liz asked.
“You don’t Liz. You in turn do something for someone else. That way you know that anything you are given is not a payment to receive something back.” Max declared. Also, you let people into your heart or reject them from your life, not for what they do for you, but because your heart wants or rejects them.”
“Max, what did they do for you? That someone that gave you so much that you were willing to help me.” Liz inquired.
“First I wasn’t the only one helping you. There was that stunt that Maria pulled with the television cameras and Isabel has taken you as a friend and she has very few friends. Alex was one of the first that contributed to your defense fund. My dad and Jake were working for me, but you do not get the service they gave from a retainer or from family obligation. Jake’s father, Doctor Alvarez, wanted someone to care for you so much. All of these people contributed to helping you. Even Kyle saw fit to break with his father and this helped you obtain your freedom. I am just the lucky one who is privileged to be sitting with you tonight.” Max held her close.
You asked what someone did for me? Once, years ago, I needed a reason to get up in the morning and a human gave that to me. I had only two friends, but this one human saw fit to enjoy my company sometimes. That was what allowed me to live and I have passed this on. Max realized that he had violated his own thesis about returning to those that had given to him.
Liz perceptibly leaned against Max. Unfortunately, he broke the mood of the moment, but he had made a promise to Michael and Isabel. “Oh Liz, there is one thing that Isabel, Michael and I would like from you. It is pretty important.”
In a whisper Liz said, “What is it Max?”
“All three of us want to continue our friendship with Alicia no matter what you do or where you go.” Max said so quietly and distant, that Liz almost misunderstood what he said.
“Of course Max, Alicia loves you all so much.” With that, they went in and Max left.
As he was getting in his Pickup, a voice in his head said. “She loves you Max, but she is so scared.”
Every so often, Doctor Alvarez would come by to see Max at his office. Max welcomed him every time. Max found that the doctor knew about the medical history of so many people. Even some who were not in his, and now Max’s practice. Occasionally Doctor Alvarez would be talking to patients and forget that he was retired. Max always laughed because the patients thought how nice it was that Max was willing to consult with their old doctor. Doctor Alvarez was so happy that Max had retained his son. Max always told the doctor how much he appreciated Jake’s help. The doctor, from time to time, asked about Mrs. Valenti.
In the hospital, Max still enjoyed his ability to diagnose so accurately. His relationship with the medical community was getting stronger all the time. He had instituted a better system of keeping track of questionable emergency situations. The new police department was much more committed to listening to him and the rest of the hospital staff.
Liz was still living at Isabel’s house. She felt so guilty, but she had taken her GED and she now was enrolled in classes at the university extension in Roswell. It would be a long time, but everyone, including her parents, were happy that she was back in school. Liz truly felt she had a wealth of friends.
Alicia kept in touch with Michael from longer and longer distances. All of them enjoyed her company. Even Diane Evans would keep her sometime when she was bored at the office. Alicia like to go to the Evans home because her mother hadn’t placed any forbidden rules upon her with respect to them. She found them refreshing. They knew what she was but never looked at her as being any different. She saw in their minds that they loved Liz very much. Alicia saw that Diane was worried that Max was so alone. She saw in Diane her happiness about Isabel’s relationship with Alex. Alicia saw in them that they really liked her.
When Liz would get behind in her school work, her friends, even surprise, surprise Isabel, would take her shift at the Crashdown. Jeff and Nancy felt that they finally were having the daughter they dreamed of. They, also, were very happy at the support her friends were giving her. Nancy worried about Max. She had known for years that he had a crush on her daughter. Her real life was in Alicia. The little girl that looked so much like Liz, when she was at that age.
Max only came by Isabel’s to see Liz when Isabel or Maria were home. He was still careful about the propriety of pushing Liz. At night, he would sometimes cry real tears at home, because his love, if anything, was getting stronger. The six of them went dancing a lot. Liz had enjoyed this in high school and it was coming back. She was an adult now and she enjoyed the ballroom type dancing. Maria was really taken with the new Michael while Isabel and Alex were making an ideal couple. Isabel’s investment with Maria was making money hand over fist. Isabel started doing the album decorations and the sets for the music videos. Maria and Deluca, Garcia and Reveria records, with Isabel as a silent partner, were on the way to making a fortune. Isabel set up a trust fund for Alicia and supported some of Liz’s school related bills. Maria and Isabel still would take both Alicia and Liz shopping. Liz would always worry about the money, but Maria and Isabel would tell her they enjoyed buying clothes and they didn’t have room in their closets for anymore.
Isabel and Liz sat down one afternoon. Alicia was in school and everyone else was out somewhere. Liz started, “Iz, what do I do about Max?”
Isabel was surprised because Max was the only one that Liz was seeing and she assumed that things were going the way Liz wanted. “What about Max? Liz, if you want to quit seeing him, please let him off easy. You are the only girl he has ever loved.”
“Oh no! Iz, I do not want to quit seeing him, but I do not seem to please him. We go out as a group and he is so formal. What does he want from me?” inquired Liz.
Isabel stared at Liz for some time. “How truthful do you want me to be and how blunt can you take it?”
Liz looked at Isabel. She was a bit frightened. “What do you mean?”
“Well, Liz, since the third grade I have heard nothing but Liz. We left town because we felt we would be a danger to you. My whole family picked up and moved because of you. What does Max want from you? What any man wants from the girl he has always loved. He wants to take you to a hotel and ravish you the whole night, but he will do anything to not frighten you off.”
This was not what Liz was expecting. She wasn’t clear about what she was expecting. Kyle had wanted her and he had used guile to talk her into having sex. After she had become pregnant, he had regretted that he had ever been with her. If Max wanted her that much, why hadn’t he found a way to take her? Liz started to cry, “If I had only know that, I never would have been with Kyle.”
“And you never would have known Alicia.” Isabel raised her eyebrows. “You can change the future, but always leave the past alone.”
“What do I do now?” Liz queried.
“I do not know, Liz. He is more afraid of you than you are of him.” Isabel sat back in her chair. This advise had been given from someone who was still trying to straighten out her own relationships.
It was almost thirty minutes before Liz talked again. “ Isabel, don’t you resent me sponging off of you so much. I do very little, but you help me in everything.”
I am making plenty of money with Maria that I do not ever need. I dearly love your daughter. I remember just before we left Roswell that I sat down with you and we talked for a minute. I have listened to Max talk about you for over twenty years. Take your pick. I really do not know. All of these reasons and others probably are valid. Liz, please do not ask. Just do your best and love your daughter. Everything else will work out, I hope,” sighed Isabel.
Stories by ken_r
Good teachers are born that way, not made. No! Good human beings, are born that way. Some of them become teachers.
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
chapter 6
Stories by ken_r
Chapter 6 The date
The next time Max came over to see Liz, she asked him, “Max, do you think we could go out just the two of us like on a date or something?” Liz was fearful. What if everyone had it wrong and Max didn’t really feel that way?
Max sat quietly for several minutes, then he looked at Liz. “There is an art festival in Taos. It is over the weekend. They have old movies, painting, sculptures, dramas and everything. If you think you might like it, we could go if you can miss work and school.” He looked at her, but Liz couldn’t read what he was thinking. Max continued, “I went a long time ago, but it wasn’t much fun alone.”
Arrangements were made and Max and Liz left early Friday Morning. The trip from Roswell is a study of empty country. Friday morning the traffic was light. There were miles and miles of fences and open land. They were traveling 285 North. Occasionally a cow would be seen watching the traffic, what little there was, passing by. They reached Santa Fe about noon and from there it was about two hours to Taos. They went north through mesas and basalt outcroppings. Then, they drove through the dark Rio Grande box, a narrow canyon with steep walls of basalt that had cracked eons ago making a passage for the great river. It was the middle of the afternoon when they arrived. There it was at a historic motel, just north of the plaza, where Max had made reservations. The trouble was that Max had booked two rooms, but they only had reserved one. Max looked at Liz, “Do you want to try somewhere else?” he asked.
Liz put her hand on his arm, “No Max, one room will be fine.” Max looked at her to see if she would change her mind. Liz shook her head. They entered the room. It was beautiful with paintings on the walls and a fireplace in the corner. There was a large king-sized bed in the room. They sat on the bed. Liz took his hands and kissed him. “Max, I was married for ten years. In that time, I do not think I was ever loved. If you can, make this weekend make up for that ten years. For Max, this was heavy stuff. It was almost as if all of his dreams from high school were being fulfilled. Max had never loved a girl before. He had dated, but he wanted so much more than just sex from a relationship that he had just moved on. All of the time, when he was with a woman, he kept thinking of Liz. When he heard she was married, he again tried to find someone, but Max had never been very good at taking second best.
On a hunch, he told Liz he was going to check on the activities for the night. Max went to the desk and asked the clerk to check for him. “See if originally I had two rooms and one of them got cancelled please.
The clerk came back with a book, “Right here sir, you reserved two rooms on a Monday and one of the rooms was canceled by an Isabel Evans on Tuesday.” Max thanked him and picked up a schedule of events and returned to his room.
When he got there, Liz was starting to unpack her suitcase. She opened it and on top she took out two negligees. She blushed and turned to Max. “Isabel packed my bag for me.” Max smiled and blessed his sister for all of her foresight.
Max opened his suitcase and it was his time to blush. Right on top of his clothes was a box of condoms. He turned beet red while Liz just laughed until she was crying. “I guess Isabel packed both of our bags.” Liz kissed Max, “Max, you must always bless your wonderful sister.”
They went to dinner. The supper club had a music show and a big band. After dinner, they danced and held hands and danced some more. To Max this was love. To Liz, this is what she dreamed of being loved for those so many years. When they were ready to go back to their room, Max bent down and kissed Liz. “I have a zero tolerance for alcohol, but if you would like, I will get you a bottle of champagne?”
Liz looked up and shuddered, “Once I tried to make love after a couple of beers. I spent ten years in hell for that. I think this time I want to feel everything, even the anxiety.”
Max did buy a bottle of sparkling grape juice and a pair of honeymoon glasses from the bar. When they got back to the room, there were more surprises. Their room had candles burning. Max found a note that said, “To my loving brother, may you find the love you have been seeking for so many years, Isabel.” Isabel had found a way to bribe housekeeping into doing her designing all the way from Roswell.
Liz retired to the bathroom to get ready. Max changed to a pair of black boxer shorts. When she came out, she was wearing a dressing robe over her negligee. Max went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and to be very nervous.
When he came out, Liz stood up and dropped the robe. All of these years Max had entertained a fantasy of that slender high school girl. In his dreams, he had undressed her thousands of times. She had stood in his arms, shaking with fear, as they plunged into intimacy together. The fantasy was replaced by a mature woman, not a girl, who was capable of taking love and giving love without the fears of youth. Max realized that what he had was so much better than anything he could have dreamed up. As he held Liz, he had to say, “Liz this is the first time for me. I never had the experience of Kyle or so many of the other boys. Please forgive me for my mistakes.”
Liz put her hand to his mouth, “Kyle knew how to have sex and that is all. Promise never to bring this up again. With you, I will also have my first time at making love.”
As they lay side by side, they kissed, they caressed and they held each other. Liz sat up and Max carefully slipped the negligee over her head. Then naked, she lay in his arms as he explored her body until his fingers had touched every square inch of her. He kissed her lips, her ears, her forehead. Then, he kissed her breast and brushed kisses down to her belly. She tangled her fingers in his hair and her naked arms brushed his face. Max wiggled out of his shorts and Liz explored his body. For Max, this was a wait of years for forbidden cresses. For Liz, this was the first time she had touched a man where every touch of her fingers made his body shiver. When Max plunged into Liz, he was not entering a virgin but he was eradicating the years of neglect and hurt she had endured. Liz was shocked at the tenderness a man could display as he manipulated her body. She was pleased at the tenderness his arms could show and hold her for such a long time. Liz couldn’t hold back the tears. In those years of being married, she had never felt the need and desire she was feeling right now from Max. Max turned her so he could pull her back against his chest. His strong arms crushed her to him. She could feel the hardness of his arousal growing, pressing into her back as he could feel her breast swelling in his cupped hands. Max was nipping at the back of her neck and ears. Every move he made, caused her body to shudder and every shudder brought her in closer contact to Max. They kissed and got out of bed. Max put his shorts back on and Liz redressed in her negligee. They sat at the table in their room with the aroma from the candles floating through the air as they sipped the sparkling grape juice in their matching glasses. Outside, she could hear the cars going by. She remembered the many times she had laid with Kyle while she heard the cars go by, wishing they would take her away somewhere where there would be no pain, no argument and no hate. Now, she only wished that those traveling to where ever, could enjoy the beauty and happiness she was experiencing. She thought about the prom that she had not been allowed to attend. How it was a romantic high that she had wished for so much, but it would have been a one-time event. She, Liz, was experiencing a high that, if she were lucky, would be with her regularly for the rest of her life. They went back to bed and soon were kissing and petting, letting their senses travel where they might. They made love again. To himself, Max chuckled. He did not know how strong Isabel thought he was, but she had sent a large box of condoms.
At first the next morning Liz woke up frightened. She had dreamed the most marvelous dream ever. She turned over to see if Kyle was still there and to her pleasure, she saw the dark features of Max instead. She shook her head. It wasn’t a dream; it was reality. For years, Liz had gotten up the second she awoke to keep Kyle’s attention from demanding more from her. Then, there had been the years of being ignored, except when he felt the pressure and then it was just to satisfy his lust. This morning, Liz turned over and wrapped her small arms around the man beside her. She only hoped she could return the love he had given her last night.
They lay that way for about thirty minutes. Max suddenly got up leaned over and kissed Liz. Then he disappeared into the shower. He came out smelling fresh. Liz went through her luggage and found a bag of toiletries that Isabel had packed. She showered and washed her hair in a spice-scented shampoo. She dressed in slacks and walking shoes. By the time she was completely dressed, Max had ordered coffee and pastries. It was Saturday and, officially, the start of their own private festival.
They walked the quarter mile from the motel to the plaza. Max was wearing a backpack. Liz asked him what it was for and he smiled and said, “Just wait.” They started their tour of the Taos galleries. There were so many paintings showing the many, varied glimpses the artists had in their private worlds. They walked through bookshops and looked at the many rare volumes. Max bought Liz a pair of squaw boots. Their ankle high red leather set off by their white soles of almost a quarter inch thick Elk hide with silver dollar conchos at the ankle. They entered a shop and Max picked out a bracelet of Zuni turquoise. It was made of tiny slivers of Turquoise inlaid in silver in a design as old as time. He placed it on Liz’s small wrist and she was amazed at how beautiful and delicate the hand made piece was. Mostly, they held hands like high schoolers and talked and giggled as they shopped the many stores. Little by little they filled the backpack with purchases. By the time they returned to the lodge, Liz’s legs were tired. After lunch, Max stepped out for a few minutes. When he returned, he gathered Liz and they got back into his truck. They drove north for about thirty minutes and at the small village of Arroyo Hondo, he turned west on a dirt road. The road at the end was twisty as it descended into the canyon of the Rio Grande and the truck had trouble getting through the turns. At last, they were by the stream sized river in the famous Rio Grande box. They parked on the east side of a small bridge and watched a fly fisherman spar with the wild trout. The trout were jumping and a fall hatch was emerging from the water. The flies were skimming the water and the fisherman was trying to imitate them. The trout struck at anything that resembled a fly and the fisherman was catching and releasing fish as fast as he could. They left after an hour as the trout and the fisherman were fatiguing each other. They drove to Lobo peak where the D.H .Lawrence ranch was located. They took the short walk to read the inscription on the monument. On the way back, Max drove the several miles off the main highway to the Taos Bridge. Liz looked at the high arch it made over the basalt cliffs of the Rio Box. They returned and dressed for dinner. The place Max had picked out had a drama attached to the dining room. The actors frolicked through the crowd and everyone laughed. Liz seemed to be having a truly great time.
They returned to their room and they both took hot showers to loosen their tired muscles. Their lovemaking that night was slow and beautiful. Liz was not even remembering her previous experiences. To her, Max was all about touching and massaging and kissing, all for her pleasure alone. To Max, he was holding a possession that he had wanted most of his life. He realized that he did not possess, but he only borrowed from its owner, her body and soul. He would be allowed to continue this as long as he respected her and returned the love she had for so long been denied.
Sunday morning, they awoke to church bells. There is something about a church bell away from the city. It is music, faith of it’s believers, and an indication that the world is getting ready to face a new week.
They ate in their room again. This time Max drove them to the plaza. They watched western gunfight reenactments. There were western clowns who demonstrated slapstick comedy. There were artists painting in view of the public. Max and Liz watched one artist as he painted the mountains behind them. There was a movie house that had silent movies and they went in. The old music and jumpy actors were a far cry from the smooth movies to today. Yet, they were still trying to tell a message and that was their art.
Mostly, Max and Liz just watched the people. There, of course, were the tourists. There, also, were the local Hispanics, many of them farmers and ranchers. Many of them dressed in their finest as they also enjoyed the events of the day. There were many Pueblo Indians or Native Americans, as they preferred to be called. Many of them were sitting beside their blankets with their beautiful craft wares displayed for sale before them. Max picked up a black bowl and carefully wrapped it in newspaper to save for Isabel. Liz laughed at the many pickup trucks. “Max, you fit right in.”
Max smiled and confessed, “Liz, back in California I did drive a Jaguar, but when we moved back here, the pickup seemed better suited to the southwest.”
Liz looked at Max and tried to picture him in a Jaguar. The Max she remembered from school had an old jeep. The California Max was a Max that she had missed.
When they returned to the motel again, they lay fully clothed on the bed together. Max was playing his fingers across her lips. Liz caught his hand and held it. “Max, thank you for a truly beautiful weekend. I never had anything like this when I was in high school and I think I had forgotten how to live and have any fun.”
After dinner Max, had one more thing he wanted to do that weekend. They got in his truck and drove several miles north of Taos. They were just out of the lights of the city. There are no stars like those of the southwest. The cities were occulting them so rapidly. Even Roswell’s street lights had eclipsed this wonderful sight. Here in the clear mountain air, the stars were so close you thought you could reach out and touch them. The Nebulae could be seen as blurs and the Paliedies cluster, often called the seven sisters, was clear enough that almost everyone could see seven of the hundreds of stars. They stood star gazing for some time. Liz was leaning against Max’s chest as Max pointed out the constellations. Liz herself, used to know many of the constellations from school, but she had forgotten so much since she had dropped out. Returning for their last night, she could only sigh as she leaned against Max’s shoulder. They got out of the pickup and went back into their room.
This weekend, Max had fulfilled all of his dreams. Liz had experienced something that she had never known to exist. Their pace that night was slow and meaningful. It was just before they fell asleep, that Liz had the frightening thought that tomorrow night she would sleep in her bed at Isabel’s alone. The whole weekend would become just a dream.
Monday, they left for home. Liz held Max’s hand most of the way. They arrived back in Roswell that afternoon. When they arrived at Isabel’s, Max grabbed his sister and kissed her on the cheek. No words were said, but Isabel knew that her hunches had all been correct. It was clear to all that the weekend had been a huge success. When Max left Liz, his kiss was as passionate as he could make it. When he entered his own home, it was empty and lonely.
Michael and Alex were avoided that afternoon because Isabel and Maria cornered Liz for details. Liz told of their mutual embarrassment when they discovered the negligee and later the condoms. She told of the mix up about the rooms. Max had not yet told her about Isabel’s part in this. Liz had been to Taos when she was little, but as an adult she found the experience very exciting. She told about the trout and fisherman wearing each other out and of the stars on the last night. Both girls were pushing for details of her nights. Liz just said, “My first experience with Kyle has become a subject of record because of the divorce, but my time with Max I will treasure privately in my heart.”
She was not as lucky when she faced Alicia. “Well mommy, is Max going to be my daddy?” Liz couldn’t take this. She wasn’t sure what she was going to be to Max and what he was to her. A ten-year-old girl asking for her to clarify this was not helping. Alicia didn’t ask anything else, but Liz was sure Alicia had dug every detail from her mind.
Stories by ken_r
Chapter 6 The date
The next time Max came over to see Liz, she asked him, “Max, do you think we could go out just the two of us like on a date or something?” Liz was fearful. What if everyone had it wrong and Max didn’t really feel that way?
Max sat quietly for several minutes, then he looked at Liz. “There is an art festival in Taos. It is over the weekend. They have old movies, painting, sculptures, dramas and everything. If you think you might like it, we could go if you can miss work and school.” He looked at her, but Liz couldn’t read what he was thinking. Max continued, “I went a long time ago, but it wasn’t much fun alone.”
Arrangements were made and Max and Liz left early Friday Morning. The trip from Roswell is a study of empty country. Friday morning the traffic was light. There were miles and miles of fences and open land. They were traveling 285 North. Occasionally a cow would be seen watching the traffic, what little there was, passing by. They reached Santa Fe about noon and from there it was about two hours to Taos. They went north through mesas and basalt outcroppings. Then, they drove through the dark Rio Grande box, a narrow canyon with steep walls of basalt that had cracked eons ago making a passage for the great river. It was the middle of the afternoon when they arrived. There it was at a historic motel, just north of the plaza, where Max had made reservations. The trouble was that Max had booked two rooms, but they only had reserved one. Max looked at Liz, “Do you want to try somewhere else?” he asked.
Liz put her hand on his arm, “No Max, one room will be fine.” Max looked at her to see if she would change her mind. Liz shook her head. They entered the room. It was beautiful with paintings on the walls and a fireplace in the corner. There was a large king-sized bed in the room. They sat on the bed. Liz took his hands and kissed him. “Max, I was married for ten years. In that time, I do not think I was ever loved. If you can, make this weekend make up for that ten years. For Max, this was heavy stuff. It was almost as if all of his dreams from high school were being fulfilled. Max had never loved a girl before. He had dated, but he wanted so much more than just sex from a relationship that he had just moved on. All of the time, when he was with a woman, he kept thinking of Liz. When he heard she was married, he again tried to find someone, but Max had never been very good at taking second best.
On a hunch, he told Liz he was going to check on the activities for the night. Max went to the desk and asked the clerk to check for him. “See if originally I had two rooms and one of them got cancelled please.
The clerk came back with a book, “Right here sir, you reserved two rooms on a Monday and one of the rooms was canceled by an Isabel Evans on Tuesday.” Max thanked him and picked up a schedule of events and returned to his room.
When he got there, Liz was starting to unpack her suitcase. She opened it and on top she took out two negligees. She blushed and turned to Max. “Isabel packed my bag for me.” Max smiled and blessed his sister for all of her foresight.
Max opened his suitcase and it was his time to blush. Right on top of his clothes was a box of condoms. He turned beet red while Liz just laughed until she was crying. “I guess Isabel packed both of our bags.” Liz kissed Max, “Max, you must always bless your wonderful sister.”
They went to dinner. The supper club had a music show and a big band. After dinner, they danced and held hands and danced some more. To Max this was love. To Liz, this is what she dreamed of being loved for those so many years. When they were ready to go back to their room, Max bent down and kissed Liz. “I have a zero tolerance for alcohol, but if you would like, I will get you a bottle of champagne?”
Liz looked up and shuddered, “Once I tried to make love after a couple of beers. I spent ten years in hell for that. I think this time I want to feel everything, even the anxiety.”
Max did buy a bottle of sparkling grape juice and a pair of honeymoon glasses from the bar. When they got back to the room, there were more surprises. Their room had candles burning. Max found a note that said, “To my loving brother, may you find the love you have been seeking for so many years, Isabel.” Isabel had found a way to bribe housekeeping into doing her designing all the way from Roswell.
Liz retired to the bathroom to get ready. Max changed to a pair of black boxer shorts. When she came out, she was wearing a dressing robe over her negligee. Max went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and to be very nervous.
When he came out, Liz stood up and dropped the robe. All of these years Max had entertained a fantasy of that slender high school girl. In his dreams, he had undressed her thousands of times. She had stood in his arms, shaking with fear, as they plunged into intimacy together. The fantasy was replaced by a mature woman, not a girl, who was capable of taking love and giving love without the fears of youth. Max realized that what he had was so much better than anything he could have dreamed up. As he held Liz, he had to say, “Liz this is the first time for me. I never had the experience of Kyle or so many of the other boys. Please forgive me for my mistakes.”
Liz put her hand to his mouth, “Kyle knew how to have sex and that is all. Promise never to bring this up again. With you, I will also have my first time at making love.”
As they lay side by side, they kissed, they caressed and they held each other. Liz sat up and Max carefully slipped the negligee over her head. Then naked, she lay in his arms as he explored her body until his fingers had touched every square inch of her. He kissed her lips, her ears, her forehead. Then, he kissed her breast and brushed kisses down to her belly. She tangled her fingers in his hair and her naked arms brushed his face. Max wiggled out of his shorts and Liz explored his body. For Max, this was a wait of years for forbidden cresses. For Liz, this was the first time she had touched a man where every touch of her fingers made his body shiver. When Max plunged into Liz, he was not entering a virgin but he was eradicating the years of neglect and hurt she had endured. Liz was shocked at the tenderness a man could display as he manipulated her body. She was pleased at the tenderness his arms could show and hold her for such a long time. Liz couldn’t hold back the tears. In those years of being married, she had never felt the need and desire she was feeling right now from Max. Max turned her so he could pull her back against his chest. His strong arms crushed her to him. She could feel the hardness of his arousal growing, pressing into her back as he could feel her breast swelling in his cupped hands. Max was nipping at the back of her neck and ears. Every move he made, caused her body to shudder and every shudder brought her in closer contact to Max. They kissed and got out of bed. Max put his shorts back on and Liz redressed in her negligee. They sat at the table in their room with the aroma from the candles floating through the air as they sipped the sparkling grape juice in their matching glasses. Outside, she could hear the cars going by. She remembered the many times she had laid with Kyle while she heard the cars go by, wishing they would take her away somewhere where there would be no pain, no argument and no hate. Now, she only wished that those traveling to where ever, could enjoy the beauty and happiness she was experiencing. She thought about the prom that she had not been allowed to attend. How it was a romantic high that she had wished for so much, but it would have been a one-time event. She, Liz, was experiencing a high that, if she were lucky, would be with her regularly for the rest of her life. They went back to bed and soon were kissing and petting, letting their senses travel where they might. They made love again. To himself, Max chuckled. He did not know how strong Isabel thought he was, but she had sent a large box of condoms.
At first the next morning Liz woke up frightened. She had dreamed the most marvelous dream ever. She turned over to see if Kyle was still there and to her pleasure, she saw the dark features of Max instead. She shook her head. It wasn’t a dream; it was reality. For years, Liz had gotten up the second she awoke to keep Kyle’s attention from demanding more from her. Then, there had been the years of being ignored, except when he felt the pressure and then it was just to satisfy his lust. This morning, Liz turned over and wrapped her small arms around the man beside her. She only hoped she could return the love he had given her last night.
They lay that way for about thirty minutes. Max suddenly got up leaned over and kissed Liz. Then he disappeared into the shower. He came out smelling fresh. Liz went through her luggage and found a bag of toiletries that Isabel had packed. She showered and washed her hair in a spice-scented shampoo. She dressed in slacks and walking shoes. By the time she was completely dressed, Max had ordered coffee and pastries. It was Saturday and, officially, the start of their own private festival.
They walked the quarter mile from the motel to the plaza. Max was wearing a backpack. Liz asked him what it was for and he smiled and said, “Just wait.” They started their tour of the Taos galleries. There were so many paintings showing the many, varied glimpses the artists had in their private worlds. They walked through bookshops and looked at the many rare volumes. Max bought Liz a pair of squaw boots. Their ankle high red leather set off by their white soles of almost a quarter inch thick Elk hide with silver dollar conchos at the ankle. They entered a shop and Max picked out a bracelet of Zuni turquoise. It was made of tiny slivers of Turquoise inlaid in silver in a design as old as time. He placed it on Liz’s small wrist and she was amazed at how beautiful and delicate the hand made piece was. Mostly, they held hands like high schoolers and talked and giggled as they shopped the many stores. Little by little they filled the backpack with purchases. By the time they returned to the lodge, Liz’s legs were tired. After lunch, Max stepped out for a few minutes. When he returned, he gathered Liz and they got back into his truck. They drove north for about thirty minutes and at the small village of Arroyo Hondo, he turned west on a dirt road. The road at the end was twisty as it descended into the canyon of the Rio Grande and the truck had trouble getting through the turns. At last, they were by the stream sized river in the famous Rio Grande box. They parked on the east side of a small bridge and watched a fly fisherman spar with the wild trout. The trout were jumping and a fall hatch was emerging from the water. The flies were skimming the water and the fisherman was trying to imitate them. The trout struck at anything that resembled a fly and the fisherman was catching and releasing fish as fast as he could. They left after an hour as the trout and the fisherman were fatiguing each other. They drove to Lobo peak where the D.H .Lawrence ranch was located. They took the short walk to read the inscription on the monument. On the way back, Max drove the several miles off the main highway to the Taos Bridge. Liz looked at the high arch it made over the basalt cliffs of the Rio Box. They returned and dressed for dinner. The place Max had picked out had a drama attached to the dining room. The actors frolicked through the crowd and everyone laughed. Liz seemed to be having a truly great time.
They returned to their room and they both took hot showers to loosen their tired muscles. Their lovemaking that night was slow and beautiful. Liz was not even remembering her previous experiences. To her, Max was all about touching and massaging and kissing, all for her pleasure alone. To Max, he was holding a possession that he had wanted most of his life. He realized that he did not possess, but he only borrowed from its owner, her body and soul. He would be allowed to continue this as long as he respected her and returned the love she had for so long been denied.
Sunday morning, they awoke to church bells. There is something about a church bell away from the city. It is music, faith of it’s believers, and an indication that the world is getting ready to face a new week.
They ate in their room again. This time Max drove them to the plaza. They watched western gunfight reenactments. There were western clowns who demonstrated slapstick comedy. There were artists painting in view of the public. Max and Liz watched one artist as he painted the mountains behind them. There was a movie house that had silent movies and they went in. The old music and jumpy actors were a far cry from the smooth movies to today. Yet, they were still trying to tell a message and that was their art.
Mostly, Max and Liz just watched the people. There, of course, were the tourists. There, also, were the local Hispanics, many of them farmers and ranchers. Many of them dressed in their finest as they also enjoyed the events of the day. There were many Pueblo Indians or Native Americans, as they preferred to be called. Many of them were sitting beside their blankets with their beautiful craft wares displayed for sale before them. Max picked up a black bowl and carefully wrapped it in newspaper to save for Isabel. Liz laughed at the many pickup trucks. “Max, you fit right in.”
Max smiled and confessed, “Liz, back in California I did drive a Jaguar, but when we moved back here, the pickup seemed better suited to the southwest.”
Liz looked at Max and tried to picture him in a Jaguar. The Max she remembered from school had an old jeep. The California Max was a Max that she had missed.
When they returned to the motel again, they lay fully clothed on the bed together. Max was playing his fingers across her lips. Liz caught his hand and held it. “Max, thank you for a truly beautiful weekend. I never had anything like this when I was in high school and I think I had forgotten how to live and have any fun.”
After dinner Max, had one more thing he wanted to do that weekend. They got in his truck and drove several miles north of Taos. They were just out of the lights of the city. There are no stars like those of the southwest. The cities were occulting them so rapidly. Even Roswell’s street lights had eclipsed this wonderful sight. Here in the clear mountain air, the stars were so close you thought you could reach out and touch them. The Nebulae could be seen as blurs and the Paliedies cluster, often called the seven sisters, was clear enough that almost everyone could see seven of the hundreds of stars. They stood star gazing for some time. Liz was leaning against Max’s chest as Max pointed out the constellations. Liz herself, used to know many of the constellations from school, but she had forgotten so much since she had dropped out. Returning for their last night, she could only sigh as she leaned against Max’s shoulder. They got out of the pickup and went back into their room.
This weekend, Max had fulfilled all of his dreams. Liz had experienced something that she had never known to exist. Their pace that night was slow and meaningful. It was just before they fell asleep, that Liz had the frightening thought that tomorrow night she would sleep in her bed at Isabel’s alone. The whole weekend would become just a dream.
Monday, they left for home. Liz held Max’s hand most of the way. They arrived back in Roswell that afternoon. When they arrived at Isabel’s, Max grabbed his sister and kissed her on the cheek. No words were said, but Isabel knew that her hunches had all been correct. It was clear to all that the weekend had been a huge success. When Max left Liz, his kiss was as passionate as he could make it. When he entered his own home, it was empty and lonely.
Michael and Alex were avoided that afternoon because Isabel and Maria cornered Liz for details. Liz told of their mutual embarrassment when they discovered the negligee and later the condoms. She told of the mix up about the rooms. Max had not yet told her about Isabel’s part in this. Liz had been to Taos when she was little, but as an adult she found the experience very exciting. She told about the trout and fisherman wearing each other out and of the stars on the last night. Both girls were pushing for details of her nights. Liz just said, “My first experience with Kyle has become a subject of record because of the divorce, but my time with Max I will treasure privately in my heart.”
She was not as lucky when she faced Alicia. “Well mommy, is Max going to be my daddy?” Liz couldn’t take this. She wasn’t sure what she was going to be to Max and what he was to her. A ten-year-old girl asking for her to clarify this was not helping. Alicia didn’t ask anything else, but Liz was sure Alicia had dug every detail from her mind.
Stories by ken_r
Good teachers are born that way, not made. No! Good human beings, are born that way. Some of them become teachers.
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
chpter 7
Stories by ken_r
With Jeff Parker’s words ringing in his ears, Max worries that he might be advancing his affections for Liz too quickly. It is only with an extreme effort, that Liz is able to push their relationship to the next step.
Chapter 7 Her Independence
Liz was back at school and back at work. Her mother asked how her weekend went. Liz seldom was communicative to her parents about her feelings. Max had been talking to her father about his hiring some high school girls if Max could get Liz a job at the hospital. Her dad thought it was a great idea because it would give Liz more security and independence. He approached Max about his and Isabel’s relationship with Liz. “Well, Jeff, it is no secret that I have loved Liz since the third grade. If I hadn’t had to leave Roswell, maybe she would never had been with Kyle. Isabel and I had the resources to organize a defense for Liz against her husband. Alex has been a friend of Liz for many years; likewise Maria. They are all people with resources who have contributed to help her. I do not think that any of us expect anything more than to see Liz happy. Isabel felt very badly about Liz having to drop out of school. She has tried to encourage and help Liz get back into school. She and Maria have a surplus of funds at the moment and they would rather give this surplus to Liz than anyone else.”
“What about you Max? What do you expect to get from Liz?” Jeff just looked at Max.
Max thought for a long moment. “For the moment, Jeff, I expect to just be there for Liz and her daughter. What more she might ask of me is up to her.”
Jeff quietly asked, “What about last weekend?”
“Jeff, Liz is twenty-six years old. We both wanted to go somewhere together. I suggested Taos because I felt that we needed to be away from any influence from Roswell. Jeff, I work extra hard not to take advantage of Liz. No one is allowed to dictate to Liz who she sees or dates.” Max left.
It was Nancy who came to Max’s cause after he left. “Jeff, we knew that Liz and Kyle were having trouble and we were not able to do anything about it. It took Max to remove our daughter and granddaughter from that danger. He has always cared for her and I think we are going to have to trust in both Max and Liz to make their own decisions.”
Max was back at the hospital. He had talked to several people and asked for them to look for a part-time job for a student of biochemistry. He was looking for lab work that would fit around Liz’s schedule at the university. He also asked friends at the university to be aware of any part time jobs that Liz might do. He waited until the end of the week before he returned to Isabel’s to see Liz. His mother wanted to take Alicia and Isabel wanted them to go dancing again.
When Max arrived, he saw three strikingly beautiful women waiting. Isabel, Maria and Liz all would be noticeable on the dance floor. Michael and Maria seemed to be a couple now, as were Isabel and Alex. Maria had been so impressed by Michael that she truly was falling in love with him. Michael still did not open himself up to anyone but he did not hide his powerful personality and intellect like he had in school. When Maria was with Michael, she said that she always felt that no one could touch her. Alex and Isabel had started out on an intellectual level and progressed to an emotional involvement. Isabel had found someone whose mind was just as sharp as her own. She had found someone she could approach as an equal. Max and Liz were still a question. No one had a weekend as wonderful as they did in Taos. The questions from Jeff Parker were still bothering Max. Was he trying to buy Liz’s favor? This made him retreat and this caused Liz to become fearful again.
At the nightclub, Michael was a one-beer man. Maria usually got a little tipsy. Isabel and Alex might have a mixed drink, but neither wanted to give up any control so they always remained sober. Max knew his zero limit and Liz was still reeling from the fear of somehow disappointing Max, so she stuck to Coca Cola also. They danced and talked and had a good time. Some of Max’s friends from the hospital came by and Liz politely danced with one of them. She learned about how much esteem the hospital held Max while talking to this man. Another man that Max knew slightly stopped by with his wife. The wife flirted briefly with Max and talked him into dancing with her while her husband talked to Liz. The man’s name was Doctor Nayman of the biology department at the university Roswell extension. Doctor Nayman wanted to talk to Liz alone. “You are a bit old for a freshman aren’t you Mrs Valenti?”
“I dropped out of school and got married,” Liz told him. “Isabel encouraged me to go back and try to get my degree.”
“Why Biochemistry?” He asked.
“That is what I have always wanted. When I was in high school, I wanted to get a degree from Harvard. Now, I just want to get a degree. I was divorced a few months ago and Isabel and several friends wanted to help me.” Liz did not know where this conversation was leading.
“It is very important to have friends, isn’t it?” The doctor stated, “You indeed must be blessed. What is your relationship with Max?”
Liz frowned, “Where is this conversation going?” She was asking now. “I am not sure what my relationship is with Max.”
“Well, the doctor laughed, he sure is working hard to get you a job in a science lab. Your transcripts from high school are over ten years old. Ordinarily, they would not mean much. Because they are so out of date. Could you forward them to me, anyway?” He gave Liz his card.
About that time, his wife returned, “Thank you, my dear, for the loan of your companion,” she graciously said. The doctor and his wife left.
Liz turned to Max. “What did that mean?” she questioned.
“I was talking to his wife and he is looking for a student who will stay with him for several years as a research assistant. He has a major project and his wife says he prefers to get young biology or chemistry students who will not be leaving the university for several years so they can work with him.”
“What did he mean that you were trying to get me a job?” Liz was a little miffed that Max hadn’t told her about a job.
“Well, I was going to talk to you as soon as I had a chance. Your dad is worried that you are not independent enough and Jeff said he could get some schoolgirls to work at the Crashdown. I just asked people I knew if they would keep their eyes open for any job opportunities. This is just a little bigger than I was envisioning.” Max exhaled because he had to talk fast. He wasn’t sure if Liz would be angry since he hadn’t talked with her first.
On the way, home Liz was quiet. She just sat there staring out the window. When they arrived at Isabel’s, she turned to Max, “Wait for me. I am going to get my books and some clothes. I want you to take me to your house for a few days. If it is all right, we can pick Alicia up from your mother’s tomorrow.”
Max waited. It was several minutes before Liz returned with a suitcase and her book bag. They drove home.
Like most young men, Max had been messy most of his life. When he had become affluent enough to get a housekeeper, he had to get organized so she could pickup after him. There was one room where he had a desk and files that she refused to enter and she had a sticker from her son that said, “Condemned,” which she had stuck on the door. If he had been bringing Liz to his room while in college, he would have had her wait five or ten minutes as he picked up his room enough to be presentable. Now, he only had the daily mail and a newspaper that were out of place.
As they approached the door Liz took his keys and opened the door. “Carry me in please.” Max just looked at her and she repeated, “Just carry me in.” He obliged and then he fetched her bags. She faced him. “I never was carried into a house before.”
Liz had phoned Isabel about where she was and Isabel answered “Good luck.”
Liz, in one of Max’s old shirts and shorts and Max in just shorts, sat together on his bed. “Your father is worried about me. He wants to make sure that I am not kidnapping you or something. That is why when I talked to him about your working in a lab some where, he thought it was a good idea. He said he could get help and he would call on us if he got swamped. I really didn’t expect to have anyone come through that fast for a job offer. The good doctor’s wife said he is always looking to get the best students to help him. He knew some of your teachers from high school.”
Liz was floored. After getting over the shock, this is what she always wanted. Going to school, working in a lab and being loved by someone she could love in return. This was what life should be about. Liz frowned. She did this a lot because life kept getting so complex. “What does the doctor know about me? I told him I was divorced and I had gone back to school. Does he know I have a child? Why did he ask about our relationship?”
Max shrugged, “I told his wife you had a little girl. She was asking a lot about me. I told her about my practice and about my work at the hospital. I told her how I had been in California and how my sister and I wanted to return to Roswell. I told her I had been in love with you since the third grade.”
That night, making love in Max’s house was a lot more satisfying to Liz than being in some faraway place. The night noises of the house were more like being home. Being held by Max made many of the demons of the week disappear. The offer of a job gave her promise that her dreams of being a biochemist might still come true. Being with Max gave promise that another dream might also come true.
Liz, in her almost asleep state thought that just a few houses away Alicia was sleeping. Just a few blocks away, her mother and father were getting ready for bed and some distance away her friends who had helped her were also now pairing up and enjoying the comfort of not being alone.
Liz woke up with the sun. She carefully got out of bed and found coffee, bread for toast and some eggs in Max’s kitchen. She started the coffee and toast. When she came to the eggs, she tried once over easy. She never did this for Kyle. He always got mad when she broke the egg. Max, freshly showered and dressed, came into the kitchen. Is this what married life could be like? Maybe sharing the breakfast chores and always having the fresh coffee, but most of all having the beautiful person that kissed him as he got up in the morning would make his life really take value.
Max slouched on one side of the table and Liz was sitting on her crossed legs in the chair on the other side. Liz was relating her schedule to Max, “I need about three hours after lunch to study and I have to be at the Crashdown at four for my shift. That means we have this morning to get Alicia and enjoy each other if this is okay.”
Max laughed. Being with Liz and seeing the way she scheduled herself made him feel like he finally had returned to the Roswell of his high school days. Usually on a Saturday Max would just do what ever came up without much design.
They were within walking distance of his mother’s house so they walked hand in hand to get Alicia. When Alicia saw them coming, she ran out. She first stood staring at Max, then she hugged her mother and ran back to the Evans’ to get her things. Going home, Max was in the middle with Liz on one hand and Alicia on the other as the three of them walked home.
That afternoon, Max and Alicia drove off shopping so Liz could study. They got home just in time to take Liz to the Crashdown. Max and Alicia ate at the café while Liz ran back to start her shift. Jeff came out to see his granddaughter. She placed her hands around his face and kissed him on the cheek. He felt better about Max after this and Max frowned at Alicia. She just smiled and said, “He is worried about me being with you so I gave him happy thoughts.”
Max and Alicia went home and unpacked their package from the pickup. It was a twin bed set with Isabel’s help in picking out the spreads and sheets. They set it up in the living room. Later max would clean up his home office. Then his housekeeper could remove her “condemned” card.
It was ten o’clock and Max with Alicia, in pajamas, waited for Liz. She came running out and when she saw Alicia, she grimaced. “Max, where is Alicia going to sleep?”
Max just kissed her and when she got home she saw the little bed. Of course, the spread and blankets were perfect due to Isabel. “I will clean out the office and Alicia can have that room when you are here,” Max stated. Liz just looked at him. Was he implying some sort of permanence?
Liz worked from ten AM to six PM on Sunday. Max spent the whole day with Alicia. They spent a lot of the time just staring at each other. Max wasn’t as good as Michael, but he was learning. They went for a walk and Alicia was happy and bubbly until she spied Kyle in the distance. A cloud passed over her and Max felt depression emanating from Alicia. As Kyle got closer, Alicia got closer to Max. He could feel anger and fear coming from her. Kyle had been drinking, as usual. That is where Kyle got all of his courage. He reached out to her and Max felt the energy almost ready to over flow.
“Kyle, what do you want?” Max asked.
“I just want to see my kid. You tricked me out of being with her, Evans.” Kyle was slurring his words.
“No, Kyle, you hurt her. Children do not need to ever be hurt!”
“Ah, come on, Evans, I just knocked her around a little, just like I did that bitch-of-a-mother she has.”
Max took out his cell. “Michael, Kyle is bothering us by the park.”
It was only a few minutes when a dark car screamed up and locked it’s brakes. It was only a few more minutes later when a police cruiser drove up. Jake and Michael got out of the first car. The policeman were leftovers from sheriff Valenti’s crew. “Are these folks bothering you, Kyle?” one of the policemen asked as he reached for Max.
Jake spoke up. “Just what are you intending to do officer?”
“Who the hell are you?” the cop asked looking at Jake.
Jake pulled out a letter and gave it to the cop. “Jake Alvarez, attorney to Miss Alicia Valenti.” The cop looked at the paper.
“What the hell, who ever heard of a child having an attorney?”
“Well, you have now.” He turned to Max, “Do you have any charges to prefer?”
“Yes, this man is intoxicated and he was frightening the child. Here is the tape.” Max handed Jake a audio tape from his pocket recorder.
“We will take that,” the cop said reaching for the tape, but Michael looked down at him. “Who the hell are you?” the cop continued.
“Bodyguard,” Michael stated.
Jake, pocketing the tape, turned to the officers and said, “I will have my complaint on your sergeant’s desk tomorrow morning.”
Later that afternoon, Liz looked out in the café and saw Kyle entering. She quickly called Isabel on her cell. Liz walked toward Kyle. “What do you want, Kyle?”
“I just wanted to ask you to come back,” he whined.
“Kyle, we are through. Alicia and I do not have to be hurt anymore.” Liz was terrified, but she stood her ground.
“Come on Liz, I never hurt you that much!” Kyle was plainly drunk.
A Hispanic cowboy started to stand up and asked, “Miss, do you want me to throw him out.”
Liz didn’t want anyone else to get in trouble. “No, I think I can handle it.”
About that time Jake and Michael entered the restaurant. Jake called the police again, but this time he demanded a sergeant. “Well Kyle, you are a busy boy today. First the child and now the mother, this is going to be serious.” Jake took a page out of his notebook and asked, “Who is willing to testify that this man was harassing this woman?” The cowboy was the first to grab the paper.
“That Weasly Gringo was disturbing our dinner!” Several other patrons also disliked Kyle and they quickly signed the paper. Jake thanked every one. Kyle made a move to leave, but Michael was standing in the doorway. Kyle swung at Michael. Michael just moved a fraction and nudged Kyle’s hand with his powers to make Kyle hit the doorjamb. Kyle fell down and just looked dumb.
The sergeant arrived. He didn’t like being disturbed on Sunday afternoon. “What is the problem here?” he demanded.
Jake introduced himself and stated, “this man is obviously drunk and a couple of hours ago he was harassing this lady’s daughter. Now he is harassing the mother. The officers on call did not want to do anything so I will have a report on their lack of action on your desk tomorrow. I called you this time.”
The sergeant grabbed the back of Kyle’s shirt and drug him out into the street. The two officers on call arrived and the sergeant ordered, “I want his ass in jail now!”
Liz kissed Michael and Jake on the cheek. “Thank you, but is Alicia all right?”
Jake assured her that Alicia was fine and they left.
The cowboy stood up and put a ten on the table. “Ma’am, we will try to keep an eye on you. We can’t have the cutest waitress in the Crashdown being hurt can we?” With that, he left. Liz felt better because she knew that even if Michael and Jake hadn’t come fast enough, there were people who would help her.
Max came by for Liz at about six PM. Alicia was with him. She was subdued, but totally unharmed.
Liz sat on their bed with Max. She had stayed with him for a whole week now. It was strange that she didn’t realize when she began to consider it their bed rather than just his bed. She was thinking about where they were going. Liz had no doubt that Max loved her and wanted to care for her, but she was unclear whether or not he wanted to marry her. Max was a very successful doctor. His whole family were successful professionals. How could he fit her into his world? A mistress, a girl friend, a dependant, the question was still what was she to Max? Liz had tried to talk to Isabel about her situation in the Evan’s world. Isabel told her that she considered Liz to be a friend just like Maria or Michael. Was Liz looking for some affirmation of equality? Could a silly girl who was so stupid that she had to drop out of high school, ever be accepted into circles of intellect and industry.
Her first glimmer of hope had come when she interviewed for the Job with Doctor Nayman. He was interested in her personal interests and where she saw herself going in the next few years. He did ask about her little girl and how Liz had worked out arrangements for her care. He asked about her relationship with Max. She explained that they were friends from childhood and, officially, Max was her doctor and yes, they did have a close relationship. She told the doctor that since being recently divorced from a very unhappy marriage, she was not sure where she and Max were going with this relationship. The doctor had already talked to Max and he knew that Max cared for Liz very much, but Max also was worried about where and how fast the relationship with the young divorcee would go.
What the doctor really needed to know was if Liz was committed to returning to school and if she would stay so he could have an employee who would be with him for several years. Like many successful men with successful marriages he listened to his wife. Margie had enjoyed dancing with Max, but as a psychologist she was reading him and his attitudes. Margie and the doctor knew that Max was very well liked at the hospital. They saw his practice as a community service, but they didn’t really see how much he was committed to the community. They knew about how much effort the Evans’ machine and he put into taking care of Liz. This amazed them. How a family could mobilize itself so quickly to save a friend from high school. How willing they were to committing resources toward this end, spoke of a lot of loyalty or something. The doctor wondered loyalty to whom?
Sitting on their bed Liz and Max could discuss many subjects but they couldn’t discuss finances, money and possessions. This is needed for a couple to do if their relationship had a legal definition. To Liz, everything she had belonged to Max or Isabel or some of her friends and family. The only possession Liz felt confident about was Alicia and they still hadn’t felt safe enough to relinquish custody back to her. Officially, Alicia was a ward of Isabel’s and Alicia was visiting her mother with Isabel’s permission. Liz had brought this question up just before Kyle had gone on his drunken rampage, Even now she was worried that, maybe, custody should remain with Isabel as least for the time. It had bothered Liz that Max had bought her presents when they went to Taos and she had no resources to return the favor. The joy of giving had been denied her. They both went together to pick out presents for Alicia and Liz went with Isabel or Maria, but it wasn’t the same as if she could go shopping herself. Liz wouldn’t feel free until she could see her self as independent enough to manage her own resources.
Max watched as Liz talked about so many things. He saw that she was wrestling with some issue or issues and they weren’t the ones she was addressing. Jake and Isabel both thought that if Max was married to Liz and he adopted Alicia, they could remove Kyle from threatening Alicia any further. Max was scared that a marriage to take care of Alicia would not help his and Liz’s problems. Michael, never letting Jake hear him, just thought they should off Kyle some night. Both Isabel and Max warned Michael about letting Alicia see these thoughts.
Max leaned forward and pulled Liz to him. She curled up against his chest and quit chattering. Max knew that most of what she had been saying was due to nervousness anyhow.
“Liz, would you think about marrying me?”
Stories by ken_r
With Jeff Parker’s words ringing in his ears, Max worries that he might be advancing his affections for Liz too quickly. It is only with an extreme effort, that Liz is able to push their relationship to the next step.
Chapter 7 Her Independence
Liz was back at school and back at work. Her mother asked how her weekend went. Liz seldom was communicative to her parents about her feelings. Max had been talking to her father about his hiring some high school girls if Max could get Liz a job at the hospital. Her dad thought it was a great idea because it would give Liz more security and independence. He approached Max about his and Isabel’s relationship with Liz. “Well, Jeff, it is no secret that I have loved Liz since the third grade. If I hadn’t had to leave Roswell, maybe she would never had been with Kyle. Isabel and I had the resources to organize a defense for Liz against her husband. Alex has been a friend of Liz for many years; likewise Maria. They are all people with resources who have contributed to help her. I do not think that any of us expect anything more than to see Liz happy. Isabel felt very badly about Liz having to drop out of school. She has tried to encourage and help Liz get back into school. She and Maria have a surplus of funds at the moment and they would rather give this surplus to Liz than anyone else.”
“What about you Max? What do you expect to get from Liz?” Jeff just looked at Max.
Max thought for a long moment. “For the moment, Jeff, I expect to just be there for Liz and her daughter. What more she might ask of me is up to her.”
Jeff quietly asked, “What about last weekend?”
“Jeff, Liz is twenty-six years old. We both wanted to go somewhere together. I suggested Taos because I felt that we needed to be away from any influence from Roswell. Jeff, I work extra hard not to take advantage of Liz. No one is allowed to dictate to Liz who she sees or dates.” Max left.
It was Nancy who came to Max’s cause after he left. “Jeff, we knew that Liz and Kyle were having trouble and we were not able to do anything about it. It took Max to remove our daughter and granddaughter from that danger. He has always cared for her and I think we are going to have to trust in both Max and Liz to make their own decisions.”
Max was back at the hospital. He had talked to several people and asked for them to look for a part-time job for a student of biochemistry. He was looking for lab work that would fit around Liz’s schedule at the university. He also asked friends at the university to be aware of any part time jobs that Liz might do. He waited until the end of the week before he returned to Isabel’s to see Liz. His mother wanted to take Alicia and Isabel wanted them to go dancing again.
When Max arrived, he saw three strikingly beautiful women waiting. Isabel, Maria and Liz all would be noticeable on the dance floor. Michael and Maria seemed to be a couple now, as were Isabel and Alex. Maria had been so impressed by Michael that she truly was falling in love with him. Michael still did not open himself up to anyone but he did not hide his powerful personality and intellect like he had in school. When Maria was with Michael, she said that she always felt that no one could touch her. Alex and Isabel had started out on an intellectual level and progressed to an emotional involvement. Isabel had found someone whose mind was just as sharp as her own. She had found someone she could approach as an equal. Max and Liz were still a question. No one had a weekend as wonderful as they did in Taos. The questions from Jeff Parker were still bothering Max. Was he trying to buy Liz’s favor? This made him retreat and this caused Liz to become fearful again.
At the nightclub, Michael was a one-beer man. Maria usually got a little tipsy. Isabel and Alex might have a mixed drink, but neither wanted to give up any control so they always remained sober. Max knew his zero limit and Liz was still reeling from the fear of somehow disappointing Max, so she stuck to Coca Cola also. They danced and talked and had a good time. Some of Max’s friends from the hospital came by and Liz politely danced with one of them. She learned about how much esteem the hospital held Max while talking to this man. Another man that Max knew slightly stopped by with his wife. The wife flirted briefly with Max and talked him into dancing with her while her husband talked to Liz. The man’s name was Doctor Nayman of the biology department at the university Roswell extension. Doctor Nayman wanted to talk to Liz alone. “You are a bit old for a freshman aren’t you Mrs Valenti?”
“I dropped out of school and got married,” Liz told him. “Isabel encouraged me to go back and try to get my degree.”
“Why Biochemistry?” He asked.
“That is what I have always wanted. When I was in high school, I wanted to get a degree from Harvard. Now, I just want to get a degree. I was divorced a few months ago and Isabel and several friends wanted to help me.” Liz did not know where this conversation was leading.
“It is very important to have friends, isn’t it?” The doctor stated, “You indeed must be blessed. What is your relationship with Max?”
Liz frowned, “Where is this conversation going?” She was asking now. “I am not sure what my relationship is with Max.”
“Well, the doctor laughed, he sure is working hard to get you a job in a science lab. Your transcripts from high school are over ten years old. Ordinarily, they would not mean much. Because they are so out of date. Could you forward them to me, anyway?” He gave Liz his card.
About that time, his wife returned, “Thank you, my dear, for the loan of your companion,” she graciously said. The doctor and his wife left.
Liz turned to Max. “What did that mean?” she questioned.
“I was talking to his wife and he is looking for a student who will stay with him for several years as a research assistant. He has a major project and his wife says he prefers to get young biology or chemistry students who will not be leaving the university for several years so they can work with him.”
“What did he mean that you were trying to get me a job?” Liz was a little miffed that Max hadn’t told her about a job.
“Well, I was going to talk to you as soon as I had a chance. Your dad is worried that you are not independent enough and Jeff said he could get some schoolgirls to work at the Crashdown. I just asked people I knew if they would keep their eyes open for any job opportunities. This is just a little bigger than I was envisioning.” Max exhaled because he had to talk fast. He wasn’t sure if Liz would be angry since he hadn’t talked with her first.
On the way, home Liz was quiet. She just sat there staring out the window. When they arrived at Isabel’s, she turned to Max, “Wait for me. I am going to get my books and some clothes. I want you to take me to your house for a few days. If it is all right, we can pick Alicia up from your mother’s tomorrow.”
Max waited. It was several minutes before Liz returned with a suitcase and her book bag. They drove home.
Like most young men, Max had been messy most of his life. When he had become affluent enough to get a housekeeper, he had to get organized so she could pickup after him. There was one room where he had a desk and files that she refused to enter and she had a sticker from her son that said, “Condemned,” which she had stuck on the door. If he had been bringing Liz to his room while in college, he would have had her wait five or ten minutes as he picked up his room enough to be presentable. Now, he only had the daily mail and a newspaper that were out of place.
As they approached the door Liz took his keys and opened the door. “Carry me in please.” Max just looked at her and she repeated, “Just carry me in.” He obliged and then he fetched her bags. She faced him. “I never was carried into a house before.”
Liz had phoned Isabel about where she was and Isabel answered “Good luck.”
Liz, in one of Max’s old shirts and shorts and Max in just shorts, sat together on his bed. “Your father is worried about me. He wants to make sure that I am not kidnapping you or something. That is why when I talked to him about your working in a lab some where, he thought it was a good idea. He said he could get help and he would call on us if he got swamped. I really didn’t expect to have anyone come through that fast for a job offer. The good doctor’s wife said he is always looking to get the best students to help him. He knew some of your teachers from high school.”
Liz was floored. After getting over the shock, this is what she always wanted. Going to school, working in a lab and being loved by someone she could love in return. This was what life should be about. Liz frowned. She did this a lot because life kept getting so complex. “What does the doctor know about me? I told him I was divorced and I had gone back to school. Does he know I have a child? Why did he ask about our relationship?”
Max shrugged, “I told his wife you had a little girl. She was asking a lot about me. I told her about my practice and about my work at the hospital. I told her how I had been in California and how my sister and I wanted to return to Roswell. I told her I had been in love with you since the third grade.”
That night, making love in Max’s house was a lot more satisfying to Liz than being in some faraway place. The night noises of the house were more like being home. Being held by Max made many of the demons of the week disappear. The offer of a job gave her promise that her dreams of being a biochemist might still come true. Being with Max gave promise that another dream might also come true.
Liz, in her almost asleep state thought that just a few houses away Alicia was sleeping. Just a few blocks away, her mother and father were getting ready for bed and some distance away her friends who had helped her were also now pairing up and enjoying the comfort of not being alone.
Liz woke up with the sun. She carefully got out of bed and found coffee, bread for toast and some eggs in Max’s kitchen. She started the coffee and toast. When she came to the eggs, she tried once over easy. She never did this for Kyle. He always got mad when she broke the egg. Max, freshly showered and dressed, came into the kitchen. Is this what married life could be like? Maybe sharing the breakfast chores and always having the fresh coffee, but most of all having the beautiful person that kissed him as he got up in the morning would make his life really take value.
Max slouched on one side of the table and Liz was sitting on her crossed legs in the chair on the other side. Liz was relating her schedule to Max, “I need about three hours after lunch to study and I have to be at the Crashdown at four for my shift. That means we have this morning to get Alicia and enjoy each other if this is okay.”
Max laughed. Being with Liz and seeing the way she scheduled herself made him feel like he finally had returned to the Roswell of his high school days. Usually on a Saturday Max would just do what ever came up without much design.
They were within walking distance of his mother’s house so they walked hand in hand to get Alicia. When Alicia saw them coming, she ran out. She first stood staring at Max, then she hugged her mother and ran back to the Evans’ to get her things. Going home, Max was in the middle with Liz on one hand and Alicia on the other as the three of them walked home.
That afternoon, Max and Alicia drove off shopping so Liz could study. They got home just in time to take Liz to the Crashdown. Max and Alicia ate at the café while Liz ran back to start her shift. Jeff came out to see his granddaughter. She placed her hands around his face and kissed him on the cheek. He felt better about Max after this and Max frowned at Alicia. She just smiled and said, “He is worried about me being with you so I gave him happy thoughts.”
Max and Alicia went home and unpacked their package from the pickup. It was a twin bed set with Isabel’s help in picking out the spreads and sheets. They set it up in the living room. Later max would clean up his home office. Then his housekeeper could remove her “condemned” card.
It was ten o’clock and Max with Alicia, in pajamas, waited for Liz. She came running out and when she saw Alicia, she grimaced. “Max, where is Alicia going to sleep?”
Max just kissed her and when she got home she saw the little bed. Of course, the spread and blankets were perfect due to Isabel. “I will clean out the office and Alicia can have that room when you are here,” Max stated. Liz just looked at him. Was he implying some sort of permanence?
Liz worked from ten AM to six PM on Sunday. Max spent the whole day with Alicia. They spent a lot of the time just staring at each other. Max wasn’t as good as Michael, but he was learning. They went for a walk and Alicia was happy and bubbly until she spied Kyle in the distance. A cloud passed over her and Max felt depression emanating from Alicia. As Kyle got closer, Alicia got closer to Max. He could feel anger and fear coming from her. Kyle had been drinking, as usual. That is where Kyle got all of his courage. He reached out to her and Max felt the energy almost ready to over flow.
“Kyle, what do you want?” Max asked.
“I just want to see my kid. You tricked me out of being with her, Evans.” Kyle was slurring his words.
“No, Kyle, you hurt her. Children do not need to ever be hurt!”
“Ah, come on, Evans, I just knocked her around a little, just like I did that bitch-of-a-mother she has.”
Max took out his cell. “Michael, Kyle is bothering us by the park.”
It was only a few minutes when a dark car screamed up and locked it’s brakes. It was only a few more minutes later when a police cruiser drove up. Jake and Michael got out of the first car. The policeman were leftovers from sheriff Valenti’s crew. “Are these folks bothering you, Kyle?” one of the policemen asked as he reached for Max.
Jake spoke up. “Just what are you intending to do officer?”
“Who the hell are you?” the cop asked looking at Jake.
Jake pulled out a letter and gave it to the cop. “Jake Alvarez, attorney to Miss Alicia Valenti.” The cop looked at the paper.
“What the hell, who ever heard of a child having an attorney?”
“Well, you have now.” He turned to Max, “Do you have any charges to prefer?”
“Yes, this man is intoxicated and he was frightening the child. Here is the tape.” Max handed Jake a audio tape from his pocket recorder.
“We will take that,” the cop said reaching for the tape, but Michael looked down at him. “Who the hell are you?” the cop continued.
“Bodyguard,” Michael stated.
Jake, pocketing the tape, turned to the officers and said, “I will have my complaint on your sergeant’s desk tomorrow morning.”
Later that afternoon, Liz looked out in the café and saw Kyle entering. She quickly called Isabel on her cell. Liz walked toward Kyle. “What do you want, Kyle?”
“I just wanted to ask you to come back,” he whined.
“Kyle, we are through. Alicia and I do not have to be hurt anymore.” Liz was terrified, but she stood her ground.
“Come on Liz, I never hurt you that much!” Kyle was plainly drunk.
A Hispanic cowboy started to stand up and asked, “Miss, do you want me to throw him out.”
Liz didn’t want anyone else to get in trouble. “No, I think I can handle it.”
About that time Jake and Michael entered the restaurant. Jake called the police again, but this time he demanded a sergeant. “Well Kyle, you are a busy boy today. First the child and now the mother, this is going to be serious.” Jake took a page out of his notebook and asked, “Who is willing to testify that this man was harassing this woman?” The cowboy was the first to grab the paper.
“That Weasly Gringo was disturbing our dinner!” Several other patrons also disliked Kyle and they quickly signed the paper. Jake thanked every one. Kyle made a move to leave, but Michael was standing in the doorway. Kyle swung at Michael. Michael just moved a fraction and nudged Kyle’s hand with his powers to make Kyle hit the doorjamb. Kyle fell down and just looked dumb.
The sergeant arrived. He didn’t like being disturbed on Sunday afternoon. “What is the problem here?” he demanded.
Jake introduced himself and stated, “this man is obviously drunk and a couple of hours ago he was harassing this lady’s daughter. Now he is harassing the mother. The officers on call did not want to do anything so I will have a report on their lack of action on your desk tomorrow. I called you this time.”
The sergeant grabbed the back of Kyle’s shirt and drug him out into the street. The two officers on call arrived and the sergeant ordered, “I want his ass in jail now!”
Liz kissed Michael and Jake on the cheek. “Thank you, but is Alicia all right?”
Jake assured her that Alicia was fine and they left.
The cowboy stood up and put a ten on the table. “Ma’am, we will try to keep an eye on you. We can’t have the cutest waitress in the Crashdown being hurt can we?” With that, he left. Liz felt better because she knew that even if Michael and Jake hadn’t come fast enough, there were people who would help her.
Max came by for Liz at about six PM. Alicia was with him. She was subdued, but totally unharmed.
Liz sat on their bed with Max. She had stayed with him for a whole week now. It was strange that she didn’t realize when she began to consider it their bed rather than just his bed. She was thinking about where they were going. Liz had no doubt that Max loved her and wanted to care for her, but she was unclear whether or not he wanted to marry her. Max was a very successful doctor. His whole family were successful professionals. How could he fit her into his world? A mistress, a girl friend, a dependant, the question was still what was she to Max? Liz had tried to talk to Isabel about her situation in the Evan’s world. Isabel told her that she considered Liz to be a friend just like Maria or Michael. Was Liz looking for some affirmation of equality? Could a silly girl who was so stupid that she had to drop out of high school, ever be accepted into circles of intellect and industry.
Her first glimmer of hope had come when she interviewed for the Job with Doctor Nayman. He was interested in her personal interests and where she saw herself going in the next few years. He did ask about her little girl and how Liz had worked out arrangements for her care. He asked about her relationship with Max. She explained that they were friends from childhood and, officially, Max was her doctor and yes, they did have a close relationship. She told the doctor that since being recently divorced from a very unhappy marriage, she was not sure where she and Max were going with this relationship. The doctor had already talked to Max and he knew that Max cared for Liz very much, but Max also was worried about where and how fast the relationship with the young divorcee would go.
What the doctor really needed to know was if Liz was committed to returning to school and if she would stay so he could have an employee who would be with him for several years. Like many successful men with successful marriages he listened to his wife. Margie had enjoyed dancing with Max, but as a psychologist she was reading him and his attitudes. Margie and the doctor knew that Max was very well liked at the hospital. They saw his practice as a community service, but they didn’t really see how much he was committed to the community. They knew about how much effort the Evans’ machine and he put into taking care of Liz. This amazed them. How a family could mobilize itself so quickly to save a friend from high school. How willing they were to committing resources toward this end, spoke of a lot of loyalty or something. The doctor wondered loyalty to whom?
Sitting on their bed Liz and Max could discuss many subjects but they couldn’t discuss finances, money and possessions. This is needed for a couple to do if their relationship had a legal definition. To Liz, everything she had belonged to Max or Isabel or some of her friends and family. The only possession Liz felt confident about was Alicia and they still hadn’t felt safe enough to relinquish custody back to her. Officially, Alicia was a ward of Isabel’s and Alicia was visiting her mother with Isabel’s permission. Liz had brought this question up just before Kyle had gone on his drunken rampage, Even now she was worried that, maybe, custody should remain with Isabel as least for the time. It had bothered Liz that Max had bought her presents when they went to Taos and she had no resources to return the favor. The joy of giving had been denied her. They both went together to pick out presents for Alicia and Liz went with Isabel or Maria, but it wasn’t the same as if she could go shopping herself. Liz wouldn’t feel free until she could see her self as independent enough to manage her own resources.
Max watched as Liz talked about so many things. He saw that she was wrestling with some issue or issues and they weren’t the ones she was addressing. Jake and Isabel both thought that if Max was married to Liz and he adopted Alicia, they could remove Kyle from threatening Alicia any further. Max was scared that a marriage to take care of Alicia would not help his and Liz’s problems. Michael, never letting Jake hear him, just thought they should off Kyle some night. Both Isabel and Max warned Michael about letting Alicia see these thoughts.
Max leaned forward and pulled Liz to him. She curled up against his chest and quit chattering. Max knew that most of what she had been saying was due to nervousness anyhow.
“Liz, would you think about marrying me?”
Stories by ken_r
Good teachers are born that way, not made. No! Good human beings, are born that way. Some of them become teachers.
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
I just found your story and I am enjoying it.
Yet I can't help but think that Liz and Max need to be more honest with their feelings. Max is right marrying Liz just to protect her daughter is not the best way to start their life. Liz is overwhelmed with the way her life has turned around and would never regret leaving Kyle. But I don't think she would marry Max just to get Kyle completely out of the picture. In a way wouldn't that be just like the reason she married Kyle?
She needs to gain confidence in herself and feel that Max isn't doing all this out of pity and guilt. We all know that Max loves her, but it's happened fast and I can't help but feel she will think that if she agrees, one morning Max would regret it and rip it all out from under her and leave.
Is Max ready for this, really? He too is getting pressured. What I am concerned about is the same but different. Liz has been through ten years of hell and it doesn't go away over night. Same with her daughter. So Max will have to deal with nightmares, insecurities and scars from the last ten years of Liz's and Alicia life. He's been succesful and alone for the most part, so this will be a big adjustment for him as well. Can he really believe he isn't doing this out of some type of guilt or pity? I want to believe he is doing this all out of love and that he wants to make the rest of their lives in the image he had in his dreams when he was in HS.
I want them all to be happy. They deserve it.
If Liz gets the job in the lab, I think that would be a huge boost in her self esteem.
What other powers does Alicia have and will Liz develope them too?
Will Tess show up? Personally I hope not but thats always a possibility. I guess it depends on 3 or 4 pods. What about the pod chamber, do they know where it is or are they not interested?
I just wonder since Alicia is so powerful, is there a reason for it? She seems very level headed for the life she has led up til now, not to mention knowing she needed to keep her abilities a secret. Plus I am curious as to how she knew to contact Max and how long she tried to do it before he came? Did she contact Isabel too or was Isabel dreamwalking?
I have rambled enough, I can't wait to see where you take this and I hope that you come back soon.
Yet I can't help but think that Liz and Max need to be more honest with their feelings. Max is right marrying Liz just to protect her daughter is not the best way to start their life. Liz is overwhelmed with the way her life has turned around and would never regret leaving Kyle. But I don't think she would marry Max just to get Kyle completely out of the picture. In a way wouldn't that be just like the reason she married Kyle?
She needs to gain confidence in herself and feel that Max isn't doing all this out of pity and guilt. We all know that Max loves her, but it's happened fast and I can't help but feel she will think that if she agrees, one morning Max would regret it and rip it all out from under her and leave.
Is Max ready for this, really? He too is getting pressured. What I am concerned about is the same but different. Liz has been through ten years of hell and it doesn't go away over night. Same with her daughter. So Max will have to deal with nightmares, insecurities and scars from the last ten years of Liz's and Alicia life. He's been succesful and alone for the most part, so this will be a big adjustment for him as well. Can he really believe he isn't doing this out of some type of guilt or pity? I want to believe he is doing this all out of love and that he wants to make the rest of their lives in the image he had in his dreams when he was in HS.
I want them all to be happy. They deserve it.
If Liz gets the job in the lab, I think that would be a huge boost in her self esteem.
What other powers does Alicia have and will Liz develope them too?
Will Tess show up? Personally I hope not but thats always a possibility. I guess it depends on 3 or 4 pods. What about the pod chamber, do they know where it is or are they not interested?
I just wonder since Alicia is so powerful, is there a reason for it? She seems very level headed for the life she has led up til now, not to mention knowing she needed to keep her abilities a secret. Plus I am curious as to how she knew to contact Max and how long she tried to do it before he came? Did she contact Isabel too or was Isabel dreamwalking?
I have rambled enough, I can't wait to see where you take this and I hope that you come back soon.
Thank You! Especially to all the amazing authors who continue to share their wonderful imaginations with all of us, who needs their daily fix of Roswell!
Chapter 8
My thanks to “extingman” for your insights.
Pure honesty is probably too raw for most people to share. The honesty we share with love ones is tempered with consideration. Honesty to your self is also difficult. There are just so many things that bend that honesty. Even in humility honesty can play false.
Questions have arisen about Tess or any other aliens. The answer is no. for this story I want to study the interaction of just the three aliens introduced and their families.
Alicia is the character that originally was principle. These chapters seemed needed to develop her character and give her background. As soon as Max and Liz get their stuff together I will concentrate on her. I started the idea of what it would be like for a telepath to be in high school. I have enjoyed the second part of this story because of this.
Stories by ken_r
Chapter 8 Will you marry me?
Liz sat up she could think of nothing they had been talking about that would lead up to this question. She really didn’t have anything to say. All she could do was stare at Max. True, she had fantasized about this a thousand times, but that is the thing about fantasizing, you do not have to make any decision.
Max continued, “Liz, I could give you a hundred reasons that you should consider for agreeing to marry me, but I only want you to consider one. I have always loved you and I will continue to love you all of my days. I would gladly spend the rest of my life erasing the last ten years and showing you how you should be loved.”
Liz curled back up against Max’s chest and began to cry. She sobbed and continued crying until she fell asleep. Max lifted her into bed and covered her up. He went into the living room and sat in the dark staring at the wall. He heard a noise and the lights turned on. Alicia came in and crawled into his lap. She put her little arms around Max and softly talked to him out loud, “She is so scared. She is scared of you, she is still scared of Kyle. She is scared of her father and of disappointing him again.
Max gazed down into the little face that so much resembled his Liz,” I know, but what if she runs away from me?”
Max was startled to find Alicia’s face disturbing. “Max, I am going to need you. I can’t grow up without help from all of you. I can’t be separated from Mommy, but she is going to need help also. She is trying to grow up just like me.” The wisdom Max saw was far beyond what you would find in a ten-year-old. Liz had lost ten years of maturation that had been stolen from her. Kyle had forced her to diverge her life into a channel that she no longer had to travel. She had to go back and change her direction so she could grow up like she was intended.
The next morning when Liz woke up, she felt that she had experienced a bad dream. It took several minutes to bring the dream into focus. Max had asked her to marry him. She looked over at his side of their bed and he was already up. She grabbed her clothes and showered. When she entered the kitchen, Max was fixing breakfast and Alicia was setting the plates and filling the glasses, milk for her and juice for the adults. Max was making pancakes and had put a jug of maple syrup on the table. Max looked tired as if he had not slept very well. He kind of smiled, but said nothing. She looked at Alicia who had been bathed and was wearing crisp clean clothes. Alicia was all smiles and she hugged her mother. It was a school day, but Liz was between jobs. Her Lab job hadn’t started yet and her dad was breaking in his new waitresses. He had told her he would call her if he needed her to come in, but until then, she was to study and make him proud.
Liz just couldn’t stop the feeling that she had screwed up somehow. Max placed a platter of pancakes in front of Alicia and her mother, then he poured a fresh cup of coffee for Liz. As he leaned over her, he kissed the back of her neck. He seemed so sad. They quickly finished breakfast and Max hurried them out to the pickup. He drove Alicia to school and Liz to the university. Max enjoyed the domestic side of having Liz around. As he let her out, she leaned across and kissed him. “Max could you arrange for Alicia to stay with Isabel to night? I want to have a hard talk with you and I do not want her hearing it as it happens. She will pick our minds later, but I can deal with that.” Liz ran to class.
As usual, Max worked at the hospital the morning and went to his office in the afternoon. This schedule helped Angela, his receptionist, because Max talked her into going back to nursing school. He enjoyed seeing the several patients, but today he was filled with anxiety. What would be the result of his upcoming discussion with Liz? Isabel was delighted to have Alicia stay with her. She had missed Alicia, but she also hoped Max and Liz would find some sort of permanent arrangement. “Iz, I asked her to marry me last night. She wants to have a talk tonight without Alicia present. This is probably a good idea because Alicia is not above trying to put ideas into her head,”
Isabel laughed. She saw no reason to remind Max that Alicia could extend her range, especially if she asked Michael to help her. Isabel asked Michael to pick up Alicia at school and Liz at the university. She knew that Max would be at his office until six that evening.
Liz could barley keep her mind on school today. She received a cell call that Michael would pick up Alicia and swing by to get her. She talked him into stopping at a market deli where Liz bought dinner. She wanted to talk with Max tonight and she did not want anything getting in the way. Michael dropped Liz at Max’s house. Liz kissed Alicia and with the usual, “be good for Isabel,” she watched Michael and Alicia drive away. Liz ran in the house. She changed into a comfortable dress. She had put the deli food in the frig and would heat it up just before dinner. She had a hour or so before Max got home. What was she going to say to him? How was she going to answer him? One part of her said, “You had a chance at marriage and look how it turned out.” The other part said, “This is Max,” and back and forth it went. You have a daughter to think of. Who is better with Alicia than Max? Look at how much he has done for you. You can’t make a relationship of what has been done for you that cheapens both you and Alicia. You can’t sell yourself. Look at how much and for how long he has loved you. What do you feel for him? Max deserves someone who will accept him for himself. He needs someone who will love him above all others. Didn’t you make that promise ten years ago to Kyle and look how that love turned out? Was that real love?
Somewhere in this schizoid discussion someone in her head said, “You were sixteen years old. You were depressed and looking for someone to cheer you up. You were stupid enough to drink alcohol while you were with a boy who didn’t care for you. You were infatuated at being the girlfriend of the leading jock at school. You, Liz Parker, the science student, were going with the captain of the football team. The other truly beautiful girls were envying you as you hung on his arm.” Then it hit her, “You, Liz Parker, the dork, that he used and got caught because you were to inexperienced to prevent getting pregnant.”
All day in Liz’s mind there had been two possibilities. One, she could say yes and live happily ever after and two, she could say no and preserve her independence and take her punishment for her stupidity years ago. Isn’t that what Kyle’s father had said. She deserved to be punished.
Then there was Isabel, her beauty shining as bright as ever, “Liz you cannot do anything about the past. It is gone. You can make the happiest decision of your life and embrace your future.
Max came home. Liz sent him into the bathroom to wash up for supper. She heated the meat in the microwave and put out the bowls of side dishes. When Max came in, he felt bad that she had spent what little pocket money she had on dinner that he could so easily have afforded. Then, he was careful not to let it show because she had done this so that she could control this evening completely. It was so important for her to feel in control as she answered him. After supper, they retired with their coffee to the living room where Liz had arranged two easy chairs on each side of a low table. Max said nothing. This had to be Liz’s show.
Liz’s head was still spinning. She remembered the story that none of the ten voices in your head are in agreement. Well, that is the way she felt. Liz cleared her voice and tried to be formal without her courage or voice failing her, “Max you asked me to marry you and you said there were many reasons for why you thought I should. Will you explain this?”
Max took a sip of coffee; this was a ploy to gather his thoughts. “No, the only reason I want you to consider is that I have loved you almost all of my life and now I want to love you for the rest of it.”
Liz made a face. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. Her scientific mind was supposed to look at pros and cons and make a rational decision. “Don’t you think your case would be stronger if you gave me more reasons than that one to use to make my decision?”
“My love for you is the strongest and the only reason you should consider for marrying me. If you can return that love, the rest will work out.” Max leaned back waiting for her next statement.
Liz remained looking at Max and sort of looking down at the table. Max stretched his body its full length. He intertwined his fingers and put them behind his head as he now gazed up at the ceiling. Liz’s mind was racing for control. When in doubt, run, this kept running through her mind. She was about to take this tact, when she burst into tears. Max walked to her and pulled her up by her shoulders. “Liz, do you trust me? Do you love me? If so, will you marry me? Don’t be afraid.”
Liz’s mind was running like a trapped rabbit. She wanted to exit the trap and run away. She was marshaling her courage to do just this. Wasn’t this what had trapped her before with Kyle? Not knowing what to say had resulted in ten years of hell. At just the right moment, Max kissed her with such ferocity that all of her objections were washed away.
Stories by ken_r
Coming soon, “Liz of The Desert” alternative universe with aliens
Pure honesty is probably too raw for most people to share. The honesty we share with love ones is tempered with consideration. Honesty to your self is also difficult. There are just so many things that bend that honesty. Even in humility honesty can play false.
Questions have arisen about Tess or any other aliens. The answer is no. for this story I want to study the interaction of just the three aliens introduced and their families.
Alicia is the character that originally was principle. These chapters seemed needed to develop her character and give her background. As soon as Max and Liz get their stuff together I will concentrate on her. I started the idea of what it would be like for a telepath to be in high school. I have enjoyed the second part of this story because of this.
Stories by ken_r
Chapter 8 Will you marry me?
Liz sat up she could think of nothing they had been talking about that would lead up to this question. She really didn’t have anything to say. All she could do was stare at Max. True, she had fantasized about this a thousand times, but that is the thing about fantasizing, you do not have to make any decision.
Max continued, “Liz, I could give you a hundred reasons that you should consider for agreeing to marry me, but I only want you to consider one. I have always loved you and I will continue to love you all of my days. I would gladly spend the rest of my life erasing the last ten years and showing you how you should be loved.”
Liz curled back up against Max’s chest and began to cry. She sobbed and continued crying until she fell asleep. Max lifted her into bed and covered her up. He went into the living room and sat in the dark staring at the wall. He heard a noise and the lights turned on. Alicia came in and crawled into his lap. She put her little arms around Max and softly talked to him out loud, “She is so scared. She is scared of you, she is still scared of Kyle. She is scared of her father and of disappointing him again.
Max gazed down into the little face that so much resembled his Liz,” I know, but what if she runs away from me?”
Max was startled to find Alicia’s face disturbing. “Max, I am going to need you. I can’t grow up without help from all of you. I can’t be separated from Mommy, but she is going to need help also. She is trying to grow up just like me.” The wisdom Max saw was far beyond what you would find in a ten-year-old. Liz had lost ten years of maturation that had been stolen from her. Kyle had forced her to diverge her life into a channel that she no longer had to travel. She had to go back and change her direction so she could grow up like she was intended.
The next morning when Liz woke up, she felt that she had experienced a bad dream. It took several minutes to bring the dream into focus. Max had asked her to marry him. She looked over at his side of their bed and he was already up. She grabbed her clothes and showered. When she entered the kitchen, Max was fixing breakfast and Alicia was setting the plates and filling the glasses, milk for her and juice for the adults. Max was making pancakes and had put a jug of maple syrup on the table. Max looked tired as if he had not slept very well. He kind of smiled, but said nothing. She looked at Alicia who had been bathed and was wearing crisp clean clothes. Alicia was all smiles and she hugged her mother. It was a school day, but Liz was between jobs. Her Lab job hadn’t started yet and her dad was breaking in his new waitresses. He had told her he would call her if he needed her to come in, but until then, she was to study and make him proud.
Liz just couldn’t stop the feeling that she had screwed up somehow. Max placed a platter of pancakes in front of Alicia and her mother, then he poured a fresh cup of coffee for Liz. As he leaned over her, he kissed the back of her neck. He seemed so sad. They quickly finished breakfast and Max hurried them out to the pickup. He drove Alicia to school and Liz to the university. Max enjoyed the domestic side of having Liz around. As he let her out, she leaned across and kissed him. “Max could you arrange for Alicia to stay with Isabel to night? I want to have a hard talk with you and I do not want her hearing it as it happens. She will pick our minds later, but I can deal with that.” Liz ran to class.
As usual, Max worked at the hospital the morning and went to his office in the afternoon. This schedule helped Angela, his receptionist, because Max talked her into going back to nursing school. He enjoyed seeing the several patients, but today he was filled with anxiety. What would be the result of his upcoming discussion with Liz? Isabel was delighted to have Alicia stay with her. She had missed Alicia, but she also hoped Max and Liz would find some sort of permanent arrangement. “Iz, I asked her to marry me last night. She wants to have a talk tonight without Alicia present. This is probably a good idea because Alicia is not above trying to put ideas into her head,”
Isabel laughed. She saw no reason to remind Max that Alicia could extend her range, especially if she asked Michael to help her. Isabel asked Michael to pick up Alicia at school and Liz at the university. She knew that Max would be at his office until six that evening.
Liz could barley keep her mind on school today. She received a cell call that Michael would pick up Alicia and swing by to get her. She talked him into stopping at a market deli where Liz bought dinner. She wanted to talk with Max tonight and she did not want anything getting in the way. Michael dropped Liz at Max’s house. Liz kissed Alicia and with the usual, “be good for Isabel,” she watched Michael and Alicia drive away. Liz ran in the house. She changed into a comfortable dress. She had put the deli food in the frig and would heat it up just before dinner. She had a hour or so before Max got home. What was she going to say to him? How was she going to answer him? One part of her said, “You had a chance at marriage and look how it turned out.” The other part said, “This is Max,” and back and forth it went. You have a daughter to think of. Who is better with Alicia than Max? Look at how much he has done for you. You can’t make a relationship of what has been done for you that cheapens both you and Alicia. You can’t sell yourself. Look at how much and for how long he has loved you. What do you feel for him? Max deserves someone who will accept him for himself. He needs someone who will love him above all others. Didn’t you make that promise ten years ago to Kyle and look how that love turned out? Was that real love?
Somewhere in this schizoid discussion someone in her head said, “You were sixteen years old. You were depressed and looking for someone to cheer you up. You were stupid enough to drink alcohol while you were with a boy who didn’t care for you. You were infatuated at being the girlfriend of the leading jock at school. You, Liz Parker, the science student, were going with the captain of the football team. The other truly beautiful girls were envying you as you hung on his arm.” Then it hit her, “You, Liz Parker, the dork, that he used and got caught because you were to inexperienced to prevent getting pregnant.”
All day in Liz’s mind there had been two possibilities. One, she could say yes and live happily ever after and two, she could say no and preserve her independence and take her punishment for her stupidity years ago. Isn’t that what Kyle’s father had said. She deserved to be punished.
Then there was Isabel, her beauty shining as bright as ever, “Liz you cannot do anything about the past. It is gone. You can make the happiest decision of your life and embrace your future.
Max came home. Liz sent him into the bathroom to wash up for supper. She heated the meat in the microwave and put out the bowls of side dishes. When Max came in, he felt bad that she had spent what little pocket money she had on dinner that he could so easily have afforded. Then, he was careful not to let it show because she had done this so that she could control this evening completely. It was so important for her to feel in control as she answered him. After supper, they retired with their coffee to the living room where Liz had arranged two easy chairs on each side of a low table. Max said nothing. This had to be Liz’s show.
Liz’s head was still spinning. She remembered the story that none of the ten voices in your head are in agreement. Well, that is the way she felt. Liz cleared her voice and tried to be formal without her courage or voice failing her, “Max you asked me to marry you and you said there were many reasons for why you thought I should. Will you explain this?”
Max took a sip of coffee; this was a ploy to gather his thoughts. “No, the only reason I want you to consider is that I have loved you almost all of my life and now I want to love you for the rest of it.”
Liz made a face. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. Her scientific mind was supposed to look at pros and cons and make a rational decision. “Don’t you think your case would be stronger if you gave me more reasons than that one to use to make my decision?”
“My love for you is the strongest and the only reason you should consider for marrying me. If you can return that love, the rest will work out.” Max leaned back waiting for her next statement.
Liz remained looking at Max and sort of looking down at the table. Max stretched his body its full length. He intertwined his fingers and put them behind his head as he now gazed up at the ceiling. Liz’s mind was racing for control. When in doubt, run, this kept running through her mind. She was about to take this tact, when she burst into tears. Max walked to her and pulled her up by her shoulders. “Liz, do you trust me? Do you love me? If so, will you marry me? Don’t be afraid.”
Liz’s mind was running like a trapped rabbit. She wanted to exit the trap and run away. She was marshaling her courage to do just this. Wasn’t this what had trapped her before with Kyle? Not knowing what to say had resulted in ten years of hell. At just the right moment, Max kissed her with such ferocity that all of her objections were washed away.
Stories by ken_r
Coming soon, “Liz of The Desert” alternative universe with aliens
Good teachers are born that way, not made. No! Good human beings, are born that way. Some of them become teachers.
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-
Of course, life is not fair. You shouldn't expect it to be fair, but you should expect it to be ironic.
JKR 1981-2001
History is made of wars, recovering from wars and preparing for the next war.
JJR 1975-