This part sucks...lots of details, no plot, no real point. Maybe it will all have a reson later, but i sure can't see it now
Disclaimer: Roswell, and it’s characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Tomorrow’s Yet to Come
Rating: PG – R
Chapter Two –
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Liz was like a kid gone wild at the used furniture store that they discovered. She picked out a sofa in slightly better condition than the one that used to inhabit Michael’s old apartment, a couple of chairs that had seen better days, but were still usable. Next she moved on to end tables and a coffee table.
“Do we really need one that big, and so ugly. Look at it, it’s a wreck.” Max asked, looking at the oak monstrosity that Liz had just declared perfect.
“Oh yeah,” said Liz. “Think about it. We can work at it, and eat on it. It’s perfect!”
“You’re the boss,” said Max. “At least in all things decorating. I’ll tell you what. You keep at it, and I’m going to go to that U-Haul place we passed down the street and see if we can get a truck to get it all back to the apartment.”
“Oh, I never thought of that,” said Liz. “We can forget about some of this stuff, I mean, we don’t really need it.”
“Liz, relax, we do need it. I’m not planning to spend all my time sitting on the floor, are you? One thing I insist on, though, is a new bed. I want our first bed to be
OUR’S, and not anybody’s old castoff.”
“Agreed,” said Liz. “You go get the truck, I’ll see about some lamps, and then, it’s off to a real furniture store for a bed.”
“And after that, we hit the electronics store,” declared Max. “We’ll need computers and stuff, don’t forget.”
Max left Liz, wandering around the store, and walked down to the U-Haul down the next block. Less than thirty minutes later, he was parked out front of the store with a big orange truck with an alien in a space ship painted on its sides. Underneath it were the words, New Mexico. He joined Liz back in the store, and paid for all their purchases.
“Excuse me, sir,” said the cashier. “Did you want to make arrangements for delivery? It’s an extra charge.”
“No thanks,” said Max, grinning. We got it covered.” He pointed to the truck outside and watched as Liz put her hands over her mouth to smother the laughter that threatened to bubble out.
“Please drive around back, and you can pick up your purchases on the loading dock,” said the cashier. “It will be a few minutes until some of the stock guys can bring it out to you.”
“Thanks,” said Max, flashing his best Tom Cruise grin at her.
“I’ll see if I can hurry them along,” said the now flustered cashier.
“That was nasty,” said Liz as they walked to the truck. “Almost as nasty as that truck. I suppose you had to pay extra for it?”
Max started the vehicle and drove it around the building to the loading area.
“Honestly, it was the only one they had available on such short notice,” said Max. “If we could have waited until tomorrow, we could have gotten the one with Mount Rushmore on it.”
“Jerk,” said Liz, slapping him lightly. “Come on, let’s get the stuff loaded and find a bed. I was thinking, after that, you could go do the electronics thing, and I’ll hit the nearest Wal-Mart for sheets and dishes and stuff. We don’t really have too much of that stuff. Then I’ll make a grocery store run, you can return the U.F.O. truck and I’ll meet you, and we can get the pizza and have dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan,” said Max, as he backed the truck against the loading dock. He struggled to keep the relief out of his voice. Liz was acting like Liz again. She had a plan, and nothing was going to stop her from following it.
“Can I make a suggestion though?” he asked carefully. “How about after we find the bed, we bring all the furniture back to the apartment and unload it. I don’t really want to be driving all around the city with a truck full of furniture.”
“Sure,” said Liz. “Good thinking, Max.” She smiled at him, but her eyes didn’t reflect the smile.
This is so hard, she thought to herself.
All I want to do is to be left alone. Everything is moving too fast for me. Why can’t we just slow down? She shook her head.
“What, is there a problem?” asked Max.
“What, oh, no. My, uh, my hair was in my face,” improvised Liz.
They climbed out of the truck and Max ran and opened the loading door. With the help of the stock boys, they made short work of loading the furniture. The road silently, each lost in their own thoughts, to the nearest furniture store. The wandered around the store for a while, looking half-heartedly at the various bedroom sets.
“Do you see anything you like at all?” said Max.
“No, I, wait, what’s that,” said Liz, pointing to a dark room.
They walked over to the room. The sign above it said seconds and defective goods. Liz pulled Max inside and began to look around.
“There it is!” she cried excitedly. Max looked to where she was pointing and saw an enormous headboard and footboard made of oak, and stained in a golden honey color. The headboard had an intricate carved design of oak leaves and acorns, as did the footboard.
“Liz, look,” said Max, in dismay. He pointed to a giant gouge in the headboard, and a crack in the footboard.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Liz, looking at him meaningfully. It’s perfect!”
“Fine, said Max, shortly. “I’ll go get a sales person.” He was happy Liz was showing an interest, but he was getting a little tired of catering to her every whim. He couldn’t see why they should spend money on defective goods.
The salesperson wrote up their order, and made sure that they understood that there were no returns on defective materials. Max nodded to show that he understood, they paid the bill and made arrangements to pick up the new bed, as well as a box spring and mattress. After everything was loaded on the truck, they drove slowly through the town back to the campus.
“How are we going to get all this stuff inside?” Liz asked as Max parked the truck.
“A combination of muscle power, and alien power, I guess,” said Max. They climbed out of the truck and stood looking at it, and each other for a minute.
“Well, this is certainly productive,” said Liz with a small grin. “Tell you what, get this thing opened, and I’ll go prop open the front door.” She jogged off up the walkway and propped opened the doors to the building with a couple of rocks. Max lifted the door the truck, and climbed up and began to push the mattress to the edge.
“I’ve got it Max,” said Liz from down below. Max eased the mattress down into Liz’s arms, and together they guided it to the floor. Max jumped down off the truck and took one end of the mattress, and he and Liz began to carry it up the walkway to the building.
“Hey, do you guys need any help?” they heard a voice call.
“Oh, Fred, hi,” said Liz, peeking out from behind the unwieldy mattress. “Sure, that would be great. Will you take this end, and I’ll run inside and unlock the door to the apartment?”
“Sure thing,” Fred said, amiably. “Glad to be of assistance. Usually on moving day, you find everybody helping everybody else, but since you all are here a day early, you’ve only got me.”
“Well, we’ll take all the assistance we can get,” said Max. “Thanks again.”
“No problem. Hey, if you can afford to spring for a few more pizza’s, I may be able to round up a few more guys,” offered Fred.
“Let me just check with Liz,” said Max, as the two walked up the path, carefully balancing the mattress between them.
“Ask me what,” said Liz, meeting them at the door to the building.
“Oh, Fred said if we could swing a few more pizza’s, he may be able to round up a few more people to help,” explained Max.
“Sure, sounds great,” Liz said cheerfully. “I’m just gonna head down to the truck and see what I can lift.”
Liz jogged down the short path to where the truck was parked, her thoughts racing a mile a minute.
I so don’t want to have to deal with people tonight, she thought to herself.
But I guess I really don’t have a choice. I know Max is missing Michael, and this will give him an opportunity to meet some people. As long as I don’t have to do much socializing, everything will be fine.
Liz climbed into the truck, and using her powers to help lighten the load, unloaded the box spring, the head and footboards, as well as the two very ratty chairs.
“Wow,” said Fred, when he and Max returned to the truck. “How did you get all that stuff down already?”
“Oh, a couple of guys offered to help while they waited for their ride,” lied Liz. “Who was I to say no?”
“Fred called in the reserves,” said Max. “He has four friends coming over, so pretty much all you have to do is oversee,” said Max.
“Sounds like a plan,” said Liz. “Too bad we left your car at the used furniture place. I could have run to the store while you guys did the heavy work.”
“Tell you what,” said Fred. He was so excited, he was almost jumping around like an over excited puppy. “I have to run to the local discount store, and the grocery store after this. How about if you ride with me, Liz, and Max can return the truck and pick up his car.”
Liz shot Max a look, and he nodded imperceptibly, and Liz smiled at Fred. “Sure, that sounds like a great plan,” she said. “You can fill me in on all the best places to shop. But I do have quite a few things to pick up, so it may take a while.”
“That’s not a problem,” said Fred. “And look, here comes the cavalry!” He pointed to an old Chevy Malibu that had just pulled into the parking lot.
Fred quickly introduced his friends, Bill, Steve, Chuck and Justin, and together with Max, they made short work of unloading everything from the truck and getting it into the apartment.
“Thanks a lot, guys,” said Max. We really appreciate all the extra help. Right now, we can’t even offer you water, we don’t have any glasses yet, but if you come back, um, around 8:00,” he looked at Liz for confirmation, “yeah, around 8:00, we can promise pizza and cold soda.”
“Great, man,” said Bill, or maybe it was Chuck, Liz wasn’t really sure. “We’ll be here around 8:00, we’re always in the market for some pizza.”
“I’m gonna run back to my place for a second,” said Fred. “Liz, just stop by when you’re ready to go. It’s the apartment next to the office, okay?”
“Okay, Fred,” Liz answered. She watched as Fred escorted his friends out the door and turned to Max.
“That was nice of them,” she said. “Helping us like that.”
“Yeah, it was,” said Max.
Were our conversations always this forced and stilted, he wondered to himself. “Well, listen, I’m gonna head out and get the truck back and hit the nearest Best Buy. Do you want a particular type of computer or anything?”
“No, whatever you want is fine,” said Liz. “I’m just going to fool around here for a bit, and then head out with Fred. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Yeah, fine,” said Max. He looked worriedly at Liz, opened his mouth to say something then closed it and turned to the door. “I’ll see you later then.”
“Yeah, bye, Max,” Liz said. She waited until he was out the door, and then walked over to their new sofa. She pressed her hand against the material, and watched as it changed from a stained gold plaid, to a rich, red chenille. She stepped back to admire the effect, and shook her head. She touched the sofa again, and it changed to a green and beige plaid with a definite country look to it. She looked again, and then changed it back to her original gold. Liz picked up her bag, and walked out the door, carefully locking it behind her, while behind the vent, the camera filmed everything.
