She and her parents had decided that the thing to do was to withdraw her from school.
She could finish out the term at a private school in Vermont, then maybe if things quieted down, come back to one of the other Roswell junior high schools for eighth grade, one that would take her across town, that would keep her away from the students of Poco Mesa, keep her away from those students that would go on to West Roswell High, while she went to the other Roswell High School. The school counselor had been contacted by her parents, and her records were being prepared for the transfer.
And Liz actually had thought that might work until lunch today, when Maria had come by at 1PM when she should have been in 4th period Home Economics.
Maria tried to lie, but they were best friends and she eventually got it out of her. Maria had been suspended for three days for getting in a fight with Pamela Troy. Pam had heard about her withdrawing from school, had been telling everyone that she was going to the East Coast….to live with an aunt….until after the baby was born.
Maria had hugged her as she’d started to cry, and pretty soon both were crying. Maria had gone home at 3PM to explain the suspension to her mother.
Liz had been in her room since then, not even going to dinner. Her mother had brought her a tray that now sat on her desk, the food cold and untouched.
More and more she felt like she really just couldn’t go on, not in Roswell, maybe not anywhere. If she couldn’t hold it together here where she had her mom and dad and Alex and Maria, how on earth could she hold it together in Vermont?
She felt degraded, destroyed, …used.
Liz had heard that Pam had told someone she thought Liz was asking for it that night, because she was mad that she hadn’t been invited to the sock hop, trying to get even with the world. That couldn’t be right, could it?
More tears flowed down her cheeks to join the many that had already fallen.
Sock hop (M/L Mature) complete
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The rattle at the window startled Liz.
She looked out to her deck, out to where she’d spent so many nights looking up at the stars, dreaming beautiful dreams about the future, back when she still had a future. She was there. Of all people, she was there.
Well, Liz thought bitterly, you’ve won, bitch. You won’t have to keep us apart ever again.
She looked out the window angrily, deciding at once that she’d not even open it. She didn’t need to see the haughty queen of the ice princess posse, regaled in her finery, her hair immaculately coiffed, her makeup flawless. She didn’t need to hear her rub it in, she’d won, they both knew it. That should be enough for her.
Tears of pain blended with tears of anger as she looked out at Isabel Evans, and then she stopped short. Isabel wasn’t the ice princess today, she looked like she hadn’t slept in a week. But it was her face that drew Liz to the window. Her face showed so much pain, so much fear, so much guilt………she’d never seen her like that before.
But then she remembered….she had seen her like that, just once, just a week ago when she’d helped a dazed and helpless Liz Parker get in to her pajamas.
But it hadn’t been Isabel that held her up while Isabel dressed her, it had been someone else…..and it hadn’t been Isabel that had kissed Liz on the forehead after they’d tucked her into her bed, a tear from his cheek dripping on her lips. Somehow Liz remembered the taste of salt on her lips as they’d quietly closed the door to go, the taste of his tear……..it had been Max.
She looked out to her deck, out to where she’d spent so many nights looking up at the stars, dreaming beautiful dreams about the future, back when she still had a future. She was there. Of all people, she was there.
Well, Liz thought bitterly, you’ve won, bitch. You won’t have to keep us apart ever again.
She looked out the window angrily, deciding at once that she’d not even open it. She didn’t need to see the haughty queen of the ice princess posse, regaled in her finery, her hair immaculately coiffed, her makeup flawless. She didn’t need to hear her rub it in, she’d won, they both knew it. That should be enough for her.
Tears of pain blended with tears of anger as she looked out at Isabel Evans, and then she stopped short. Isabel wasn’t the ice princess today, she looked like she hadn’t slept in a week. But it was her face that drew Liz to the window. Her face showed so much pain, so much fear, so much guilt………she’d never seen her like that before.
But then she remembered….she had seen her like that, just once, just a week ago when she’d helped a dazed and helpless Liz Parker get in to her pajamas.
But it hadn’t been Isabel that held her up while Isabel dressed her, it had been someone else…..and it hadn’t been Isabel that had kissed Liz on the forehead after they’d tucked her into her bed, a tear from his cheek dripping on her lips. Somehow Liz remembered the taste of salt on her lips as they’d quietly closed the door to go, the taste of his tear……..it had been Max.
Isabel stepped through the window as scared as she’d ever been in her life.
She’d seen Max when he’d heard the news that Liz was withdrawing from school, moving away. Michael had been wrong, she knew he would be.
He hadn’t spoken to her in a week, seven days and seven nights of Counting Crows playing in the bedroom next to her. Seven days and seven nights of a mother and father who didn’t understand what had suddenly happened to their family, seven days and seven nights of her brother becoming more and more distant.
She would plead with Liz, she’d do anything. Oh please God, she thought, if I could just have these eight days to do over again. But that wasn’t how it worked. This was the world she had to deal with. Well damn it, she would. She could do this. She’d broken them up, she could damn well put them back together. For his sake, for Liz’s sake, for the sake of Isabel Evans’ immortal soul she thought, if aliens even have one.
Suddenly she understood her brother’s actions, his rage. He would do anything he had to to protect someone he loved, and she was her brother’s sister. She would do whatever it took to make this all better for him, all better for him and for Liz.
“Isabel…?”
“Liz, I know we don’t know each other very well. I know that, well…I haven’t always been very nice to you. But I’m asking you Liz…, I’m begging you not to go, not to leave Roswell. I need him Liz, he’s my brother. I swear I’ll die without him, and he…..he’ll die without you, maybe not right away, but he’ll just slowly die.”
“Isabel, I ….he couldn’t even look at me this week,,,I thought he figured I was ……damaged goods.”
“Oh Liz, he doesn’t think that, he’d never think that, you’d still be the world to him, even if he hadn’t gotten there in time to stop….”
Both girls’ eyes went wide simultaneously, Isabel’s hand flying to her mouth.
Then she lowered her eyes. “He feels guilty Liz, guilty that he didn’t take you to the dance, guilty about what happened to you, guilty that he didn’t get there 15 minutes sooner. That’s why he can’t look at you. I feel guilty too, guilty because I’ve been keeping him away from you. Guilty, because you weren’t at the sock hop with him that night.
He’s loved you since the third grade, but I was so scared of you, so frightened. It’s all my fault. Don’t blame him, blame me……., hate me…., but don’t leave Roswell Liz, don’t leave Max.”
“I don’t understand, Isabel. Even what I can remember, I don’t really understand.”
“Will you trust me, Liz. Not because I’ve earned your trust, but because I’m begging you for it, because I need your trust if I can ever hope to make things right with my brother again?”
Liz hesitated but the memory returned again, a terrified Isabel being so gentle, so kind as she put pajamas on a helpless and unmoving Liz Parker. She had been crying then, the tears ruining her mascara. She wasn’t wearing mascara today, but the tears were still there.
Liz decided that sometimes people needed second chances, and Isabel had probably earned hers with her kindness and caring that terrible night.
“I…trust you Isabel. What do I have to do?”
“Take my hand, Liz. Look into my eyes…”
She’d seen Max when he’d heard the news that Liz was withdrawing from school, moving away. Michael had been wrong, she knew he would be.
He hadn’t spoken to her in a week, seven days and seven nights of Counting Crows playing in the bedroom next to her. Seven days and seven nights of a mother and father who didn’t understand what had suddenly happened to their family, seven days and seven nights of her brother becoming more and more distant.
She would plead with Liz, she’d do anything. Oh please God, she thought, if I could just have these eight days to do over again. But that wasn’t how it worked. This was the world she had to deal with. Well damn it, she would. She could do this. She’d broken them up, she could damn well put them back together. For his sake, for Liz’s sake, for the sake of Isabel Evans’ immortal soul she thought, if aliens even have one.
Suddenly she understood her brother’s actions, his rage. He would do anything he had to to protect someone he loved, and she was her brother’s sister. She would do whatever it took to make this all better for him, all better for him and for Liz.
“Isabel…?”
“Liz, I know we don’t know each other very well. I know that, well…I haven’t always been very nice to you. But I’m asking you Liz…, I’m begging you not to go, not to leave Roswell. I need him Liz, he’s my brother. I swear I’ll die without him, and he…..he’ll die without you, maybe not right away, but he’ll just slowly die.”
“Isabel, I ….he couldn’t even look at me this week,,,I thought he figured I was ……damaged goods.”
“Oh Liz, he doesn’t think that, he’d never think that, you’d still be the world to him, even if he hadn’t gotten there in time to stop….”
Both girls’ eyes went wide simultaneously, Isabel’s hand flying to her mouth.
Then she lowered her eyes. “He feels guilty Liz, guilty that he didn’t take you to the dance, guilty about what happened to you, guilty that he didn’t get there 15 minutes sooner. That’s why he can’t look at you. I feel guilty too, guilty because I’ve been keeping him away from you. Guilty, because you weren’t at the sock hop with him that night.
He’s loved you since the third grade, but I was so scared of you, so frightened. It’s all my fault. Don’t blame him, blame me……., hate me…., but don’t leave Roswell Liz, don’t leave Max.”
“I don’t understand, Isabel. Even what I can remember, I don’t really understand.”
“Will you trust me, Liz. Not because I’ve earned your trust, but because I’m begging you for it, because I need your trust if I can ever hope to make things right with my brother again?”
Liz hesitated but the memory returned again, a terrified Isabel being so gentle, so kind as she put pajamas on a helpless and unmoving Liz Parker. She had been crying then, the tears ruining her mascara. She wasn’t wearing mascara today, but the tears were still there.
Liz decided that sometimes people needed second chances, and Isabel had probably earned hers with her kindness and caring that terrible night.
“I…trust you Isabel. What do I have to do?”
“Take my hand, Liz. Look into my eyes…”
She really hadn’t had that much rohypnol it seemed, barely enough to wash away the taste of the beer, enough to hide but not destroy the memories.
As the flashes came, so did the memories. Isabel’s memories first, crawling out of a pod, her brother by her side as she walked down a lonely desert road, years of memories about a half a hundred times that she’d pressured, cajoled, pleaded, and blocked him, whenever Max had tried to approach Liz. A flash of Max listening incessantly to Counting Crows, then going off into the darkness seeking Liz.
And then Liz’s memories came rushing back also. Liz’s memories went jumping back and forth across the connection, and she watched with Isabel as if it was the first time, a flash of golden light passing above her as she lay on the bed too drugged to resist. The man straddling her was sent flying off to crash against the wall with the other two….. Max….Max with his face full of pain beyond measure, anger beyond measure, guilt beyond measure, and…love. Love for her, and that beyond measure too.
Liz remembered him holding her, his body racked with sobs, shaking his head and looking at the three, his brown eyes turning golden….golden as the light that flashed from his palm, striking at them blindly, again and again as if by killing them he could somehow kill the pain in his own tortured heart.
In the memory, Isabel appeared in the door at the top of the stairs, her face a mask of horror, of fear, of guilt.
Liz remembered being carried by him, his face outlined by each passing streetlamp, tears streaming down his cheeks, whispering to her a dozen times, a hundred times, how sorry, how terribly sorry he was.
She remembered the soft caress on her scraped cheek as he put her on her bed. The hand had glowed gold then too, but there had been no destruction, only a gentle warmth as her cheek became smooth and she felt her swollen lips stop hurting.
Liz opened her eyes and looked at Isabel. Isabel’s face held such fear, the same crushing fear she’d felt in her mind in the connection..
It was her turn, Liz decided, to be kind and caring. She hugged the shaking girl to her. “It’s OK, Isabel. It’s OK. I forgive you. He will too.” And in that embrace there came healing for both girls….., for both young women.
If Liz Parker, someone she’d wronged so badly, someone she’d hurt so many times, could still forgive her, decided Isabel Evans, then there was still hope that he too could forgive her. If Isabel Evans could trust someone she’d feared so long, maybe she could trust her own parents, maybe trust others with the secret as well. Maybe she could even find someone to love like Max had..
And in the embrace Liz Parker decided that if Isabel Evans could live her entire life with such fear, such loneliness, giving up so much to hide her secret, Liz Parker damn sure wasn’t going to have her life taken away from her by Pamela Troy and a bunch of pathetic gossip mongers, not when she had her Mom, her Dad, and her friends………and tonight she’d made a new friend.
As the flashes came, so did the memories. Isabel’s memories first, crawling out of a pod, her brother by her side as she walked down a lonely desert road, years of memories about a half a hundred times that she’d pressured, cajoled, pleaded, and blocked him, whenever Max had tried to approach Liz. A flash of Max listening incessantly to Counting Crows, then going off into the darkness seeking Liz.
And then Liz’s memories came rushing back also. Liz’s memories went jumping back and forth across the connection, and she watched with Isabel as if it was the first time, a flash of golden light passing above her as she lay on the bed too drugged to resist. The man straddling her was sent flying off to crash against the wall with the other two….. Max….Max with his face full of pain beyond measure, anger beyond measure, guilt beyond measure, and…love. Love for her, and that beyond measure too.
Liz remembered him holding her, his body racked with sobs, shaking his head and looking at the three, his brown eyes turning golden….golden as the light that flashed from his palm, striking at them blindly, again and again as if by killing them he could somehow kill the pain in his own tortured heart.
In the memory, Isabel appeared in the door at the top of the stairs, her face a mask of horror, of fear, of guilt.
Liz remembered being carried by him, his face outlined by each passing streetlamp, tears streaming down his cheeks, whispering to her a dozen times, a hundred times, how sorry, how terribly sorry he was.
She remembered the soft caress on her scraped cheek as he put her on her bed. The hand had glowed gold then too, but there had been no destruction, only a gentle warmth as her cheek became smooth and she felt her swollen lips stop hurting.
Liz opened her eyes and looked at Isabel. Isabel’s face held such fear, the same crushing fear she’d felt in her mind in the connection..
It was her turn, Liz decided, to be kind and caring. She hugged the shaking girl to her. “It’s OK, Isabel. It’s OK. I forgive you. He will too.” And in that embrace there came healing for both girls….., for both young women.
If Liz Parker, someone she’d wronged so badly, someone she’d hurt so many times, could still forgive her, decided Isabel Evans, then there was still hope that he too could forgive her. If Isabel Evans could trust someone she’d feared so long, maybe she could trust her own parents, maybe trust others with the secret as well. Maybe she could even find someone to love like Max had..
And in the embrace Liz Parker decided that if Isabel Evans could live her entire life with such fear, such loneliness, giving up so much to hide her secret, Liz Parker damn sure wasn’t going to have her life taken away from her by Pamela Troy and a bunch of pathetic gossip mongers, not when she had her Mom, her Dad, and her friends………and tonight she’d made a new friend.
It was an hour later that Amy Deluca heard the phone ring.
“Ms. DeLuca? You don’t know me. I’m Isabel, a friend of Liz Parkers…. As I’m sure Maria told you, Liz really has been upset lately about the….incident. I know Maria got in trouble today at school and she’s grounded, and I understand that discipline is important, but I’m over here with Liz and trying to help her cheer up a little, and….well, Maria is her oldest and dearest friend, and if she could just come spend the night…..well, it would mean so much to Liz, it really would.”
Amy really knew what had happened today, and almost didn’t blame her daughter. She’d only met that wretched Troy girl once, and she’d felt like hitting her herself. But dang it, you just can’t ignore it when your kid gets suspended from school for fighting, can you?
But this Isabel-person had a point. Liz had been through so much, and the Parker’s were so worried about her. If Liz needed Maria now, she wouldn’t stand in the way.
“Well OK I guess, Just a minute Isabel.”
“Maria…….!”
Maria walked in to the kitchen from the living room. “Yes, mom?”
Amy put the phone in her hand. “It’s Isabel. OK, you can go. Your grounding is over, but don’t get in any more fights at school.” She turned around and walked off, leaving a totally confused Maria standing by herself with a phone in her hand. “Isabel ?,” she asked aloud. “Who is Isabel?”
She picked up the phone and said, “Hello? “
“Maria,” came the voice. “We’re over here at Liz’s. Come on over. It’s a sleepover.”
“Who is this?”
“It’s Isabel….., Isabel Evans.”
“Isabel Evans?”
“Yeah, come on over here. Your mom said it was OK.”
“Isabel Evans??”
“Yes. Your mom said it was OK. Come on.”
“Come on where?”
“To Liz’s of course….., here, wait.”
“Ria?...”
“Liz?!”
“It’s a sleepover at my place. Oh, and you might want to bring some more cypress oil too.”
“I gave you a half ounce yesterday. Are you out already? I know you’re really stressed out, but how much do you think you’ll need?”
“Do you have a pint? Well, it doesn’t matter. Just bring what you’ve got. Oh, and bring your sleeping bag too, Izzie didn’t bring one so she’ll have to use mine. See you in thirty minutes or so.”
Maria DeLuca held the phone to her ear for several seconds after hearing Liz hang up. She appeared bewildered. Finally, she opened her mouth and said, “Izzie? She called the ice princess Izzie??”
“Ms. DeLuca? You don’t know me. I’m Isabel, a friend of Liz Parkers…. As I’m sure Maria told you, Liz really has been upset lately about the….incident. I know Maria got in trouble today at school and she’s grounded, and I understand that discipline is important, but I’m over here with Liz and trying to help her cheer up a little, and….well, Maria is her oldest and dearest friend, and if she could just come spend the night…..well, it would mean so much to Liz, it really would.”
Amy really knew what had happened today, and almost didn’t blame her daughter. She’d only met that wretched Troy girl once, and she’d felt like hitting her herself. But dang it, you just can’t ignore it when your kid gets suspended from school for fighting, can you?
But this Isabel-person had a point. Liz had been through so much, and the Parker’s were so worried about her. If Liz needed Maria now, she wouldn’t stand in the way.
“Well OK I guess, Just a minute Isabel.”
“Maria…….!”
Maria walked in to the kitchen from the living room. “Yes, mom?”
Amy put the phone in her hand. “It’s Isabel. OK, you can go. Your grounding is over, but don’t get in any more fights at school.” She turned around and walked off, leaving a totally confused Maria standing by herself with a phone in her hand. “Isabel ?,” she asked aloud. “Who is Isabel?”
She picked up the phone and said, “Hello? “
“Maria,” came the voice. “We’re over here at Liz’s. Come on over. It’s a sleepover.”
“Who is this?”
“It’s Isabel….., Isabel Evans.”
“Isabel Evans?”
“Yeah, come on over here. Your mom said it was OK.”
“Isabel Evans??”
“Yes. Your mom said it was OK. Come on.”
“Come on where?”
“To Liz’s of course….., here, wait.”
“Ria?...”
“Liz?!”
“It’s a sleepover at my place. Oh, and you might want to bring some more cypress oil too.”
“I gave you a half ounce yesterday. Are you out already? I know you’re really stressed out, but how much do you think you’ll need?”
“Do you have a pint? Well, it doesn’t matter. Just bring what you’ve got. Oh, and bring your sleeping bag too, Izzie didn’t bring one so she’ll have to use mine. See you in thirty minutes or so.”
Maria DeLuca held the phone to her ear for several seconds after hearing Liz hang up. She appeared bewildered. Finally, she opened her mouth and said, “Izzie? She called the ice princess Izzie??”
Jeff and Nancy Parker didn’t really understand how Lizzy had gone from the depths of despair to being the host of a sleepover for two friends, one of whom they’d never even met. But as they’d gone to bed they’d seen Lizzy getting snacks for three from the Crashdown kitchen, and they’d almost broken out crying with joy.
Maria looked a little confused by it all, almost as much as they were themselves. But that didn’t matter. The first half-smile they’d seen on Lizzy’s face since this horrible episode began, sent them off to bed feeling more hope and less despair than they’d felt in over a week.
Maria looked a little confused by it all, almost as much as they were themselves. But that didn’t matter. The first half-smile they’d seen on Lizzy’s face since this horrible episode began, sent them off to bed feeling more hope and less despair than they’d felt in over a week.
It was midnight and Liz Parker was looking at Maria with more than a little apprehension. This had not gone the way she’d expected.
A few minutes ago she had told Maria they needed to tell her a secret, but she had to promise she wouldn’t freak.
Maria had looked at her and Izzie indignantly and said, “Freak? Liz, this is Maria you’re talking to here…..” So they’d told her…………..and they were both totally unprepared for her response.
“That’s a good one, you guys. Now you want to hear about the teenagers camping out by the lake and the guy with the hook on his arm?”
Liz had looked at Izzie with wide eyes. Izzie had looked at Liz with wide eyes. Izzie had giggled first. Liz had giggled next. Both had then giggled, and even Maria had been caught up with the giggles for a minute. Liz felt a little frustrated but happy. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually laughed.
Izzie finally looked at Liz and said, “I have an idea.” She’d had Liz sit in front of her dresser and look into her mirror. She’d told Maria, “Watch this…” Liz wasn’t sure just what was going to happen next, but her eyes were scanning the room in the mirror, desperately trying to remember where they’d put the cypress oil. Somehow she thought Maria would be needing it shortly.
Maria wasn’t sure what to expect when Isabel Evans reached over and touched Liz’s hair and her baby doll pajamas. But she hadn’t really expected both to turn suddenly green.
Liz watched Maria in the mirror, barely looking at Izzie. She was surprised when her pajamas…and her hair, suddenly turned Kelly green. But she didn’t dwell on it. She was too busy watching Maria.
Maria’s eyes went wide when Liz’s hair and PJs went green. “Wicked…..!”
Maria hesitated about a second and a half, her eyes going between a grinning Liz and a grinning Isabel. “Izzie…, can I call you Izzie? I’ve always wanted to see how I’d look as a Goth. Can you do that to me in black?” First Izzie, then Liz, then suddenly all three girls were laughing.
A few minutes ago she had told Maria they needed to tell her a secret, but she had to promise she wouldn’t freak.
Maria had looked at her and Izzie indignantly and said, “Freak? Liz, this is Maria you’re talking to here…..” So they’d told her…………..and they were both totally unprepared for her response.
“That’s a good one, you guys. Now you want to hear about the teenagers camping out by the lake and the guy with the hook on his arm?”
Liz had looked at Izzie with wide eyes. Izzie had looked at Liz with wide eyes. Izzie had giggled first. Liz had giggled next. Both had then giggled, and even Maria had been caught up with the giggles for a minute. Liz felt a little frustrated but happy. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually laughed.
Izzie finally looked at Liz and said, “I have an idea.” She’d had Liz sit in front of her dresser and look into her mirror. She’d told Maria, “Watch this…” Liz wasn’t sure just what was going to happen next, but her eyes were scanning the room in the mirror, desperately trying to remember where they’d put the cypress oil. Somehow she thought Maria would be needing it shortly.
Maria wasn’t sure what to expect when Isabel Evans reached over and touched Liz’s hair and her baby doll pajamas. But she hadn’t really expected both to turn suddenly green.
Liz watched Maria in the mirror, barely looking at Izzie. She was surprised when her pajamas…and her hair, suddenly turned Kelly green. But she didn’t dwell on it. She was too busy watching Maria.
Maria’s eyes went wide when Liz’s hair and PJs went green. “Wicked…..!”
Maria hesitated about a second and a half, her eyes going between a grinning Liz and a grinning Isabel. “Izzie…, can I call you Izzie? I’ve always wanted to see how I’d look as a Goth. Can you do that to me in black?” First Izzie, then Liz, then suddenly all three girls were laughing.
An hour later all three girls were eating Martian Blast Sundaes, after a quick raid on the Crashdown freezer.
“So let me get this straight,” said Maria between spoonfuls, “he brought you back up here and touched your cheek and lips to fix the scrapes?”
“That’s how I remember it, Maria.”
“But you said you had another big bruise that went away too. Did he kiss it better or something?” she asked with mock innocence.
Liz instantly went crimson and started to stammer, causing Maria and Isabel to break out in laughter.
“No, Maria,” said Izzie, convulsing in laughter. “My prudish brother made me heal that bruise while he looked the other way, even though I’m not very good at it. It probably took me 30 seconds or so, even though he could have done it in a second or two. He’s a lot better at healing than I am.”
As Liz’s cheeks started to regain their natural color and she took another spoonful of her sundae Izzie continued, “Of course I think he did peek once or twice, I’m sure just for quality control to make sure I was doing a good job.”
Maria and Izzie exploded in laughter as Liz started to sputter and turn red once again, a mouthful of Martian Blast Sundae dribbling down her chin.
‘Oh, this is so great,’ thought Maria. ‘Liz blushes so easy, and Izzie has such great timing. And it’s so wonderful to see Liz laugh again, I missed that so much.’ She punched Izzie lightly on the shoulder, “You are soooo bad, girl.”
Sunday brought new hope to Jeff and Nancy Parker. When they had gone downstairs to start the restaurant they found that there were already three people having breakfast, three happy teenagers who just seemed to be enjoying one another’s company, kidding, doing….nothing special really, just the kind of silly things three 13 year olds do the morning after a sleepover.
Even so, it was the best they’d felt in a week. But it was after Maria and Isabel had thanked them and left that their hearts really soared.
Lizzy had come to them shyly and said she’d changed her mind, that she didn’t want to go to the boarding school, that her friends and family were too important to her. She’d said that with good friends she thought you could work out any problem, and that she wanted to stay in Roswell and try.
Jeff and Nancy had both cried a lot during the past week, and they suddenly found themselves crying again. But these tears weren’t from pain, they were tears of hope, tears of joy.
“So let me get this straight,” said Maria between spoonfuls, “he brought you back up here and touched your cheek and lips to fix the scrapes?”
“That’s how I remember it, Maria.”
“But you said you had another big bruise that went away too. Did he kiss it better or something?” she asked with mock innocence.
Liz instantly went crimson and started to stammer, causing Maria and Isabel to break out in laughter.
“No, Maria,” said Izzie, convulsing in laughter. “My prudish brother made me heal that bruise while he looked the other way, even though I’m not very good at it. It probably took me 30 seconds or so, even though he could have done it in a second or two. He’s a lot better at healing than I am.”
As Liz’s cheeks started to regain their natural color and she took another spoonful of her sundae Izzie continued, “Of course I think he did peek once or twice, I’m sure just for quality control to make sure I was doing a good job.”
Maria and Izzie exploded in laughter as Liz started to sputter and turn red once again, a mouthful of Martian Blast Sundae dribbling down her chin.
‘Oh, this is so great,’ thought Maria. ‘Liz blushes so easy, and Izzie has such great timing. And it’s so wonderful to see Liz laugh again, I missed that so much.’ She punched Izzie lightly on the shoulder, “You are soooo bad, girl.”
Sunday brought new hope to Jeff and Nancy Parker. When they had gone downstairs to start the restaurant they found that there were already three people having breakfast, three happy teenagers who just seemed to be enjoying one another’s company, kidding, doing….nothing special really, just the kind of silly things three 13 year olds do the morning after a sleepover.
Even so, it was the best they’d felt in a week. But it was after Maria and Isabel had thanked them and left that their hearts really soared.
Lizzy had come to them shyly and said she’d changed her mind, that she didn’t want to go to the boarding school, that her friends and family were too important to her. She’d said that with good friends she thought you could work out any problem, and that she wanted to stay in Roswell and try.
Jeff and Nancy had both cried a lot during the past week, and they suddenly found themselves crying again. But these tears weren’t from pain, they were tears of hope, tears of joy.
It was Monday afternoon at the Roswell Sheriff’s Office.
“So you want to be a policewoman some day, Miss Evans? I would have thought that you might want to be a supermodel or something.”
Isabel Evans put on her most sincere smile as she looked at the policewoman. “Well, Officer Daniels, when I heard that we were supposed to interview people for career day, I knew right away that I wanted to talk to someone about a job that involved public service, helping people, protecting them. You certainly couldn’t do that as a supermodel.”
In the next half hour interview a number of things were established. Yes, Officer Daniels did think the drug and underage alcohol problem was terrible, particularly at those raves. No, Officer Daniels didn’t think the schools offered enough sponsored dances where kids could interact in a safe and supervised environment. Officer Daniels really liked police work but thought that some things, like the Toys for Tots campaign over Christmas, really ought to be done by volunteer civilians rather than “volunteer” uniformed officers.
Isabel loved Christmas projects, and had several friends who did too.
Common ground was found and promises were exchanged. Officer Daniels and Isabel Evans both left the meeting happy.
“So you want to be a policewoman some day, Miss Evans? I would have thought that you might want to be a supermodel or something.”
Isabel Evans put on her most sincere smile as she looked at the policewoman. “Well, Officer Daniels, when I heard that we were supposed to interview people for career day, I knew right away that I wanted to talk to someone about a job that involved public service, helping people, protecting them. You certainly couldn’t do that as a supermodel.”
In the next half hour interview a number of things were established. Yes, Officer Daniels did think the drug and underage alcohol problem was terrible, particularly at those raves. No, Officer Daniels didn’t think the schools offered enough sponsored dances where kids could interact in a safe and supervised environment. Officer Daniels really liked police work but thought that some things, like the Toys for Tots campaign over Christmas, really ought to be done by volunteer civilians rather than “volunteer” uniformed officers.
Isabel loved Christmas projects, and had several friends who did too.
Common ground was found and promises were exchanged. Officer Daniels and Isabel Evans both left the meeting happy.
It was Monday evening at the Roswell counseling center.
“So you want to be a counselor some day, Miss Evans? I would have thought that you might want to be a supermodel or something.”
Isabel Evans put on her most sincere smile as she looked at the counselor. “Well, Ms Graves, when I heard that we were supposed to interview people for career day, I knew right away that I wanted to talk to someone about a job that involved public service, helping people, protecting them. You certainly couldn’t do that as a supermodel.”
In the next half hour interview a number of things were established. Yes, Ms. Graves did do work as a sexual assault counselor as well as counseling troubled teens. While she couldn’t get into specific cases, she could give some general guidance on how she would recommend that such things should be handled. Why yes, she did agree with Miss Evans that it was important that assault victims be encouraged to get back to their normal lives, even to start dating again, if they were ever to truly get over their trauma. She told the young woman precisely what she’d advise a pair of hypothetical parents of a teenage daughter, if she expressed a readiness to try dating as she was recovering, just the sort of baby steps that would most likely assure her recovery. They also agreed on the idea that the schools probably ought to offer more supervised dances and such things, give the kids a safer alternative to those horrible raves where all the underage alcohol and drug use happened.
Common ground was found and promises were exchanged. Ms Graves and Isabel Evans both left the meeting happy
“So you want to be a counselor some day, Miss Evans? I would have thought that you might want to be a supermodel or something.”
Isabel Evans put on her most sincere smile as she looked at the counselor. “Well, Ms Graves, when I heard that we were supposed to interview people for career day, I knew right away that I wanted to talk to someone about a job that involved public service, helping people, protecting them. You certainly couldn’t do that as a supermodel.”
In the next half hour interview a number of things were established. Yes, Ms. Graves did do work as a sexual assault counselor as well as counseling troubled teens. While she couldn’t get into specific cases, she could give some general guidance on how she would recommend that such things should be handled. Why yes, she did agree with Miss Evans that it was important that assault victims be encouraged to get back to their normal lives, even to start dating again, if they were ever to truly get over their trauma. She told the young woman precisely what she’d advise a pair of hypothetical parents of a teenage daughter, if she expressed a readiness to try dating as she was recovering, just the sort of baby steps that would most likely assure her recovery. They also agreed on the idea that the schools probably ought to offer more supervised dances and such things, give the kids a safer alternative to those horrible raves where all the underage alcohol and drug use happened.
Common ground was found and promises were exchanged. Ms Graves and Isabel Evans both left the meeting happy