Aliens & Witches (CC,TEEN) complete Nov 21, 2010

[ken_r]

begonia9508
XAF RU208
keepsmiling7
mary mary


Chapter 24

One of the most useful events for young romance is for parents to occasionally feel compelled to be gone for a weekend and leave their children to take care of the house. Some children can loose any trust their parents have for them and throw a party. Yes, this makes them popular with their friends, but when the parents return they are sure to find out. The other thing is for the young people to have a quiet tryst taking advantage of the responsibility of not allowing anything to happen to cause their parents worry.

That might include a little lying to one set of parents, but is that unusual? The Whitmans were scheduled to travel to Washington to arrange the introduction of the aliens to the State Department. Maria invited Isabel to a slumber party. Isabel had never been included in the parties Maria and Liz shared. That is all right because she wouldn’t attend this one either. Alex blew his kiss of thanks at Maria and she smiled.

When Isabel arrived at the Whitman home, Alex having picked her up at Maria’s home, she saw that he had already arranged delivery. Young people are not usually particular. It can be Italian, Chinese, Thai or any relatively simple meal. The candles he lit and the music he had programmed were what made the start of the evening memorable. After the meal, they retired first to the living room. The music made a beginning of dancing progress. Soon, they fell to the couch and a heated session of petting. Suddenly, Isabel stopped. She was resting her head on Alex’s chest.

“You know Alex, when I saw you through the eyes of the bees, it was the first time I felt hope. Liz and Maria had disappeared and the men in black were preparing to remove us. We thought we had lost all of you. I didn’t know what the bees were doing, but Amy made them create a calm when they settled on my face. I knew, then, that someone was trying to save us,” Isabel explained.

Alex was cradling her head in his arm and pulling her closer. He was kissing her face and reveling in the fact this beautiful girl loved him. “Just knowing you were still alive made me happy. Amy assured me that we would find all of you, but she was doing things that I didn’t understand,” he explained.

Isabel wasn’t as seductive as the girls she ate with. “Alex, I promised that when I was ready I wanted to make love with you. I am ready, now,” Isabel stated.

“Me to, Izzy,” and Alex led her into the guest room. Wel, you wouldn’t expect a teen boy to take his girl to his room if he could help it, would you?

Later as they lay in each other’s arms Isabel said, “Alex, I know you intend to go to college next year. Is there anyway we could go to the same school?”

“We can try, Izzy. We both need college, but we need each other, also,” Alex murmured as he nuzzled her sweet smelling hair.

Max and Liz had been walking for most of the morning. They were walking along the hills just north of Roswell. Originally, at least that is what they had told Liz’s folks, they were on a nature hike. What they really wanted was time alone to discuss the things that they recently had endured. “Max, it isn’t too early to start thinking about college,” Liz said.

“Yeah I know, but I usually let things just happen,” Max replied.

“Max, if we are a couple, you just can’t do that. We have to make plans,” Liz explained.

“I know Liz, I never really know what is coming. I heard that Mr. Whitman, or is it Major Whitman or something, was back in Washington talking to the State Department. How much choice am I going to have after I talk to them?” Max asked.

“That is just it, Max. They intend to treat with you as an adult. You have the right to make demands. You have to be prepared to demand what you want to do with your life. You have to decide how much you want me in this future, also,” Liz stated.

They had been sitting on the edge of an arroyo, their legs dangling over the edge. About six feet below on the arroyo floor, lizards were running in and out of a pile of tumble weeds. Many times when looking for order in his life at school, Max would watch a fly or a spider. Was there any order in what they did? Max always guessed to the fly or spider there seemed to be order, but he couldn’t see it. That is how Max felt now. He was watching the lizards and they darted in and out of the tumble weeds. At his side, he had Liz. She had given as much to him as he had to her. She needed order. Don’t most girls need order? If they don’t have order, how can they look toward motherhood and a secure home? Max saw one lizard dart to a large ant that was crossing the arroyo floor. That Lizard had order. It knew exactly what it was doing. It found food. The lack of order was only apparent to an outsider. If Max wanted to know that Liz would always be with him, he had to give her what she needed. “When Mr. Whitman brings the State Department people, will you be with me? Will you advise me where I might falter?” he asked.

“Max, of course, I will. We just have to talk over what your options are,” Liz whispered. She leaned into Max and soon her hand was inside his shirt. There, for the first time, Liz felt the amulet. Liz had never wanted to wear an amulet to win love. Liz and Amy had given Max the amulet to protect her. Amy had made sure that Liz put enough of herself into the small silk bag so that Max would constantly think about Liz. Max did have a blanket strapped to his pack. They made use of it that day and not for any picnic.

Amy’s ambition was just to see Maria grown. Amy thought, her indiscretions had begun when she left her Grandmother and met Carlos in Taos. Her grandmother had felt that the young girl needed to make up her own mind what was to become of her as she lived life. Grandmother O’hare, believed that things happen and a person should accept them as they came and make the best of them. Grandmother O’hare would have loved Max. She had been very free in the way she raised her granddaughter, but she had tried to instill strength and fortitude in the child. Now, the child wanted to run away from home. Grandmother O’hare hoped Amy would be strong enough to accept responsibility for what she did.

This wasn’t what Amy wanted for Maria. Maria was almost 18. Amy was sure that Maria was much better prepared than she had been at facing the world. The bra left on the coach that evening, made Amy sure that Maria and Michael had taken that next step. Amy was surprised when Maria told her one night that she and Michael were preparing to take their education further than high school. Maria was trying to be very straight with her mother. “Mom, Michael and I can move in together and working part time, using the lottery scholarship, we can attend college at least for a while. Michael wants to study accounting and business. He wants to open a restaurant like the Parkers have. I want to study music with the plan of getting a degree in music education. I can teach music in the schools, Maria explained. “Mom, don’t worry. I want to always be close so I can carry on Liz’s grandmother’s heritage. We must never loose the “Shop of Hope.”
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Are you young? Are you old? in the story I Heard You Calling young and old come together. they see how much they have to give each other.

[ken_r]

begonia9508
keepsmiling7
XAF RU208
mary mary


Chapter 25

Alex and Isabel were sitting in his bedroom. They had the door opened, as requested, by his parents. Alex and Isabel, in the presence of his parents, showed their affection for each other, but they kept their passions within bounds that his parents could accept. The CD player was making music just loud enough for them to hear, but not loud enough to disturb the rest of the house.

There was a knock on the open door. They looked up and saw Charles Whitman standing there. “Alex, Isabel, could you meet with me in my study for a few minutes?” he requested.

All sorts of things ran through Alex’s head. Had his parents, someway learned of the intimacies between them? Was his father going to embarrass him in front of Isabel in some way to keep them both in line? Why did Charles need to see both of them? If he was unhappy with Alex, why didn’t he see him in private.

When they entered the study, Alex saw the two chairs which he remembered on opposite sides of the room pulled close together in front of the imposing desk. “Isabel, Max is going to be asked to be your leader and to represent all of you before the state department. You will all have to agree to any terms that are suggested, but he will be the one to receive and discuss them with the delegates.” Charles turned to his son. “Alex, Isabel is going to be considered a representative from a foreign nation. Your mom and I had always considered you would want to attend college somewhere and earn degrees as high as you felt you were able. Now you have to decide your life in terms of what happens to Isabel; that is, if you intend to stay with her.”

Isabel, holding Alex’s hand stated, “Max has already been planning what he wants from your state department. He will accept being the delegate from the most distant territory, but he wants the freedom to finish his education and do this in company of the woman of his choice. I think Alex and I will want the same.”

To their surprise, Charles just nodded. “If you remain together, do I understand you want to get married as Earth custom?” he asked.

Alex answered, “Yes, we intended to someday get married. Is there any reason as to when we decide?”

Charles nodded. He had practiced this part before his wife until he was sure he could make it as a suggestion and not be seen as interfering in their affairs. “Isabel, Max and Michael will have a stronger claim if they are married to citizens of our country. They will be the ones the state department wants to treat with, but their spouses will be accepted in whatever is decided.” Turning to her Charles said, “Isabel, I would suggest all three of you get married sometime this summer after you graduate from high school.” When he had finished, Charles picked up a stack of papers and indicated to the two young people that they were dismissed.

Alex was almost speechless. “Of all the things I expected him to say, that was never it.” Alex turned to Isabel, “Do you realized, my father not only gave us permission to get married, but is encouraging us? Will wonders never cease?”

Isabel was looking down at her hands. “What your father said is not complete,” she stated.

Alex looked at her with surprise. He had just about had all the surprises he could take for one night. “What do you mean, Izzy?” Alex asked.

Isabel looked very solemnly at him. “Alex, you haven’t asked me to marry you, yet,” she stated.

Alex was not, usually, this callously dense. He had his father’s sudden permission to thank for that. He quickly got down on one knee. “Isabel Amanda Evans, would you do me the honor to be my wife? To stand with me, to share with me, both the good things and the bad, for the rest of our lives?” He asked.

“Alex Charles Whitman,” Isabel started. “I would be most pleased to be your wife. I would be pleased to stand beside you and share both the good and the bad for as long as we both live.” Then, Isabel reached down and taking his hand, she raised him to face her. “Alex, this may be the first interstellar relationship to head to marriage.” They kissed.

Doing this in the hallway just outside Charles Whitman’s study allowed him to say, “And, I hope this works out to everyone’s satisfaction.”

Alex and Isabel had been cautioned by Charles not to reveal their engagement until he had talked to all the others. The first family Charles felt he should talk to was the Evanses. First, he wanted to talk to Max and then, he told Philip that he and Max had something they wanted to discuss with him, both as a parent and as a lawyer.

Being summoned to one’s father was a big deal. It usually meant that you had done something that your parent really was displeased with. Max had been summoned to talk to Alex’s father. At first, he couldn’t figure what Mr. Whitman would want to talk to him about. Then, Max leaned back in his chair; sometimes, this balancing act clears the mind. Mr. Whitman must have something to tell him about meeting with the State Department delegation.

Max arrived at the Whitman’s residence. It was Alex’s mother who opened the door and pointed out the study. As Max crossed the living room, he saw Isabel and Alex sitting on the couch, holding hands and watching Television. They were watching a series about a bunch of people getting lost and all sorts of strange things happening to them. Max could never get into that program. It required watching each episode carefully and then, dissecting what had happened. There had been a cute blonde in the first of the story, but Max had all he could do with his little curandara. She wasn’t blond, but she was all he ever wanted. Alex and Izzy enjoyed this program and Max thought, “Let them have it.” He just didn’t like TV that much.

Max knocked softly on the door Mrs. Whitman had indicated. The door was opened by Alex’s father and when Max entered, Mr. Whitman closed the door.

“Max, when you meet with the men of the State Department, you are going to be declared an refugee from a distant land. They are going to ask permission to talk with you and to give you a physical exam. This exam will be a little like that of the ‘Special Unit,’ except it will all be with your permission. There will be the usual questions, do your people mean danger to the people of earth? Do your people wish to come in peace? For most of this, you simply will state that you have no idea. That will suffice for the legal part of the meeting. Then, you are going to be asked, what are your intentions for your future? This is where things are going to get tricky. Isabel has already declared she wants to attend college with her husband. This is so, no matter what happens, she will not be separated from my son, Alex. Do you have any plans that you would like to discuss?” To say that this last part was a surprise for Max would be too mild. Izzy getting married! Had she talked this over with their folks? Mr. Whitman was agreeable but what would the Evans adults think.

“Sir, I have a list of things that I want too accomplish and the first one is to attend college somewhere. Elizabeth Parker and I have a strong relationship, so I would like to arrange her to be with me,” Max explained.

Charles Whitman nodded. “I thought as much. That is why Alex and Isabel agreed to get married. There is almost no chance that a benevolent meeting with the State Department would do anything to split up a marriage. I know you are young, but you might consider what your options are with Miss Parker. If you want, I will discuss this with the Parkers. I am already planning to have a talk with your father and mother,” Charles Whitman explained.

Things were happening just too fast for Max! Here, Mr. Whitman was suggesting what Liz had told him should be his demands. Liz had promised to stand by him, but they hadn’t mentioned the “M” word. Would her parents even agree about marriage? Whoa up there, spaceboy! Max and Liz had talked about being together, but he hadn’t really asked her to marry him. That might be a technicality, but it could be a big one. If she said yes, Max imagined that he definitely wanted Mr. Whitman to, at least, explain the importance of this to the Parkers. Liz would be 18 soon, but Max didn’t want to start off any relationship with the Parkers mad at him. He definitely wanted their blessing.

The next conversation, for Charles, was the most difficult. Michael and Maria were part of whatever happened to the aliens, but he knew them the least, personally. Max had walked out perplexed, but Charles was sure that the wisdom and level headedness of Liz Parker would straighten Max out.

Michael, was the most difficult for Charles to face. He had only seen Michael at a distance, but he was seen as mostly a surly and stubborn young man. Charles did know Maria as a close friend of his son, but he only knew her from the words of Alex. You didn’t get to be an officer in the Air force without having a certain amount of guts. Charles would face Michael first. The best way to do this was to contact Michael at the Crashdown. Charles didn’t want to face Michael’s foster parent. That would be a monumental waste of time.

When Michael opened the note delivered in care of the Crashdown, he was of a mind to simply throw it away. Michael had survived so far by avoiding almost everything. Maria was standing beside him since she had first discovered the note in the mail for the restaurant. As he was crumpling the note, Maria jerked it out of his hand. “No way, spaceboy! This has something to do with your future. Your future can be my future. You go to Mr. Whitman and see what he wants. It wasn’t without considerable argument, that Michael found himself on the Whitman’s door step. Maria had always been pretty nice to him. Michael owed her that much. She had reminded him of that many times.

At his knock, he was met by Mr. Whitman. “Sit down, Michael. I am trying to prepare all of you for your meeting with the State Department,” Charles explained.

“Don’t you want Max? I heard he was going to represent all of us,” Michael stated.

“That is true, Michael. Max will represent the three of you, but nothing will be accepted unless all three of you agree. That is what I want to explain,” Charles said.

“What do you want from me?” Michael asked very shortly.

Charles was deciding that Michael was not necessarily impolite; he was scared and he didn’t trust himself in the presence of strangers. “Michael, part of what Max is going to negotiate is going to be your futures.” Charles said.

“Hey, I ain’t nobody’s guinea pig. No one is going to chop me up to see what makes me tick. Nobody is going to psych me out to see if I think or not,” Michael blurted out.

This just affirmed that Michael was nervous and scared. Charles still needed to understand his plans for his future. He had to get Michael to look at things calmly. “Michael, what are your plans for the future? I understand that you are getting all your school work caught up,” Charles inquired.

Aw’ what the hell, Michael was sure that Mr. Whitman had already had a talk with Max. What he said couldn’t hurt. “I have been talking with Mr. Parker about running a restaurant. He tells me that first, I need to learn accounting to keep a business going. Then, he says I can undertake learning the knowledge of a chef. I want to take some business school education and, then maybe, look into a chef’s school,” Michael outlined. That was probably more planning than Michael had even done in his own mind.

Charles Whitman nodded. “Yes, yes, that is a good plan. With help that can be a good vocation. What about your girlfriend?” Charles asked.

That threw Michael. He tended to consider Maria to exist. He hadn’t yet arrived at the point that he had to consider what she meant to him. Jeff Parker had seen the relationship clearer than had Michael. “I don’t really know. I guess that when I go away to school, I might loose her. I don’t want that,” Michael stated.

“If Maria means so much to you, there is one way to make sure that you remain together. That is providing Maria is of like mind,” Charles told him.

Michael sat for several seconds. “I don’t know. We date and are very close right now. I don’t know if she wants it to be forever or not,” Michael said.

“Michael, it might be a good time to see how she feels. After you meet with the State Department, you might be facing some changes. They will be changes you will have to agree with, but you might want to see if Maria wants to face this with you.” With this, Charles walked Michael to the door. Michael was very subdued. He hadn’t ever had to consider this much for himself. Life would never more just happen. Michael had to be a party to his own future.
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I am not talking about sex, but that oh so special feeling one person has that places a certain other above themselves. That desire to be together for as long as possible. I Heard You Calling is about love in the very young, the middle aged and in the elderly. No one is too young or too old to want to be in love.

[ken_r]

keepsmiling7 rather he understands that a single alien might be a target for a politician to arrange an alliance that would be for the politician's benefit.

begonia9508
mary mary

Chapter 26

Talking to Isabel, Max saw that she and Alex had prety much decided what their future was to be. He wondered how his folks would take it. Surprisingly, it was Mr. Whitman who was making the teens come to a decision. Max and Liz had talked about being together in college. Liz had agreed to stand beside him when he talked to the State Department. Mr. Whitman had suggested that they face the State Department as husband and wife. First of all, he had to discuss this with Liz. If things went well with her, then he welcomed Mr. Whitman’s help with her father and mother. Max would stand up and do the right thing, he just wanted some support and Mr. Whitman had promised that.

“In the last year, many things have been revealed about your two adoptive children. As a State Department observer, I have known a lot about them for years. In a way, you might look on me as their protector. The State Department has always viewed the children in two opposing ways. There is one faction that just won’t go away. It holds that they are monsters from outer space and they bring ill will for the people of Earth. The more reasonable faction says they are refugees from a war torn nation and we should offer them every courtesy. In the United States, the legal age is 18. This is an arbitrary age that our society agrees to respect. We all know that there are many young people who accept responsibility much younger and we all have seen that there are many people who never grow up. Max and Isabel have no knowledge about their birth culture. Max is about to be thrust into diplomatic discussions at the top governmental level.” With this, Charles turned to Philip, “As his father and a lawyer, I assume you will assure Max of the best legal counsel.” Philip nodded. He had always sought the best for Max and Isabel. Charles was hinting at something much more important.

Charles cleared his throat and continued. “I think we are all educated adults here, so let me cut out all the fantasy. None of us are in complete control of our lives. The more prominent our lives, the less we have the control. Max and Isabel both indicate they want to further their educations. Both understand that their social lives will be much more closely proscribed, in the future. I think they are only vaguely aware of how much this part of their lives will be controlled. They both have agreed that they want to choose who they want to be with now while their control is still in their hands. Please understand, this also, concerns my own son. Max and Liz, Isabel and Alex want to get married before they face the State Department and a change of their celebrity status. They will all be 18 by the time they see the government officials. They all four need your blessing and your counsel as they face this time in their lives.”

There were questions, many for which Charles had no answer. There was the normal parental concern, which Charles had already faced with his wife about his own son. Charles left with the knowledge that the two parents needed time alone to format their final feelings. Both the Evanses were educated lawyers. Charles imagined they would both play devil’s advocate, trying to understand what was best for their children.

From the moment they left her house, Maria was convinced that this was more than a fuck date. Maria had learned that the normally taciturn Michael repressed most of his emotions. The only time he ever let them out was in the middle of making love. He had only been doing that recently. The restaurant was a sit-down place. It was not fast food. Over their meal, Michael outlined what he and Jeff had been discussing. “Maria, Mr. Parker says that if I work with Jose and find some way to continue my education, I could probably learn to run a restaurant,” he declared.

Some of this, Maria already knew. For once, she kept her mouth shut as they attended a movie, which she could not remember a thing about. If Michael was opening up to her, “Please let him,” she prayed.

When they returned to her house, passing the Shop of Hope to see if the sheriff’s car was already parked and her mother would be busy for the evening. Maria began to prepare for her evening. As she was taking off her blouse, better she do this than let Michael fight with the buttons and break many of them off the garment, Michael stopped her hand. Taking both her hands in his, they sat on the couch. If things got heated up this time here, Maria wanted to make sure she took her bra to her own room. Amy hadn’t said much, but Maria knew that the bra in the living room was bothering her mom.

The serious Michael started up again. “Max is going to negotiate our status for educational guarantees,” Michael told her. “Mr. Whitman explained that there will be pressure to separate us from our current life,” he continued.

“Michael, I will be with you for as long as you want,” Maria said as she brushed her hand against his face.

“Mr. Whitman has explained that to insure that we are allowed to be together, we need to be married. His own son, Alex, and Isabel have agreed, so have Max and Liz, in theory, done so. It all boils down to this, Maria DeLuca will you be my wife? Stand with me as my life changes, attend college by my side and later stand with me, as I find my place in this world?” Michael finally proposed.

It was a surprised Amy, who quietly opened her door. She was mussed up because the sheriff had been particularly amorous tonight. Amy, long ago, explained to Maria that she was an adult and adults had needs of others. She had stated this in the middle of a “birds and bees” talk. Granted, Maria had been much more attentive to the explanations of the birth control options. Amy thought for a second, she was not going to belittle her affections for Jim. She wasn’t going to pretend to Maria that they were just friends, when, Maria knew exactly what they had been doing. Ever since Amy had seen the bra in the living room, she felt that soon she must confront Maria having sex and being careful. It was a surprise that both Maria and her boyfriend were there together with their clothes still on.

“Mom, Michael and I have something we need to talk to you about,” Maria started. That was as far as she got because Michael took his arm off her shoulder and gently placed it across her mouth.

“Ms. DeLuca, I would like to ask for the hand of your daughter in marriage,” he stated.

“Oh shit,” Amy thought. “Maria is pregnant and Michael is going to feel forced to marry her and she will repeat the same life I have had all over again. He will feel trapped just like Carlos and he will desert Maria where she has to make her way alone.”

Maria knew that many things were going through her mother’s mind. Amy had been less than 17 when Maria had been born. She was just over 21 when Maria’s father coped out.

“Maria, are you pregnant?” Amy asked.

“No, mom!” Maria exclaimed. Did Amy think, that was the only reason, to want to get married? “Michael and I want to be together while he attends school and that will be a chance for me. We want to be together when he faces the government people. We don’t want to get separated,” Maria explained.

It was late, Max and Liz were sitting under the stars. “Max, only a few more days until you face the feds,” Liz said.

“Yes, and there is one very important thing to do. Liz Parker will you do me the honor of being my wife?” Max asked.

This wasn’t really a surprise to Liz. They had been talking around this for weeks. Liz knew that Max wanted her to stand with him as he talked to the State Department. He wanted her to encourage him to make demands that all three aliens needed, such as being able to continue their education. “Yes, Max, of course. Is there some reason to be in a hurry about it?” Liz asked.

“Yes, Mr. Whitman feels that if we are married, there will be less chance of anyone trying to exploit us as eligible singles. He wants us to make our own choices and not wait until the governing bodies try to make them for us,” Max explained again.

“I can just imagine what my father is going to say,” Liz said.

“Liz, I will talk to him. Mr. Whitman will stand by me. None of us want to start out our new lives with families mad as us.” Max, now that it was getting close, was glad that Charles Whitman had agreed to help him with Mr. Parker.

“Absolutely not!” Jeff yelled. “Liz has college to attend and degrees to learn. She might not even like this boy when she gets out of college.’

“That is not the point,” Charles Whitman stated. “Both students intend to go to higher learning. To remain together when they face the State Department, They need something to bind them together. Would you rather, Liz loose Max forever?” he asked.

Jeff was still stubborn. “There will be other boys. She doesn’t need someone taking her away from us,” he growled.

“Are you sure that she will want another boy? Her choice is Max. That should be respected. You realize, that soon, Liz will be 18. Then she won’t have to ask permission. Max states that he doesn’t want to start something without your blessing,” Charles stated.

“Liz is going to college and then, she is going to come back here and live with us,” Jeff still maintained.

“Liz is one of the brightest students at high school right now. Do you really think she can go away to college to get, I don’t know how many degrees, and have something to return to here in Roswell?” Charles asked.

“Roswell had always been good enough for me. Why wouldn’t it be good enough for my daughter?” Jeff inquired.

“Jeff, Roswell has been a good place for you. You have the diner and you have made a good home for Liz. Now, it is time to let Liz be free to decide where her home will be. I think she is already discussing things with Max about the upcoming State Department meeting. You said that you want Liz to attend college. That is Max’s goal, also. That is one of his demands he wants to make before the State Department. He also, wants Liz to stand beside him as he does that,” Charles explained.

“She can stand beside him all she wants. I just do not want her to get married, yet,” Jeff said with a frown.

“That is just the trouble. The state department wants everyone involved, to have a purpose. I doubt they will allow just Liz Parker to stand with Max. They might even make plans to marry Max off to someone they can completely control. I don’t think anyone there is stupid enough to be seen trying to break up a marriage,” Charles informed Jeff.

Jeff wasn’t convinced. In fact, he wasn’t convinced after he had discussed this with Nancy for many days. His own intelligence, his wife’s wisdom and his love for Liz were wearing him down.

Chapter 27

As soon as Amy could accept the new status of Maria and learn not to fear that Maria would be making the same mistakes as her mother, Amy felt a certain liberation. She had entertained men friends many times. Her friendship always was tempered by, “I am a single mom and I have to consider Maria in any relationship I find.”

Amy had not talked about the sheriff to Maria, but she was sure that Maria knew more than she let on about what her mother had been doing. Finding the bra in the living room, while she knew that Maria had a steady boyfriend, was cause for concern. If she had found panties in the living room, Amy would have had assurance that her daughter was sexually active. Amy had watched her daughter’s interaction with Michael. Michael had defended Maria more than once. Amy had too recent memories about being called Hippy trash to worry about Michael being only trailer trash. When Amy contacted the elderly women at the herb shop so long ago, they had not looked at her as any trash. They questioned her about herbs and her knowledge of using them. They had based their decision to ask to hire her because of this knowledge and the need they felt would compel Amy to stay with the calling. Claudia was a learned professor. She had also seen in Amy the person to carry on the knowledge to Liz. Claudia knew that she would not live to see Liz grown and to officially pass on the heritage of Carlotta. Amy, in exchange for including Maria in this heritage, would be the one to assure that the generations of knowledge would not die.

Now, if Maria was to be married and the intent of an education was to be promised, Amy’s purpose was fulfilled. She could turn to finding happiness for herself. When Maria was small, Amy did entertain men friends. She tried to shield Maria from too much exposure of this. She explained the questions of her daughter by that tired old expression, “Mommy needs men sometimes. It is a thing that grownups do.”

As elementary school sex education progressed, Amy felt less and less comfortable with men coming home with her. Her realm of entertainment became motel rooms and the bedrooms of the men of her interest. Jim had come on to her that evening at the Shop of Hope. Whether he had intended to seduce her or to just warn her and show worry about her welfare, Amy did not know. She saw his desire that night when she opened the door. She invited him in and with reminding him that she was a witch, Amy proceeded to fulfill what she thought was in his eyes. Now, Amy felt that she and the sheriff knew each other very well. Not just in sex, but as people who shared an interest in each other and a common worry about bringing up their children. Just like Maria, Kyle would soon be making his own home. Amy was faced by a guy whom she genuinely was interested in. Amy couldn’t help but wonder what things would be like with a man like Jim compared to being with Maria’s father. Maria and the Parker girl had promised to always stay close to someday take over the Shop of Hope and to continue Carlotta’s legacy. The night Maria had announced her engagement to Michael, Sheriff Jim had pushed harder to convince Amy that he wanted to not be just someone who was transitory. Jim wanted a wife. He wanted a wife who would stand beside him. He was tired of returning to an empty home. Bachelor living is not all that it is cracked up to be. Even if his wife was surrounded by magical spells, Jim wanted someone who would be there for him in so many ways.

It was soon seen, that, just like Maria, Amy would be wearing a ring of intent. Neither rings were opulent in riches, they were simple expressions of men who wanted something more. They did show riches of desire and care.

The senior year of high school was coming to a conclusion. College plans were being made and for the three aliens, marriages were being planned. Nancy had gone over and over her view of Liz’s future with Jeff. Jeff’s idea that Liz would be forever his little girl, maybe living next door some day, but always being Liz Parker first. Nancy talked to Jeff about what she felt when she agreed to marry him. He had never thought about what she had been called to give up leaving her parents and following him. She reminded him that she had folks who worried about the young man who was steeling away their daughter. They were not too sure of the rebellious boy who wanted to take away their daughter. Max was a much better sure thing, than the reputation Jeff had presented when Nancy left with him.

Jeff hated baseball and so did Max. That day when Jeff called Max on the phone and informed him that he had two tickets to a local game, were not to entertain either of them. Those tickets would forever preserve the knowledge that Jeff now, had accepted Max would be his son-in-law. If they never went to another ball game, that would be fine with both of them. Maybe in a few years, they could take a couple grandchildren fishing and tell the children the facts and stories about nature they had learned through out their lives.

Philip and Diane Evans hugged each other. They had started out life without any prospects for a family. Their adoption of the two children was mysteriously fortunate. Now, the secret of their children did not any longer have to be preserved. The passions they had never before seen in Isabel and the strong interest they saw Max show to Liz seemed to promise more children in the future. Philip was ready to retire from his law practice. He had much more important things to do, like advising Max as he became an intergalactic celebrity.

Marriages are expensive. Long engagements to preserve a traditional fiction that the union will be virginal are traditional. Maybe the long engagement now is just to give permission for a period of sexual experimentation. If incompatibility shows up, better to get out of the arrangement before a legal contract is signed. For the three aliens and their partners, compatibility seemed already decided. None of them had the luxury of long engagements, the time was growing near when they would face the State Department. Friends were mutual among the teens. Only relatives would be different. A group marriage was suggested. Maria and Liz were talking with Amy many times. It was understood that they would be absent from her guidance many times in the future, but they promised to always return and someday they would pass Carlotta’s knowledge on to their children. Amy thought, somewhere Claudia smiled. Her great grand children would have both alien powers as well as what the ancients had learned about things not readily understood of this Earth.

We can’t forget Kyle. He played college ball. No one ever teased him about the talisman he wore about his neck. Ball players could be superstitious. No one but Kyle knew, that the talisman was given to him by his wife. She hadn’t bought it from the girls. This one had cost almost one hundred dollars. It came with a renewal guarantee that Amy would refresh it whenever requested. Kyle, the former playboy had no desire to give in to the many groupies he met in his career.

Epilog

This year Maria and Liz would both reach their fiftieth birthday. Of their several children, only Serena and Kathy had shown interest in their heritage. Serena, Maria’s daughter, had just returned from a singing tour. Like her mother, she had a degree in music education and with what she learned on her tour, she had opened a voice studio. Maria had sang to Serena before she was born. Serena had followed Maria’s study of Spanish. She had lived in Mexico for many years and, with several tours throughout South America, she had become noted for her studies in Latin music. During her tours, she had also met many curanderas. Secrets of each craft were family secrets, but they shared many ideas of the future of their craft. It turned out that the writings of Carlotta were known among many of the women Serena met. Now, not only did Serena run her music studio, she also helped out at the Shop of Hope.

Like Maria’s other children, several of Liz’s family did not show interest about the craft. They didn’t necessarily disbelieve, they just didn’t want to dedicate their lives to things that bordered on superstition. Liz and Maria had worked hard to allow their children to make their own ways, but they also stressed tolerance for things they didn’t completely understand. Kathy, on the other hand, had immersed herself in Hispanic folklore. With help from Serena she would continue the Shop of Hope. Kathy had learned even more than had her mother, Liz, about ancient knowledge. It was not to believe everything she learned; rather, she felt knowledge should be preserved and others could decide how they felt about it.

Roswell had produced both witches and aliens. The State Department had set up an office in Roswell. Max had helped them study about the history of alien influence throughout the ages. No one was allowed to parade the aliens as oddities. Not many of those outside of Roswell knew or understood the ancient magic of the bruja. Many of the older Hispanic women still gathered to converse with Maria and Liz. They included Serena and Kathy along with their mothers. The herb shop grew as the Crashdown restaurant closed at the death of Liz’s parents. Kathy and Serena had opened an internet business is selling locally collected plants or herbs.

It should always be remembered that science doesn’t have all the answers or maybe there were alternate sciences.
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Are you young? Are you old? in the story I Heard You Calling young and old come together. they see how much they have to give each other.young and old come together. they see how much they have to give each other. young and old come together. they see how much they have to give each other.