like usual you guys are great and i have to tell you i was surpised that you didnt mind Liz's olive branch. I also think that you'll find Maria a lot more tolerable in the future. Also, hi lurkers .kay_b
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Jason's Lover
Part 30
‘Hi Mommy’ Parker smiled as Liz entered the house with a few shopping bags.
‘Hi honey’ she smiled back ‘can you help me with the groceries in the car please?’ she asked him.
He nodded quickly before running out to the garage.
Max walked into the kitchen and smiled when he noticed Liz was back, and busy unpacking.
‘Wow you bought enough to feed an army’ he laughed.
‘Well you and Parker eat enough, but that’s nothing compared to Michael and Kyle, and we cant forget the other ten or so people that are expecting food’ she joked.
‘Hmm true’
‘Go help your son with the rest of the bags’ he pushed him out of the kitchen. She knew that she had to tell him about Maria, she just wasn’t sure what type of reaction she was going to get.
Parker and Max returned several minutes later with the remainder of the shopping bags, Parker was smiling and telling Max about something that had happened at his friends John’s place earlier in the day.
‘Hey Park why don’t you go upstairs and get ready for tonight’ Max suggested and Liz noticed that he was wearing a frown.
When Parker had run up the stairs Max turned and looked at Liz expectantly ‘Liz?’ he questioned.
Liz sighed, she cursed the connection she shared with Max at that moment ‘Max’ she sighed back.
‘What could you have possible done that you would think I would be upset about?’ he asked her.
‘Well I don’t know if you’re going to be upset exactly’ she replied
Max walked into the kitchen and pulled Liz towards him until she was looking at him ‘Your right, it would take a lot for you to upset me’ he told her.
‘I ran into Maria in the supermarket and I kind of invited her tonight’ she told him hurriedly.
Max stood and looked at her for a few minutes with a strange look on his face, but Liz could tell from the their connection that he was neither upset or angry with her.
‘Um why?’ he asked her scratching his ear.
‘I’m nor sure exactly’ she smiled ‘I guess I just felt sorry for her, she looks totally different and she seemed lonely. I just thought this might be a good opportunity for her to talk to Alex and everyone again’ he continued to ramble.
Max smiled at the angel in his arms, he already knew that she was an extraordinary women and that he was extremely lucky to have her but once again she amazed him.
‘I love you’ he whispered.
‘I know’ Liz replied confused causing Max to laugh ‘It’s just that your such an amazing person. No one would have blamed you if you refused to talk to Maria ever again after some of the things she has said and done to you, but just like beautiful person you are, you’ve opened your arms to her’
Liz blushed at Max’s words, she thought his admiration was unfounded considering she herself thought that her intentions were completely selfish. Liz felt the tears immediately fill her eyes ‘I just miss her so much’ she looked up at Max as she said it.
‘I know you do baby’ he soothed pulling her against his hard chest.
‘Thank you’ she whispered.
Max pulled back so he could look into her eyes ‘Why?’
‘Because your always being so understanding. I mean I just invited your ex-wife over I know that’s got to be hard for you’
‘Your right it will probably be awkward but if Maria and I can be friends I would really like that as well, Liz’ he told her.
‘Ok, so you’ll break the news to your sister?’ Liz asked sheepishly, turning her pleading doe eyes to her soul mate. Liz knew that nearly everyone would welcome Maria with open arms with the exception of Isabel and Michael.
‘Only because you get the privilege of telling Michael’ he grinned.
Liz groaned, it was going to be a long night.
***
When 7 o’clock arrived the Parker Evans household was filled with quite a few people. They were sitting out side on the deck near the pool waiting for the last of their guests to arrive.
‘So who else is coming tonight?’ Tess asked from her seat next to Liz. Tess and Liz had been able to pick up where they left off from two years ago since Liz had been back, Tess had even asked Liz to be a bridesmaid in her wedding to Kyle in a few months time.
‘Oh both Max’s and my parents, Michael and possibly Maria’ she told them.
‘What?’ both Alex and Kyle asked shocked.
Luckily Isabel was in the kitchen helping Max prepare something, and hopefully he was already breaking the news to his sister.
‘You invited Maria? Why?’ Alex asked.
‘I know you guys are shocked, I was shocked that I did it but I ran into her this afternoon and she was so down and lonely’ she told them looking at them all.
‘I miss her Alex’ she whispered then to her best friend.
Alex’s gaze dropped to the ground at Liz’s words, he understood exactly how she felt because that’s how he had felt for the past two years.
‘I miss her too, but I miss the old Maria’ he replied.
‘Yeah well I’m hoping she might be back, she seemed different, hell she looked different’
‘She is different’ Kyle finished for them.
‘Yeah?’ Alex asked hopefully. Even though Kyle and Alex were the best of friends, Maria had been a taboo subject between them for many years.
‘Yeah she’s been doing a lot of sole searching the past three months’ he told them.
‘She apologized to Michael and Parker a few months ago’ Liz added ‘and to me this afternoon’
‘but is that enough Liz?’ Isabel’s voice asked surprising Liz who hadn’t been aware that she had joined the conversation.
Liz was surprised at the softened look in Isabel’s’ eyes she had expected the biggest fight from her about Maria’s presence ‘it’s a start’ she whispered.
‘you’re right’ Isabel agreed ‘I just don’t want to see you and Alex get hurt again if it turns out she hasn’t changed at all’ he admitted.
‘Me either’
The conversation what halted then by more arriving guests and soon everyone was mingling.
***
Michael pulled up out the front of Max and Liz’s on his bike and took of his helmet. He was running a late because of a little trouble at work. He knew Liz would understand.
He walked to the front door and could already hear all the chatting and laughter from inside and doubted that anyone would hear him if he rang the door bell anyway. He was just about to turn the knob when her heard a car pull up out the front. He was shocked to see a very different looking Maria Deluca get out of her red jetta.
‘I can’t believe you still have that thing’ he found himself saying as she walked towards the door.
‘Michael?’ It was dark and it was hard to see who was standing in the shadows.
‘Yep, what are you doing here?’ he asked her concerned that she was here to cause trouble.
‘Liz invited me actually’ she told him. She looked him over for the first time since he had come home and couldn’t deny that he looked good. He was more toned than he had been and his clothing seemed to have improved. But the most obvious changed was his hair which he was now back to keeping short and Maria liked it.
‘She did?’ Michael asked surprised. Why would Liz do a thing like that? He thought to himself.
‘Um yeah it was really nice of her but I’m not sure if anyone else is really going to be very welcoming’ she told him.
‘You sure you know what your doing?’ he found himself asking. Upon his return he had no sympathy for Maria but he had spent a lot of time with Max and Liz over the past few month and he knew what it was like to e around them and he didn’t wish that upon Maria.
‘I know that there going to be a tough crowd, Isabel especially and that I have a lot to make up for but I really want to try’ she told him.
‘That’s not what I mean’ he said then leaning against the door.
‘What do you mean then?’ she asked confused.
‘I mean Max and Liz. Are you sure you’re ready to see them together?’
‘Oh’ Maria frowned, she wasn’t sure but there was only one way to find out wasn’t there. ‘I’ve seen them more together than I would have cared to and I’m still standing. A little PDA wont break me Michael’ she assured him.
‘Okay’ he nodded before turning around and letting them into the house.
‘Shouldn’t we knock or something?’ she asked.
‘Nah open door policy for me’ he assured her.
Maria followed Michael through the house admiring the beautiful pictures on the walls, some she even recognized from Max’s study.
She was so busy looking at a picture of Max, Liz and Parker together that she didn’t notice Michael’s abrupt stop and ran straight into his back.
‘Michael what’ she started to berate him when Michael stepped aside and Maria caught sight of why he had stopped. Max and Liz were locked in a very passionate embrace against the kitchen bench.
Michael looked down expecting to see Maria upset and was surprised and even a little happy that she wasn’t ‘Are they always like that?’ she whispered, surprised and envious.
Michael ran a hand through his hair ‘Um yeah pretty much’ he told her before he cleared his throat loudly.
Max and Liz jumped apart like they were a couple of teenagers being caught by Liz’s Dad and Michael could help but laugh.
‘Wow you two look pretty funny right now’ he told them.
‘Michael’ Liz yelped ‘Maria’ she said even more surprised when she noticed her by Michael’s side.
‘Hey’ Maria smiled biting back a giggle.
‘You guys are just in time we’re about to start the BBQ, you can help me now Mike’ Max told them scratching his ear.
‘Yeah looks like you were having your entrée early, Max’ Michael laughed. This time Maria didn’t stop herself and she also joined him. Soon Liz and Max found themselves laughing along side them.
‘Come on’ Liz told them ‘Lets go outside’
‘Time to face the firing squad’ Maria joked moving next to Liz as they made their way through the kitchen and outside.
‘Hey it wont be too bad’ Liz assured her.
‘Thanks Liz’ Maria smiled. But the smile disappeared quickly when all laughter and talking stopped when she stepped foot on the patio.
TBC.... Just a warning that this was the last part that i had written so you'll get new parts as i write them... sorry but we're winding down
. Hi to all you lurkers out there too.