AN: So we did the running around and worrying and actually we had little to worry about... it was everyone else and geez, we're all hating mother nature just a bit right now. Got word that some family members weren't as lucky as we were. So writing is a back seat thing but I'll be visualizing so much while we get things together.
Part 9 – August 12, 2001
Sunday morning found Max sitting at the counter of the Crashdown hunting for a fruit platter or something that wouldn't upset his stomach. This grease thing was not agreeing with his digestive system. Giving up, he switched his gaze to the newspaper he had bought on the way. He had just engrossed himself in the World section when a hand crumpled the paper before his eyes. He was met with a pair of angry green eyes. "I was reading that."
"I'll bet you were."
"No bets. I was. I said I was." Max sat up and studied the angry waitress before him. "Why do you hate me so much?"
"You've known her a week."
"Eight days."
"Eight days, whatever. It's only eight days. I don't know how things work in Hollywood, Mr. Bigshot… but in the real world, you need more than eight days before you get a girl in the sack." Maria fumed, leaning forward with every word out of her mouth. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you. Hurting her is inevitable since apparently you're skipping town in a few days."
"You want me, don't you? You lust for me. You dream about me ravaging your body until you're nothing but a limp mass of sated flesh." Max blinked at her and waited as his words registered. She huffed and stormed away. It took him a few minutes to straighten out his newspaper. The front page had been a little quiet, made him a little suspicious, that part of him that was fascinated by war. "Something's up."
"What's that?" An older man poised with an order pad in hand.
"Just seems a little quiet in the news is all." Max shook his head.
"Know what you mean. It's a little too quiet. What can I get you?"
"That um, pancake platter." Max shook his head. "They're still wondering on that Levy case and I wouldn't have voted for Bush."
"I hear you." Weary shake of the head. "Voted for Gore myself. Looks like they're still looking into that Florida mess."
"All the news is home-based and already worn out. Guess no news is good news."
"What my mom always used to say. I'll get that platter out to you in a bit." Max watched him tack the order to the rotating order clip and then wander around straightening things out. One look at the clothes and Max realized that was the infamous Mr. Parker. Before another thought could form, a shadow fell over his paper. "Morning, handsome."
"Well, good morning." Max turned with a bright smile. "How was the dreaded early shift?"
"Horrible and I'm working all afternoon too." Liz sighed and sat on the stool next to him. "I don't know what you said to Maria but she just took off."
"She started it." He turned to face her with a smile. "Did you miss me?"
"Yes. It's very sad." She sighed heavily. "I'm going to have to give up all my dreams and follow you around like a helpless puppy."
"Over-actor." Max chided.
"What are you reading?" Liz turned slightly to pull his newspaper away.
"Recent stuff on stem-cell research."
"Oh yeah?" Before he knew it, she was completely engrossed in the article.
"Lizzie! Back to work." Mr. Parker smacked her arm with his towel and turned to retrieve the pancake platter for his counter customer.
"Dad, they're trying to push through the stem-cell research." Liz protested.
"If you don't get back to your tables, you'll never have enough money to look at those damn stem-cells yourself. Git." He slid the plate in front of Max without another word and wandered off.
Max found himself inside an image where a small brown-haired girl looked up in admiration at her father. Pigtails and shiny shoes, staring up at a youngish man poring over what looked like a ledger. The image was quickly replaced by the current Liz poring over a science book and writing down a series of complicated formulas… shrugging off her father's hand when he laid it on her shoulder. Mr. Parker was slightly wounded by the gesture but proud of her all the same. Max had to shake the image off. Strange feelings had bubbled up and he had no clue what to do with them.
The pancakes may have well been sawdust for all he tasted them. Casting a wave toward Liz, he left enough for the meal and then some before taking his leave. There was only one thing he knew for certain… he was bored out of his mind. It was as he was walking that he found something to do, or something found him. "You know, all the kids are talking about you and Liz Parker."
"Is that right?" Max didn't even have to turn to know it was a certain tall blonde.
"Oh yeah. There's a pool going on."
"You want the inside track? Ask her."
"Smart answer." Isabel lengthened her stride just a bit to walk beside him. "Why in the world would you come here to relax?"
"I'm beginning to ask myself that same question. Truthfully, I had made it all the way to El Paso before I realized where I was going. I didn't have a plan. I was just driving… getting away from all the crap in my life… all that fake crap. What happens? I land here… with more fake crap."
Isabel pulled his arm and led him down a side street. "Now what in the world is fake here? Aside from the illustrations mocking our existence?"
"The people." Max shrugged and leaned against a wall. "Now, obviously you, Michael and I would be the fakest people in town. Everyone else… mostly those I've met."
"What's fake about Perfect Parker?"
"Now, what do you call her that?"
"She makes people gag, she's that sweet and smart." Isabel winced. "Then you have to factor in that she's actually nice and pretty cool if you like that type of person." Sighing, she sat on an old box. "She's the girl that your parents want you to be. Though, recently… at least to those of us who watch other people closely, she's a little more palatable."
"This is her wild streak?"
"Apparently." Crossing her arms, she pinned him with a look. "So why is she fake?"
"She's pretending that I'm her boyfriend. I know what she knows and she's been playing around like I'm never going anywhere."
Isabel let a smile cross her lips. "You know… Michael and I do this all the time. He gets these imaginary problems with girls that are pissed at him."
"What's imaginary about this?"
"You. God, you're so smooth and slick and you're just as stupid as every other male on the planet."
"Now what are you talking about?"
"She's not being fake. She's being a girl. Obviously she likes you. Apparently she knows you're not sticking around… she's temporarily deluded. She's just enjoying what she can."
Silence fell over them as hey returned to their own thoughts. Finally, Max had had enough. "What do the cool kids do for fun?"
"Which ones? This is a small town. We have cliques and you are cool within the clique." She pulled her hair back with a clip. "I am in the popular clique. We make fun of the other cliques when we're not trying to stay on top of the latest fashions. It's delightfully shallow."
"And just what you need to blend."
"Exactly." She made a face. "It's tiring. You know? Pretending."
"Yeah. I know." Max nodded.
"What does Liz know?"
"Scraps of truth." Shrugged and slid his hands into his pockets. "You know, this feels good. Bonding or what have you." He made a noise through his teeth and pulled an empty film container from his pocket, twirling it between his fingers. "I never have anyone to talk to?"
"What about…" She motioned quickly with her hand.
"Tess?" He shrugged again. "What do you remember about coming out of the pods?"
"Almost nothing. I do know that there was someone else there, in there with us. Do you get those feelings? Stuff you… sense to be true but with no… images or sounds to make you sure?"
"Yeah. My memories were prompted by Kal's fine storytelling." Max made a face and rolled his eyes. "We named her Tess. She's been raised to think she's my sister. I love her to death but it's an ordeal to live with her, you know? A combination of events left her less than whole."
"Oh my God, is there something wrong with her?"
"I'm not a fan of religion but people always say that people like Tess are God's gifts. Her teacher once told me that they know something that the rest of us will never know." Max shook his head. "I get a lot of pity for Tess being Tess."
"How… I mean… How do you even classify that?"
"I have the same problem. I hate P.C. and Tess is smart enough to know when she's been offended. She's really very smart when you get down to it but at the same time, she's just so… far behind." Max sank down to sit on the ground. "She doesn't read too well. She's had the classes and taken tests and now that she's advanced this far, they think she's got a form of dyslexia where words that can't be associated with images just don't make sense to her. She learns math really quickly now… so long as she only has to look at the equations. She learned chess by watching a tournament on TV. She can play the most beautiful music on several different instruments but it's only mimicry."
"Wow."
"She spends money like crazy on clothes and loves to have pictures taken of herself… You should see her eyes light up when she sees a new Vera. She looks good and she knows it… The expressions she makes, like she knows she's hot… but she wouldn't know what to do with that feeling."
"Feeling?"
"You don't ever feel sexy? Like if you walked into a room, every man would be panting, waiting on you hand and foot?"
"Well yeah."
"She looks that good but if anyone ever approached her, she'll find me and hide under my jacket… with me still in it."
"Sounds demanding."
"Only when it's inconvenient." Max laughed. "She's great though. She can ruin my plans for the evening, trash something important I was working on… and still manage to make me laugh my head off before her bedtime."
"Michael and I are close. We've only got each other. Mom and Dad don't know about us and Michael… he keeps them at arms length. It gets to Mom sometimes but I think Dad understands. Michael has always had this fear of getting attached." Sighing, she shrugged. "He's always guarded and inside himself. I at least have a fairly healthy bond with Mom."
"That's good. It's really good that you have parents."
"Don't you and… Kal…"
"He's a reluctant guardian with plenty of money to throw at problems." Tossing the film container up in the air, he caught it. "You have an aunt or uncle that's always giving you money. You like it but your parents get exasperated with them?"
"Yeah."
"That's Kal, only since I don't have parents… I'm the one that gets exasperated." Another shrug and a bit of silence. Max couldn't help it. "So… Liz."
"You, like all men… are completely transparent." Isabel rolled her eyes and moved to sit next to him on the ground. "What's the problem?"
"Tell me exactly what I'm not getting there."
"You slept with her, right?"
"Yeah."
"Her first time." A wry smile crossed her face. "She's smart. Very smart that one."
"Isabel."
"It's like this. I would die if people dissected my life the way they do hers. Her parents are an institution in town, just like that damned restaurant. Her dad is best buds with our beloved Sheriff. Her mom in on the PTA. She's nice looking. She's nice and sweet. For all intents and purposes, she's perfect." A faraway look crossed her eyes. "She hates his town, dreams about getting out… but she's human. She's got urges and wants and needs. You should see some of the guys she's dated. Not the brightest bulbs and some not the cutest but… nice guys. Guys you could bring home to your parents… not the guys you'd want if you planned to get out of Roswell and stay out."
"Break it down for me. I'm in Hollywood. Plenty of overactors and never enough meaningful dialogue."
"Okay. Liz Parker on a wild streak. Has dated the football players and the chess geeks. Now she's dating the cooler guys but she's afraid of getting tied down, so it's all pretty casual. Then summer before her final year, this rich handsome guy sweeps into town and off her feet." Isabel sat up straight and made movements with her shoulders the more she got into her storytelling. "So, he's a sweet-talker. Makes her feel gorgeous and he's leaving soon. Very soon. Against her better judgment and that of her best friend since the cradle, she falls. It's perfect. Stranger, who's intriguing and won't get attached, gives her what she won't accept from her small town boys.
"So when you leave, she'll have an excuse to put the guys off. 'Oh, there was a guy this summer and my heart is still broken. Boohoo.' Nothing to tie her here, she goes off the college minus that nasty innocence and when she comes back into town to visit mom and dad, there's nothing to remind her of a mistake or have an ex-boyfriend with possibly jealous tendencies. Small towns breed those you know?"
"Huh." Max eyed her suspiciously. "How do you know so much?"
"I blend very well. To do that. You have to understand the small town mentality. Liz is smart. That's what she'd do. My friend on the other hand would sleep with you, hope to get pregnant so you'd have to take them with you when you leave."
"Yikes."
"And… I tend to dreamwalk…" At his confusion, she pressed on. "It's something I do. I go into people's dreams. I examine what's in their heads as applied to what I already know about them. Liz Parker is boring most of the time but I know what happens in her nightmares." She laughed. "What is your hang up with her?"
"Let's just say that this is the most intense I've ever gotten with a girl. I've never lied to her. I told her about the girls that were just a night or a few days to me and she didn't seem to care…"
"But you do. Maybe you have a soul after all."
Max turned slightly to look at her. There was a weight to her. "What are you going to do when Jesse decides he loves you?"
"Hey! We weren't talking about me."
"How old is he?"
It was Isabel's turn to squirm. "Older. I'm 18, though. One more year of high school. No one knows. If anyone's seen us, they're not talking." She wrapped a strand of hair around her finger. "It's the most real feeling I've ever had."
"Do me a favor, Isabel."
"What?"
"Live."
TBC
Where Once Stood Kings (Mature, Max) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
part 10
Part 10 – August 14, 2001
Isabel led Max through the store. Michael lagged behind, knowing that Max was in for it. With Liz working virtually every possible hour, he'd had to find other ways to entertain himself. He had been reading The Prince when the Evans duo had shown up at his room. Isabel taken suggested a shopping day and Michael had been surprising quiet about it. Then Max realized why Isabel had suggested it. She needed to know what girls were wearing in L.A. He had tried twice to tell her that he really didn't know but she wasn't listening. "I was thinking of cutting my hair, what do you think?"
"Depends." Max shrugged and then tried once more to reason with her. "You know, the girls in my circle are a little higher priced than you. They don't dress like teenagers. They dress with sophistication and personal shoppers."
"I just think that I need a change in wardrobe." Isabel shrugged, avoiding Michael's eyes.
"This is for him, huh." Michael scoffed and stormed off.
"Michael!" Isabel stomped her foot and let out a low shriek. "I swear, he's like a caveman sometimes. I know that I used to date a lot. A different guy every few weeks but since this past spring, he's been… erg! I finally find a guy that I like, that I could really, really, like and he's mad. Jesse and I understand each other. We both have all this pressure to be perfect, to be more than perfect and when we're together, we don't have to worry about being perfect."
"Slow down. I'm new to the brother thing."
"I'm almost 19, Max." Isabel clasped her hands together. "Why do I have to be treated like a child?"
Sighing, Max wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her over to a section with clothes he thought she would look good in. "I see you in a wine. Less makeup but effective to show that you are young but mature. Maybe some short layers, is this your natural hair color?"
"No."
"Well, maybe you go back to nature or a shade darker. Nothing too drastic." Max pulled a blouse from the rack. "This would look fantastic. Some black pants. Low rise for a sexy look or regulars for mature…"
"You do this with Tess when she's upset, don’t you?"
"Yes."
"Keeping doing it but don't talk to me like I'm five. I doubt she likes that either."
"You're probably right." Max dropped a kiss on her forehead and nudged her hand with the blouse until she took it. "Go get pretty for me."
Max watched her go and wandered away and into an aisle where a very angry blue-eyed teen was waiting for him. "Max?"
"That'd be me." Max shoved a hand into his pocket. "Who are you?"
"The guy that's going to kick your ass."
Max studied the teen's skinny stature. Sure he had an inch or two on him but he was really very skinny. "Before you start, may I know why?"
"Liz is my best friend and she doesn't deserve to be hurt by a jerk like you. Does she know what you're doing?"
"I think Liz is perfectly aware of everything." Max nodded.
"Then does Isabel know that you're seeing Liz?"
As the words registered, Max's jaw went slack in shock and distaste. "Yes, she does. She actually approves… considering she thinks most girls are skanks and if she were going to pick a nice girl for her brother, Liz would be the one."
"Bro--." He stopped. "Um."
"Max Evans." Max held out his hand. "You've got to be Alex."
"Yeah, Alex Whitman." He shook the hand offered and just stood there. Alex worked his mouth for a moment, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. He had seen the infamous Max with his arms around the ever-popular Isabel Evans and he had to say something. "Did you say brother?"
"I did. I'm glad Liz has such a fine bodyguard and friend."
"But Isabel has one brother. Michael."
"Biological brother." Max corrected. The poor boy looked more and more confused with every moment that passed.
"Oh. Then… see you… I guess." Alex turned and walked away, shaking his head and talking to himself.
Max turned in time to find Isabel examining her appearance in a three-way mirror. Isabel studied her reflection and turned one way then another. "Max… I really hope you don't mind but I told my parents about you… and Jesse, too."
"How'd they take the news about Jesse?"
"I meant that I told Jesse about you." She turned to face him. "I know it's weird and Michael is still so suspicious and paranoid but… I base my existence on lying as little as possible to my mother and to Jesse." Her eyes grew shiny and wide. "I would appreciate it and love you forever if you came to dinner tonight and then go with me to meet Jesse afterward."
Max wanted to. He really did. He wanted to meet the parents that he should have had and for the millionth time since he and Isabel had bonded, he wished that he had never met Kal, that he had grown up in Roswell like she had. He had promised Liz that the night was hers, as was the following morning. "One condition."
"Name it."
"Cover for Liz tonight. Maria won't do it."
"Done." Isabel nodded and then threw her arms around him. "I've taken care of everything so all you have to do is show up and be as charming as possible. Mom is going to love you."
--
Dinner was emotionally trying for Max. He quickly found that he had nothing in common with Michael. Isabel had shown up at the table with short brown hair and her new outfit, courtesy of Max's credit card. Much to Isabel's surprise though, Mr. Evans had invited Jesse without checking ahead and the table had ended up slightly crowded. Watching the Evans made Max's heart ache for a parental figure.
Mrs. Evans frowned at her crowded table. "Maybe we should have gone out to eat." She smiled at Max. "Roswell isn't the kind of place that you're used to if Isabel's told me correctly. I'm sure you'd much rather be at Andrea's or Kwan Den or Claim's."
"Are you kidding? This is great. I never get the chance to eat food that someone put love into." Max flashed her a smile. "It's either really rich food in small portions or whatever my uncle's housekeeper threw together as quickly as she could." He took a big bite of his chicken fried steak. "This is delicious."
"Thank you." Diane beamed at her family. "Jesse, how's Roswell been treating you since you've been back?"
"Mmm." Jesse wiped his mouth and cleared his throat. "This is really good. Um, it's been great. I think my mother likes having me around. I can do all the grunt work around the house."
"You live with your mother?" Michael spoke up, a smirk on his lips when his eyes slid over to his sister. She threatened to kick him and he sat back.
"Yeah." Jesse nodded. "I haven't been home in a good while, seven years or so. It's the least I can do, to be there for her. She feels like she's needed again and I get her tacos on Sunday."
"Honey, we're going to have to invite her to dinner sometime or solicit an invite. Jesse talks on and on about her tacos." Phillip shifted his plate slightly and reached for his glass. "We need a bigger table. If the kids ever invite their boyfriends and girlfriends over, we'll never have room."
Isabel kicked Michael into silence on that comment. "It might be a good idea."
"I don't know. I've had this table since we got married. We ate our first meal in this house on this table. This is where we had our first meal as a family and now, Max is here. It's yet another memory associated with this table." Diane sighed and squeezed Isabel's arm. She paused to look over her daughter's hair. "That is a… beautiful color sweetie."
"It's all very sudden but it looks good." Phillip chimed in.
"I think it looks nice." Jesse added, his lips curved up at the corners. Isabel kicked Michael again for good measure. He glared at her but didn't say anything.
"Thank you. I just thought a change would be nice. New school year and all. This year is going to be so boring, though. I only have one class to take and everything else will be padding on my transcripts."
"We're so proud of you." Phillip nodded and turned his gaze on Michael.
"Yeah, I know. Work harder. Get those grades up." Michael nodded and just barely managed to keep from rolling his eyes. "Not everyone can just absorb everything they read."
"Max, Isabel told me that you're a photographer." Phillip sat back in his chair.
"I'm trying to break into the business. I've got an interview with a magazine editor on Friday. Classes start next week." Max nodded and sipped water from his glass
"After school job?"
"No, career. I've already eliminated most of my basics through college credit tests. I'm going part time so I can work on my contacts with the magazine and spend some time with my sister." Max froze when most the people at the table also did. He looked to Isabel, who fiddled with her ear. Max cleared his throat and continued. "My other sister, Tess."
"Oh." Diane sat up. "How old is she? She's Isabel's sister too, then, right?"
"Actually, Mom." Isabel tried to explain but gave up right away.
Michael surprised everyone by filling in the blanks without even looking up from his plate. "She's 18, not related to Max or Isabel by blood. Sort of adopted or something. She's mentally challenged." When he realized people were staring at him, he scratched at his eyebrow. "What? I paid attention when he told me."
Jesse changed the subject slightly. "I think I heard someone say your uncle is a movie producer."
"Yeah. He gets his name in here and there and it accumulates into fear. A lot of unknowns are lucky to get his name on their projects. Right now he's promoting a kid's movie or something. I try not to pay attention but we're going to end up going to the premiere." Max pushed his plate a side and relaxed a little. "He's got his thumb in a few sci-fi movies and their sequels. He really likes doing those but he always says it's not a good movie unless someone dies."
"Oh?" Diane listened with wide eyes.
"Red Planet was his recent favorite. He laughed through most of the movie." Max sighed and patted his stomach. "That was really good. Probably the best I've ever had."
"It's too bad you can't stay longer. I would have liked to get to know you a little better." Diane let her eyes rest on her son. He worried her sometimes, so stand-offish but he hadn't shied away from Max like he normally did strangers.
"Serendipity, I guess. I didn't think I'd meet Isabel or Michael the way I did. The real world beckons, though." Max adjusted his shirt slightly. "I feel guilty for leaving Tess for so long anyway."
"Well, at least some brothers and sisters get along." Phillip made a gesture to his teens.
"We get along just fine." Isabel protested. "We went shopping together this morning. We didn't fight… much." She kicked Michael to make sure he stayed quiet about why he was mad.
"Isabel, quit kicking your brother." Phillip wiped his mouth with his napkin and turned to his young colleague. "Aren't you glad you're an only child?"
"Sometimes." Jesse nodded and was about to add something when Michael spoke up.
"Hey, Iz. Were you still gonna sneak out for dessert with your boyfriend?" Michael sat back and watched the carnage unfold.
"Boyfriend?" Diane's head popped up. "Who is he, sweetie? Do we know him? Does he go to West?"
"Aren't you glad those days are over?" Phillip nudged Jesse, who nodded stiffly and avoided Isabel's gaze.
--
Max parted with the Evans, walked with Jesse to the curb, shook his hand and pat him on the back, making him promise not to hurt Isabel, and was gone. When he returned to the hotel, Liz was waiting for him.
TBC
Isabel led Max through the store. Michael lagged behind, knowing that Max was in for it. With Liz working virtually every possible hour, he'd had to find other ways to entertain himself. He had been reading The Prince when the Evans duo had shown up at his room. Isabel taken suggested a shopping day and Michael had been surprising quiet about it. Then Max realized why Isabel had suggested it. She needed to know what girls were wearing in L.A. He had tried twice to tell her that he really didn't know but she wasn't listening. "I was thinking of cutting my hair, what do you think?"
"Depends." Max shrugged and then tried once more to reason with her. "You know, the girls in my circle are a little higher priced than you. They don't dress like teenagers. They dress with sophistication and personal shoppers."
"I just think that I need a change in wardrobe." Isabel shrugged, avoiding Michael's eyes.
"This is for him, huh." Michael scoffed and stormed off.
"Michael!" Isabel stomped her foot and let out a low shriek. "I swear, he's like a caveman sometimes. I know that I used to date a lot. A different guy every few weeks but since this past spring, he's been… erg! I finally find a guy that I like, that I could really, really, like and he's mad. Jesse and I understand each other. We both have all this pressure to be perfect, to be more than perfect and when we're together, we don't have to worry about being perfect."
"Slow down. I'm new to the brother thing."
"I'm almost 19, Max." Isabel clasped her hands together. "Why do I have to be treated like a child?"
Sighing, Max wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her over to a section with clothes he thought she would look good in. "I see you in a wine. Less makeup but effective to show that you are young but mature. Maybe some short layers, is this your natural hair color?"
"No."
"Well, maybe you go back to nature or a shade darker. Nothing too drastic." Max pulled a blouse from the rack. "This would look fantastic. Some black pants. Low rise for a sexy look or regulars for mature…"
"You do this with Tess when she's upset, don’t you?"
"Yes."
"Keeping doing it but don't talk to me like I'm five. I doubt she likes that either."
"You're probably right." Max dropped a kiss on her forehead and nudged her hand with the blouse until she took it. "Go get pretty for me."
Max watched her go and wandered away and into an aisle where a very angry blue-eyed teen was waiting for him. "Max?"
"That'd be me." Max shoved a hand into his pocket. "Who are you?"
"The guy that's going to kick your ass."
Max studied the teen's skinny stature. Sure he had an inch or two on him but he was really very skinny. "Before you start, may I know why?"
"Liz is my best friend and she doesn't deserve to be hurt by a jerk like you. Does she know what you're doing?"
"I think Liz is perfectly aware of everything." Max nodded.
"Then does Isabel know that you're seeing Liz?"
As the words registered, Max's jaw went slack in shock and distaste. "Yes, she does. She actually approves… considering she thinks most girls are skanks and if she were going to pick a nice girl for her brother, Liz would be the one."
"Bro--." He stopped. "Um."
"Max Evans." Max held out his hand. "You've got to be Alex."
"Yeah, Alex Whitman." He shook the hand offered and just stood there. Alex worked his mouth for a moment, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. He had seen the infamous Max with his arms around the ever-popular Isabel Evans and he had to say something. "Did you say brother?"
"I did. I'm glad Liz has such a fine bodyguard and friend."
"But Isabel has one brother. Michael."
"Biological brother." Max corrected. The poor boy looked more and more confused with every moment that passed.
"Oh. Then… see you… I guess." Alex turned and walked away, shaking his head and talking to himself.
Max turned in time to find Isabel examining her appearance in a three-way mirror. Isabel studied her reflection and turned one way then another. "Max… I really hope you don't mind but I told my parents about you… and Jesse, too."
"How'd they take the news about Jesse?"
"I meant that I told Jesse about you." She turned to face him. "I know it's weird and Michael is still so suspicious and paranoid but… I base my existence on lying as little as possible to my mother and to Jesse." Her eyes grew shiny and wide. "I would appreciate it and love you forever if you came to dinner tonight and then go with me to meet Jesse afterward."
Max wanted to. He really did. He wanted to meet the parents that he should have had and for the millionth time since he and Isabel had bonded, he wished that he had never met Kal, that he had grown up in Roswell like she had. He had promised Liz that the night was hers, as was the following morning. "One condition."
"Name it."
"Cover for Liz tonight. Maria won't do it."
"Done." Isabel nodded and then threw her arms around him. "I've taken care of everything so all you have to do is show up and be as charming as possible. Mom is going to love you."
--
Dinner was emotionally trying for Max. He quickly found that he had nothing in common with Michael. Isabel had shown up at the table with short brown hair and her new outfit, courtesy of Max's credit card. Much to Isabel's surprise though, Mr. Evans had invited Jesse without checking ahead and the table had ended up slightly crowded. Watching the Evans made Max's heart ache for a parental figure.
Mrs. Evans frowned at her crowded table. "Maybe we should have gone out to eat." She smiled at Max. "Roswell isn't the kind of place that you're used to if Isabel's told me correctly. I'm sure you'd much rather be at Andrea's or Kwan Den or Claim's."
"Are you kidding? This is great. I never get the chance to eat food that someone put love into." Max flashed her a smile. "It's either really rich food in small portions or whatever my uncle's housekeeper threw together as quickly as she could." He took a big bite of his chicken fried steak. "This is delicious."
"Thank you." Diane beamed at her family. "Jesse, how's Roswell been treating you since you've been back?"
"Mmm." Jesse wiped his mouth and cleared his throat. "This is really good. Um, it's been great. I think my mother likes having me around. I can do all the grunt work around the house."
"You live with your mother?" Michael spoke up, a smirk on his lips when his eyes slid over to his sister. She threatened to kick him and he sat back.
"Yeah." Jesse nodded. "I haven't been home in a good while, seven years or so. It's the least I can do, to be there for her. She feels like she's needed again and I get her tacos on Sunday."
"Honey, we're going to have to invite her to dinner sometime or solicit an invite. Jesse talks on and on about her tacos." Phillip shifted his plate slightly and reached for his glass. "We need a bigger table. If the kids ever invite their boyfriends and girlfriends over, we'll never have room."
Isabel kicked Michael into silence on that comment. "It might be a good idea."
"I don't know. I've had this table since we got married. We ate our first meal in this house on this table. This is where we had our first meal as a family and now, Max is here. It's yet another memory associated with this table." Diane sighed and squeezed Isabel's arm. She paused to look over her daughter's hair. "That is a… beautiful color sweetie."
"It's all very sudden but it looks good." Phillip chimed in.
"I think it looks nice." Jesse added, his lips curved up at the corners. Isabel kicked Michael again for good measure. He glared at her but didn't say anything.
"Thank you. I just thought a change would be nice. New school year and all. This year is going to be so boring, though. I only have one class to take and everything else will be padding on my transcripts."
"We're so proud of you." Phillip nodded and turned his gaze on Michael.
"Yeah, I know. Work harder. Get those grades up." Michael nodded and just barely managed to keep from rolling his eyes. "Not everyone can just absorb everything they read."
"Max, Isabel told me that you're a photographer." Phillip sat back in his chair.
"I'm trying to break into the business. I've got an interview with a magazine editor on Friday. Classes start next week." Max nodded and sipped water from his glass
"After school job?"
"No, career. I've already eliminated most of my basics through college credit tests. I'm going part time so I can work on my contacts with the magazine and spend some time with my sister." Max froze when most the people at the table also did. He looked to Isabel, who fiddled with her ear. Max cleared his throat and continued. "My other sister, Tess."
"Oh." Diane sat up. "How old is she? She's Isabel's sister too, then, right?"
"Actually, Mom." Isabel tried to explain but gave up right away.
Michael surprised everyone by filling in the blanks without even looking up from his plate. "She's 18, not related to Max or Isabel by blood. Sort of adopted or something. She's mentally challenged." When he realized people were staring at him, he scratched at his eyebrow. "What? I paid attention when he told me."
Jesse changed the subject slightly. "I think I heard someone say your uncle is a movie producer."
"Yeah. He gets his name in here and there and it accumulates into fear. A lot of unknowns are lucky to get his name on their projects. Right now he's promoting a kid's movie or something. I try not to pay attention but we're going to end up going to the premiere." Max pushed his plate a side and relaxed a little. "He's got his thumb in a few sci-fi movies and their sequels. He really likes doing those but he always says it's not a good movie unless someone dies."
"Oh?" Diane listened with wide eyes.
"Red Planet was his recent favorite. He laughed through most of the movie." Max sighed and patted his stomach. "That was really good. Probably the best I've ever had."
"It's too bad you can't stay longer. I would have liked to get to know you a little better." Diane let her eyes rest on her son. He worried her sometimes, so stand-offish but he hadn't shied away from Max like he normally did strangers.
"Serendipity, I guess. I didn't think I'd meet Isabel or Michael the way I did. The real world beckons, though." Max adjusted his shirt slightly. "I feel guilty for leaving Tess for so long anyway."
"Well, at least some brothers and sisters get along." Phillip made a gesture to his teens.
"We get along just fine." Isabel protested. "We went shopping together this morning. We didn't fight… much." She kicked Michael to make sure he stayed quiet about why he was mad.
"Isabel, quit kicking your brother." Phillip wiped his mouth with his napkin and turned to his young colleague. "Aren't you glad you're an only child?"
"Sometimes." Jesse nodded and was about to add something when Michael spoke up.
"Hey, Iz. Were you still gonna sneak out for dessert with your boyfriend?" Michael sat back and watched the carnage unfold.
"Boyfriend?" Diane's head popped up. "Who is he, sweetie? Do we know him? Does he go to West?"
"Aren't you glad those days are over?" Phillip nudged Jesse, who nodded stiffly and avoided Isabel's gaze.
--
Max parted with the Evans, walked with Jesse to the curb, shook his hand and pat him on the back, making him promise not to hurt Isabel, and was gone. When he returned to the hotel, Liz was waiting for him.
TBC
part 11
Part 11 – August 15, 2001
Max took a deep breath, his heart rate had just returned to normal and Liz was stroking his temple with her thumb. "That feels good."
"Did anyone ever tell you that you've got a slow recovery time?" Liz pressed her lips against his gently.
"And you know this?"
"I was a virgin, not a nun."
"Price you pay for loving the best."
"That's some ego you got." She laughed gently. Then there was the silence. Weighty silence that could only mean one thing. "Why are you with me?"
"Come again?" His eyes slid open.
"I know that you were only half joking about sleeping with the girls in your pictures. I look at them and wonder why you picked me."
"Girls like you don't exist in L.A."
"I have no body and I'm actually quite a geek."
"You have a body, made apparent by those low rise jeans and that shirt with the V-neck and hem that ends right below your ribs. And those legs," he pointed, "are amazing. To top it off, you're intelligent… I don't consider that geeky."
"I'm president of the science club."
"Then again." He tilted his head side to side before he flashed her a smile. "Shows leadership actually."
Pinching his chest, she sat up. "Seriously, though. Why me? I saw you talking to Isabel and Alex saw you talking to Isabel… and I am definitely not Isabel. She's tall and blonde and perfect."
"Isabel is spoken for." Max shifted onto his back to look up at her. "It's a juicy bit of gossip… He's a lawyer."
"Max."
"Apparently he does well for himself, some epiphany she had last school semester made her realize that superficiality wouldn't serve her if she wanted a real boyfriend. Something to do with a local tragedy. I'm sure he and I will hate each other thoroughly when he becomes my brother-in-law… legally or common law, whichever." Max shrugged at her tilted head. "But we were talking about what a catch you are." Sitting up, he cupped her face. Validation. That was all she wanted and he could give her that. "You know more about me than any girl I've ever been with and I, for once, am completely fine with it."
"You should be illegal. There should be prisons to put people like you. You are dangerous." Liz sighed and slid back beneath the sheets. "How many hearts have you broken?"
"To date? Maybe two or three."
"I don't believe that."
"I'm not as bad as you think. Few girls get together with me not knowing the rules of the game. They use me as much as I use them. My uncle is a famous producer. I get used quite a bit."
"Oh you poor baby. I'll bet you feel just horrible sometimes with all those bad women using you." Liz rolled her eyes.
"Well, you're one of them." Max nodded to her silence. "Promise me one thing… that you won't ever feel guilty about this." A small nod was all she could muster. After a strange silence, Max slid down so that their faces were level.
"Do you remember your first time?"
"Yeah." Max snorted. "An after party, some actress that has already faded from public memory. Weird and not something I like to relive."
"I remember my first kiss." She cracked a smile. "He probably doesn't even remember but he was a new kid sitting by himself. I think it was the 3rd grade. He wouldn't talk to me when I walked over. He just kept staring. To this day, I don't know why I did it but I kissed him. Small innocent little peck but he turned bright red and ran away."
"What a loser." Max shook his head. "I wouldn't have run away."
"I guess my point is that um, it was never awkward, I guess because I was like nine or something but recently… it's like because I remember, I act funny around him. It makes me paranoid but I always get the feeling he's laughing at me."
"Who is this guy?"
"Michael Evans."
"Michael." Max cleared his throat. "You like Michael?"
"No, I mean…" Liz covered her face and let out a laugh. "I did have a crush on him and I don't really any more but I feel weird now for something that happened then."
"No offense… but he told me that you weren't his type."
"I'm not his type… I actually don't know what his type is. I have a sneaking suspicion that he might be gay and would be a waste of a good male."
Max had to laugh. A hazard of not dating would be gossip. "I've talked to Michael, he's definitely batting for this side. He's shy."
"Michael is not shy and when did you talk to him?"
"I hung out with him and Isabel a little this week."
"Oh really."
"Really."
"Why?"
"Found out I'm a little more connected to them than I thought. No big deal. Can't make much of a difference now."
"No?"
Max just lay his head down on her shoulder. He didn't want it to make a difference. He couldn't get attached to them… any of them.
--
It was dawn when Max said his goodbye to Liz. An exchange of addresses and phone numbers, a hug and a kiss, maybe a tear or two. Then it was on the road. Max drove as fast as he could, stopping only for gas. He was more upset than he had ever planned to be. Slipping into the house at midnight, he made for his dark room in the basement and began developing. With any luck, no one would know he was home until he was done. It was six in the morning when his cell phone went off and nearly all his pictures had been developed, half of them dried. "Yeah?"
"In the basement?"
"Yeah."
"You couldn't sleep first?"
"Didn't feel like it. I'll get some sleep today. I'll be plenty rested tomorrow." Max shrugged and hung a few more pictures. "So who was it?"
"Who was what?"
"The person that followed me. I never caught them."
"A dog walker."
"I never saw a dog walker." Max stacked the pictures he had developed in Roswell and set them next to the stack he had just copied. The final rolls were hanging now. Putting his negatives into protective sleeves, he waited. "No dog walkers."
"I don't know what his cover was but it must have been good. I'll have to put him on payroll." Kal cleared his throat. "Kid, she was just a girl."
"Maybe." Silence held the line for a moment and Max wasn't sure who was waiting on who. "I told them."
"Who?"
"Michael and Isabel, the other two. I told them what they asked about."
"Maybe I won't put him on payroll. What did the princess have to say?"
"Not much beyond initial shock. Both of them think it was unfair to them to be in the dark so long but I doubt we'll be seeing either any time soon." Max fumbled with his earpiece before he plugged it in and clipped his phone to his belt. The small strips were fighting him as he tried to slip them into the covers.
"Did you tell them about… our situation in New York?"
"No. This was enough of a bomb… you really should have gone to them sooner. Told them something. They were waiting, putting their lives on hold… they thought maybe there was something more to it." Michael kept flashing through his mind. He had seemed so lost. He had a tenuous relationship with his parents and it seemed as if he couldn't let himself let it be more. "I told them to blend."
"Good. There's no need to draw attention that way." There was a noise to indicate that Kal had one of his ever-present cigars in his mouth. Then there was a click of heels. "Lupe, not in there. You don't clean in here. You're early anyway."
"Another one?"
"I think this one wants to be an actress." Kal muttered. "Cleaning in heels, who in the hell is she fooling?"
"When are you going to fire her?"
"Me? Not this time. I'll let you have the honor."
"Do I wait for her to hit on me so we don't get sued or do I just come out and fire her?"
"You pick."
--
Max let Tess lead him through the house. "And there's a new teacher, his name is William but he wants us to call him Will. He has brown hair and green eyes and he's taller than you. He has two dogs, he brought pictures. One is a big dog like the one in the movie with the man we met. The man who pretended to be like me in that movie."
"Mr. Hanks?" Max furrowed his brow. "So Will has a mutt?"
"Uh-huh and the other one looks like my puppy."
"A husky or a wolf?"
"I think both." Her blue eyes went wide as she continued to talk. "Lupe was teaching me Spanish."
"Lupe's leaving, Tess."
"But Max…" Tess pouted and stomped her foot. "I like Lupe. She plays dress up with me."
"Oh really?" Max shook his head.
"But she's still not as pretty as me."
"Nope. Not even close." Max planted a kiss on her head and entered the kitchen to find several of his folders on the counter in front of Kal. "What are you doing?"
"Max! I wanna wear that dress." Tess stomped her foot and glared at the pictures.
"Kal." Max pressed. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Trying to figure out what the hell kept you in Dullsville. She's pretty enough. I see she has the look I predicted she would. And look at those gams. I'll bet she was smart, too." Kal clucked his tongue over a picture. "Too much eye makeup though."
"Do you mind? I had these put away. They are not for public viewing." Max began gathering the pictures.
"Hope you didn't go and fall in love." Kal called after Max.
TBC
Max took a deep breath, his heart rate had just returned to normal and Liz was stroking his temple with her thumb. "That feels good."
"Did anyone ever tell you that you've got a slow recovery time?" Liz pressed her lips against his gently.
"And you know this?"
"I was a virgin, not a nun."
"Price you pay for loving the best."
"That's some ego you got." She laughed gently. Then there was the silence. Weighty silence that could only mean one thing. "Why are you with me?"
"Come again?" His eyes slid open.
"I know that you were only half joking about sleeping with the girls in your pictures. I look at them and wonder why you picked me."
"Girls like you don't exist in L.A."
"I have no body and I'm actually quite a geek."
"You have a body, made apparent by those low rise jeans and that shirt with the V-neck and hem that ends right below your ribs. And those legs," he pointed, "are amazing. To top it off, you're intelligent… I don't consider that geeky."
"I'm president of the science club."
"Then again." He tilted his head side to side before he flashed her a smile. "Shows leadership actually."
Pinching his chest, she sat up. "Seriously, though. Why me? I saw you talking to Isabel and Alex saw you talking to Isabel… and I am definitely not Isabel. She's tall and blonde and perfect."
"Isabel is spoken for." Max shifted onto his back to look up at her. "It's a juicy bit of gossip… He's a lawyer."
"Max."
"Apparently he does well for himself, some epiphany she had last school semester made her realize that superficiality wouldn't serve her if she wanted a real boyfriend. Something to do with a local tragedy. I'm sure he and I will hate each other thoroughly when he becomes my brother-in-law… legally or common law, whichever." Max shrugged at her tilted head. "But we were talking about what a catch you are." Sitting up, he cupped her face. Validation. That was all she wanted and he could give her that. "You know more about me than any girl I've ever been with and I, for once, am completely fine with it."
"You should be illegal. There should be prisons to put people like you. You are dangerous." Liz sighed and slid back beneath the sheets. "How many hearts have you broken?"
"To date? Maybe two or three."
"I don't believe that."
"I'm not as bad as you think. Few girls get together with me not knowing the rules of the game. They use me as much as I use them. My uncle is a famous producer. I get used quite a bit."
"Oh you poor baby. I'll bet you feel just horrible sometimes with all those bad women using you." Liz rolled her eyes.
"Well, you're one of them." Max nodded to her silence. "Promise me one thing… that you won't ever feel guilty about this." A small nod was all she could muster. After a strange silence, Max slid down so that their faces were level.
"Do you remember your first time?"
"Yeah." Max snorted. "An after party, some actress that has already faded from public memory. Weird and not something I like to relive."
"I remember my first kiss." She cracked a smile. "He probably doesn't even remember but he was a new kid sitting by himself. I think it was the 3rd grade. He wouldn't talk to me when I walked over. He just kept staring. To this day, I don't know why I did it but I kissed him. Small innocent little peck but he turned bright red and ran away."
"What a loser." Max shook his head. "I wouldn't have run away."
"I guess my point is that um, it was never awkward, I guess because I was like nine or something but recently… it's like because I remember, I act funny around him. It makes me paranoid but I always get the feeling he's laughing at me."
"Who is this guy?"
"Michael Evans."
"Michael." Max cleared his throat. "You like Michael?"
"No, I mean…" Liz covered her face and let out a laugh. "I did have a crush on him and I don't really any more but I feel weird now for something that happened then."
"No offense… but he told me that you weren't his type."
"I'm not his type… I actually don't know what his type is. I have a sneaking suspicion that he might be gay and would be a waste of a good male."
Max had to laugh. A hazard of not dating would be gossip. "I've talked to Michael, he's definitely batting for this side. He's shy."
"Michael is not shy and when did you talk to him?"
"I hung out with him and Isabel a little this week."
"Oh really."
"Really."
"Why?"
"Found out I'm a little more connected to them than I thought. No big deal. Can't make much of a difference now."
"No?"
Max just lay his head down on her shoulder. He didn't want it to make a difference. He couldn't get attached to them… any of them.
--
It was dawn when Max said his goodbye to Liz. An exchange of addresses and phone numbers, a hug and a kiss, maybe a tear or two. Then it was on the road. Max drove as fast as he could, stopping only for gas. He was more upset than he had ever planned to be. Slipping into the house at midnight, he made for his dark room in the basement and began developing. With any luck, no one would know he was home until he was done. It was six in the morning when his cell phone went off and nearly all his pictures had been developed, half of them dried. "Yeah?"
"In the basement?"
"Yeah."
"You couldn't sleep first?"
"Didn't feel like it. I'll get some sleep today. I'll be plenty rested tomorrow." Max shrugged and hung a few more pictures. "So who was it?"
"Who was what?"
"The person that followed me. I never caught them."
"A dog walker."
"I never saw a dog walker." Max stacked the pictures he had developed in Roswell and set them next to the stack he had just copied. The final rolls were hanging now. Putting his negatives into protective sleeves, he waited. "No dog walkers."
"I don't know what his cover was but it must have been good. I'll have to put him on payroll." Kal cleared his throat. "Kid, she was just a girl."
"Maybe." Silence held the line for a moment and Max wasn't sure who was waiting on who. "I told them."
"Who?"
"Michael and Isabel, the other two. I told them what they asked about."
"Maybe I won't put him on payroll. What did the princess have to say?"
"Not much beyond initial shock. Both of them think it was unfair to them to be in the dark so long but I doubt we'll be seeing either any time soon." Max fumbled with his earpiece before he plugged it in and clipped his phone to his belt. The small strips were fighting him as he tried to slip them into the covers.
"Did you tell them about… our situation in New York?"
"No. This was enough of a bomb… you really should have gone to them sooner. Told them something. They were waiting, putting their lives on hold… they thought maybe there was something more to it." Michael kept flashing through his mind. He had seemed so lost. He had a tenuous relationship with his parents and it seemed as if he couldn't let himself let it be more. "I told them to blend."
"Good. There's no need to draw attention that way." There was a noise to indicate that Kal had one of his ever-present cigars in his mouth. Then there was a click of heels. "Lupe, not in there. You don't clean in here. You're early anyway."
"Another one?"
"I think this one wants to be an actress." Kal muttered. "Cleaning in heels, who in the hell is she fooling?"
"When are you going to fire her?"
"Me? Not this time. I'll let you have the honor."
"Do I wait for her to hit on me so we don't get sued or do I just come out and fire her?"
"You pick."
--
Max let Tess lead him through the house. "And there's a new teacher, his name is William but he wants us to call him Will. He has brown hair and green eyes and he's taller than you. He has two dogs, he brought pictures. One is a big dog like the one in the movie with the man we met. The man who pretended to be like me in that movie."
"Mr. Hanks?" Max furrowed his brow. "So Will has a mutt?"
"Uh-huh and the other one looks like my puppy."
"A husky or a wolf?"
"I think both." Her blue eyes went wide as she continued to talk. "Lupe was teaching me Spanish."
"Lupe's leaving, Tess."
"But Max…" Tess pouted and stomped her foot. "I like Lupe. She plays dress up with me."
"Oh really?" Max shook his head.
"But she's still not as pretty as me."
"Nope. Not even close." Max planted a kiss on her head and entered the kitchen to find several of his folders on the counter in front of Kal. "What are you doing?"
"Max! I wanna wear that dress." Tess stomped her foot and glared at the pictures.
"Kal." Max pressed. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Trying to figure out what the hell kept you in Dullsville. She's pretty enough. I see she has the look I predicted she would. And look at those gams. I'll bet she was smart, too." Kal clucked his tongue over a picture. "Too much eye makeup though."
"Do you mind? I had these put away. They are not for public viewing." Max began gathering the pictures.
"Hope you didn't go and fall in love." Kal called after Max.
TBC
12
Part 12 – September 11, 2001
Max had been ripped from sleep early that morning. His heart pounded and his blood raced. It had taken him several minutes to calm down. The clock glared an obscene hour of the early morning. When he checked on Tess, she seemed to be having a nightmare. He moved around the house in half-darkness and in the study, Kal was pacing. All the TVs had a different channel on them and each channel showed the same thing. Over and over on all the screens a plane flew right into one of the World Trade Center towers. It made Max sick to his stomach. He turned to Kal who was watching in silence from the corner of his eye as he paced. "Please tell me that was an accident."
"Ok." That's when Max realized that Kal was fidgeting. Max wanted to leap into action. He needed to do something but there was nothing he could do. Kal smoked that damned cigar, watched the TVs and fidgeted. "The other set is in the building. One of them is hurt."
Max's heart clenched. Was that what had woken him from sleep? Was his other half feeling terror? Pain? Loss? Then they saw it. They watched as another plane smashed into the other tower. He wiped at his eyes and blinked rapidly but it never made the image go away. He sank into a leather chair and blinked rapidly as the towers collapsed before his eyes.
"One of them is dead." Kal announced and rubbed at his head, sinking into the chair behind the desk. "Or at least seriously injured."
"Can't you go? Can't you help them?" Max stammered.
"I didn't know this was going to happen. No one did. I'll tell you what though… this was no accident. I won't be able to get a flight through." Kal moved around like every joint in his body was aching. The TVs replayed both events over and over and the light in the room grew brighter and brighter. Reports of other planes, in D.C. "You're gonna miss your class, kid."
December 20, 2001
Max climbed out of the limo and stared up at the Waldorf-Astoria. Regal yet worn with its fine architecture and soot- and calcium-stained walls. It never ceased to amaze him how the building could be so old and unchanged but marred by progression. He replaced his cell phone to his ear and listened intently to his college buddy. "No, I signed a contract. I took the final early and promised not to spill the details. I think she made one up just for me… No, I've been in New York since the 11th… You'll find out… No, we're doing a circuit of the New York premieres and all that."
The inside was full of quiet hustle and somewhere was his room, draped in plenty of gowns for Tess to decide from. The ride up in the elevator was uneventful and Max was getting bored. This guy was obviously looking for an in but Max wasn't going to allow that. "Talk to you when I get back."
New York was turning out to be quite boring. Three premieres since arriving and three more before departing. It was tiring, with all the schmoozing. Kal always sent Tess to bed early but he and Max spent the evenings making contacts. Six beautiful women waited for Kal in the common room. Max had to take a second look. He stopped in front of one. She looked right through him but he had already seen right through her. "Leave."
"Excuse me?"
"Kal doesn't take kindly to reporters. Leave now with dignity or be escorted out by security." Max pointed to the brooch on her dress. "That thing is too bulky for that dress. He would have spotted the camera straight off. Out."
With a huff, she grabbed her purse and stormed out the door. Kal entered the room and gave Max a look. Max shrugged and continued to his room. When Kal stood in the doorway, Max sat on the bed. When Kal blew that hideous cigar smoke into the room, Max faked a believable cough. "Stop over-acting. Let's go. I'll even let you pick your own girls tonight."
"I'm gonna stay in. Tess is getting cabin fever."
"Whatever. This time when you leave, make sure she's asleep before you pretend you were here the whole night." Kal strode out and a few minutes later the click of heels was silence by the shutting of the door. Max laid still for an hour. He felt the lights go out in the rest of the suite before he rose to change into some street clothes.
--
Max kicked around a subway terminal for awhile. Anything to keep from thinking. He had passed the pile of rubble that had once been the center of trade worldwide and for one fleeting moment allowed himself to think of whoever it was that had been hurt in that act of terrorism. Months later, he still felt anger and helplessness at the tragedy. The leader inside him wanted to lead an army but the human in him pushed it down and away… trying forever to forget what was in his blood.
When he emerged from the terminal, he fell to the ground. His head throbbed and finally he registered that he had been hit. Rolling over, a hand was aimed at his head. He didn't even have time to think. A shield shot from his hand to block the shot. His attacker ducked in a blur of hair. Then a short-haired vixen stood above him that he recognized more than he felt he should. "Yo, it's him. Let's take him to Duke."
"Get him to take that damn shield down." A male voice said from out of Max's sight.
"Hey guy!" The girl leaned over him and the face leapt out at him. His shield dropped and then it was black.
December 21, 2001
Max woke in a torn leather arm chair. Stench surrounded him. The first image that became clear was a pile of blankets and pillows in front of him. A guy lay atop them, casually yet powerfully. He had something in his hand and two girls sat on either side of him. "Max Evans, California. Student at UCLA. That'sa pretty girl you got in your wallet."
Max's vision blurred then cleared. The guy could have been his twin… who hadn't shaved or taken a bath in weeks. "shit." He took a breath and tried to sit up but found himself stuck in his position. "Where's the other one?"
"Rath? He's around." Spikey-haired-guy sat up, coughed slightly and brushed off the girls who had suddenly become worried. "You know, I didn't believe them when they said there's another set."
"Who told you?" Max fought to keep his eyes open but he had been hit pretty hard.
"Some asshole we sent packin'." Spikey-haired-guy closed the wallet. "My sister figured was you when she saw you a week ago. She was sure last night when you threw that energy shield. This tells me that there's another set of us and accordin' to the contents of your wallet, you guys have been livin' high while we been rottini in this sewer."
"He left you in a sewer?" Max found himself suddenly able to sit up, and he nearly pitched forward onto the floor.
"Who's he? Not the shape-shifter we killed." Spikey-haired-guy attempted to sit up higher but the short-haired girl on his left stopped him. "Let me go, Lannie."
"Sit your broken ass back down, Zan." The two had a staring match before he relented and lay back down.
"Zan?" Max's eyes shut. "You guys remember your names?"
"Course we do." A voice spoke from behind him.
"Why did you bring me down here?" Max turned back to Zan. "Does this have to do with you guys being in the World Trade Center when the first plane hit?"
"Yeah." Zan nodded.
"I felt you get hurt."
"Yeah." Zan nodded again. "They brought you here to fix me. We didn't know there's another set until Lannie saw you. You got the healin' hands, right?"
"I don't know. I don't really use my powers." Max stood up.
"I can't fix this. While we got you here, you'll fix me."
"But I don't know exactly what I'm doing."
"You did the shield, you can do the healin'. It's instinct."
"Zan, give him a break." The other girl stood up and Max could see her face and her eyes. Her eyes made him want to cry. They showed him everything that was missing in Tess. No confusion or loss lay in those blue depths. This version was as perfect as possible, whole. "What're you starin' at?"
Zan cocked his head as he watched his duplicate stare at his mate. "Don't tell me you didn't get one."
"One what?" Max turned his attention back to Zan.
"Ava. You got her picture in your wallet." Zan flipped open the wallet.
"I thought you meant… Liz. Tess, she isn't…" Max shook his head. "How about I just try to fix you?"
"Liz? This one?" Zan flipped to another picture. "Not bad. A little too cholilla for me, though. Girls dress like this in L.A.?"
"Can we not talk about her?"
"Rath, King Maxie was dissed by a chola." Zan tossed the wallet over Max's head.
"Nice."
"You want to cut the dramatics? You're all over-acting and I get enough of that with the skanks Kal brings home." Max turned and grabbed his wallet from Rath's hands. "Anyone ever tell you that subtlety can do wonders for a believable performance."
"Out." Zan nodded to his companions. When Ava hesitated, he smacked her leg. "Out. You too." Once she was gone, he ran weary eyes over his dupe. Short hair, flawless complexion, nice clothes. Zan knew what he looked like. Several earrings in each ear, a labret, eyebrow ring. He hadn't bathed thoroughly since early September. His hair had been groomed by Lannie when she was in a good mood.
"Talk me through it." Max sat. "I didn't know you guys were living in a sewer."
"We ain't been thought of much…"
--
Max sat across from Zan in the cafeteria of a YMCA. Zan had made use of the showers first off. He was still weak but too proud to ask for help. Max had leapt in to help when he nearly passed out on his way down the hall. Zan had refused to go back to the Waldorf with Max. So Max had to be content with paying for Zan's meal. No stories needed to be exchanged since the healing. Zan had gotten hurt when he had slammed a door shut to keep his family safe. He didn't remember anything until waking up in the sewer with pain in every inch of his body. Ava, Lannie and Rath had all taken turns trying to heal him but they had never had the healing ability to the extent that Zan had needed.
Zan ate three hamburgers and two orders of fries. Nothing had been said because there was nothing to say. Neither wanted a responsibility so heavy. Taking a drink of his iced tea, Zan sat back. "So, what're you thinkin'? You thinkin' you take the kids outta the ghetto? I'm tellin' you that you can't take the ghetto outta the kids."
"I have felt guilty about this since I was 13 years old. Not knowing how any of you guys were doing. Now… I know that Michael and Isabel are dealing okay. Now they know the truth and they're dealing. They've got parents and college trust funds. I don't know how much they wanted to be something more." Max sipped his own tea and sighed. "You guys take care of yourselves. You've always known who you are and that's good. You don't want it but I take it that the others do."
"Lannie and Rath want it. At first, not so much. When uh, the shape-shifter came 'round, none of us wanted him. We blamed him for wakin' up in the sewer alone. We felt death would be preferable to anythin' he had to say. Then Lannie has a change of heart. 'Parently the shape-shifter was our only link so now, no one knows how to getta hold of us… which is fine by me, but she's getting' antsy and that's bad. Rath and I always butt heads. Lannie and I got our fights but that's from sharin' genes. It happens. Lannie uses that against me. She's got his dick wrapped around her finger and he sides with her on every argument for the last two years." Zan polished off his fries and shook his head. "I guess you don't have problems like that."
"No, not really." Max shook his head. "My concern is if Tess will react badly to a change in plans. Or if Kal is going to make another decision for me."
"What do you know about our enemies?"
"What enemies we have are dead or very close to dead. That's what I'm told at least. Kal isn't really trustworthy with facts unless he's taking an order." Max ran a hand over his face. "What do you need done?"
"I just need insurance that goin' home ain't possible for the immediate present. That I'll have a chance to meet someone… like you did?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Aight. Aight. You don't want to talk about it… Ava ain't it for me, though. I could jump the girl twice myself and she'd still throw herself in front of a train for me. It's pathetic and I can't stand it." Zan sighed and leaned forward. "She's great. She'd die for me and I appreciate that but not the weepy whiny shit she goes through if I so much as say hi to someone, you know?"
"She's good for now but she's not the one?"
"Yeah."
"I had a lot of for-nows. I think I left the one in a small town to forget about me and live her life of studiousness."
"The brunette?"
"Yeah." Max pushed his glass away. "It's better this way though. We both got something out of our systems. No attachments."
"With Ava, everythin' is an attachment." Zan quieted for a moment, the wheels turning in his head. "I'm gonna take your word that we don't need all this shit. I'm 20. I feel like a freakin' old man. I raised those punks myself and they don't do a damn thing for themselves."
"You guys never thought to find someone to take care of you?"
"And get separated like you guys?" Zan shook his head. "Forget it. We're a family. This… shit strings us together and you gotta have someone to rely on. For all the shit, if it really goes down… I know I got Lannie and Rath. From what you said, you ain't even got Kal and Tess… is a dependant."
TBC
Max had been ripped from sleep early that morning. His heart pounded and his blood raced. It had taken him several minutes to calm down. The clock glared an obscene hour of the early morning. When he checked on Tess, she seemed to be having a nightmare. He moved around the house in half-darkness and in the study, Kal was pacing. All the TVs had a different channel on them and each channel showed the same thing. Over and over on all the screens a plane flew right into one of the World Trade Center towers. It made Max sick to his stomach. He turned to Kal who was watching in silence from the corner of his eye as he paced. "Please tell me that was an accident."
"Ok." That's when Max realized that Kal was fidgeting. Max wanted to leap into action. He needed to do something but there was nothing he could do. Kal smoked that damned cigar, watched the TVs and fidgeted. "The other set is in the building. One of them is hurt."
Max's heart clenched. Was that what had woken him from sleep? Was his other half feeling terror? Pain? Loss? Then they saw it. They watched as another plane smashed into the other tower. He wiped at his eyes and blinked rapidly but it never made the image go away. He sank into a leather chair and blinked rapidly as the towers collapsed before his eyes.
"One of them is dead." Kal announced and rubbed at his head, sinking into the chair behind the desk. "Or at least seriously injured."
"Can't you go? Can't you help them?" Max stammered.
"I didn't know this was going to happen. No one did. I'll tell you what though… this was no accident. I won't be able to get a flight through." Kal moved around like every joint in his body was aching. The TVs replayed both events over and over and the light in the room grew brighter and brighter. Reports of other planes, in D.C. "You're gonna miss your class, kid."
December 20, 2001
Max climbed out of the limo and stared up at the Waldorf-Astoria. Regal yet worn with its fine architecture and soot- and calcium-stained walls. It never ceased to amaze him how the building could be so old and unchanged but marred by progression. He replaced his cell phone to his ear and listened intently to his college buddy. "No, I signed a contract. I took the final early and promised not to spill the details. I think she made one up just for me… No, I've been in New York since the 11th… You'll find out… No, we're doing a circuit of the New York premieres and all that."
The inside was full of quiet hustle and somewhere was his room, draped in plenty of gowns for Tess to decide from. The ride up in the elevator was uneventful and Max was getting bored. This guy was obviously looking for an in but Max wasn't going to allow that. "Talk to you when I get back."
New York was turning out to be quite boring. Three premieres since arriving and three more before departing. It was tiring, with all the schmoozing. Kal always sent Tess to bed early but he and Max spent the evenings making contacts. Six beautiful women waited for Kal in the common room. Max had to take a second look. He stopped in front of one. She looked right through him but he had already seen right through her. "Leave."
"Excuse me?"
"Kal doesn't take kindly to reporters. Leave now with dignity or be escorted out by security." Max pointed to the brooch on her dress. "That thing is too bulky for that dress. He would have spotted the camera straight off. Out."
With a huff, she grabbed her purse and stormed out the door. Kal entered the room and gave Max a look. Max shrugged and continued to his room. When Kal stood in the doorway, Max sat on the bed. When Kal blew that hideous cigar smoke into the room, Max faked a believable cough. "Stop over-acting. Let's go. I'll even let you pick your own girls tonight."
"I'm gonna stay in. Tess is getting cabin fever."
"Whatever. This time when you leave, make sure she's asleep before you pretend you were here the whole night." Kal strode out and a few minutes later the click of heels was silence by the shutting of the door. Max laid still for an hour. He felt the lights go out in the rest of the suite before he rose to change into some street clothes.
--
Max kicked around a subway terminal for awhile. Anything to keep from thinking. He had passed the pile of rubble that had once been the center of trade worldwide and for one fleeting moment allowed himself to think of whoever it was that had been hurt in that act of terrorism. Months later, he still felt anger and helplessness at the tragedy. The leader inside him wanted to lead an army but the human in him pushed it down and away… trying forever to forget what was in his blood.
When he emerged from the terminal, he fell to the ground. His head throbbed and finally he registered that he had been hit. Rolling over, a hand was aimed at his head. He didn't even have time to think. A shield shot from his hand to block the shot. His attacker ducked in a blur of hair. Then a short-haired vixen stood above him that he recognized more than he felt he should. "Yo, it's him. Let's take him to Duke."
"Get him to take that damn shield down." A male voice said from out of Max's sight.
"Hey guy!" The girl leaned over him and the face leapt out at him. His shield dropped and then it was black.
December 21, 2001
Max woke in a torn leather arm chair. Stench surrounded him. The first image that became clear was a pile of blankets and pillows in front of him. A guy lay atop them, casually yet powerfully. He had something in his hand and two girls sat on either side of him. "Max Evans, California. Student at UCLA. That'sa pretty girl you got in your wallet."
Max's vision blurred then cleared. The guy could have been his twin… who hadn't shaved or taken a bath in weeks. "shit." He took a breath and tried to sit up but found himself stuck in his position. "Where's the other one?"
"Rath? He's around." Spikey-haired-guy sat up, coughed slightly and brushed off the girls who had suddenly become worried. "You know, I didn't believe them when they said there's another set."
"Who told you?" Max fought to keep his eyes open but he had been hit pretty hard.
"Some asshole we sent packin'." Spikey-haired-guy closed the wallet. "My sister figured was you when she saw you a week ago. She was sure last night when you threw that energy shield. This tells me that there's another set of us and accordin' to the contents of your wallet, you guys have been livin' high while we been rottini in this sewer."
"He left you in a sewer?" Max found himself suddenly able to sit up, and he nearly pitched forward onto the floor.
"Who's he? Not the shape-shifter we killed." Spikey-haired-guy attempted to sit up higher but the short-haired girl on his left stopped him. "Let me go, Lannie."
"Sit your broken ass back down, Zan." The two had a staring match before he relented and lay back down.
"Zan?" Max's eyes shut. "You guys remember your names?"
"Course we do." A voice spoke from behind him.
"Why did you bring me down here?" Max turned back to Zan. "Does this have to do with you guys being in the World Trade Center when the first plane hit?"
"Yeah." Zan nodded.
"I felt you get hurt."
"Yeah." Zan nodded again. "They brought you here to fix me. We didn't know there's another set until Lannie saw you. You got the healin' hands, right?"
"I don't know. I don't really use my powers." Max stood up.
"I can't fix this. While we got you here, you'll fix me."
"But I don't know exactly what I'm doing."
"You did the shield, you can do the healin'. It's instinct."
"Zan, give him a break." The other girl stood up and Max could see her face and her eyes. Her eyes made him want to cry. They showed him everything that was missing in Tess. No confusion or loss lay in those blue depths. This version was as perfect as possible, whole. "What're you starin' at?"
Zan cocked his head as he watched his duplicate stare at his mate. "Don't tell me you didn't get one."
"One what?" Max turned his attention back to Zan.
"Ava. You got her picture in your wallet." Zan flipped open the wallet.
"I thought you meant… Liz. Tess, she isn't…" Max shook his head. "How about I just try to fix you?"
"Liz? This one?" Zan flipped to another picture. "Not bad. A little too cholilla for me, though. Girls dress like this in L.A.?"
"Can we not talk about her?"
"Rath, King Maxie was dissed by a chola." Zan tossed the wallet over Max's head.
"Nice."
"You want to cut the dramatics? You're all over-acting and I get enough of that with the skanks Kal brings home." Max turned and grabbed his wallet from Rath's hands. "Anyone ever tell you that subtlety can do wonders for a believable performance."
"Out." Zan nodded to his companions. When Ava hesitated, he smacked her leg. "Out. You too." Once she was gone, he ran weary eyes over his dupe. Short hair, flawless complexion, nice clothes. Zan knew what he looked like. Several earrings in each ear, a labret, eyebrow ring. He hadn't bathed thoroughly since early September. His hair had been groomed by Lannie when she was in a good mood.
"Talk me through it." Max sat. "I didn't know you guys were living in a sewer."
"We ain't been thought of much…"
--
Max sat across from Zan in the cafeteria of a YMCA. Zan had made use of the showers first off. He was still weak but too proud to ask for help. Max had leapt in to help when he nearly passed out on his way down the hall. Zan had refused to go back to the Waldorf with Max. So Max had to be content with paying for Zan's meal. No stories needed to be exchanged since the healing. Zan had gotten hurt when he had slammed a door shut to keep his family safe. He didn't remember anything until waking up in the sewer with pain in every inch of his body. Ava, Lannie and Rath had all taken turns trying to heal him but they had never had the healing ability to the extent that Zan had needed.
Zan ate three hamburgers and two orders of fries. Nothing had been said because there was nothing to say. Neither wanted a responsibility so heavy. Taking a drink of his iced tea, Zan sat back. "So, what're you thinkin'? You thinkin' you take the kids outta the ghetto? I'm tellin' you that you can't take the ghetto outta the kids."
"I have felt guilty about this since I was 13 years old. Not knowing how any of you guys were doing. Now… I know that Michael and Isabel are dealing okay. Now they know the truth and they're dealing. They've got parents and college trust funds. I don't know how much they wanted to be something more." Max sipped his own tea and sighed. "You guys take care of yourselves. You've always known who you are and that's good. You don't want it but I take it that the others do."
"Lannie and Rath want it. At first, not so much. When uh, the shape-shifter came 'round, none of us wanted him. We blamed him for wakin' up in the sewer alone. We felt death would be preferable to anythin' he had to say. Then Lannie has a change of heart. 'Parently the shape-shifter was our only link so now, no one knows how to getta hold of us… which is fine by me, but she's getting' antsy and that's bad. Rath and I always butt heads. Lannie and I got our fights but that's from sharin' genes. It happens. Lannie uses that against me. She's got his dick wrapped around her finger and he sides with her on every argument for the last two years." Zan polished off his fries and shook his head. "I guess you don't have problems like that."
"No, not really." Max shook his head. "My concern is if Tess will react badly to a change in plans. Or if Kal is going to make another decision for me."
"What do you know about our enemies?"
"What enemies we have are dead or very close to dead. That's what I'm told at least. Kal isn't really trustworthy with facts unless he's taking an order." Max ran a hand over his face. "What do you need done?"
"I just need insurance that goin' home ain't possible for the immediate present. That I'll have a chance to meet someone… like you did?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Aight. Aight. You don't want to talk about it… Ava ain't it for me, though. I could jump the girl twice myself and she'd still throw herself in front of a train for me. It's pathetic and I can't stand it." Zan sighed and leaned forward. "She's great. She'd die for me and I appreciate that but not the weepy whiny shit she goes through if I so much as say hi to someone, you know?"
"She's good for now but she's not the one?"
"Yeah."
"I had a lot of for-nows. I think I left the one in a small town to forget about me and live her life of studiousness."
"The brunette?"
"Yeah." Max pushed his glass away. "It's better this way though. We both got something out of our systems. No attachments."
"With Ava, everythin' is an attachment." Zan quieted for a moment, the wheels turning in his head. "I'm gonna take your word that we don't need all this shit. I'm 20. I feel like a freakin' old man. I raised those punks myself and they don't do a damn thing for themselves."
"You guys never thought to find someone to take care of you?"
"And get separated like you guys?" Zan shook his head. "Forget it. We're a family. This… shit strings us together and you gotta have someone to rely on. For all the shit, if it really goes down… I know I got Lannie and Rath. From what you said, you ain't even got Kal and Tess… is a dependant."
TBC
part13
Part 13 – December 22, 2001
Max let Zan into his room after the premiere. It was late, sometime after midnight. Max yanked off his tie and slung it over a chair. Zan snorted and eyed the suit. "You look like a monkey."
"I feel like a monkey." Max sighed. Zan was avoiding the subject again. "I can't just leave knowing you guys are going to be staying in the sewer."
The door opened, saving Zan from answering. Tess poked her head in and froze when she saw Zan. "Max?"
"Sweetie, it's okay." Max motioned her in. "Tess, this is Zan."
Tess edged her way into the room, giving Zan a wide berth. She stared for a good long time. "How come he has your face?"
"How d'ya know he don't have my face?" Zan leaned forward to look at her. He winked at her and she hid her face.
"He's just playing with you." Max whispered, brushing her hair out of her face. "Why don't you go to sleep?"
"I wanna go home." She pouted and leaned on Max.
"In a week." Max promised. "How long is a week?"
"Seven days."
"Okay. Go back to bed." Max sent her off to her room and turned to his guest.
Zan tapped his leg and leaned back on the bed. "I don't want nothing from you, Maxie. We take care of ourselves alright. If you give us money… Lannie and Rath will spend it in a blink. If you get us a place, they'll trash it. I'm the man and they gotta remember that."
"How about a job?" Max reached for his wallet. "Kal's always got these people trying to get me to model or something." He found the card he was looking for. "If you let me take a couple of pictures, I could forward them on to a couple of Kal's friends."
"Not exactly what I'm into." Zan pocketed the card anyway. "Not low profile either."
"Kal isn't low profile but we're pretending to be humans, right?"
"And what do you get out of it?"
"I pad my portfolio." Max shrugged and kicked off his shoes. "Of course, I'd advise a name change though. I honestly don't know about those enemies." He thought it over and cleared his throat. "If I were you, I'd go see someone as soon as possible and hope for a quick rise to fame. If you were to go missing, there'd be an investigation. Publicity that wouldn't be good for either of them."
"Probly."
December 28, 2001
Kal sat back and observed the shoot. "The tattoos have to go."
"Shit." Zan groaned and sank into a chair. "Which ones?"
"Any tattoo that has anything to do with Antar." Kal shook his head. Motioned to Max to come closer. "He's got a nice build… but he's too pale. This hair thing, is that in?"
"Not yet." Max smiled. "Wanna see how long it takes before it catches on?"
Kal wrapped an arm around Max and squeezed Max's cheeks. "See, Zan. Every once in a while he's a good boy." He relaxed his hold on Max and gestured to Zan once more. "This low rise thing is already catching on but there's a rise on girls buying guys clothes. Let's see if we can boost guy's low rise jeans. I'm gonna talk to my girls at the magazines and see what they think. If they don't think it'll work, we'll show them these pictures."
"Whose pie don't you got a finger in?" Zan crossed his arms, eyes looking the shape shifter over suspiciously.
"Can't think of a single one in this fine country of ours." Kal produced a folder. "These are so clever, even the government won't know the difference. There's a bunch of identities in there for each of you… on the condition that I never see any of you again."
"Unless it's business related?" Zan took the folder and grabbed his shirt.
"Of course." Kal conceded. "Just don't forget who discovered you when you make it."
"I'd advise you to keep Ava out of it… you know? A lot of the names already know Tess's face." Max tossed in as he wound his camera. "You might want to develop some kind of personality in front of the camera… it sounds silly but it's all about presentation. So long as you aren't unreasonable."
"All the really good faces are jerks but if they weren't they wouldn't be famous." Kal lit his cigar. "Now, clear out, both of you. I got girls coming over."
"When do I know something?" Zan pushed his head through.
"We leave the 2nd, I'll make some calls, spread your picture around. Show up at that address we gave you on the 10th or something. They'll be expecting you by then. Just remember to shower." Kal blew the smoke out. "Out, both of you."
January 23, 2002
Max was ready to tear his hair out. "Tess! Cut it out!" the banging continued to drive him insane. She was pissed about something but he had no clue what. He had a test the next day and there was no way he was going to be able to study if she kept it up. "Tess! Stop!" When he found her, she was banging her fist on the piano… a complete mess in her jeans. "Hey, what happened to you?"
"I don't feel good."
Immediately getting it, Max sighed and knelt beside her. "You forgot?"
"I didn't mean to." Tess sniffed. "We forgot to mark my calendar."
"Aw shit." Max hung his head. "I'm sorry. Come on. Let's go get cleaned up."
"I'm sorry." She mumbled but Max shook his head and took her hands in his. "I don't mean to mess up."
"Sh. It's okay. We just forgot. Accidents happen." Max took a breath and sighed. "We're going to go upstairs and get you into the shower, then we'll get some fresh clothes and your things and we'll remember to mark your calendar. But it's okay to have accidents, Tess. I'm not mad. Come on."
"I don't mean to be like this, Max." Tess whispered. "I try to be better."
"I know." Max nodded with a small smile. It always hurt him when she talked that way. Those few times she sounded like a complete person who understood everything. Those few times it seemed like she knew what it cost him to look after her.
March 15, 2002
Max listened to his voice messages as he sat atop a building on campus. "Happy Birthday, Max. Call me. This is Angela."
"Max, it's Julie. Happy Birthday."
"This is Amy. You weren't in class today, Happy Birthday Max."
"Max, this is Davey. Call me. Happy Birthday."
"Kid, where'd you go? You're gonna miss your party."
"Max, I've got a hell of a present for you. You remember where my room is."
"Max. Vicki. Wyndham Hall. 406."
"Max, where are you? This is Valerie. If you don't already have plans… um, my number's on the group project list. If not… it's cool. I'll see you Monday."
"Kid, come on. We're waiting. Get off that stupid building and get to the house."
"Max, hi. I really hope you remember me. It's Liz Parker. I… just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday. I… something made me think of you today and I remembered what you said about the Ides. Okay, I feel stupid. Hope you have a good one. Bye, Max."
"Max, it's Jamie, call me."
"Yo, we's the same age for another five hours… here anyways. Have a good one."
"This is Jason. Where are you Evans?"
"Okay, so I saw this picture in a magazine and I could swear it was you but the guy is all pierced and he's got a different name. He could be you… I just… couldn't stop thinking about you after I saw that. Now, I really feel like an idiot. Bye, Max."
"Max. Where are you? The food got cold and your cake melted. I wore my pretty dress for you and you aren't here. Max. Max…"
"Where the hell are you, Max? I've waited all night. At midnight your birthday is officially over and so is my offer."
"Max. Vicki. Never mind."
"It's Jamie again. Jason's driving me crazy. Call us."
"Kid, it's late. Your sister is unbearable. Your friends took off. You'll catch your death on that roof."
"I'm sending the car for you since yours seems to be impounded. Get in, come home."
Max shut the phone off and peered down at the headlights that had just pulled into the lot below. "Happy Birthday, me."
TBC
Max let Zan into his room after the premiere. It was late, sometime after midnight. Max yanked off his tie and slung it over a chair. Zan snorted and eyed the suit. "You look like a monkey."
"I feel like a monkey." Max sighed. Zan was avoiding the subject again. "I can't just leave knowing you guys are going to be staying in the sewer."
The door opened, saving Zan from answering. Tess poked her head in and froze when she saw Zan. "Max?"
"Sweetie, it's okay." Max motioned her in. "Tess, this is Zan."
Tess edged her way into the room, giving Zan a wide berth. She stared for a good long time. "How come he has your face?"
"How d'ya know he don't have my face?" Zan leaned forward to look at her. He winked at her and she hid her face.
"He's just playing with you." Max whispered, brushing her hair out of her face. "Why don't you go to sleep?"
"I wanna go home." She pouted and leaned on Max.
"In a week." Max promised. "How long is a week?"
"Seven days."
"Okay. Go back to bed." Max sent her off to her room and turned to his guest.
Zan tapped his leg and leaned back on the bed. "I don't want nothing from you, Maxie. We take care of ourselves alright. If you give us money… Lannie and Rath will spend it in a blink. If you get us a place, they'll trash it. I'm the man and they gotta remember that."
"How about a job?" Max reached for his wallet. "Kal's always got these people trying to get me to model or something." He found the card he was looking for. "If you let me take a couple of pictures, I could forward them on to a couple of Kal's friends."
"Not exactly what I'm into." Zan pocketed the card anyway. "Not low profile either."
"Kal isn't low profile but we're pretending to be humans, right?"
"And what do you get out of it?"
"I pad my portfolio." Max shrugged and kicked off his shoes. "Of course, I'd advise a name change though. I honestly don't know about those enemies." He thought it over and cleared his throat. "If I were you, I'd go see someone as soon as possible and hope for a quick rise to fame. If you were to go missing, there'd be an investigation. Publicity that wouldn't be good for either of them."
"Probly."
December 28, 2001
Kal sat back and observed the shoot. "The tattoos have to go."
"Shit." Zan groaned and sank into a chair. "Which ones?"
"Any tattoo that has anything to do with Antar." Kal shook his head. Motioned to Max to come closer. "He's got a nice build… but he's too pale. This hair thing, is that in?"
"Not yet." Max smiled. "Wanna see how long it takes before it catches on?"
Kal wrapped an arm around Max and squeezed Max's cheeks. "See, Zan. Every once in a while he's a good boy." He relaxed his hold on Max and gestured to Zan once more. "This low rise thing is already catching on but there's a rise on girls buying guys clothes. Let's see if we can boost guy's low rise jeans. I'm gonna talk to my girls at the magazines and see what they think. If they don't think it'll work, we'll show them these pictures."
"Whose pie don't you got a finger in?" Zan crossed his arms, eyes looking the shape shifter over suspiciously.
"Can't think of a single one in this fine country of ours." Kal produced a folder. "These are so clever, even the government won't know the difference. There's a bunch of identities in there for each of you… on the condition that I never see any of you again."
"Unless it's business related?" Zan took the folder and grabbed his shirt.
"Of course." Kal conceded. "Just don't forget who discovered you when you make it."
"I'd advise you to keep Ava out of it… you know? A lot of the names already know Tess's face." Max tossed in as he wound his camera. "You might want to develop some kind of personality in front of the camera… it sounds silly but it's all about presentation. So long as you aren't unreasonable."
"All the really good faces are jerks but if they weren't they wouldn't be famous." Kal lit his cigar. "Now, clear out, both of you. I got girls coming over."
"When do I know something?" Zan pushed his head through.
"We leave the 2nd, I'll make some calls, spread your picture around. Show up at that address we gave you on the 10th or something. They'll be expecting you by then. Just remember to shower." Kal blew the smoke out. "Out, both of you."
January 23, 2002
Max was ready to tear his hair out. "Tess! Cut it out!" the banging continued to drive him insane. She was pissed about something but he had no clue what. He had a test the next day and there was no way he was going to be able to study if she kept it up. "Tess! Stop!" When he found her, she was banging her fist on the piano… a complete mess in her jeans. "Hey, what happened to you?"
"I don't feel good."
Immediately getting it, Max sighed and knelt beside her. "You forgot?"
"I didn't mean to." Tess sniffed. "We forgot to mark my calendar."
"Aw shit." Max hung his head. "I'm sorry. Come on. Let's go get cleaned up."
"I'm sorry." She mumbled but Max shook his head and took her hands in his. "I don't mean to mess up."
"Sh. It's okay. We just forgot. Accidents happen." Max took a breath and sighed. "We're going to go upstairs and get you into the shower, then we'll get some fresh clothes and your things and we'll remember to mark your calendar. But it's okay to have accidents, Tess. I'm not mad. Come on."
"I don't mean to be like this, Max." Tess whispered. "I try to be better."
"I know." Max nodded with a small smile. It always hurt him when she talked that way. Those few times she sounded like a complete person who understood everything. Those few times it seemed like she knew what it cost him to look after her.
March 15, 2002
Max listened to his voice messages as he sat atop a building on campus. "Happy Birthday, Max. Call me. This is Angela."
"Max, it's Julie. Happy Birthday."
"This is Amy. You weren't in class today, Happy Birthday Max."
"Max, this is Davey. Call me. Happy Birthday."
"Kid, where'd you go? You're gonna miss your party."
"Max, I've got a hell of a present for you. You remember where my room is."
"Max. Vicki. Wyndham Hall. 406."
"Max, where are you? This is Valerie. If you don't already have plans… um, my number's on the group project list. If not… it's cool. I'll see you Monday."
"Kid, come on. We're waiting. Get off that stupid building and get to the house."
"Max, hi. I really hope you remember me. It's Liz Parker. I… just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday. I… something made me think of you today and I remembered what you said about the Ides. Okay, I feel stupid. Hope you have a good one. Bye, Max."
"Max, it's Jamie, call me."
"Yo, we's the same age for another five hours… here anyways. Have a good one."
"This is Jason. Where are you Evans?"
"Okay, so I saw this picture in a magazine and I could swear it was you but the guy is all pierced and he's got a different name. He could be you… I just… couldn't stop thinking about you after I saw that. Now, I really feel like an idiot. Bye, Max."
"Max. Where are you? The food got cold and your cake melted. I wore my pretty dress for you and you aren't here. Max. Max…"
"Where the hell are you, Max? I've waited all night. At midnight your birthday is officially over and so is my offer."
"Max. Vicki. Never mind."
"It's Jamie again. Jason's driving me crazy. Call us."
"Kid, it's late. Your sister is unbearable. Your friends took off. You'll catch your death on that roof."
"I'm sending the car for you since yours seems to be impounded. Get in, come home."
Max shut the phone off and peered down at the headlights that had just pulled into the lot below. "Happy Birthday, me."
TBC
Part 14 - March 16, 2002
Part 14 - March 16, 2002
Max stretched out on his bed, listening to his voice mail and choosing who he wanted to return calls to. It was early and no one would be awake. "Angela, it's Max. Sorry I wasn't around yesterday, thanks for the call. Later."
"Hey Amy. Sorry I didn't show. Things came up. We'll get together tomorrow or something to work on the paper and stuff."
"Hey Davis. Thanks for the call. See you in class."
"Val, it's Max. Sorry I didn't call you back last night. We could get together tonight or something. Let me know… I may actually be around today."
"This is Max, Jason. Hope you kept Jamie warm for me."
"Zan. Happy Birthday, man. You're an old fogy… saw the spread, not bad… shoot the photographer."
Max's finger hovered over the call button on his last call. Then the phone was ringing in his ear before he realized he had hit the button. He was just grateful to get the machine. "Hey Liz… this is Max. Thanks for the call, it really meant a lot. It brightened my day. You're not stupid or an idiot… and the guy, it isn't me… and… I think about you, too."
Pushing the phone away, he shut his eyes. He shouldn't have called her and he shouldn't have said that. The sinking feeling in his gut that he'd been feeling for days grew. Something wasn't right. Sometime during the afternoon, he drifted into a fitful sleep. Images that passed for dreams cruised through his mind. By the time he realized that the woman standing at the end of his bed was going to kill him, he should have been dead already. His eyes popped open and he scooted back on the bed. Lannie continued to stare at the bed. "He was here when I looked in the window. He was right here."
Max winced as her hand nearly brushed his leg. Slowly, he scooted away from her hand. Another movement caught his eye. Tess, she was squatting in the doorframe to the bathroom that connected their rooms. Her eyes were squeezed shut tight. Heart pounding, he silently slid off the bed to join her. While he was on the move, a second figure stepped into the room through the window. Rath. On a split-moment's decision, Max all out ran for the bathroom door and threw up his shield between Tess and himself and Rath and Lannie. The shield got their attention.
"What the fuck?" Lannie growled. "Zan didn't say anything about a warper."
"What the hell were you going to do?" Max demanded, sweat poured down his face.
"Were going home, Maxie and either you come with or we kill you." Lannie tilted her head at the blonde girl hiding behind Max. "Hell, you can take her if you want. We don't need Ava."
"We're not going."
"I've been contacted and being a royal beats the hell off riding my brother's coattails the rest of my life. The fucker's got a restraining order on us. Some bigwig hired Feds to watch for us. Feds." Lannie sat on the bed. "Just come with us. We know you got the Granilith."
"The what?" Max played dumb.
"The Granilith. Our ride home."
"There's no way off Earth. We're stuck here."
Lannie looked to Rath. "I thought you said he had it."
"He said the others had it. That's Maxie and his bitch." Rath shrugged.
She let out a laugh. "Shit." The laugh bounced off the walls. "I can't believe we wasted time on this. He ain't got it. He ain't even heard of it." Her laughter subsided after a moment. "Where's the faces like us?"
"Don't know. Never met them. I don't even know if they're still alive." Max bluffed but Lannie stood directly on the other side of his shield, staring at him before her eyes shut. Some force invaded his mind, like fingers flipping through a file cabinet. Max dropped the shield unexpectedly and he had to reach for Tess with one hand and reach the other out to knock Rath off his feet before the blast could escape. Rath flew backward, knocking his head on the wall.
The mental fingers still rifled through his mind. With no power left, Max reached out and grabbed Lannie's head. Her eyes popped open seconds before the crack echoed in his ears. His heavy breathing hung in the air until the smell of smoke reached his nostrils. Lannie's body lay in flames. He stumbled backward, almost tripping over Tess. Gripping her hand, he raced with her out the bathroom and through her room. "Kal!" They had just hit the staircase when they heard the explosion.
Kal strode out of his office. "Shit, they heard that in the Valley. Get out of the house, kids." The three of them had just hit the driveway when the second explosion went off. At the end of the drive, Max looked back at the house and panicked. Liz's pictures. Where they in the basement or in his room? As they watched the house burn and listened to the approaching sirens, Max was struck by what he had just done. He had killed someone with his own bare hands. He stared at his open palms and shut his eyes against the memory of the sound. The crack. Kal clapped him on the back. "They won't find bodies in there… unless of course the maid was upstairs."
"I killed her." Max whispered.
"Survival of the cunningest, kid." Kal shrugged. "It was time for a new place anyway." He sniffed the air and he wished that he could smell the smoke. "What's with your sister?"
Tess was curled in a ball clutching her head. Max swallowed thickly. "Lannie called her a warper. She… I don't know. She didn't let them see me." He reached out to touch her but she shied away. "I… took energy from her."
"She'll be okay enough soon." Kal pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit it when no one was looking. "Choose a place to live… we're gonna need a new place."
"East coast." Max whispered then cleared his throat. "I wanna try the east coast for a while… at least when the semester's over."
"We'll see."
March 20, 2002
Max rolled his eyes at the caption in the newspaper. A reporter had captured the three of them on camera the day of the fire. They all looked less than sad about their home burning and a journalist had called them on it. Kal's reply, "It was a house with things in it. Sure, some of them are irreplaceable original works of art, some are awards for movies I helped to bring to the screen. There are twenty-five years of memories in that house but none of that is important. I've got more money than God. We can buy more things. My niece, nephew and I got out of the house safely. That's what really matters."
It was sappy enough to work and just materialistic enough to stay in character. Max folded the paper shut and reached for the mail. A new cellphone… a courtesy from the company to cover the damage to his. The newest model, not bad.
The apartment was liveable for a while but Max really wanted to be across the country come summer. An application sat next to him, ready to be sent in hopes of transfer granted. His camera sat in its case, untouched in seven days… he might have to change his major. He stared at the New Haven address for another twenty minutes before getting up to mail it.
When he returned, Tess was staring at him like she had for the past four days. She had been scared since the fire and Max thought it had to do with the 'warp' she had pulled to save his life. It could just be his guilty conscience for taking a life. "Hey Sweetie, what's up?"
"Do you hate me?" Tess whispered.
"No." Max froze. "Why?"
"I used… the… thing in my head so they wouldn't see you. I don't know how I did it." Tess's blue eyes brightened with tears
"Hey." Max sat next to and had to think about what to say. "It's okay. You did good but you gotta remember that you can't do things like that where normal people can see."
"She was gonna hurt you. I knowed it."
"But she didn't. You saved me. Thank you."
"Max, I was scared."
"Me, too, Tessie. Me, too."
TBC
I was in a bad mood but I'm in a better one so bonus part for the week.
Max stretched out on his bed, listening to his voice mail and choosing who he wanted to return calls to. It was early and no one would be awake. "Angela, it's Max. Sorry I wasn't around yesterday, thanks for the call. Later."
"Hey Amy. Sorry I didn't show. Things came up. We'll get together tomorrow or something to work on the paper and stuff."
"Hey Davis. Thanks for the call. See you in class."
"Val, it's Max. Sorry I didn't call you back last night. We could get together tonight or something. Let me know… I may actually be around today."
"This is Max, Jason. Hope you kept Jamie warm for me."
"Zan. Happy Birthday, man. You're an old fogy… saw the spread, not bad… shoot the photographer."
Max's finger hovered over the call button on his last call. Then the phone was ringing in his ear before he realized he had hit the button. He was just grateful to get the machine. "Hey Liz… this is Max. Thanks for the call, it really meant a lot. It brightened my day. You're not stupid or an idiot… and the guy, it isn't me… and… I think about you, too."
Pushing the phone away, he shut his eyes. He shouldn't have called her and he shouldn't have said that. The sinking feeling in his gut that he'd been feeling for days grew. Something wasn't right. Sometime during the afternoon, he drifted into a fitful sleep. Images that passed for dreams cruised through his mind. By the time he realized that the woman standing at the end of his bed was going to kill him, he should have been dead already. His eyes popped open and he scooted back on the bed. Lannie continued to stare at the bed. "He was here when I looked in the window. He was right here."
Max winced as her hand nearly brushed his leg. Slowly, he scooted away from her hand. Another movement caught his eye. Tess, she was squatting in the doorframe to the bathroom that connected their rooms. Her eyes were squeezed shut tight. Heart pounding, he silently slid off the bed to join her. While he was on the move, a second figure stepped into the room through the window. Rath. On a split-moment's decision, Max all out ran for the bathroom door and threw up his shield between Tess and himself and Rath and Lannie. The shield got their attention.
"What the fuck?" Lannie growled. "Zan didn't say anything about a warper."
"What the hell were you going to do?" Max demanded, sweat poured down his face.
"Were going home, Maxie and either you come with or we kill you." Lannie tilted her head at the blonde girl hiding behind Max. "Hell, you can take her if you want. We don't need Ava."
"We're not going."
"I've been contacted and being a royal beats the hell off riding my brother's coattails the rest of my life. The fucker's got a restraining order on us. Some bigwig hired Feds to watch for us. Feds." Lannie sat on the bed. "Just come with us. We know you got the Granilith."
"The what?" Max played dumb.
"The Granilith. Our ride home."
"There's no way off Earth. We're stuck here."
Lannie looked to Rath. "I thought you said he had it."
"He said the others had it. That's Maxie and his bitch." Rath shrugged.
She let out a laugh. "Shit." The laugh bounced off the walls. "I can't believe we wasted time on this. He ain't got it. He ain't even heard of it." Her laughter subsided after a moment. "Where's the faces like us?"
"Don't know. Never met them. I don't even know if they're still alive." Max bluffed but Lannie stood directly on the other side of his shield, staring at him before her eyes shut. Some force invaded his mind, like fingers flipping through a file cabinet. Max dropped the shield unexpectedly and he had to reach for Tess with one hand and reach the other out to knock Rath off his feet before the blast could escape. Rath flew backward, knocking his head on the wall.
The mental fingers still rifled through his mind. With no power left, Max reached out and grabbed Lannie's head. Her eyes popped open seconds before the crack echoed in his ears. His heavy breathing hung in the air until the smell of smoke reached his nostrils. Lannie's body lay in flames. He stumbled backward, almost tripping over Tess. Gripping her hand, he raced with her out the bathroom and through her room. "Kal!" They had just hit the staircase when they heard the explosion.
Kal strode out of his office. "Shit, they heard that in the Valley. Get out of the house, kids." The three of them had just hit the driveway when the second explosion went off. At the end of the drive, Max looked back at the house and panicked. Liz's pictures. Where they in the basement or in his room? As they watched the house burn and listened to the approaching sirens, Max was struck by what he had just done. He had killed someone with his own bare hands. He stared at his open palms and shut his eyes against the memory of the sound. The crack. Kal clapped him on the back. "They won't find bodies in there… unless of course the maid was upstairs."
"I killed her." Max whispered.
"Survival of the cunningest, kid." Kal shrugged. "It was time for a new place anyway." He sniffed the air and he wished that he could smell the smoke. "What's with your sister?"
Tess was curled in a ball clutching her head. Max swallowed thickly. "Lannie called her a warper. She… I don't know. She didn't let them see me." He reached out to touch her but she shied away. "I… took energy from her."
"She'll be okay enough soon." Kal pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit it when no one was looking. "Choose a place to live… we're gonna need a new place."
"East coast." Max whispered then cleared his throat. "I wanna try the east coast for a while… at least when the semester's over."
"We'll see."
March 20, 2002
Max rolled his eyes at the caption in the newspaper. A reporter had captured the three of them on camera the day of the fire. They all looked less than sad about their home burning and a journalist had called them on it. Kal's reply, "It was a house with things in it. Sure, some of them are irreplaceable original works of art, some are awards for movies I helped to bring to the screen. There are twenty-five years of memories in that house but none of that is important. I've got more money than God. We can buy more things. My niece, nephew and I got out of the house safely. That's what really matters."
It was sappy enough to work and just materialistic enough to stay in character. Max folded the paper shut and reached for the mail. A new cellphone… a courtesy from the company to cover the damage to his. The newest model, not bad.
The apartment was liveable for a while but Max really wanted to be across the country come summer. An application sat next to him, ready to be sent in hopes of transfer granted. His camera sat in its case, untouched in seven days… he might have to change his major. He stared at the New Haven address for another twenty minutes before getting up to mail it.
When he returned, Tess was staring at him like she had for the past four days. She had been scared since the fire and Max thought it had to do with the 'warp' she had pulled to save his life. It could just be his guilty conscience for taking a life. "Hey Sweetie, what's up?"
"Do you hate me?" Tess whispered.
"No." Max froze. "Why?"
"I used… the… thing in my head so they wouldn't see you. I don't know how I did it." Tess's blue eyes brightened with tears
"Hey." Max sat next to and had to think about what to say. "It's okay. You did good but you gotta remember that you can't do things like that where normal people can see."
"She was gonna hurt you. I knowed it."
"But she didn't. You saved me. Thank you."
"Max, I was scared."
"Me, too, Tessie. Me, too."
TBC
I was in a bad mood but I'm in a better one so bonus part for the week.
Part 15 - June 19, 2002
Part 15 – June 19, 2002
Max was awake late that night, or early that morning, when the knock came. The subject of that night's venting didn't even stir when he got up to find some pants and his way downstairs to the door. Thankfully Tess remained asleep on her side of the house. Max peered out a second story window before continuing on down to answer the door. When it opened, Zan was standing there. The East Coast native brushed passed Max and took in the look of the house. "Aight."
"Hi. Come in. How are you?" Max shut the door and turned to his unexpected guest. "What can I do for you?"
"Yeah, hi or whateva." Zan shrugged. "I hadda git out of the city, you know? Nice place."
"It's alright."
"It's puke green." Zan sat on a couch and stretched his legs. "You know, it'seasy to git lost when the directions're pretty much the same as the ones for the campus."
"Who gave you directions?" Max took a seat and turned on a light.
"Kal's assistant gave it up easily enough. I think the bitch got fired." He shrugged and looked out the window. "Corny 'hood. Mr. Rodgers live next door or what?"
"Well, we looked at houses in 405, 514, 511 and 524 but 519 had the puke green house that Tess wanted. It's roughly two miles from school and it's quiet." Max took a breath. "You here about the fire?"
"Funny you should bring that up. I felt the fire." Zan's eyes went hard for a moment. "They dead?"
"Lannie for sure…" Max cocked his head when he heard a sound. "Go get something to drink. I gotta get this chick out of the house." He motioned down the hall. "Kitchen's that way."
"You been 'ere, what, three weeks and you aready plowin' the locals?"
"How long would you wait?"
"You gotta point."
"Max?" The voice made them go silent. Zan disappeared the way Max had directed and Max made for the staircase. "Hello?" The girl jumped back when Max suddenly appeared on the staircase. "Where'd you go?"
"Look, I got company now. You'd better take off."
"Yeah, okay." She shrank into herself for a moment. "Just let me get dressed."
Instead of following her back to his room, Max hit the corridor and made for Tess's room to make sure was still asleep. The house had been meant for two-family occupation and the second floor held two suites. Max had given Tess one room for her and the adjoining room for her clothes. It seemed to suit her just fine. He had the summer to get her settled and find someone he could trust to cook and clean for them. By the time he had finally made it to his room, his guest had just hung up the phone. "Cab?"
"Um, yeah." She smoothed her skirt as much as possible. Grabbing her jacket, she moved to the door. Max had pulled a shirt over his head and followed her down. At the base of the stairs, she turned to him. "You know… I'm not… going to expect a call anytime soon or anything but… if you ever want to get together…" She produced a card from her purse. "Give me a call or something. If by some miracle I'm actually busy, we'll do nothing, if not… we have some fun… no strings."
"I'll keep you in mind… Brenda."
"Breena."
"Sorry."
"It's cool. My dad never gets it right either." Breena shrugged and opened the door as a set of headlights turned the corner outside. After just a moment's hesitation, she pressed a kiss to his mouth and disappeared out the door.
"Aw, she's all jaded and shit. How old was she? 30?" Zan spoke up from behind the stairwell. "Come on. I wanna hear about this fire."
"Why are you here?" Max followed him back to the kitchen.
"I'm bored. My agent made me take some classes at the college and shit. We're on break and I'm bored. Sides… It's only a two hour trip and I had to check out the new place." Zan popped open a coke and downed half of it. "Tell me about the fire."
"I killed her." Max admitted and clenched his fists. "She threatened me and Tess and I had no choice. I… I snapped her neck. Her body caught fire and it swept the room. Before I knew it there was an explosion… and then another. She took Rath with her." He sank onto a chair at the table. "I keep hearing the sound her neck made when it gave… and I see her eyes when she realized that was it."
"I killed the shape-shifter." Zan admitted. "He didn't think we'd be able to do it and his face… his real face showed when he couldn't run anymore. It… it haunts me." There was a long silence. "I don't blame you for protectin' you and yours. It's only right." He drew in a long breath. "I couldn't do it… she's my sister." Silence took over the kitchen until pink glowed in the Eastern windows. "Got a couch I can crash on?"
"We got room." Max stood up from the table and led Zan up the stairs. "We've been furnishing the house. There are a couple extra beds that we haven't put together yet."
"It's cool." Zan nodded. They ended up in a room on the west side. The bed went together easily enough and with a couple of blankets straight from their packages, Zan was settled in to sleep.
Max crept to his own room and stretched out on the sheets. He never went to sleep and was ready to make breakfast when Tess appeared demanding that he get out of bed and find her something to eat. She seemed to have adapted to the house pretty quickly but he had been careful when he chose not to give her the suite with the balcony in front of the house. The new instruments had been set up in what passed for a parlor on the first level. The first thing he had done was change the locks and shown her how to work them. For some reason he hadn't really known, she had relaxed considerably after he had done that.
There she sat at the table, eating toast and poached eggs. Her eyes drifted to the window every now and then to watch the neighbors rushing out the door to work and the kids off to summer camp. A cloud entered her eyes as the mother waved to the kids as they ran down the street. Clearing his throat, Max sat down with his own breakfast. "Is there something you wanted to do today?"
"No." She pouted and chewed carefully.
"Zan is here." Max had to smile when she blushed and dropped her eyes to her plate. "He came last night but I think he's still asleep. Maybe we could do something when he wakes up."
"I don't know." Her blush grew deeper.
"Or the two of us could go to the library and get you a card." Max changed the subject so she would finally look at him. "If it's too hard to remember the way, we'll have to hire a driver for you."
"I… can take the bus." Tess whispered. "I can learn. Miss Debbie always says that I have to learn to do by myself. I'm… I'm 19 and a woman and I can take care of myself."
Speechless, Max just stared at her for a moment. That outburst was uncalled for but had obviously been building for a while. After a moment to collect his wits, Max took a breath. "Alright. Then we'll get you a bus pass and practice a few times together."
"Good." A short sigh and a return to her breakfast. "And… I… I don't want another school here. Miss Debbie taught me everything. I'm through with school."
"Okay." He nodded.
"That's all?" Tess crossed her arms suddenly.
"What else is there? You're a big gi—I mean, you're a young woman. You can do what you want." Max dug into his breakfast. "Did you want to concentrate on your music or your paintings?"
"I want…" She sat up in her chair and then slumped down. "I don't know what I want."
Max reached out and grabbed her hand, waiting until she looked up at him. "You don't have to decide today, sweetie."
"Max, I don't want to go back to California. Bad things happened there." She pleaded.
"We won't." Max squeezed her hand. He turned when he heard footsteps. "Thought you were sleepy."
"Thought I was." Zan scratched at his head and sat at the table, shirtless. He grabbed Max's plate and started eating, not even noticing that Tess's head was bowed or that her face was flaming red. Max just shook his head and tried not to laugh
--
Max cruised the library with Zan while Tess filled out her application. She had insisted on filling it out by herself, even thought that could take up to an hour. Max had filled his out and told her where to find him when she was done. Zan waited a while before producing an envelope from his pocket. "Meant to give it to you when I got here but we was talkin'." A plain white envelope with the L.A. address on it and his name. On the back was a sticker with a pair of wedding rings raised on its surface. "Kal said to pass it along."
"She's getting married." Max whispered.
"Who?"
"Isabel." Max sat in a chair and opened the envelope. Inside was the invitation to the nuptials of Isabel Marie Evans to Jesus Estaban Ramirez. Behind that was a letter.
Dear Max,
This is weird, you know? I asked you to meet Jesse and you did and I kind of felt you approved but I feel that you should really be here when the big day comes. There is something else though… I remember things and I've been seeing things. It scares me and… Michael and I don't know what to do. I don't want you to think that's why I'm inviting you. I really want you here so that my dad and two brothers can give me away. This is just something that concerns me a lot. These dreams and visions are just… Please say you'll come.
Love, Isabel.
"So, who's Isabel?" Zan repeated his question.
"My sister… Lannie's duplicate." Max sat back and shut his eyes. "She's going to marry him."
"Cool. Who's the lucky guy?"
"This lawyer that works for her father."
"Seems to me that maybe you should go…" Zan examined his nails.
"Wait…" Max sat up and looked to Zan. "Where did you get this?"
"Told you, Kal." The punk cleared his throat. "Maybe I got it from his trashcan."
That made more sense. "Why did you really come here?"
"Agent's pissed at me. I got my GED and took the classes she wanted me to take but I'm not… maturin' or somethin'. I don't know." Zan scratched at the back of his head.
"You slept with her."
"She invited me up for a drink… and maybe I wasn't interested after that."
"So you left the state?"
"No, that was a month ago. I went to find out where you went and I got into it wit Kal. He's pissed that Angela's pissed at me. I'm wastin' my youth or somethin' like that." His boot knocked against a chair as he slid to the ground. "I cain't do this. I cain't be human."
"Where's Ava?"
"She took off back in April. Said she couldn't watch me fuck around no more." He turned his face to the ceiling. "I cain't just sit in front of a camera every couple of weeks. It's borin' and I just cain't."
"Then don't." Max shook his head. "Find something else to do."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Get a job or take some more classes."
"I'm contracted or somethin' for a good while."
"I don't know, Zan. Live, man, live. I can't tell you what to do."
The two stayed put until Tess found them with her new library card and a stack of books. Proud smile and straight shoulders led them to the counter to check out. By the time the car pulled into the garage, Max had made up his mind. He would call to Roswell before he went. There was no way he couldn't go.
Zan disappeared into 'his' room and Max watched Tess go upstairs with her 'chapter' books. She was bound and determined to read the 13-chapter book and understand every word of it. Cell phone in hand, he climbed the stairs to the second level and debated for a moment which would be more private, the attic or his balcony. Choosing the latter, he began dialing as he went. The tinkling laughter that met his ears was not what he expected when the call connected. "Augh!… Stop! Michael!" Bursts of laughter both male and female erupted over the line. "Let me see--- Augh! Cut it out! This is your phone, let me see who it is… ahem… Hello? Hello? Anybody there?"
Max clicked his phone off. Maybe he shouldn't call. He'd go, see to his duty as Isabel's brother and leave.
TBC
Max was awake late that night, or early that morning, when the knock came. The subject of that night's venting didn't even stir when he got up to find some pants and his way downstairs to the door. Thankfully Tess remained asleep on her side of the house. Max peered out a second story window before continuing on down to answer the door. When it opened, Zan was standing there. The East Coast native brushed passed Max and took in the look of the house. "Aight."
"Hi. Come in. How are you?" Max shut the door and turned to his unexpected guest. "What can I do for you?"
"Yeah, hi or whateva." Zan shrugged. "I hadda git out of the city, you know? Nice place."
"It's alright."
"It's puke green." Zan sat on a couch and stretched his legs. "You know, it'seasy to git lost when the directions're pretty much the same as the ones for the campus."
"Who gave you directions?" Max took a seat and turned on a light.
"Kal's assistant gave it up easily enough. I think the bitch got fired." He shrugged and looked out the window. "Corny 'hood. Mr. Rodgers live next door or what?"
"Well, we looked at houses in 405, 514, 511 and 524 but 519 had the puke green house that Tess wanted. It's roughly two miles from school and it's quiet." Max took a breath. "You here about the fire?"
"Funny you should bring that up. I felt the fire." Zan's eyes went hard for a moment. "They dead?"
"Lannie for sure…" Max cocked his head when he heard a sound. "Go get something to drink. I gotta get this chick out of the house." He motioned down the hall. "Kitchen's that way."
"You been 'ere, what, three weeks and you aready plowin' the locals?"
"How long would you wait?"
"You gotta point."
"Max?" The voice made them go silent. Zan disappeared the way Max had directed and Max made for the staircase. "Hello?" The girl jumped back when Max suddenly appeared on the staircase. "Where'd you go?"
"Look, I got company now. You'd better take off."
"Yeah, okay." She shrank into herself for a moment. "Just let me get dressed."
Instead of following her back to his room, Max hit the corridor and made for Tess's room to make sure was still asleep. The house had been meant for two-family occupation and the second floor held two suites. Max had given Tess one room for her and the adjoining room for her clothes. It seemed to suit her just fine. He had the summer to get her settled and find someone he could trust to cook and clean for them. By the time he had finally made it to his room, his guest had just hung up the phone. "Cab?"
"Um, yeah." She smoothed her skirt as much as possible. Grabbing her jacket, she moved to the door. Max had pulled a shirt over his head and followed her down. At the base of the stairs, she turned to him. "You know… I'm not… going to expect a call anytime soon or anything but… if you ever want to get together…" She produced a card from her purse. "Give me a call or something. If by some miracle I'm actually busy, we'll do nothing, if not… we have some fun… no strings."
"I'll keep you in mind… Brenda."
"Breena."
"Sorry."
"It's cool. My dad never gets it right either." Breena shrugged and opened the door as a set of headlights turned the corner outside. After just a moment's hesitation, she pressed a kiss to his mouth and disappeared out the door.
"Aw, she's all jaded and shit. How old was she? 30?" Zan spoke up from behind the stairwell. "Come on. I wanna hear about this fire."
"Why are you here?" Max followed him back to the kitchen.
"I'm bored. My agent made me take some classes at the college and shit. We're on break and I'm bored. Sides… It's only a two hour trip and I had to check out the new place." Zan popped open a coke and downed half of it. "Tell me about the fire."
"I killed her." Max admitted and clenched his fists. "She threatened me and Tess and I had no choice. I… I snapped her neck. Her body caught fire and it swept the room. Before I knew it there was an explosion… and then another. She took Rath with her." He sank onto a chair at the table. "I keep hearing the sound her neck made when it gave… and I see her eyes when she realized that was it."
"I killed the shape-shifter." Zan admitted. "He didn't think we'd be able to do it and his face… his real face showed when he couldn't run anymore. It… it haunts me." There was a long silence. "I don't blame you for protectin' you and yours. It's only right." He drew in a long breath. "I couldn't do it… she's my sister." Silence took over the kitchen until pink glowed in the Eastern windows. "Got a couch I can crash on?"
"We got room." Max stood up from the table and led Zan up the stairs. "We've been furnishing the house. There are a couple extra beds that we haven't put together yet."
"It's cool." Zan nodded. They ended up in a room on the west side. The bed went together easily enough and with a couple of blankets straight from their packages, Zan was settled in to sleep.
Max crept to his own room and stretched out on the sheets. He never went to sleep and was ready to make breakfast when Tess appeared demanding that he get out of bed and find her something to eat. She seemed to have adapted to the house pretty quickly but he had been careful when he chose not to give her the suite with the balcony in front of the house. The new instruments had been set up in what passed for a parlor on the first level. The first thing he had done was change the locks and shown her how to work them. For some reason he hadn't really known, she had relaxed considerably after he had done that.
There she sat at the table, eating toast and poached eggs. Her eyes drifted to the window every now and then to watch the neighbors rushing out the door to work and the kids off to summer camp. A cloud entered her eyes as the mother waved to the kids as they ran down the street. Clearing his throat, Max sat down with his own breakfast. "Is there something you wanted to do today?"
"No." She pouted and chewed carefully.
"Zan is here." Max had to smile when she blushed and dropped her eyes to her plate. "He came last night but I think he's still asleep. Maybe we could do something when he wakes up."
"I don't know." Her blush grew deeper.
"Or the two of us could go to the library and get you a card." Max changed the subject so she would finally look at him. "If it's too hard to remember the way, we'll have to hire a driver for you."
"I… can take the bus." Tess whispered. "I can learn. Miss Debbie always says that I have to learn to do by myself. I'm… I'm 19 and a woman and I can take care of myself."
Speechless, Max just stared at her for a moment. That outburst was uncalled for but had obviously been building for a while. After a moment to collect his wits, Max took a breath. "Alright. Then we'll get you a bus pass and practice a few times together."
"Good." A short sigh and a return to her breakfast. "And… I… I don't want another school here. Miss Debbie taught me everything. I'm through with school."
"Okay." He nodded.
"That's all?" Tess crossed her arms suddenly.
"What else is there? You're a big gi—I mean, you're a young woman. You can do what you want." Max dug into his breakfast. "Did you want to concentrate on your music or your paintings?"
"I want…" She sat up in her chair and then slumped down. "I don't know what I want."
Max reached out and grabbed her hand, waiting until she looked up at him. "You don't have to decide today, sweetie."
"Max, I don't want to go back to California. Bad things happened there." She pleaded.
"We won't." Max squeezed her hand. He turned when he heard footsteps. "Thought you were sleepy."
"Thought I was." Zan scratched at his head and sat at the table, shirtless. He grabbed Max's plate and started eating, not even noticing that Tess's head was bowed or that her face was flaming red. Max just shook his head and tried not to laugh
--
Max cruised the library with Zan while Tess filled out her application. She had insisted on filling it out by herself, even thought that could take up to an hour. Max had filled his out and told her where to find him when she was done. Zan waited a while before producing an envelope from his pocket. "Meant to give it to you when I got here but we was talkin'." A plain white envelope with the L.A. address on it and his name. On the back was a sticker with a pair of wedding rings raised on its surface. "Kal said to pass it along."
"She's getting married." Max whispered.
"Who?"
"Isabel." Max sat in a chair and opened the envelope. Inside was the invitation to the nuptials of Isabel Marie Evans to Jesus Estaban Ramirez. Behind that was a letter.
Dear Max,
This is weird, you know? I asked you to meet Jesse and you did and I kind of felt you approved but I feel that you should really be here when the big day comes. There is something else though… I remember things and I've been seeing things. It scares me and… Michael and I don't know what to do. I don't want you to think that's why I'm inviting you. I really want you here so that my dad and two brothers can give me away. This is just something that concerns me a lot. These dreams and visions are just… Please say you'll come.
Love, Isabel.
"So, who's Isabel?" Zan repeated his question.
"My sister… Lannie's duplicate." Max sat back and shut his eyes. "She's going to marry him."
"Cool. Who's the lucky guy?"
"This lawyer that works for her father."
"Seems to me that maybe you should go…" Zan examined his nails.
"Wait…" Max sat up and looked to Zan. "Where did you get this?"
"Told you, Kal." The punk cleared his throat. "Maybe I got it from his trashcan."
That made more sense. "Why did you really come here?"
"Agent's pissed at me. I got my GED and took the classes she wanted me to take but I'm not… maturin' or somethin'. I don't know." Zan scratched at the back of his head.
"You slept with her."
"She invited me up for a drink… and maybe I wasn't interested after that."
"So you left the state?"
"No, that was a month ago. I went to find out where you went and I got into it wit Kal. He's pissed that Angela's pissed at me. I'm wastin' my youth or somethin' like that." His boot knocked against a chair as he slid to the ground. "I cain't do this. I cain't be human."
"Where's Ava?"
"She took off back in April. Said she couldn't watch me fuck around no more." He turned his face to the ceiling. "I cain't just sit in front of a camera every couple of weeks. It's borin' and I just cain't."
"Then don't." Max shook his head. "Find something else to do."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Get a job or take some more classes."
"I'm contracted or somethin' for a good while."
"I don't know, Zan. Live, man, live. I can't tell you what to do."
The two stayed put until Tess found them with her new library card and a stack of books. Proud smile and straight shoulders led them to the counter to check out. By the time the car pulled into the garage, Max had made up his mind. He would call to Roswell before he went. There was no way he couldn't go.
Zan disappeared into 'his' room and Max watched Tess go upstairs with her 'chapter' books. She was bound and determined to read the 13-chapter book and understand every word of it. Cell phone in hand, he climbed the stairs to the second level and debated for a moment which would be more private, the attic or his balcony. Choosing the latter, he began dialing as he went. The tinkling laughter that met his ears was not what he expected when the call connected. "Augh!… Stop! Michael!" Bursts of laughter both male and female erupted over the line. "Let me see--- Augh! Cut it out! This is your phone, let me see who it is… ahem… Hello? Hello? Anybody there?"
Max clicked his phone off. Maybe he shouldn't call. He'd go, see to his duty as Isabel's brother and leave.
TBC
Part 16 – August 8, 2002
Part 16 – August 8, 2002
Tess's hands shook where they lay on the armrests. Even the view couldn't calm her down. Max shut his eyes for a moment as he thought of a way to soothe her nerves. When he felt the flight attendant pass, he flagged her down. She knelt and waited. "Do you think it would be possible for my sister to meet the pilot?"
She looked at him skeptically. "May I ask why?"
"She's really nervous and I think it would calm her some. She's harmless." Max cleared his throat and turned to Tess. "Sweetie?"
When Tess's wide vacant, yet fearful, eyes turned to the flight attendant, the woman understood. "Hi sweetie. My name is Hannah, what's yours?"
"Tess." Tess seemed to shrink back a little.
"Tess, would you like to go up and meet the pilot?" Hannah offered her hand. Tess looked to Max, who nodded encouragingly, and then slowly rose from her seat. After they had passed, Max rose to follow, just to keep an eye on Tess. He knew that she associated west-bound planes with California and that's why she was acting this way. Hopefully this would work or else he was afraid she might have a panic attack.
After a few minutes, he returned to his seat. They weren't too far away, He could see if he leaned into the aisle. The flight attendant eventually returned to her station behind him and he could hear her talking to one of her coworkers about Tess. A while later, Tess returned to her seat with a pair of wings stuck to her shirt and a coloring book, a broad smile on her face. "It was so cool, Max. Uncle Kal never let me do that before. I wanna learn how to fly a plane, Max."
A beat later, Max realized she was serious. With a pen, a pencil and her crayons, she drew the main flight panel in the cockpit, telling him everything about everything button and knob. Shutting his eyes against the building headache, Max sank in his seat even as she kept on and on about what was in involved in flying a 747. A moment later, the flight attendant appeared next to him with a cup of water and two aspirin. "You looked like you could use them."
Max took one aspirin and the water. "Thanks. I should have known better."
She raised an eyebrow and looked to Tess and her drawings. "She's really good."
"Yep." Max nodded and thanked her again. With any luck, they were close to their connection in Philadelphia.
--
As predicted, Max and Tess were the last ones off the plane. Tess refused to get off the plane until she had proof that they were not in California. Max sighed and pleaded with her. "Come on, Tess. We have to get our bags and get onto the next plane. This is Philadelphia."
It was still too early to be fighting with her. It was barely after seven in the morning. There were thirty minutes left in which to get their things and get on the next plane. "How do I know?"
"The ride was barely an hour, Tess. How long does it take to get back to California?"
"A long time." She reasoned to herself. "Longer… a lot longer than an hour."
"Right, come on. Let's go." Max finally managed to get her out of the plane so that the flight attendants could do their sweeps. Time was short on this connection but the next one would afford them more time. He hated connecting flights but what was he going to do? Buy a plane? Right and feed into this notion that Tess was going to fly a plane someday.
They just barely made it to their gate in time to catch the plane and Max spent the whole first hour trying to convince her they would be in Texas, not California. This plane was larger than the last and they ended up in the middle rows, which was fine by him but having a stranger sitting on the other side of Tess made him nervous. Lucky for him it ended up being the grandmother of a famous football player or something. Max was able to doze while the older woman cooed over Tess.
--
In Dallas, Max could relax a little. They had their bags in a locker, and were sitting in a nice restaurant with two hours before their next flight. As he sat there, not touching his food, his mind drifted back to the first call he had made to the Evans two months before. Liz's laughter had reached across the waves to his ears, mocking him. Since, he had only called once more and luckily Isabel had answered, expressing her excitement at his attending. He didn't think that Tess understood what Isabel meant to them but she was excited about her new dress. Max's gift to Isabel had been her wedding gown and her honeymoon trip.
Tess ate her salad with great enthusiasm since they had been on planes all morning. Then she proceeded to inhale a Texas-sized cheeseburger. It made him smile. There she sat, attracting looks from men all over the place until that first big bite into the burger, which had earned her a mustard covered chin. It was as she was dipping her fries into gravy that she announced she wanted to learn to cook.
"Is that right?"
"Yes, sir, Brother Max." Tess nodded. "I want to make fettuccini and hamburgers and chocolate cake."
"How many books have you read this summer?" Max tried to ask as innocently as he could.
"One." Her meek tone spoke volumes about what she understood in him asking.
"How many chapters?"
"12."
"That's really good." Max nodded, trying to bring her spirits back up. He laced his fingers together over his barely touched plate. "I'll make a deal with you."
"What?"
"If you agree to go to one class. One class, Tess. I'll help you learn to cook."
"One class?"
"A tutor, probably… to help you read?"
"But… no more school." She protested. "I'm a young woman, now. I don't need school." Her tone was low, her words barely made it across the table.
"Tess, listen to me." He cleared his throat. "I still go to school. Am I a little boy?"
"No."
"I go to school because there are still things I have to learn. When you learn to read better… I will learn to cook with you. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Smile pretty for me?"
"You don't have your camera." Tess glared at him.
"Fine, be ugly." Max returned his attention to his meal. In exactly five minutes, he felt her head on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
"Come on. Finish eating so we can get back to the airport."
--
Max pulled into the hotel around seven that evening, feeling more like the nine his body said it was but he had promised Isabel that he would stop by when he arrived. He figured he could shower and change before going over. Tess was cranky but she only freshened her lipstick and straightened the two pairs of wings on her shirt, having refused to take them off until she earned wings of her own.
The ride to the Evans was interesting. He didn't think she'd really react to the alien paraphernalia but this expression of distaste rested on her face throughout the business parts of town. Then there was a store with a little green man painted on a window. She huffed and turned away from the street. "Uncle Kal doesn't look like that."
His laughter began and didn't end until he was parked two houses down from the Evans, the nearest possible spot. He had to shake it and prepare Tess for what she would find in the house. There were a lot of cars, which meant at least one person per car. Climbing out of the rental, he scanned the street and found ten cars. "Sweetie, there's going to be strangers in there. A lot of them. You don't have to talk to them but try not to run, okay?"
Tess nodded in the affirmative and followed closely behind Max all the way to the door. The second it opened, she stepped behind Max, peering under his arm at the brunette who answered. The brunette broke into a wide smile. "Max! You came!"
Max accepted the hug and squeezed Isabel back. The contact felt good. "Of course, I did. I said I would."
"It's good to see you, again. I can't believe it's been a year. Come in." Isabel stepped aside and froze when she saw the blonde head over Max's shoulder. "Is that her?"
"Yeah, Isabel, this is Tess. Tessie, Come out and say hi to Isabel." Max lifted his arm and she peered up at Isabel with wide eyes. "I knew this would happen. She's shy around strangers." He guided her into the house.
There were swarms of people in the house. Max had severely misjudged the crowd. By his calculations, there were five people for every car outside, including his rental. Apparently Jesse's side of the family was twice as large as Isabel's. Isabel led them through the house, introducing them to people as they made their way through to the kitchen where Jesse was trapped at the table between his grandmother and Isabel's grandmother. "Sweetie!" His eyes rounded as they darted from old woman to old woman. "Come introduce your brother to abuelita and Grandma."
Max barely managed to suppress a smile at the man's predicament before he followed Isabel down a hallway. She turned to him with a bright smile. "He's been there all night, poor baby. Michael and our friends have been hiding in his room all night. I hope you don't mind but I think it's better if you and Tess take up residence in there until people start leaving."
"Yeah, it would probably be better for Tess anyway." Max nodded.
"Just don't leave before I can talk to you about what's going on. Okay?"
"Alright."
When the door opened, only the glow of a television provided light enough to see there were bodies strewn all over the place. Isabel flicked on the light to the groans of eight people. "So, you know Michael, Liz and Alex. That is Kyle on the floor over there, Brandy is on the chair, Jake on the sleeping bag, Carolyn at the foot of the bed and Faris by her. Jesse's cousins Raul and Erica are passed out over there. Everyone, this is Max and Tess. I will be back sometime tonight."
She was gone before he could say anything. Max nodded to the group and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "Michael."
"Max." Michael shifted slightly but Liz had been leaning on him and he couldn't move much. "Welcome back. That her?"
"Yeah. This is Tess." Max reached out and guided her to sit next to him. "Say 'hi,' Tess."
"No." She whispered and buried her face in his shoulder.
"She's being shy." Max stroked her hair and cleared his throat. "What's that?"
"My Step-mother is an Alien…" Michael snorted. "I thought it was appropriate but Isabel threaten to slay me with her death ray eyes."
"Why didn't you just rent So I Married an Axe-murderer?" Max made himself as comfortable as possible with Tess clinging to him.
"I did." Michael snorted again. "She threatened to castrate me if I showed these movies to Jesse. I also got Very Bad Things, He Knows You're Alone, Haunted Honeymoon, The Devil's Daughter, Rosemary's Baby and The Descendant. You know… feel good marriage classics."
Liz bit at her lip for a few moments then offered Max a smile. "Hey Max… I didn't know you were coming for this."
"You know, family obligations." Max felt Tess relax a little and that took a little load off his chest. It meant she wouldn't flip any time soon.
"Hey, you know, Isabel had tried to call you before she sent the invitation…" Michael trailed off, nudging Liz a little.
"Our house caught on fire. My phone was in the center of the inferno." Max rubbed Tess's back and dropped his voice to a low whisper. "She's a little traumatized still. The flights were okay for the most part but getting her off the planes was an ordeal. She thought we were going back."
Michael nudged Liz again, this time a little harsher. "So where are you living now? Still in L.A.?"
"In a green house off Howard Avenue." Tess whispered, turning her face to the two. The lights went out and a body returned to the floor. "It's really big and I get a whole room for my clothes and a whole room for my instruments. I go to the library and I take the bus all by myself."
"That she does. I'm no longer allowed to tag along." Max brushed her hair out of her face.
"It's five minutes from Max's school." Tess sat up and told them. "If I have to, I can walk there in twenty minutes. I just have to go to the building that says Yale School of Art."
"Yale?" Liz's lip twitched. "You're in Connecticut?"
"Yeah."
"I'm just in Massachusetts." Liz bit her lip again. "I just flew down to keep Michael company. When did you get in?"
"Just a couple of hours ago—"
"I have two sets of wings." Tess leaned over to show them her wings. "I'm going to be a pilot someday."
"Slow down, Speedracer. Remember, we talked." Max sighed and patted her head. "We learn to read big people books first."
"Max…" Tess whined and pouted.
"Wow. And I thought Iz was difficult." Michael scratched at his eyebrow.
"Hey." Kyle called over. "You guys want to keep it down? Some people are suppressing. Can't believe she's getting married."
"Hey Liz, I'm thirsty." Michael cleared his throat. "Go get me something to drink."
"Michael." She smacked him.
"Please? Take Max with you. Give him the tour." Michael nudged her again and then turned to Max. "Leave Tess here, she'll be fine. We can talk planes."
"Max, go." Tess started pushing him. "I flew in a 747 and the pilot showed me how to…"
Liz sighed and crawled off the bed and then grabbed Max's hand. "Obviously we are not wanted here and I could take a break from all the moping in here anyway."
Max didn't have the energy to protest, he let himself be lead into the hallway and into the crowded kitchen. His cheeks were pinched by a few of Jesse's female relatives. Liz led him outside where a cooler was set among many insect torches that weren't keeping anything away, hence the crowded house.
"I uh, tried calling you before I moved to Cambridge… but I guess you had already moved." Liz reached in a grabbed a coke for herself and for Michael.
"Early June but the fire was earlier this year." Max reached in and found something for Tess. "Michael seemed… friendly."
"Yeah." Liz smiled to herself. "He… I don't know. This year he opened himself up a little. It was amazing to see. He doesn't have many friends still but the ones he has really count."
"So you've gotten close to him?"
"Well, yeah. For some reason he picked me to get close to first." Liz laughed suddenly. "He found the pictures you took of me and he still hasn't stopped teasing me about that outfit you made me wear. I knew he was laughing at me that day."
Max shoved his free hand into his pocket and stared out into the night. This was sounding worse and worse by the minute. "Any old feelings resurface?"
Liz let out a small laugh but recovered quickly, crossing her arms and shrugging. "You know, stuff happens. You're fooling around, wrestling and then it all goes still. You kiss…" She noticed the flicker in his eyes and decided to spare him any further discomfort. "Then you recoil when he says you kiss like his sister." It took a moment for her words to register. His head whipped around, giving away his previous assumptions. "Michael and I are just friends." He cleared his throat and looked away again. "Was someone jealous?"
"I wouldn't say that." Max reached into his shirt pocket. "I ran into somebody. Got that for you."
Liz slid the drinks into the crook of one arm and took the small picture from him. She laughed when she got a good look. "To Liz, Sweetest cherry I never met, Emory 'Zan' Zannamen." Her head bobbed up and down. "He doesn't look like an Emory."
"Well, Eminem doesn't look like a Marshall." He pointed out.
"How weird that this guy looks so much like you…" Liz let out a breath. "How'd you meet him?"
"Saved his life, got him a job. He's been crashing in a spare room in my house for a while."
"You're kidding."
"Nope. He can be a pain in the ass but we're dealing." Max moved for the door. "I've gotta go check on Tess…" He trailed off as he looked in the window. Tess was sitting in the chair Jesse had previously occupied. She was smiling and tasting everything his abuelita set in front of her and talking to both the older women.
"Looks like she's doing fine." Liz peered over his shoulder. "She's… a lot different than I would have expected."
"She's deceptive. People, strangers, see her and thing she's just another blonde bimbo and when they talk to her, they think they're right… until she says some like… she loves kitties and puppies and those thingies big girls use…" Max sighed but smiled. "She's usually talking about curling irons but I don't let her use them."
"You're really patient."
"I have to be but… I love her." Max opened the door and led Liz back through the house after depositing Tess's drink on the table. She only smiled and returned her attention to the women at the table. In Michael's room, they were starting up another movie. Jesse's cousins had woken but didn't look too happy about it. Brandy and Faris had trapped Michael on the bed. Faris spoke up when the two entered the room. "I've been a dutiful cousin and I've plucked the information from Mikey. You guys are so cute together."
"She tortured me." Michael raised his hands in surrender.
"Some torture." Alex snorted. "He surrendered faster than you could boil an egg in Hell."
Liz tossed Michael his drink and the other to Alex. "So you talk about me to other people?"
"She was going to curl my eyelashes." Michael protested.
"I really was." Faris nodded.
Liz looked up at Max. "What do you say, Stranger? Will you be my date for Isabel's wedding?" She winked at him and stepped back. "If you refuse… I'm gonna be stuck with Michael… the whole night."
"Hey!"
TBC
Tess's hands shook where they lay on the armrests. Even the view couldn't calm her down. Max shut his eyes for a moment as he thought of a way to soothe her nerves. When he felt the flight attendant pass, he flagged her down. She knelt and waited. "Do you think it would be possible for my sister to meet the pilot?"
She looked at him skeptically. "May I ask why?"
"She's really nervous and I think it would calm her some. She's harmless." Max cleared his throat and turned to Tess. "Sweetie?"
When Tess's wide vacant, yet fearful, eyes turned to the flight attendant, the woman understood. "Hi sweetie. My name is Hannah, what's yours?"
"Tess." Tess seemed to shrink back a little.
"Tess, would you like to go up and meet the pilot?" Hannah offered her hand. Tess looked to Max, who nodded encouragingly, and then slowly rose from her seat. After they had passed, Max rose to follow, just to keep an eye on Tess. He knew that she associated west-bound planes with California and that's why she was acting this way. Hopefully this would work or else he was afraid she might have a panic attack.
After a few minutes, he returned to his seat. They weren't too far away, He could see if he leaned into the aisle. The flight attendant eventually returned to her station behind him and he could hear her talking to one of her coworkers about Tess. A while later, Tess returned to her seat with a pair of wings stuck to her shirt and a coloring book, a broad smile on her face. "It was so cool, Max. Uncle Kal never let me do that before. I wanna learn how to fly a plane, Max."
A beat later, Max realized she was serious. With a pen, a pencil and her crayons, she drew the main flight panel in the cockpit, telling him everything about everything button and knob. Shutting his eyes against the building headache, Max sank in his seat even as she kept on and on about what was in involved in flying a 747. A moment later, the flight attendant appeared next to him with a cup of water and two aspirin. "You looked like you could use them."
Max took one aspirin and the water. "Thanks. I should have known better."
She raised an eyebrow and looked to Tess and her drawings. "She's really good."
"Yep." Max nodded and thanked her again. With any luck, they were close to their connection in Philadelphia.
--
As predicted, Max and Tess were the last ones off the plane. Tess refused to get off the plane until she had proof that they were not in California. Max sighed and pleaded with her. "Come on, Tess. We have to get our bags and get onto the next plane. This is Philadelphia."
It was still too early to be fighting with her. It was barely after seven in the morning. There were thirty minutes left in which to get their things and get on the next plane. "How do I know?"
"The ride was barely an hour, Tess. How long does it take to get back to California?"
"A long time." She reasoned to herself. "Longer… a lot longer than an hour."
"Right, come on. Let's go." Max finally managed to get her out of the plane so that the flight attendants could do their sweeps. Time was short on this connection but the next one would afford them more time. He hated connecting flights but what was he going to do? Buy a plane? Right and feed into this notion that Tess was going to fly a plane someday.
They just barely made it to their gate in time to catch the plane and Max spent the whole first hour trying to convince her they would be in Texas, not California. This plane was larger than the last and they ended up in the middle rows, which was fine by him but having a stranger sitting on the other side of Tess made him nervous. Lucky for him it ended up being the grandmother of a famous football player or something. Max was able to doze while the older woman cooed over Tess.
--
In Dallas, Max could relax a little. They had their bags in a locker, and were sitting in a nice restaurant with two hours before their next flight. As he sat there, not touching his food, his mind drifted back to the first call he had made to the Evans two months before. Liz's laughter had reached across the waves to his ears, mocking him. Since, he had only called once more and luckily Isabel had answered, expressing her excitement at his attending. He didn't think that Tess understood what Isabel meant to them but she was excited about her new dress. Max's gift to Isabel had been her wedding gown and her honeymoon trip.
Tess ate her salad with great enthusiasm since they had been on planes all morning. Then she proceeded to inhale a Texas-sized cheeseburger. It made him smile. There she sat, attracting looks from men all over the place until that first big bite into the burger, which had earned her a mustard covered chin. It was as she was dipping her fries into gravy that she announced she wanted to learn to cook.
"Is that right?"
"Yes, sir, Brother Max." Tess nodded. "I want to make fettuccini and hamburgers and chocolate cake."
"How many books have you read this summer?" Max tried to ask as innocently as he could.
"One." Her meek tone spoke volumes about what she understood in him asking.
"How many chapters?"
"12."
"That's really good." Max nodded, trying to bring her spirits back up. He laced his fingers together over his barely touched plate. "I'll make a deal with you."
"What?"
"If you agree to go to one class. One class, Tess. I'll help you learn to cook."
"One class?"
"A tutor, probably… to help you read?"
"But… no more school." She protested. "I'm a young woman, now. I don't need school." Her tone was low, her words barely made it across the table.
"Tess, listen to me." He cleared his throat. "I still go to school. Am I a little boy?"
"No."
"I go to school because there are still things I have to learn. When you learn to read better… I will learn to cook with you. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Smile pretty for me?"
"You don't have your camera." Tess glared at him.
"Fine, be ugly." Max returned his attention to his meal. In exactly five minutes, he felt her head on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
"Come on. Finish eating so we can get back to the airport."
--
Max pulled into the hotel around seven that evening, feeling more like the nine his body said it was but he had promised Isabel that he would stop by when he arrived. He figured he could shower and change before going over. Tess was cranky but she only freshened her lipstick and straightened the two pairs of wings on her shirt, having refused to take them off until she earned wings of her own.
The ride to the Evans was interesting. He didn't think she'd really react to the alien paraphernalia but this expression of distaste rested on her face throughout the business parts of town. Then there was a store with a little green man painted on a window. She huffed and turned away from the street. "Uncle Kal doesn't look like that."
His laughter began and didn't end until he was parked two houses down from the Evans, the nearest possible spot. He had to shake it and prepare Tess for what she would find in the house. There were a lot of cars, which meant at least one person per car. Climbing out of the rental, he scanned the street and found ten cars. "Sweetie, there's going to be strangers in there. A lot of them. You don't have to talk to them but try not to run, okay?"
Tess nodded in the affirmative and followed closely behind Max all the way to the door. The second it opened, she stepped behind Max, peering under his arm at the brunette who answered. The brunette broke into a wide smile. "Max! You came!"
Max accepted the hug and squeezed Isabel back. The contact felt good. "Of course, I did. I said I would."
"It's good to see you, again. I can't believe it's been a year. Come in." Isabel stepped aside and froze when she saw the blonde head over Max's shoulder. "Is that her?"
"Yeah, Isabel, this is Tess. Tessie, Come out and say hi to Isabel." Max lifted his arm and she peered up at Isabel with wide eyes. "I knew this would happen. She's shy around strangers." He guided her into the house.
There were swarms of people in the house. Max had severely misjudged the crowd. By his calculations, there were five people for every car outside, including his rental. Apparently Jesse's side of the family was twice as large as Isabel's. Isabel led them through the house, introducing them to people as they made their way through to the kitchen where Jesse was trapped at the table between his grandmother and Isabel's grandmother. "Sweetie!" His eyes rounded as they darted from old woman to old woman. "Come introduce your brother to abuelita and Grandma."
Max barely managed to suppress a smile at the man's predicament before he followed Isabel down a hallway. She turned to him with a bright smile. "He's been there all night, poor baby. Michael and our friends have been hiding in his room all night. I hope you don't mind but I think it's better if you and Tess take up residence in there until people start leaving."
"Yeah, it would probably be better for Tess anyway." Max nodded.
"Just don't leave before I can talk to you about what's going on. Okay?"
"Alright."
When the door opened, only the glow of a television provided light enough to see there were bodies strewn all over the place. Isabel flicked on the light to the groans of eight people. "So, you know Michael, Liz and Alex. That is Kyle on the floor over there, Brandy is on the chair, Jake on the sleeping bag, Carolyn at the foot of the bed and Faris by her. Jesse's cousins Raul and Erica are passed out over there. Everyone, this is Max and Tess. I will be back sometime tonight."
She was gone before he could say anything. Max nodded to the group and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "Michael."
"Max." Michael shifted slightly but Liz had been leaning on him and he couldn't move much. "Welcome back. That her?"
"Yeah. This is Tess." Max reached out and guided her to sit next to him. "Say 'hi,' Tess."
"No." She whispered and buried her face in his shoulder.
"She's being shy." Max stroked her hair and cleared his throat. "What's that?"
"My Step-mother is an Alien…" Michael snorted. "I thought it was appropriate but Isabel threaten to slay me with her death ray eyes."
"Why didn't you just rent So I Married an Axe-murderer?" Max made himself as comfortable as possible with Tess clinging to him.
"I did." Michael snorted again. "She threatened to castrate me if I showed these movies to Jesse. I also got Very Bad Things, He Knows You're Alone, Haunted Honeymoon, The Devil's Daughter, Rosemary's Baby and The Descendant. You know… feel good marriage classics."
Liz bit at her lip for a few moments then offered Max a smile. "Hey Max… I didn't know you were coming for this."
"You know, family obligations." Max felt Tess relax a little and that took a little load off his chest. It meant she wouldn't flip any time soon.
"Hey, you know, Isabel had tried to call you before she sent the invitation…" Michael trailed off, nudging Liz a little.
"Our house caught on fire. My phone was in the center of the inferno." Max rubbed Tess's back and dropped his voice to a low whisper. "She's a little traumatized still. The flights were okay for the most part but getting her off the planes was an ordeal. She thought we were going back."
Michael nudged Liz again, this time a little harsher. "So where are you living now? Still in L.A.?"
"In a green house off Howard Avenue." Tess whispered, turning her face to the two. The lights went out and a body returned to the floor. "It's really big and I get a whole room for my clothes and a whole room for my instruments. I go to the library and I take the bus all by myself."
"That she does. I'm no longer allowed to tag along." Max brushed her hair out of her face.
"It's five minutes from Max's school." Tess sat up and told them. "If I have to, I can walk there in twenty minutes. I just have to go to the building that says Yale School of Art."
"Yale?" Liz's lip twitched. "You're in Connecticut?"
"Yeah."
"I'm just in Massachusetts." Liz bit her lip again. "I just flew down to keep Michael company. When did you get in?"
"Just a couple of hours ago—"
"I have two sets of wings." Tess leaned over to show them her wings. "I'm going to be a pilot someday."
"Slow down, Speedracer. Remember, we talked." Max sighed and patted her head. "We learn to read big people books first."
"Max…" Tess whined and pouted.
"Wow. And I thought Iz was difficult." Michael scratched at his eyebrow.
"Hey." Kyle called over. "You guys want to keep it down? Some people are suppressing. Can't believe she's getting married."
"Hey Liz, I'm thirsty." Michael cleared his throat. "Go get me something to drink."
"Michael." She smacked him.
"Please? Take Max with you. Give him the tour." Michael nudged her again and then turned to Max. "Leave Tess here, she'll be fine. We can talk planes."
"Max, go." Tess started pushing him. "I flew in a 747 and the pilot showed me how to…"
Liz sighed and crawled off the bed and then grabbed Max's hand. "Obviously we are not wanted here and I could take a break from all the moping in here anyway."
Max didn't have the energy to protest, he let himself be lead into the hallway and into the crowded kitchen. His cheeks were pinched by a few of Jesse's female relatives. Liz led him outside where a cooler was set among many insect torches that weren't keeping anything away, hence the crowded house.
"I uh, tried calling you before I moved to Cambridge… but I guess you had already moved." Liz reached in a grabbed a coke for herself and for Michael.
"Early June but the fire was earlier this year." Max reached in and found something for Tess. "Michael seemed… friendly."
"Yeah." Liz smiled to herself. "He… I don't know. This year he opened himself up a little. It was amazing to see. He doesn't have many friends still but the ones he has really count."
"So you've gotten close to him?"
"Well, yeah. For some reason he picked me to get close to first." Liz laughed suddenly. "He found the pictures you took of me and he still hasn't stopped teasing me about that outfit you made me wear. I knew he was laughing at me that day."
Max shoved his free hand into his pocket and stared out into the night. This was sounding worse and worse by the minute. "Any old feelings resurface?"
Liz let out a small laugh but recovered quickly, crossing her arms and shrugging. "You know, stuff happens. You're fooling around, wrestling and then it all goes still. You kiss…" She noticed the flicker in his eyes and decided to spare him any further discomfort. "Then you recoil when he says you kiss like his sister." It took a moment for her words to register. His head whipped around, giving away his previous assumptions. "Michael and I are just friends." He cleared his throat and looked away again. "Was someone jealous?"
"I wouldn't say that." Max reached into his shirt pocket. "I ran into somebody. Got that for you."
Liz slid the drinks into the crook of one arm and took the small picture from him. She laughed when she got a good look. "To Liz, Sweetest cherry I never met, Emory 'Zan' Zannamen." Her head bobbed up and down. "He doesn't look like an Emory."
"Well, Eminem doesn't look like a Marshall." He pointed out.
"How weird that this guy looks so much like you…" Liz let out a breath. "How'd you meet him?"
"Saved his life, got him a job. He's been crashing in a spare room in my house for a while."
"You're kidding."
"Nope. He can be a pain in the ass but we're dealing." Max moved for the door. "I've gotta go check on Tess…" He trailed off as he looked in the window. Tess was sitting in the chair Jesse had previously occupied. She was smiling and tasting everything his abuelita set in front of her and talking to both the older women.
"Looks like she's doing fine." Liz peered over his shoulder. "She's… a lot different than I would have expected."
"She's deceptive. People, strangers, see her and thing she's just another blonde bimbo and when they talk to her, they think they're right… until she says some like… she loves kitties and puppies and those thingies big girls use…" Max sighed but smiled. "She's usually talking about curling irons but I don't let her use them."
"You're really patient."
"I have to be but… I love her." Max opened the door and led Liz back through the house after depositing Tess's drink on the table. She only smiled and returned her attention to the women at the table. In Michael's room, they were starting up another movie. Jesse's cousins had woken but didn't look too happy about it. Brandy and Faris had trapped Michael on the bed. Faris spoke up when the two entered the room. "I've been a dutiful cousin and I've plucked the information from Mikey. You guys are so cute together."
"She tortured me." Michael raised his hands in surrender.
"Some torture." Alex snorted. "He surrendered faster than you could boil an egg in Hell."
Liz tossed Michael his drink and the other to Alex. "So you talk about me to other people?"
"She was going to curl my eyelashes." Michael protested.
"I really was." Faris nodded.
Liz looked up at Max. "What do you say, Stranger? Will you be my date for Isabel's wedding?" She winked at him and stepped back. "If you refuse… I'm gonna be stuck with Michael… the whole night."
"Hey!"
TBC
Part 17 – August 9, 2002
Part 17 – August 9, 2002
Isabel burst into the hotel room bright and early. "So, I'm sorry that you had to leave before Jesse's family left. Things have been so crazy and I still have to yell at the florist."
Max pulled his head out from under a pillow to glare at her. The weak light that spilled in through the door was barely gray. "What time is it?"
"Five… I think. I'm not wearing a watch. It doesn't go." Isabel tapped his bed with her foot. "Wake up. We've gotta talk."
"What's this problem?" Max rolled over and stared up at her form.
"My alien lover has been trying to crash my wedding. I've been having dreams and they scare the crap out of me. Who the hell is Vilandra?" Isabel shut the door and took a seat on the bed.
"You are." Max rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
"Oh." Her face turned up. "Well I guess that makes sense then."
"Your alien lover… Kivar?"
"I suppose that's his name. He keeps telling me that I won't marry Jesse because I love him… Kivar." Isabel sighed heavily and opened her purse for her planner.
"He tells you these things… when?"
"In my dreams… or daydreams whichever. It's really getting to him and I can't control myself in the dreams. It's like I'm speaking but I'm not choosing the words… kinda like déjà vu or something. Like I've said them before."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Take care of it."
"I can't. There's no person. It's a dream." Max leaned forward and took her hand. "What did Michael think?"
"Michael thinks that it's my conscience tell me that I'm not ready to get married. I am so ready. I have never felt like this before. Jesse is the one." She pulled a pen out of its holder and began writing notes on her errands for the day. "It's bad enough that my parents don't really approve but Jesse's cousins are giving us flack because I'm white. Why can't people just be happy?"
"You better be or else I'm going to have to kick some butt." Max lay back and rolled over pulling his pillow over his head.
"Max."
"I'm tired. Liz and I talked a long time last night before I had to take her to her parents." The words came out muffled but Isabel wasn't satisfied and pinched his leg. "Ow!" He jerked away and popped his head out. "You're a little too close considering we've only met five or six times."
"It always works on Michael." Shrugged and made a mark in her planner.
"How is Michael really taking this? Is he jealous?"
"Why would he be jealous?"
Max set his jaw when she wouldn't look up. "You know why?"
"Well, that's gross, Max." Isabel mock-gasped.
"So you guys had the dreams?"
"Yeah."
"Weird much?"
"Beyond weird but we've lived like brother and sister all this time and it was just absurd. I was so glad when I managed to get rid of them." She gagged and continued her scribbles. "I mean, I'm sure it was the same for you guys."
"Yeah. Bizarre." Max nodded. "We're actually late bloomers in that sense. Zan and Ava were at it when they were barely teens." He noted her confused look. "That model isn't me."
"There are more?" Isabel leaned forward and took his pillows. "Where? Is there another me?"
"Was."
"Was…" She blinked at him. "What happened?"
"She was a conniving, murderous bitch and she was dealt with. I'm going back to sleep." Max flopped down.
"Well, if you don't care that my alien ex-lover is going to kill me or Jesse… go on. Go back to sleep. I'm waking Tess. She's spending the day with me." Isabel got to her feet and went to the adjoining door. "Abuelita loved her and my mom couldn't stop talking about how sweet she is."
"If you wake her, you won't get that sweet girl. You'll get an angry alien queen." Max settled back into bed after retrieving his pillow.
"I bet if I were seven inches shorter and my name was Liz, you'd get out of bed."
--
Max and Michael leaned on a wall while Jesse examined his tux. The poor guy was paranoid. "Are you sure this tux will look okay with Isabel's dress? I heard her dress is really expensive."
"It is. Just ask my credit card." Max yawned and took a look at the tux. It'd do.
"Hey Max, thanks man for the tickets and the room. It means a lot to us." Jesse turned to the boys. "You really didn't have to."
"My pleasure. Besides… I'm not paying for it. My uncle is."
"You gonna stick with me, tonight?" Michael muttered.
"Um… tonight?"
"Bachelor party." Michael clarified. "I don't drink for obvious reasons and Jesse's friends and cousins will gang up on me."
"Gotcha. Sure, I will be there." Max rubbed at his neck. "Liz told me that you guys are really close now."
"Well, I figured she'd be a good friend because I thought you had told her about you but apparently you didn't and she's a good friend anyway."
"So, tell me about Alex and Kyle."
Michael rolled his eyes. "Alex is her best friend since the fourth grade and Kyle dated her sophomore year. They're just friends now. Maria and I clashed majorly."
"How is the love of my life?" Couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face.
"Okay I guess. Liz still talks to her and all." Michael hissed and scratched at his forehead. "I wouldn't bring her up when you talk to Liz though. Maria's mom's business went under and they moved right after graduation to Albuquerque. It was rough on Liz. Took me two weeks to cheer her up before she went to Cambridge." He cleared his throat. "And Maria will be pissed that Liz flew down to help me through this tough time and not up to see her."
"Yikes."
"And she'll go postal when she finds out how I coerced Liz into coming."
"And how's that?"
"I told her you were coming." Michael shook his head when a ghost of a smile crept over Max's face. "God, you two are sickening."
"Why?" Max blinked at him.
Before Michael could answer, Jesse called them over. "Hey guys. I know it's early but you think we could stop off and pick up my buddy before we go to lunch. I'm trying to stay off Isabel's radar until I have to go confirm the hall tonight. She drew me a picture of what it should look like." Jesse looked to Michael. "And I thought Christmas was bad."
"Hey, you don't live with her yet." Michael pointed out. "You didn't have to pick out a tree by height, color, and foliage." Michael looked to Max, who was laughing. "You laugh now but when you're given a charted and samples, not to mention a sketch… there is no room for error. She's your blood sister. I'll bet control issues run in the family."
"Funny."
--
"Hermanos de tu novia?" Guillermo nodded to the guys then to Jesse.
"Yeah. They're cool." Jesse slid over and let his friend into the back seat of the car. "Memo, this is Max and Michael. Guys, this is my buddy, Memo."
"Sweet ride, yours?" Memo called up.
"Rental." Max nodded to his rearview. "Where are we going for lunch?"
"Leti's."
"No." Jesse shook his head. "Don't start stirring up @#%$, Memo."
"I want a burrito. I don't know if she's working."
Michael looked to Max who shrugged helplessly. "Where are we going?"
"Twin Diamond. It's called Cecilio's." Memo tapped Max's headrest against Jesse's protests.
"I know where it is." Michael began giving directions while Jesse and Memo argued. It wasn't soon enough when the car pulled into the lot at Cecilio's. "Could you guys give me and Max a minute?"
"Sure. Come on, Tontito." Jesse climbed out of the car and grumbled all the way inside the restaurant.
Michael sighed and turned to Max. "This has been going on all summer. Liz and I have been able to figure out a couple of things. Whenever Jesse's friends from high school want to get together, it's here… and usually during Leti's shift. Leti is an old girl friend and one of the gang. She's got an invite through a brother… Freddy or something. Thing is… Jesse's never come here. He'll concede to order out or calling it in but he's never picked it up. I'm not asking you to do this because I like Jesse. I'm doing this to make sure Jesse doesn't look Leti's way and give me a reason to kick his ass one day before the wedding."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Charm Leti the way you charmed Liz last summer. Get your camera and keep her attention off Jesse." Michael paused and tilted her head. "And if Liz asks, you didn't do anything."
--
Kyle, Alex, Michael and Max sat around the table laughing and drinking. Michael patted Max on the back. "Leti's hot. I mean hot. You have no idea. I had no idea girls in Roswell were ever this hot. Jesse's not looking. He's looking at the menu, he's looking at the Southwest mural on the wall, he's looking at the ingredients on the packets of sugar on the table… everywhere but at this gorgeous creature, right? It's obvious he wants to right. She… saunters up to the table and she's winking and trying to get Jesse's attention and his buddy keeps trying to find ways to make her stay.
"That's when Max pulls out his camera. He's staring at her objectively, no emotion and then he just snaps off a few pictures and she's startled. She just blinks at him and then asks why he took the picture. He's all. 'Flawless, absolutely flawless.' You know, the whole deal he pulled last summer on Liz. 'Have you ever thought about modeling?' Leti gets all flustered and she starts posing. He gets her to go out in the alley for some candid shots. Meanwhile, Memo or whatever is fuming and Jesse's eating his meal as fast as he can. I get Max's food to go and when they come back from out side, the woman is blushing. She's acting like a lovesick puppy and Max is still as cool as he was before he walked. He's un-phased and you can tell it's driving her crazy."
"So, Max, what happened in the alley?" Kyle bounced in his chair.
"Nothing." Max shook his head. "I pretended to take pictures but the girl either isn't very bright or was too starry-eyed to noticed I never wound my film… because I didn't have any in the camera. The car I gave her is real but if she ever gets the courage to call, they won't have never heard of her or seen any pictures… and I'll be safe in New Haven in my house."
"Nothing." Michael turned to him. "Right. That's why she's in love with you now."
"I can't help it if she fell for me. All I did was compliment the hell out of her… maybe I posed her a bit." Max winked at the guys and they started laughing.
They were still laughing when Jesse made his rounds. "Hey… you know… you guys can have a drink. I'm sure no one's going to tell your mommies and none of us are gonna tell the cops."
"Allergic." Max lifted his coke.
"Me too." Michael nodded.
"Against my religion." Kyle squinted.
"I'm driving." Alex waved him off.
"Alright, but I tried to loosen you guys up." Jesse pointed a wavering finger at them. He stumbled away to join his buddies and was promptly shoved into chair for a lap dance.
"I should go and see what Isabel has done with my sister." Max pushed away from the table.
"No. Stay just a little longer." Kyle pleaded. "You still gotta tell me about the babes in California."
"Which ones?" Max settled back into his seat. He finished his drink and another, and another by the time Kyle would let him go. Max had just said his goodbyes, down the last of his coke and disappeared out the door when two of Jesse's friends ambled over. "Psst. Mikey."
"Don't call me Mikey." Michael glared at them.
"Tu hermano? He really allergic to booze?"
"Come again?" Michael jumped to his feet.
"We didn't know. There's a couple shots in his coke at the last." One snickered but stifled it a moment too late. "Jesse just told us. Is he gonna get sick?"
"It was just a couple of shots?" Michael narrowed his eyes at the two drunks in their dew-rags and plaid shirts over wife-beaters.
"Two fingers, s'all." The other managed to mumble.
"He'll be fine." Michael waved them off and then turned back. "Did you put anything in my drink when I went to the bathroom?"
"Naw. We got strict orders from the bride, man. She said she'd castrate us if we did anything to you." He leaned in and settled his arm over Michael's shoulders. "And I believe her, ese. I do. I think she'd really cut my pinger off. Your sister is one scary mujer."
--
Max shook his head to clear it of the cobwebs that had taken residence on the drive to the Ramirez's where the women would be cooking, where they would have Tess. Knocking, he leaned on the wall to keep from falling. The concerned tía who opened the door clucked her tongue and rattled something off to the other women. He was lead into the kitchen where everyone was up to their elbows in something or other. Isabel rushed into the room and blinked at him. She stepped closer and examined him. "Are you drunk?"
"I only had coke."
"Jack and Coke?" She snapped at him. "What are you even doing here?"
"Came to get Tess…" He looked around. "I thought you were having it catered."
"Change of plans." Isabel kept a smile on her face when she turned to her future mother-in-law. Diane sat next to her trying to get the masa to stick to the corn husk. "I don't think you should be driving."
"I'm okay. I don't know what you're talking about."
Isabel glared at him and then smirked when someone walked up behind him. "Liz, take my wayward brother home, will you?"
"Liz? Where? She's pretty hot."
Isabel bit back her smile at both Max's comment and Liz's wild blushing. "As you can tell, he's had a few. Could you take him to his room?"
"Sure. Tess." Liz called to the table where Tess was busy rolling cheese inside chile coated corn tortillas. "Tess, sweetie, let's get you cleaned up."
"Max!" The blonde looked up. "I'm cooking."
"Cool." Max leaned on the door and nearly fell when it gave a little. Liz and Isabel rushed to catch him. "Whoa." His brow furrowed. "I really didn't drink anything. You think someone slipped me something?"
Isabel narrowed her eyes suddenly. "I'm going to castrate those boys."
"Isabel!" Diane gasped.
"Mom, they swore they wouldn't do this."
"Boys will be boys, Isabel." Nena told her.
Taking a breath, Isabel looked to Liz down the hall in the bathroom with Tess. She shrugged then nodded. "Okay, then. Max, Liz is going to take you and Tess to your room. Where are the keys to your car?"
Max stuck a hand in one pocket, then the other, patted his back pockets then straightened to pat his chest. Then he looked at her. "In the car?"
"My hands are clean." Tess thrust her hands into Max's face. "Guess what? Liz showed me how to make cookies shaped like wedding bells. I even got to take them out of the oven when they were done."
"You're not supposed to." Max's voice got stern and she shied away.
"Max." Liz turned him to face her. "I was watching her. She did okay. Ready to go?"
"Anywhere with you." He told her and let her lead him to the car. Liz said her goodbyes and promised to be at Isabel's early to help her get ready. The car ride was silent for the most part. Tess was tired and nodding off in the backseat and Max spent the ride staring at Liz's profile. At stoplights, she would turn and smile at him. At one point, he had hand her hand, placing strategic kisses on her palm and knuckles until she had to yank her hand back or drive off the road. "You'll kill us all, Max Evans."
"It's okay. I've already died and come to heaven."
"You mean… gone to heaven." Liz brushed his fingers out of her hair.
"That's what I said."
Finally, they made it safely to the hotel and up the stairs to their rooms. Liz helped Tess change and get into bed. Poor girl passed out immediately and it wasn't her that Liz was worried about. It was the man in the next room who had nearly given her a heart attack on the road. For all his friendliness since he arrived, he seemed to be feeling particularly amorous. Shutting the adjoining door behind her, Liz sat on the edge of the bed where Max had stretched out and tried to look smooth.
"Hey there handsome." Liz leaned over him. "I'm gonna go now. You gonna be okay?"
"You can't leave. I won't let you." Max gripped her hand in his.
"Oh, no you don't, Mister. You almost made us crash into a semi with that trick." She shook her head at him.
"Spend the night."
"I thought we were friends, Max."
"We are." He pulled her hand out so that she had to lower her face to his. "We're good friends who only see each other once in a great while. It's a shame. You're a friend that I could see every day." He made to kiss her lips but she backed away. "I'm not letting you get away." He pulled her back. "Not today, not tomorrow, not ever."
"Max, you're drunk."
"But I mean every word. I think you're perfect for me. If love passes me by, I'll kill myself."
"Max."
"I'm serious." Max sat up and cupped her face with his hands. "I have thought of no one else since you. I've tried but you captivate me." He lowered his mouth to her throat. "Stay."
"Damn you, Max Evans, for sweeping me off my feet." Liz finally gave in to the kiss. It was too good. It was too damn good and there was no way she'd get her spin back in place without losing her clothes first.
"Damn you, Liz Parker, for making me feel this way."
There went the spine, on the floor with the clothes.
TBC
Isabel burst into the hotel room bright and early. "So, I'm sorry that you had to leave before Jesse's family left. Things have been so crazy and I still have to yell at the florist."
Max pulled his head out from under a pillow to glare at her. The weak light that spilled in through the door was barely gray. "What time is it?"
"Five… I think. I'm not wearing a watch. It doesn't go." Isabel tapped his bed with her foot. "Wake up. We've gotta talk."
"What's this problem?" Max rolled over and stared up at her form.
"My alien lover has been trying to crash my wedding. I've been having dreams and they scare the crap out of me. Who the hell is Vilandra?" Isabel shut the door and took a seat on the bed.
"You are." Max rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
"Oh." Her face turned up. "Well I guess that makes sense then."
"Your alien lover… Kivar?"
"I suppose that's his name. He keeps telling me that I won't marry Jesse because I love him… Kivar." Isabel sighed heavily and opened her purse for her planner.
"He tells you these things… when?"
"In my dreams… or daydreams whichever. It's really getting to him and I can't control myself in the dreams. It's like I'm speaking but I'm not choosing the words… kinda like déjà vu or something. Like I've said them before."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Take care of it."
"I can't. There's no person. It's a dream." Max leaned forward and took her hand. "What did Michael think?"
"Michael thinks that it's my conscience tell me that I'm not ready to get married. I am so ready. I have never felt like this before. Jesse is the one." She pulled a pen out of its holder and began writing notes on her errands for the day. "It's bad enough that my parents don't really approve but Jesse's cousins are giving us flack because I'm white. Why can't people just be happy?"
"You better be or else I'm going to have to kick some butt." Max lay back and rolled over pulling his pillow over his head.
"Max."
"I'm tired. Liz and I talked a long time last night before I had to take her to her parents." The words came out muffled but Isabel wasn't satisfied and pinched his leg. "Ow!" He jerked away and popped his head out. "You're a little too close considering we've only met five or six times."
"It always works on Michael." Shrugged and made a mark in her planner.
"How is Michael really taking this? Is he jealous?"
"Why would he be jealous?"
Max set his jaw when she wouldn't look up. "You know why?"
"Well, that's gross, Max." Isabel mock-gasped.
"So you guys had the dreams?"
"Yeah."
"Weird much?"
"Beyond weird but we've lived like brother and sister all this time and it was just absurd. I was so glad when I managed to get rid of them." She gagged and continued her scribbles. "I mean, I'm sure it was the same for you guys."
"Yeah. Bizarre." Max nodded. "We're actually late bloomers in that sense. Zan and Ava were at it when they were barely teens." He noted her confused look. "That model isn't me."
"There are more?" Isabel leaned forward and took his pillows. "Where? Is there another me?"
"Was."
"Was…" She blinked at him. "What happened?"
"She was a conniving, murderous bitch and she was dealt with. I'm going back to sleep." Max flopped down.
"Well, if you don't care that my alien ex-lover is going to kill me or Jesse… go on. Go back to sleep. I'm waking Tess. She's spending the day with me." Isabel got to her feet and went to the adjoining door. "Abuelita loved her and my mom couldn't stop talking about how sweet she is."
"If you wake her, you won't get that sweet girl. You'll get an angry alien queen." Max settled back into bed after retrieving his pillow.
"I bet if I were seven inches shorter and my name was Liz, you'd get out of bed."
--
Max and Michael leaned on a wall while Jesse examined his tux. The poor guy was paranoid. "Are you sure this tux will look okay with Isabel's dress? I heard her dress is really expensive."
"It is. Just ask my credit card." Max yawned and took a look at the tux. It'd do.
"Hey Max, thanks man for the tickets and the room. It means a lot to us." Jesse turned to the boys. "You really didn't have to."
"My pleasure. Besides… I'm not paying for it. My uncle is."
"You gonna stick with me, tonight?" Michael muttered.
"Um… tonight?"
"Bachelor party." Michael clarified. "I don't drink for obvious reasons and Jesse's friends and cousins will gang up on me."
"Gotcha. Sure, I will be there." Max rubbed at his neck. "Liz told me that you guys are really close now."
"Well, I figured she'd be a good friend because I thought you had told her about you but apparently you didn't and she's a good friend anyway."
"So, tell me about Alex and Kyle."
Michael rolled his eyes. "Alex is her best friend since the fourth grade and Kyle dated her sophomore year. They're just friends now. Maria and I clashed majorly."
"How is the love of my life?" Couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face.
"Okay I guess. Liz still talks to her and all." Michael hissed and scratched at his forehead. "I wouldn't bring her up when you talk to Liz though. Maria's mom's business went under and they moved right after graduation to Albuquerque. It was rough on Liz. Took me two weeks to cheer her up before she went to Cambridge." He cleared his throat. "And Maria will be pissed that Liz flew down to help me through this tough time and not up to see her."
"Yikes."
"And she'll go postal when she finds out how I coerced Liz into coming."
"And how's that?"
"I told her you were coming." Michael shook his head when a ghost of a smile crept over Max's face. "God, you two are sickening."
"Why?" Max blinked at him.
Before Michael could answer, Jesse called them over. "Hey guys. I know it's early but you think we could stop off and pick up my buddy before we go to lunch. I'm trying to stay off Isabel's radar until I have to go confirm the hall tonight. She drew me a picture of what it should look like." Jesse looked to Michael. "And I thought Christmas was bad."
"Hey, you don't live with her yet." Michael pointed out. "You didn't have to pick out a tree by height, color, and foliage." Michael looked to Max, who was laughing. "You laugh now but when you're given a charted and samples, not to mention a sketch… there is no room for error. She's your blood sister. I'll bet control issues run in the family."
"Funny."
--
"Hermanos de tu novia?" Guillermo nodded to the guys then to Jesse.
"Yeah. They're cool." Jesse slid over and let his friend into the back seat of the car. "Memo, this is Max and Michael. Guys, this is my buddy, Memo."
"Sweet ride, yours?" Memo called up.
"Rental." Max nodded to his rearview. "Where are we going for lunch?"
"Leti's."
"No." Jesse shook his head. "Don't start stirring up @#%$, Memo."
"I want a burrito. I don't know if she's working."
Michael looked to Max who shrugged helplessly. "Where are we going?"
"Twin Diamond. It's called Cecilio's." Memo tapped Max's headrest against Jesse's protests.
"I know where it is." Michael began giving directions while Jesse and Memo argued. It wasn't soon enough when the car pulled into the lot at Cecilio's. "Could you guys give me and Max a minute?"
"Sure. Come on, Tontito." Jesse climbed out of the car and grumbled all the way inside the restaurant.
Michael sighed and turned to Max. "This has been going on all summer. Liz and I have been able to figure out a couple of things. Whenever Jesse's friends from high school want to get together, it's here… and usually during Leti's shift. Leti is an old girl friend and one of the gang. She's got an invite through a brother… Freddy or something. Thing is… Jesse's never come here. He'll concede to order out or calling it in but he's never picked it up. I'm not asking you to do this because I like Jesse. I'm doing this to make sure Jesse doesn't look Leti's way and give me a reason to kick his ass one day before the wedding."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Charm Leti the way you charmed Liz last summer. Get your camera and keep her attention off Jesse." Michael paused and tilted her head. "And if Liz asks, you didn't do anything."
--
Kyle, Alex, Michael and Max sat around the table laughing and drinking. Michael patted Max on the back. "Leti's hot. I mean hot. You have no idea. I had no idea girls in Roswell were ever this hot. Jesse's not looking. He's looking at the menu, he's looking at the Southwest mural on the wall, he's looking at the ingredients on the packets of sugar on the table… everywhere but at this gorgeous creature, right? It's obvious he wants to right. She… saunters up to the table and she's winking and trying to get Jesse's attention and his buddy keeps trying to find ways to make her stay.
"That's when Max pulls out his camera. He's staring at her objectively, no emotion and then he just snaps off a few pictures and she's startled. She just blinks at him and then asks why he took the picture. He's all. 'Flawless, absolutely flawless.' You know, the whole deal he pulled last summer on Liz. 'Have you ever thought about modeling?' Leti gets all flustered and she starts posing. He gets her to go out in the alley for some candid shots. Meanwhile, Memo or whatever is fuming and Jesse's eating his meal as fast as he can. I get Max's food to go and when they come back from out side, the woman is blushing. She's acting like a lovesick puppy and Max is still as cool as he was before he walked. He's un-phased and you can tell it's driving her crazy."
"So, Max, what happened in the alley?" Kyle bounced in his chair.
"Nothing." Max shook his head. "I pretended to take pictures but the girl either isn't very bright or was too starry-eyed to noticed I never wound my film… because I didn't have any in the camera. The car I gave her is real but if she ever gets the courage to call, they won't have never heard of her or seen any pictures… and I'll be safe in New Haven in my house."
"Nothing." Michael turned to him. "Right. That's why she's in love with you now."
"I can't help it if she fell for me. All I did was compliment the hell out of her… maybe I posed her a bit." Max winked at the guys and they started laughing.
They were still laughing when Jesse made his rounds. "Hey… you know… you guys can have a drink. I'm sure no one's going to tell your mommies and none of us are gonna tell the cops."
"Allergic." Max lifted his coke.
"Me too." Michael nodded.
"Against my religion." Kyle squinted.
"I'm driving." Alex waved him off.
"Alright, but I tried to loosen you guys up." Jesse pointed a wavering finger at them. He stumbled away to join his buddies and was promptly shoved into chair for a lap dance.
"I should go and see what Isabel has done with my sister." Max pushed away from the table.
"No. Stay just a little longer." Kyle pleaded. "You still gotta tell me about the babes in California."
"Which ones?" Max settled back into his seat. He finished his drink and another, and another by the time Kyle would let him go. Max had just said his goodbyes, down the last of his coke and disappeared out the door when two of Jesse's friends ambled over. "Psst. Mikey."
"Don't call me Mikey." Michael glared at them.
"Tu hermano? He really allergic to booze?"
"Come again?" Michael jumped to his feet.
"We didn't know. There's a couple shots in his coke at the last." One snickered but stifled it a moment too late. "Jesse just told us. Is he gonna get sick?"
"It was just a couple of shots?" Michael narrowed his eyes at the two drunks in their dew-rags and plaid shirts over wife-beaters.
"Two fingers, s'all." The other managed to mumble.
"He'll be fine." Michael waved them off and then turned back. "Did you put anything in my drink when I went to the bathroom?"
"Naw. We got strict orders from the bride, man. She said she'd castrate us if we did anything to you." He leaned in and settled his arm over Michael's shoulders. "And I believe her, ese. I do. I think she'd really cut my pinger off. Your sister is one scary mujer."
--
Max shook his head to clear it of the cobwebs that had taken residence on the drive to the Ramirez's where the women would be cooking, where they would have Tess. Knocking, he leaned on the wall to keep from falling. The concerned tía who opened the door clucked her tongue and rattled something off to the other women. He was lead into the kitchen where everyone was up to their elbows in something or other. Isabel rushed into the room and blinked at him. She stepped closer and examined him. "Are you drunk?"
"I only had coke."
"Jack and Coke?" She snapped at him. "What are you even doing here?"
"Came to get Tess…" He looked around. "I thought you were having it catered."
"Change of plans." Isabel kept a smile on her face when she turned to her future mother-in-law. Diane sat next to her trying to get the masa to stick to the corn husk. "I don't think you should be driving."
"I'm okay. I don't know what you're talking about."
Isabel glared at him and then smirked when someone walked up behind him. "Liz, take my wayward brother home, will you?"
"Liz? Where? She's pretty hot."
Isabel bit back her smile at both Max's comment and Liz's wild blushing. "As you can tell, he's had a few. Could you take him to his room?"
"Sure. Tess." Liz called to the table where Tess was busy rolling cheese inside chile coated corn tortillas. "Tess, sweetie, let's get you cleaned up."
"Max!" The blonde looked up. "I'm cooking."
"Cool." Max leaned on the door and nearly fell when it gave a little. Liz and Isabel rushed to catch him. "Whoa." His brow furrowed. "I really didn't drink anything. You think someone slipped me something?"
Isabel narrowed her eyes suddenly. "I'm going to castrate those boys."
"Isabel!" Diane gasped.
"Mom, they swore they wouldn't do this."
"Boys will be boys, Isabel." Nena told her.
Taking a breath, Isabel looked to Liz down the hall in the bathroom with Tess. She shrugged then nodded. "Okay, then. Max, Liz is going to take you and Tess to your room. Where are the keys to your car?"
Max stuck a hand in one pocket, then the other, patted his back pockets then straightened to pat his chest. Then he looked at her. "In the car?"
"My hands are clean." Tess thrust her hands into Max's face. "Guess what? Liz showed me how to make cookies shaped like wedding bells. I even got to take them out of the oven when they were done."
"You're not supposed to." Max's voice got stern and she shied away.
"Max." Liz turned him to face her. "I was watching her. She did okay. Ready to go?"
"Anywhere with you." He told her and let her lead him to the car. Liz said her goodbyes and promised to be at Isabel's early to help her get ready. The car ride was silent for the most part. Tess was tired and nodding off in the backseat and Max spent the ride staring at Liz's profile. At stoplights, she would turn and smile at him. At one point, he had hand her hand, placing strategic kisses on her palm and knuckles until she had to yank her hand back or drive off the road. "You'll kill us all, Max Evans."
"It's okay. I've already died and come to heaven."
"You mean… gone to heaven." Liz brushed his fingers out of her hair.
"That's what I said."
Finally, they made it safely to the hotel and up the stairs to their rooms. Liz helped Tess change and get into bed. Poor girl passed out immediately and it wasn't her that Liz was worried about. It was the man in the next room who had nearly given her a heart attack on the road. For all his friendliness since he arrived, he seemed to be feeling particularly amorous. Shutting the adjoining door behind her, Liz sat on the edge of the bed where Max had stretched out and tried to look smooth.
"Hey there handsome." Liz leaned over him. "I'm gonna go now. You gonna be okay?"
"You can't leave. I won't let you." Max gripped her hand in his.
"Oh, no you don't, Mister. You almost made us crash into a semi with that trick." She shook her head at him.
"Spend the night."
"I thought we were friends, Max."
"We are." He pulled her hand out so that she had to lower her face to his. "We're good friends who only see each other once in a great while. It's a shame. You're a friend that I could see every day." He made to kiss her lips but she backed away. "I'm not letting you get away." He pulled her back. "Not today, not tomorrow, not ever."
"Max, you're drunk."
"But I mean every word. I think you're perfect for me. If love passes me by, I'll kill myself."
"Max."
"I'm serious." Max sat up and cupped her face with his hands. "I have thought of no one else since you. I've tried but you captivate me." He lowered his mouth to her throat. "Stay."
"Damn you, Max Evans, for sweeping me off my feet." Liz finally gave in to the kiss. It was too good. It was too damn good and there was no way she'd get her spin back in place without losing her clothes first.
"Damn you, Liz Parker, for making me feel this way."
There went the spine, on the floor with the clothes.
TBC
Part 18 – August 10, 2002
Part 18 – August 10, 2002
The groan crawled out of his throat before Max even realized he was conscious. Booze, that was the only thing that ever made him feel this way. He didn't remember drinking anything, he didn't order anything… but then the last thing he remembered was saying bye to the guys at the club. Opening his eyes, the head board filled his view and then became clear. Then the warm body by his side, the breasts brushing the top of his arm. Curses filled his mouth as he attempted to turn his head and find out who he had talked into to bed the night before. He just hoped it wasn't a stripper. That could throw his stats way off.
The brunette that turned to him at the same time brought great relief to his shallow thoughts, which brought grief to his deeper ones. Obviously they had had sex and he knew he'd be in deep shit if he acted like he didn't remember anything. Dragging his body closer to hers, he dropped kisses over her neck. She smiled sleepily and moaned. "You are an animal when you want to be aren't you?"
"Only when I see something I like." He inhaled deeply and the ripe smell of sweat and sex filled his nostrils. "I like this. I like you."
"Established last night." She moaned again when his hand crept to sensitive areas of her body. "Before you go any further… I am supposed to be at Isabel's to help her get ready… soon."
"She can wait." Max shushed her as he shifted his body over hers, not caring that the sheet fell away from them both. He took his time to memorize every curve he came across. The second he screwed up, it'd all be over. They were way too close to bliss when the door opened and a shriek filled the room. Max couldn't even think. His hand went out and Tess was tossed back into her room and the door banged shut.
--
Max sighed heavily as he took his seat. Tess huffed and scooted away from him. She hadn't spoken to him since she had walked in on him and Liz that morning. He hadn't had the chance to find out how much she saw or how traumatized she was since her main grievance seemed to have been that he used his powers on her. They were moments away from the biggest moment in Isabel's life and Max just hoped that Tess could contain her hurt until after the reception.
An unnamed cousin entered with the music. Everyone stood as she made her way down the aisle with her flowers. Then by height, a mixture of Isabel's and Jesse's cousins. Then Liz stepped into the church, shooting glances into the pews for him. A guilty look crossed her face when she spotted him. Then Isabel, poised and perfect, marched down the aisle with her father. That smile on her face was so brilliant that any doubts he had about Jesse Ramirez were stricken from his mind.
--
At the reception, Max cornered Michael. "Michael, my number two… what in the hell happened last night?"
"What do you mean?" Michael cleared his throat. "I mean, you left us at the club and then went back to the hotel… right?"
"I suppose I did but… I picked someone up along the way… Has Liz talked to you?"
"Liz?" Michael turned to his fellow alien. "What did you do to her? If you break her heart, I break you. Simple as that. I don't care who you were in a previous life. If Liz is heartbroken, I won't hesitate to kick your ass."
"No… but… this morning the last thing I remembered was leaving you guys and the next thing, Liz is naked and asleep next to me." Max swept a hand behind his neck. "I just don't want to fuck anything up."
"Actually, I knew." Michael shrugged helplessly. "The two of them were grinning like idiots this morning because even when you're drunk you're a hopeless romantic or something." At Max's confusion, he tilted his head from side to side. "One of Jesse's friend's slipped you something before he found out you were 'allergic.' Then Liz showed up at the house, late and Isabel was about to freak until they had a heart to heart while they got dressed. Then they dragged me into it to see if you had said anything to me. Liz is on cloud nine."
"oh."
"And you guys did it four times. There was something about damning people. I don't know. It's not my thing." He glanced around at all the people eating and talking. "I'll tell you what though… She's going to try to let you down easy. She's all about school and once that starts, she's not going to have time for anything."
"It's for the best. I'm going to be busy too." Max nodded to himself.
"Hey, don't think it's a brush off. Liz… is really careful with her heart." Michael motioned to where Liz and Isabel sat talking and eating. "But hey, you come across any worthy girls, send 'em to me."
"Right. I'm gonna suggest a perfectly normal girl go for you." Max shook his head. "Tell you what… I'll find a model desperate to make it in the biz and I'll send her your way so you can take the shrink-wrap off little Mikey."
"It's great that we understand each other." Michael nodded. "I like brunettes… thin ones with big…" He trailed off when he saw who had snuck up behind Max. "Brains. I like brains in a girl."
Max tilted his head at Michael in confusion until he felt a hand in his. "If it isn't my designated driver."
"You and Michael can talk about what cup-size brains you like later." Liz shot them both stern looks. "Right now… we're dancing." Max let her lead him into the floor for a slow song. Liz tilted her head back to look into his face. "How's your sister?"
"Traumatized, I guess. She won't talk to me." Max sighed heavily and shoved one hand into his pocket. "We're going to have to have the talk and I'd really rather not."
"Is she going to be okay?"
"Yeah. I guess. She's just mad I guess… about what? I guess I'll find out." They swayed to the music for while. "You staying with me again tonight?"
"I wish I could. I… I didn't know for sure that you were coming or that we'd be back in this…" Liz rested her head on his shoulder. "My flight leaves tonight." When he didn't say anything, she tightened her arms around him. "It's not the right time to get serious, Max."
"Yeah, I know."
"I want to."
"Yeah…" Max shut his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her while he could.
--
Isabel sat down next to Max. The reception had cleared out and they were waiting on the cab to take them to the airport. "He was here."
"Who?"
"Who do you think?" She huffed.
Max sighed and turned to her. "Was it really him or were you dreaming?" When she didn't answer, he just nodded. "Maybe it was all in your head?"
"It's entirely possible but… I still get this really bad feeling."
"Did you tell him?" Max questioned softly. "About you…"
"I tried to last night." Isabel sank into a chair, hands on her face. "I really tried. I told him that maybe he wouldn't want to marry me if he knew… He said that nothing could change his mind. That whatever it was could wait until today… when we were alone… after the wedding. That hasn't happened yet."
"Isabel!" Jesse's voice called into the reception room. "Cab's here."
"I guess we'll find out." Isabel took a deep breath and got to her feet.
"You seen Tess?" Max looked around but her blonde curls were nowhere to be seen.
"I thought she told you." Isabel grabbed her purse and started toward the door. "She asked Michael to take her back to the room. I thought it was so you and Liz could talk before she leaves tonight. Bye Max. Love ya."
--
Max entered his hotel with a heavy head. He was ready to crash out when he realized Tess was sitting on his bed. "What's up, sweetie?"
"You threw me out." Tess pouted and curled up in a ball. "You used your head on me."
"I'm sorry, Tessie." Max shrugged out of his jacket and set his keys on the small table next to a video box. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No. I guess not." She picked at the leg of her jersey sweats. Her eyes stayed on her feet so Max stayed standing. She did that when she had an embarrassing question. "I like Liz. She's nice."
"Well, I like her, too." Max sat on the edge of the bed, grateful it wasn't that serious a talk.
"She lives in Massachusetts. That's North of Connecticut." Tess leaned forward and stared at her toes.
"Yep."
"Can she be my friend and your friend at the same time?"
"Definitely."
"Can she come visit me?"
"We can ask her but she's going to be busy with school."
"Liz goes to school?"
"Yep."
"How much do you like Liz?"
"A lot." Max nodded and started to get comfortable on the bed.
"Do you love her?"
"Maybe."
"You aren't sure?" Tess looked up at him. "Are you sure you love me?"
"Completely sure." Max reached over and took her hands in his. "You're my sister and I'm very sure I love you. Liz… I don't know her so well. I haven't made up my mind yet."
"But you like her a lot."
"Yes."
"Then why were you making her scream?" Max froze, cursing every thing he could think of in his head. Tess kept talking and he could not move. "If you like her so much, why did you hurt her?"
Jaw worked up and down, words started on his lips but none ever made it out. Max just couldn't figure out what would be right to say. "Um… I didn't hurt her. That's not why she was screaming." That was it. What else could he say? "Um… we… were… making love."
Tess blinked at him and then her head jerked back. "Oh. Is… that… how… Is that what Sam means when he's fighting with Tess?"
"What?" Max shook his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Is that why Uncle Kal named me Tess? Because she's not really a woman. Am I not really a woman?"
That's when it clicked. She had rented Woman of the Year from someplace and had watched it while waiting for him. Max shook his head. "Not exactly. In the movie, she's busy and it takes her a while to figure out that she's… that she needs someone. That if she's going to keep the person she loves, she has to compromise and maybe slow down just a little so she can enjoy life. She really was a woman, she just… didn't know it. She didn't know how things worked."
"Oh."
"You are one of the prettiest girls ever. You are smart. Never say you aren't. And you're learning things. You're getting better." Max pulled her into his arms.
"I am?"
"Yes, Miss Tess. You are. If you take some classes like I ask you to, you'll be reading and cooking before you know it."
"I can cook when we go home?"
"Little things… and only when I'm home."
"Okay."
"You ready to go tomorrow?"
"Yeah." Tess sat in silence for a while. "Is Liz gonna have a baby now?"
TBC
The groan crawled out of his throat before Max even realized he was conscious. Booze, that was the only thing that ever made him feel this way. He didn't remember drinking anything, he didn't order anything… but then the last thing he remembered was saying bye to the guys at the club. Opening his eyes, the head board filled his view and then became clear. Then the warm body by his side, the breasts brushing the top of his arm. Curses filled his mouth as he attempted to turn his head and find out who he had talked into to bed the night before. He just hoped it wasn't a stripper. That could throw his stats way off.
The brunette that turned to him at the same time brought great relief to his shallow thoughts, which brought grief to his deeper ones. Obviously they had had sex and he knew he'd be in deep shit if he acted like he didn't remember anything. Dragging his body closer to hers, he dropped kisses over her neck. She smiled sleepily and moaned. "You are an animal when you want to be aren't you?"
"Only when I see something I like." He inhaled deeply and the ripe smell of sweat and sex filled his nostrils. "I like this. I like you."
"Established last night." She moaned again when his hand crept to sensitive areas of her body. "Before you go any further… I am supposed to be at Isabel's to help her get ready… soon."
"She can wait." Max shushed her as he shifted his body over hers, not caring that the sheet fell away from them both. He took his time to memorize every curve he came across. The second he screwed up, it'd all be over. They were way too close to bliss when the door opened and a shriek filled the room. Max couldn't even think. His hand went out and Tess was tossed back into her room and the door banged shut.
--
Max sighed heavily as he took his seat. Tess huffed and scooted away from him. She hadn't spoken to him since she had walked in on him and Liz that morning. He hadn't had the chance to find out how much she saw or how traumatized she was since her main grievance seemed to have been that he used his powers on her. They were moments away from the biggest moment in Isabel's life and Max just hoped that Tess could contain her hurt until after the reception.
An unnamed cousin entered with the music. Everyone stood as she made her way down the aisle with her flowers. Then by height, a mixture of Isabel's and Jesse's cousins. Then Liz stepped into the church, shooting glances into the pews for him. A guilty look crossed her face when she spotted him. Then Isabel, poised and perfect, marched down the aisle with her father. That smile on her face was so brilliant that any doubts he had about Jesse Ramirez were stricken from his mind.
--
At the reception, Max cornered Michael. "Michael, my number two… what in the hell happened last night?"
"What do you mean?" Michael cleared his throat. "I mean, you left us at the club and then went back to the hotel… right?"
"I suppose I did but… I picked someone up along the way… Has Liz talked to you?"
"Liz?" Michael turned to his fellow alien. "What did you do to her? If you break her heart, I break you. Simple as that. I don't care who you were in a previous life. If Liz is heartbroken, I won't hesitate to kick your ass."
"No… but… this morning the last thing I remembered was leaving you guys and the next thing, Liz is naked and asleep next to me." Max swept a hand behind his neck. "I just don't want to fuck anything up."
"Actually, I knew." Michael shrugged helplessly. "The two of them were grinning like idiots this morning because even when you're drunk you're a hopeless romantic or something." At Max's confusion, he tilted his head from side to side. "One of Jesse's friend's slipped you something before he found out you were 'allergic.' Then Liz showed up at the house, late and Isabel was about to freak until they had a heart to heart while they got dressed. Then they dragged me into it to see if you had said anything to me. Liz is on cloud nine."
"oh."
"And you guys did it four times. There was something about damning people. I don't know. It's not my thing." He glanced around at all the people eating and talking. "I'll tell you what though… She's going to try to let you down easy. She's all about school and once that starts, she's not going to have time for anything."
"It's for the best. I'm going to be busy too." Max nodded to himself.
"Hey, don't think it's a brush off. Liz… is really careful with her heart." Michael motioned to where Liz and Isabel sat talking and eating. "But hey, you come across any worthy girls, send 'em to me."
"Right. I'm gonna suggest a perfectly normal girl go for you." Max shook his head. "Tell you what… I'll find a model desperate to make it in the biz and I'll send her your way so you can take the shrink-wrap off little Mikey."
"It's great that we understand each other." Michael nodded. "I like brunettes… thin ones with big…" He trailed off when he saw who had snuck up behind Max. "Brains. I like brains in a girl."
Max tilted his head at Michael in confusion until he felt a hand in his. "If it isn't my designated driver."
"You and Michael can talk about what cup-size brains you like later." Liz shot them both stern looks. "Right now… we're dancing." Max let her lead him into the floor for a slow song. Liz tilted her head back to look into his face. "How's your sister?"
"Traumatized, I guess. She won't talk to me." Max sighed heavily and shoved one hand into his pocket. "We're going to have to have the talk and I'd really rather not."
"Is she going to be okay?"
"Yeah. I guess. She's just mad I guess… about what? I guess I'll find out." They swayed to the music for while. "You staying with me again tonight?"
"I wish I could. I… I didn't know for sure that you were coming or that we'd be back in this…" Liz rested her head on his shoulder. "My flight leaves tonight." When he didn't say anything, she tightened her arms around him. "It's not the right time to get serious, Max."
"Yeah, I know."
"I want to."
"Yeah…" Max shut his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her while he could.
--
Isabel sat down next to Max. The reception had cleared out and they were waiting on the cab to take them to the airport. "He was here."
"Who?"
"Who do you think?" She huffed.
Max sighed and turned to her. "Was it really him or were you dreaming?" When she didn't answer, he just nodded. "Maybe it was all in your head?"
"It's entirely possible but… I still get this really bad feeling."
"Did you tell him?" Max questioned softly. "About you…"
"I tried to last night." Isabel sank into a chair, hands on her face. "I really tried. I told him that maybe he wouldn't want to marry me if he knew… He said that nothing could change his mind. That whatever it was could wait until today… when we were alone… after the wedding. That hasn't happened yet."
"Isabel!" Jesse's voice called into the reception room. "Cab's here."
"I guess we'll find out." Isabel took a deep breath and got to her feet.
"You seen Tess?" Max looked around but her blonde curls were nowhere to be seen.
"I thought she told you." Isabel grabbed her purse and started toward the door. "She asked Michael to take her back to the room. I thought it was so you and Liz could talk before she leaves tonight. Bye Max. Love ya."
--
Max entered his hotel with a heavy head. He was ready to crash out when he realized Tess was sitting on his bed. "What's up, sweetie?"
"You threw me out." Tess pouted and curled up in a ball. "You used your head on me."
"I'm sorry, Tessie." Max shrugged out of his jacket and set his keys on the small table next to a video box. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No. I guess not." She picked at the leg of her jersey sweats. Her eyes stayed on her feet so Max stayed standing. She did that when she had an embarrassing question. "I like Liz. She's nice."
"Well, I like her, too." Max sat on the edge of the bed, grateful it wasn't that serious a talk.
"She lives in Massachusetts. That's North of Connecticut." Tess leaned forward and stared at her toes.
"Yep."
"Can she be my friend and your friend at the same time?"
"Definitely."
"Can she come visit me?"
"We can ask her but she's going to be busy with school."
"Liz goes to school?"
"Yep."
"How much do you like Liz?"
"A lot." Max nodded and started to get comfortable on the bed.
"Do you love her?"
"Maybe."
"You aren't sure?" Tess looked up at him. "Are you sure you love me?"
"Completely sure." Max reached over and took her hands in his. "You're my sister and I'm very sure I love you. Liz… I don't know her so well. I haven't made up my mind yet."
"But you like her a lot."
"Yes."
"Then why were you making her scream?" Max froze, cursing every thing he could think of in his head. Tess kept talking and he could not move. "If you like her so much, why did you hurt her?"
Jaw worked up and down, words started on his lips but none ever made it out. Max just couldn't figure out what would be right to say. "Um… I didn't hurt her. That's not why she was screaming." That was it. What else could he say? "Um… we… were… making love."
Tess blinked at him and then her head jerked back. "Oh. Is… that… how… Is that what Sam means when he's fighting with Tess?"
"What?" Max shook his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Is that why Uncle Kal named me Tess? Because she's not really a woman. Am I not really a woman?"
That's when it clicked. She had rented Woman of the Year from someplace and had watched it while waiting for him. Max shook his head. "Not exactly. In the movie, she's busy and it takes her a while to figure out that she's… that she needs someone. That if she's going to keep the person she loves, she has to compromise and maybe slow down just a little so she can enjoy life. She really was a woman, she just… didn't know it. She didn't know how things worked."
"Oh."
"You are one of the prettiest girls ever. You are smart. Never say you aren't. And you're learning things. You're getting better." Max pulled her into his arms.
"I am?"
"Yes, Miss Tess. You are. If you take some classes like I ask you to, you'll be reading and cooking before you know it."
"I can cook when we go home?"
"Little things… and only when I'm home."
"Okay."
"You ready to go tomorrow?"
"Yeah." Tess sat in silence for a while. "Is Liz gonna have a baby now?"
TBC
Last edited by DMartinez on Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.