A worried Nancy was talking to a worried Jeff Parker as they saw the door open and Jim and Kyle Valenti come in.
Kyle immediately went over to a somber Liz who was talking to Maria. He took her hand and talked to her for several minutes. Liz appeared to thank him and he turned to return to the booth with his father.
Jeff Parker took menus to the two Valenti’s and said, “What are you doing here, Kyle? I figured you’d be in school celebrating with the football team.”
“I got a three day ‘vacation,’ from school today, Mr. Parker. Somebody said something I didn’t like, and we got into a little tussle.”
“What did they say?”
“Mr. Parker, you don’t want to know….”
Jeff Parker gave them the menus and returned to talk to Nancy. They talked for several minutes and finally Jeff Parker went back to the booth and spoke to Sheriff Valenti. “Jim, could Nancy and I speak to you a minute….in private?”
Jim Valenti accompanied the two into the “birthday room.” As they closed the door, Nancy Parker returned to the sheriff and said, “Jim, we do want to know what’s going on. Would you please tell us?”
Jim Valenti looked uncomfortable and somewhat uncertain. But then he appeared to come to a decision, and said “Well, I guess if you want to know…., sure, I’ll tell you.”
He indicated that thus far, Alex Whitman had been suspended for beating up three boys who had said offensive things to him about Liz, that Maria DeLuca had been suspended for getting in a fight with someone who had made offensive remarks to her about Liz, and that Kyle had just gotten suspended because he had gotten in a fight with someone who had said something offensive about Liz to Max Evans.
“Kyle indicated he had to move quickly because Evans had intended to pound the kid himself, but apparently Ms. Frederickson has put out the word on Max, and everyone was waiting to suspend him for good if he’d gotten in a fight. In fact, they suspended him for a day anyway just for being around when Kyle hit the kid, for being a ‘disruptive influence’.”
“But Sheriff, I didn’t think Kyle liked the Evans boy?”
“I didn’t think so either, but the way Kyle told it the other kid said something sufficiently offensive that Kyle would have pounded him anyway and didn’t really think it was fair for Max to be suspended, maybe for the whole term, for doing something Kyle was more than willing to do.
Apparently they both got to sit down together in the vice principals office afterwards and kind of worked out any problems they still had with each other. So it’s not a total loss, Kyle apparently buried the hatchet with Max Evans, and he learned a valuable lesson.”
“What lesson, Sheriff?” asked Nancy Parker.
Valenti suddenly looked uncomfortable, then smiled and said, “Uh, never lead with your right, Mrs. Parker. Never lead with your right…….”
"Oh, but you ought to know, Kyle says Max and Liz are the subject of every gossip-monger in West Roswell High. Both of them are pretty upset by the rumors going around and the things being said, not so much about themselves, but about the other.”
Jeff and Nancy Parker felt a sinking sensation as the evidence continued to grow that the unintended consequences of their decision to keep Liz and Max apart was adding to the stresses on their daughter, not helping her.
Both felt her slipping away from them. They talked quietly together and both decided that they too would have to make allowances, or they would lose their daughter.
They called the Evans’ and called Ms. Frederickson. Everyone had busy schedules, but it was finally arranged that they meet together on Sunday evening at the Crashdown.
The Vault (M/L, Mature) (COMPLETE)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
Sunday 8PM Crashdown Café Birthday Room
It had seemed so easy when he and Nancy had decided to have this meeting, thought Jeff Parker. The concept was simple. They would get together with Lucy Frederickson and Philip and Diane Evans to discuss a plan to gradually test loosening the restrictions on the Liz and Max.
Jeff couldn’t honestly say he trusted the Evans kid, not at all. But his talk with Lizzy a week ago, the day after she’d almost walked out of their lives, had frightened him and Nancy. They wanted desperately to get a plan set down that they could tell her about, something that was safe, something that was slow. They envisioned getting to know the Evans kid without Liz being around. If they became confident that he was alright, they’d allow Liz to see the boy in very supervised situations. If all went well, over time, a few more restrictions might be lifted.
They needed a plan to give to Lizzy, even if she disagreed with it. Right now Lizzie barely spoke to her parents at all, hadn’t since her discussion with him over coffee eight days ago. She’d never been a rebellious child, not ever. He didn’t know if this was a reaction to something the Evans boy had done to her, or to how they had treated the Evans boy, but the clock was ticking, and it really didn’t matter.
Jeff and Nancy Parker would give anything to be debating with their daughter over compromises to the plan, rather than getting the stony silence from her they were now getting. And it was getting worse, not better. Time was running out.
It had seemed so easy six days ago, but just arranging the meeting was hard. Philip Evans was a contract lawyer, he had scheduled court dates, one in Albuquerque. That complicated scheduling. Lucy Frederickson had scheduled appointments with clients, a day’s work on a state advocacy project headquartered in Santa Fe. Even moving around the appointments they could, it hadn’t been possible to get everyone together until today.
They’d been going at it for an hour, and things were coming apart, the whole situation was actually getting worse.
And a half hour ago he’d watched his daughter watching the arguments through the window, watching grown adults yelling at each other. He’d been a fool to schedule this in the Café, right under her home.
But it was too late, because if a plan wasn’t worked out now it would be at least another two weeks before another meeting could be held, assuming that anyone was even willing to try again. And he was sure they didn't have two weeks.
It had started out innocently enough. Lucy Frederickson had said, for the record, that she thought this was potentially dangerous to Liz, and that if such a plan was to be drawn up, it should be slow, careful, and with long periods of supervision of the two together before they could ever be trusted alone. He and Nancy had nodded, comfortable with that, at least in concept, realizing that it might take some negotiating with Liz as well.
Jeff had thought the comment of Diane Evans to be innocuous enough, stating her belief that Max would never ever hurt anyone. It was the comment of a proud and loving mother, expressing confidence in her son, little more than that. Jeff wished that it had passed unnoticed but it hadn’t. Lucy Frederickson had responded, “Well of course he hurt someone. He killed two men. He desecrated their bodies.”
With that the fight was on.
Diane Evans immediately jumped to the defense of her boy. “Rapists in the act of attempted rape didn’t really count,” she said angrily, "and the coroner’s inquest jury had already said just that." Lucy tried to calm her down, but she continued to defend her son angrily.
Finally Lucy said, “Dianne, no one is blaming you. Those kids were six years old when you got them, and already pretty fouled up. You missed their formative years. It isn’t your fault Max turned out like this.”
Jeff Parker had not known the Evans children were adopted, that Dianne was not their birth mother. But he saw that Dianne had a mother’s pride, a mother’s anger, as she responded to the comment by Lucy.
Not only was Dianne Evans still upset, Philip Evans, who had been so cooperative earlier, appeared equally enraged. Nancy looked up at him, the worry apparent on her face. This meeting was spiraling out of control.
It had seemed so easy when he and Nancy had decided to have this meeting, thought Jeff Parker. The concept was simple. They would get together with Lucy Frederickson and Philip and Diane Evans to discuss a plan to gradually test loosening the restrictions on the Liz and Max.
Jeff couldn’t honestly say he trusted the Evans kid, not at all. But his talk with Lizzy a week ago, the day after she’d almost walked out of their lives, had frightened him and Nancy. They wanted desperately to get a plan set down that they could tell her about, something that was safe, something that was slow. They envisioned getting to know the Evans kid without Liz being around. If they became confident that he was alright, they’d allow Liz to see the boy in very supervised situations. If all went well, over time, a few more restrictions might be lifted.
They needed a plan to give to Lizzy, even if she disagreed with it. Right now Lizzie barely spoke to her parents at all, hadn’t since her discussion with him over coffee eight days ago. She’d never been a rebellious child, not ever. He didn’t know if this was a reaction to something the Evans boy had done to her, or to how they had treated the Evans boy, but the clock was ticking, and it really didn’t matter.
Jeff and Nancy Parker would give anything to be debating with their daughter over compromises to the plan, rather than getting the stony silence from her they were now getting. And it was getting worse, not better. Time was running out.
It had seemed so easy six days ago, but just arranging the meeting was hard. Philip Evans was a contract lawyer, he had scheduled court dates, one in Albuquerque. That complicated scheduling. Lucy Frederickson had scheduled appointments with clients, a day’s work on a state advocacy project headquartered in Santa Fe. Even moving around the appointments they could, it hadn’t been possible to get everyone together until today.
They’d been going at it for an hour, and things were coming apart, the whole situation was actually getting worse.
And a half hour ago he’d watched his daughter watching the arguments through the window, watching grown adults yelling at each other. He’d been a fool to schedule this in the Café, right under her home.
But it was too late, because if a plan wasn’t worked out now it would be at least another two weeks before another meeting could be held, assuming that anyone was even willing to try again. And he was sure they didn't have two weeks.
It had started out innocently enough. Lucy Frederickson had said, for the record, that she thought this was potentially dangerous to Liz, and that if such a plan was to be drawn up, it should be slow, careful, and with long periods of supervision of the two together before they could ever be trusted alone. He and Nancy had nodded, comfortable with that, at least in concept, realizing that it might take some negotiating with Liz as well.
Jeff had thought the comment of Diane Evans to be innocuous enough, stating her belief that Max would never ever hurt anyone. It was the comment of a proud and loving mother, expressing confidence in her son, little more than that. Jeff wished that it had passed unnoticed but it hadn’t. Lucy Frederickson had responded, “Well of course he hurt someone. He killed two men. He desecrated their bodies.”
With that the fight was on.
Diane Evans immediately jumped to the defense of her boy. “Rapists in the act of attempted rape didn’t really count,” she said angrily, "and the coroner’s inquest jury had already said just that." Lucy tried to calm her down, but she continued to defend her son angrily.
Finally Lucy said, “Dianne, no one is blaming you. Those kids were six years old when you got them, and already pretty fouled up. You missed their formative years. It isn’t your fault Max turned out like this.”
Jeff Parker had not known the Evans children were adopted, that Dianne was not their birth mother. But he saw that Dianne had a mother’s pride, a mother’s anger, as she responded to the comment by Lucy.
Not only was Dianne Evans still upset, Philip Evans, who had been so cooperative earlier, appeared equally enraged. Nancy looked up at him, the worry apparent on her face. This meeting was spiraling out of control.
Philip Evans looked at his angry wife as she continued to defend Max.
The Frederickson woman had stepped over the line, socially, professionally, and legally.
Dianne had been devastated by the loss of their child in the auto accident, made even worse by the loss of her ability to bear children. She had gone into a deep depression after the accident, caused her OB-Gyn doctors said, by the sudden loss of the hormones from the pregnancy, a post-partum depression without even the blessing of a baby. Their child’s death and the loss of her uterus had hit her hard, even as she was recuperating from her other injuries from the accident. Eventually, antidepressants had been prescribed, but with no visible success.
In the end she had become fixated on her inability to have children, insisting that Philip find someone else who could give him a “whole” family, as if he could ever love anyone but her. But nothing had helped, not medication and not counseling. She had told him that she was filing for divorce on that trip, explaining that it wasn’t because she didn’t love him, but because she wanted him to be with someone who was a “whole” woman.
He had intended to fight the divorce, fight it with every fiber of his being. But even then he knew he was going to lose, because under New Mexico’s no-fault divorce law, she didn’t need a reason, reasonable or otherwise.
He wasn’t a divorce lawyer, but he knew the law. Her request would be granted.
Driving home from that trip had been torture for Philip Evans. In that same six months they had lost their child, Diane had been physically and mentally hurt, and now he knew he would lose her too.
And then a miracle had happened. As he drove around the curve of the road, there they were. Two little kids walking along holding hands, both naked. And somehow when they looked up at Dianne, when little Isabel and Max looked into her eyes, she bonded with them immediately. She had her family, she was complete.
It had taken months with social services, mostly because of Diane’s recent mental health diagnosis. But the two children didn’t speak, didn’t appear to understand English, or any other language that they tried. They weren’t even potty-trained. Ultimately, no one wanted them, no one except Diane and Philip Evans, so social services gave them a try, watching Diane closely.
Initially they were only allowed to foster the two children. The kids flourished, learning quickly, and Dianne flourished with them. The depression went away, the thoughts of inadequacy went away. Two kids had never had a better mother than Dianne was to Max and Isabel. Even the social services people agreed, and they finally approved the adoption.
Philip had a family because of Max and Isabel, still had a wife because of them, and he was as angry as Diane that the adopted status of the children had been thrown out into the conversation. Angrier, perhaps, because he knew it was illegal for Ms. Frederickson to have done so.
He had been more than fair to Jeff Parker, he thought. He’d never believed the accusations about his son, and naively believed it would be better just to acquiesce to the restrictions than have this in a court record somewhere. But the pain and anger he’d seen in his son the last two weeks had convinced him he’d done his son a huge injustice. Better to have had this out in the court of law, where Max’s case could be made, then to appear to passively accept his guilt, and lose in the court of public opinion.
His son had deserved better, and Philip had failed him. He had sympathy for Liz Parker, he’d seen her once or twice serving at a Saturday Kiwanis meeting in this very room. She seemed a nice enough kid, although he was surprised that his son appeared to care for her so much, even after she’d falsely accused him. Heck, Max appeared to care for her so much he couldn’t even believe she’d accused him. How bizarre was that? There’d only been the two of them in the vault, who else would have accused him? Philip was sympathetic with the girl, she’d been through a lot, been beaten, terrorized, almost raped. He could understand her being confused, Hell, he could understand her being psychotic. If this wasn’t eating at Max so much, he wouldn’t even be in this room right now. Max would be better off staying away from her, actually, to protect him from any further allegations from the irrational girl.
But Max had wanted him to cooperate with Jeff Parker, to give him a chance, so here he was. But his patience was getting short. His boy had been slandered, his wife had been demeaned, and his children insulted, and the meeting hadn’t been going on much more than an hour yet.
He wouldn’t take much more of this.
The Frederickson woman had stepped over the line, socially, professionally, and legally.
Dianne had been devastated by the loss of their child in the auto accident, made even worse by the loss of her ability to bear children. She had gone into a deep depression after the accident, caused her OB-Gyn doctors said, by the sudden loss of the hormones from the pregnancy, a post-partum depression without even the blessing of a baby. Their child’s death and the loss of her uterus had hit her hard, even as she was recuperating from her other injuries from the accident. Eventually, antidepressants had been prescribed, but with no visible success.
In the end she had become fixated on her inability to have children, insisting that Philip find someone else who could give him a “whole” family, as if he could ever love anyone but her. But nothing had helped, not medication and not counseling. She had told him that she was filing for divorce on that trip, explaining that it wasn’t because she didn’t love him, but because she wanted him to be with someone who was a “whole” woman.
He had intended to fight the divorce, fight it with every fiber of his being. But even then he knew he was going to lose, because under New Mexico’s no-fault divorce law, she didn’t need a reason, reasonable or otherwise.
He wasn’t a divorce lawyer, but he knew the law. Her request would be granted.
Driving home from that trip had been torture for Philip Evans. In that same six months they had lost their child, Diane had been physically and mentally hurt, and now he knew he would lose her too.
And then a miracle had happened. As he drove around the curve of the road, there they were. Two little kids walking along holding hands, both naked. And somehow when they looked up at Dianne, when little Isabel and Max looked into her eyes, she bonded with them immediately. She had her family, she was complete.
It had taken months with social services, mostly because of Diane’s recent mental health diagnosis. But the two children didn’t speak, didn’t appear to understand English, or any other language that they tried. They weren’t even potty-trained. Ultimately, no one wanted them, no one except Diane and Philip Evans, so social services gave them a try, watching Diane closely.
Initially they were only allowed to foster the two children. The kids flourished, learning quickly, and Dianne flourished with them. The depression went away, the thoughts of inadequacy went away. Two kids had never had a better mother than Dianne was to Max and Isabel. Even the social services people agreed, and they finally approved the adoption.
Philip had a family because of Max and Isabel, still had a wife because of them, and he was as angry as Diane that the adopted status of the children had been thrown out into the conversation. Angrier, perhaps, because he knew it was illegal for Ms. Frederickson to have done so.
He had been more than fair to Jeff Parker, he thought. He’d never believed the accusations about his son, and naively believed it would be better just to acquiesce to the restrictions than have this in a court record somewhere. But the pain and anger he’d seen in his son the last two weeks had convinced him he’d done his son a huge injustice. Better to have had this out in the court of law, where Max’s case could be made, then to appear to passively accept his guilt, and lose in the court of public opinion.
His son had deserved better, and Philip had failed him. He had sympathy for Liz Parker, he’d seen her once or twice serving at a Saturday Kiwanis meeting in this very room. She seemed a nice enough kid, although he was surprised that his son appeared to care for her so much, even after she’d falsely accused him. Heck, Max appeared to care for her so much he couldn’t even believe she’d accused him. How bizarre was that? There’d only been the two of them in the vault, who else would have accused him? Philip was sympathetic with the girl, she’d been through a lot, been beaten, terrorized, almost raped. He could understand her being confused, Hell, he could understand her being psychotic. If this wasn’t eating at Max so much, he wouldn’t even be in this room right now. Max would be better off staying away from her, actually, to protect him from any further allegations from the irrational girl.
But Max had wanted him to cooperate with Jeff Parker, to give him a chance, so here he was. But his patience was getting short. His boy had been slandered, his wife had been demeaned, and his children insulted, and the meeting hadn’t been going on much more than an hour yet.
He wouldn’t take much more of this.
Nancy Parker listened as she heard Diane Evans defend her son.
She was a mother who believed in her child, and Lucy Frederickson should have just let it go. It was apparent from her talks with Maria that there’d been no indication that Max had ever done anything wrong, prior to the episode in the vault. It was only natural that a mother should trust her kid, a kid who had no prior record of problems.
But then the irony of that thought hit Nancy Parker. Liz had said the Evans boy did nothing wrong. She’d never had any problems with Liz, either. Liz was her kid, and yet she hadn’t trusted her daughter about Max Evans. Liz had sworn to Jeff not only that Max had done nothing wrong, but that he would never have done anything wrong.
She hadn’t realized the Evans kids were adopted. Liz, she realized, had known Max Evans almost as long as Diane Evans had known him, and like Diane, she trusted the boy.
But Nancy and Jeff Parker hadn’t trusted their own daughter. Nancy and Jeff Parker had taken the word of a stranger, someone who in fact had never even met Max Evans, and who barely knew Lizzy, and they’d believed that person’s opinion above that of their own child. ‘What kind of mother did that make Nancy Parker?’ she wondered, feeling suddenly ill.
She was a mother who believed in her child, and Lucy Frederickson should have just let it go. It was apparent from her talks with Maria that there’d been no indication that Max had ever done anything wrong, prior to the episode in the vault. It was only natural that a mother should trust her kid, a kid who had no prior record of problems.
But then the irony of that thought hit Nancy Parker. Liz had said the Evans boy did nothing wrong. She’d never had any problems with Liz, either. Liz was her kid, and yet she hadn’t trusted her daughter about Max Evans. Liz had sworn to Jeff not only that Max had done nothing wrong, but that he would never have done anything wrong.
She hadn’t realized the Evans kids were adopted. Liz, she realized, had known Max Evans almost as long as Diane Evans had known him, and like Diane, she trusted the boy.
But Nancy and Jeff Parker hadn’t trusted their own daughter. Nancy and Jeff Parker had taken the word of a stranger, someone who in fact had never even met Max Evans, and who barely knew Lizzy, and they’d believed that person’s opinion above that of their own child. ‘What kind of mother did that make Nancy Parker?’ she wondered, feeling suddenly ill.
The very purpose of this meeting really wasn’t to seek the truth, wasn’t to try to do what was right.
It was to win back Lizzy. It was because their lack of trust had so alienated Lizzy that they feared they would lose her, if they couldn’t find a way, somehow find the courage to step back from their actions. And that was the supreme irony.
Diane Evans was fighting like a mother bear for her cubs, birth mother or not. Nancy Parker had given birth to her daughter, knew her all her life, and her daughter had never in her whole life given them cause to doubt her word. She’d been the perfect daughter. But they hadn’t trusted her and now she was threatening more than defiance.
Nancy looked at the glass window separating the birthday room from the dining area and saw Lizzy looking in again, tears streaking her cheeks as she watched Diane Evans and Lucy Frederickson shout at one another.
She looked at Jeff and nodded toward the window where their daughter stood. His eyes widened and he looked back at her. He was as scared as she was.
It was to win back Lizzy. It was because their lack of trust had so alienated Lizzy that they feared they would lose her, if they couldn’t find a way, somehow find the courage to step back from their actions. And that was the supreme irony.
Diane Evans was fighting like a mother bear for her cubs, birth mother or not. Nancy Parker had given birth to her daughter, knew her all her life, and her daughter had never in her whole life given them cause to doubt her word. She’d been the perfect daughter. But they hadn’t trusted her and now she was threatening more than defiance.
Nancy looked at the glass window separating the birthday room from the dining area and saw Lizzy looking in again, tears streaking her cheeks as she watched Diane Evans and Lucy Frederickson shout at one another.
She looked at Jeff and nodded toward the window where their daughter stood. His eyes widened and he looked back at her. He was as scared as she was.
The comment about her children being “fouled up” at age six had hurt Diane Evans far more than if she’d been attacked herself.
Her kids, she recognized, were not perfect. Max was shy, painfully shy socially. Isabel was almost as bad, although she hid it well under the armor of being an arrogant and unapproachable member of the Ice Princess Posse, something even her brother kidded her about.
But they were good kids, had always been good kids.
As the argument continued Lucy Frederickson turned to Diane and told her that she had no idea of the magnitude of the psychological damage that Max had done to Elizabeth Parker, or she would understand why Max would have to be kept from the girl, or at least very carefully watched when they were together.
It was finally too much for Diane Evans and she loudly and angrily said, “I don’t care what delusions Liz has about my son, what lies she’s told about him. He’s a good kid and I can’t believe he ever would have harmed the girl, no matter what she says about him.”
Perhaps it was the vehemence Nancy had seen in Diane Evans defense of her son. Perhaps it was her feeling that Liz was being slandered by Max’s mom. Perhaps it was just another mother bear, jumping in to the defense of her cub, heedless of all consequences.
For whatever reason, the next words from Nancy Parker were, “That’s not fair, Diane, Lizzy has never said Max did anything to her. The whole purpose of this meeting is that she’s been insisting that we take away the restrictions, and we need a way to try to do that safely.”
The meeting ceased spiraling slowly downhill as immediately all Hell broke loose from Philip Evans.
Philip Evans had felt guilty enough that he’d allowed his son to be crucified in the court of public opinion without even putting up an effort to defend him. He had never thought, not for an instant, that someone would put Max through this, put their whole family through this, when even the alleged victim of this allegedly horrible but questionable crime denied it occurred, when the only two people on earth in a position to know if anything at all had occurred, had both denied any crime.
As that thought raged through his mind he suddenly recalled the conversation he had with Max. 'Liz didn’t cause this, Dad, Liz would never do this to me.' Guilt overwhelmed Philip Evans. His son had told him that the girl hadn’t accused him, would never have accused him, and he hadn’t believed him, hadn’t even given it serious consideration. His daughter had told him the same, but he hadn’t believed her either.
He knew next to nothing about this girl, but hadn’t trusted his own son, his son who’d known the girl since the third grade, his son who was….what?? The girl’s boyfriend? It certainly seemed so. And the girl was so adamant that she’d backed her own folks into a corner? Threatened them somehow?
She had trusted Max enough to take on both of her parents over this and he’d not trusted his son even enough to listen to him. Philip Evans’ guilt turned to rage, rage at himself, at the counselor and at Liz’s parents for ever letting this happen.
The only people who seemed to have a lick of sense in this whole sordid mess, Philip thought, had been two sixteen year olds who seemed to be lost in the thrall of puppy love, and nobody had listened to either of them.
Legal phrases came quickly from his mouth, phrases like slander, defamation of character, unauthorized access to and release of adoption records. If Dianne Evans was a Momma bear, the Poppa bear had just waded in to the fight.
Her kids, she recognized, were not perfect. Max was shy, painfully shy socially. Isabel was almost as bad, although she hid it well under the armor of being an arrogant and unapproachable member of the Ice Princess Posse, something even her brother kidded her about.
But they were good kids, had always been good kids.
As the argument continued Lucy Frederickson turned to Diane and told her that she had no idea of the magnitude of the psychological damage that Max had done to Elizabeth Parker, or she would understand why Max would have to be kept from the girl, or at least very carefully watched when they were together.
It was finally too much for Diane Evans and she loudly and angrily said, “I don’t care what delusions Liz has about my son, what lies she’s told about him. He’s a good kid and I can’t believe he ever would have harmed the girl, no matter what she says about him.”
Perhaps it was the vehemence Nancy had seen in Diane Evans defense of her son. Perhaps it was her feeling that Liz was being slandered by Max’s mom. Perhaps it was just another mother bear, jumping in to the defense of her cub, heedless of all consequences.
For whatever reason, the next words from Nancy Parker were, “That’s not fair, Diane, Lizzy has never said Max did anything to her. The whole purpose of this meeting is that she’s been insisting that we take away the restrictions, and we need a way to try to do that safely.”
The meeting ceased spiraling slowly downhill as immediately all Hell broke loose from Philip Evans.
Philip Evans had felt guilty enough that he’d allowed his son to be crucified in the court of public opinion without even putting up an effort to defend him. He had never thought, not for an instant, that someone would put Max through this, put their whole family through this, when even the alleged victim of this allegedly horrible but questionable crime denied it occurred, when the only two people on earth in a position to know if anything at all had occurred, had both denied any crime.
As that thought raged through his mind he suddenly recalled the conversation he had with Max. 'Liz didn’t cause this, Dad, Liz would never do this to me.' Guilt overwhelmed Philip Evans. His son had told him that the girl hadn’t accused him, would never have accused him, and he hadn’t believed him, hadn’t even given it serious consideration. His daughter had told him the same, but he hadn’t believed her either.
He knew next to nothing about this girl, but hadn’t trusted his own son, his son who’d known the girl since the third grade, his son who was….what?? The girl’s boyfriend? It certainly seemed so. And the girl was so adamant that she’d backed her own folks into a corner? Threatened them somehow?
She had trusted Max enough to take on both of her parents over this and he’d not trusted his son even enough to listen to him. Philip Evans’ guilt turned to rage, rage at himself, at the counselor and at Liz’s parents for ever letting this happen.
The only people who seemed to have a lick of sense in this whole sordid mess, Philip thought, had been two sixteen year olds who seemed to be lost in the thrall of puppy love, and nobody had listened to either of them.
Legal phrases came quickly from his mouth, phrases like slander, defamation of character, unauthorized access to and release of adoption records. If Dianne Evans was a Momma bear, the Poppa bear had just waded in to the fight.
Jeff Parker was rocked back on his heels from the storm of anger being voiced by Philip Evans and he realized how incredibly stupid he’d been, how incredibly thoughtless. He had known that the man felt guilty about so easily giving in on the restrictions, Philip had told him so the second time they’d talked.
Jeff didn’t know what the right thing to do with the kids was any longer, maybe he never had. What was worse, he didn’t know any way to know. He should have been open with Philip, should have taken the time to tell him what was really going on, to tell him that nobody knew for sure what really had happened. But he hadn’t thought to do that, obvious as it should have been.
He’d just wanted his daughter’s pain to stop, just wanted her love back.
That’s all the meeting had ever been about, they hadn’t wanted this fight. Jeff realized he should have told the man every single detail. Philip had a daughter too. He would have understood. Maybe he could calm the man down somehow, maybe it still wasn’t too late, if he could just get Philip away from Lucy, who seemed to only add fuel to the fire.
8:10 PM, corner of Belmont and Main, two blocks from the Crashdown.
It still amazed Max Evans that he could get flashes of the connection without actually touching Liz. That had been one of the few things that made their separation bearable. Even when both were at school together, he could feel her presence. In the two classes they shared they had been forbidden by their parents to talk to each other, except for activities required by the class.
But it really didn’t matter that much, because both found that by thinking hard, by subvocalizing, they could hear what the other one wanted to say, especially if they could see the other, or if the other were very close. They didn’t really understand it but it seemed like it had been that way since coming out of the vault.
And for the last hour Max had been getting flashes of feelings from Liz, flashes of pain, anger, and near-despair. He realized that it probably wasn’t the wisest move to go to the Crashdown, particularly if he were to be seen by the parents he knew to be meeting there, but he really didn’t care. Somehow Liz was upset, approaching despair. He would be there for her. She needed him now, and he needed her.
8:14 PM Crashdown Café kitchen
She could feel his approach and even though she knew it would probably cause problems, she was anxious to see him. She needed to feel close to him, to feel close to somebody who loved and trusted her.
She was more than disappointed. Her parents meant a lot to her, they always had. But their stupid fears, their lack of trust in her, their senseless actions had caused Max pain. Max, who was her protector, who had saved her life at least twice, perhaps three times, was suffering because of her, or at least because of the actions of her parents.
She knew they were afraid, not thinking rationally, and in her heart and in her mind would have forgiven them for unfairness toward her, but Liz loved Max far more than she loved herself, and her parents had crossed the line.
She had hoped that they would step back from their decision, but the angry voices that came from the birthday room had convinced her that nothing would change, so she would have to change it. It wasn’t just the unfairness, it was that as long as the public believed the lies about them, Max would be under the magnifying lens, under suspicion and a marked man, and that was a threat to him, greatly increasing the risk of discovery of his true origin. And she could not be a part of anything that would hurt Max. She would leave the family first, hoping that the controversy would die in her absence.
But tonight, she just needed to see Max, to let him know how sorry she was that her parents had done this. She needed him, needed to be strengthened by his presence. She always felt better when Max was near, stronger, more capable. She needed that desperately tonight.
As she felt his presence more closely she gently smiled, her first smile of the day. She grabbed a menu, a fresh bottle of Tabasco, and brushed by Maria to go greet the next “customer.”
Jeff didn’t know what the right thing to do with the kids was any longer, maybe he never had. What was worse, he didn’t know any way to know. He should have been open with Philip, should have taken the time to tell him what was really going on, to tell him that nobody knew for sure what really had happened. But he hadn’t thought to do that, obvious as it should have been.
He’d just wanted his daughter’s pain to stop, just wanted her love back.
That’s all the meeting had ever been about, they hadn’t wanted this fight. Jeff realized he should have told the man every single detail. Philip had a daughter too. He would have understood. Maybe he could calm the man down somehow, maybe it still wasn’t too late, if he could just get Philip away from Lucy, who seemed to only add fuel to the fire.
8:10 PM, corner of Belmont and Main, two blocks from the Crashdown.
It still amazed Max Evans that he could get flashes of the connection without actually touching Liz. That had been one of the few things that made their separation bearable. Even when both were at school together, he could feel her presence. In the two classes they shared they had been forbidden by their parents to talk to each other, except for activities required by the class.
But it really didn’t matter that much, because both found that by thinking hard, by subvocalizing, they could hear what the other one wanted to say, especially if they could see the other, or if the other were very close. They didn’t really understand it but it seemed like it had been that way since coming out of the vault.
And for the last hour Max had been getting flashes of feelings from Liz, flashes of pain, anger, and near-despair. He realized that it probably wasn’t the wisest move to go to the Crashdown, particularly if he were to be seen by the parents he knew to be meeting there, but he really didn’t care. Somehow Liz was upset, approaching despair. He would be there for her. She needed him now, and he needed her.
8:14 PM Crashdown Café kitchen
She could feel his approach and even though she knew it would probably cause problems, she was anxious to see him. She needed to feel close to him, to feel close to somebody who loved and trusted her.
She was more than disappointed. Her parents meant a lot to her, they always had. But their stupid fears, their lack of trust in her, their senseless actions had caused Max pain. Max, who was her protector, who had saved her life at least twice, perhaps three times, was suffering because of her, or at least because of the actions of her parents.
She knew they were afraid, not thinking rationally, and in her heart and in her mind would have forgiven them for unfairness toward her, but Liz loved Max far more than she loved herself, and her parents had crossed the line.
She had hoped that they would step back from their decision, but the angry voices that came from the birthday room had convinced her that nothing would change, so she would have to change it. It wasn’t just the unfairness, it was that as long as the public believed the lies about them, Max would be under the magnifying lens, under suspicion and a marked man, and that was a threat to him, greatly increasing the risk of discovery of his true origin. And she could not be a part of anything that would hurt Max. She would leave the family first, hoping that the controversy would die in her absence.
But tonight, she just needed to see Max, to let him know how sorry she was that her parents had done this. She needed him, needed to be strengthened by his presence. She always felt better when Max was near, stronger, more capable. She needed that desperately tonight.
As she felt his presence more closely she gently smiled, her first smile of the day. She grabbed a menu, a fresh bottle of Tabasco, and brushed by Maria to go greet the next “customer.”
8:15PM Crashdown Café Birthday Room
Jeff Parker was doing his best, trying to calm an angry Philip Evans, trying to rein in an irate and suddenly frightened Lucy Frederickson who was very defensive, citing public safety, citing necessity for taking liberties with privileged records.
It was apparent that both Philip and Diane Evans were proud of their children, and had been both hurt and angered by Lucy’s comments. But when Jeff had mentioned that he and Nancy were just scared parents, trying their best to keep their daughter safe, just as Philip and Dianne would have done if Isabel had been in that vault, it had seemed to calm Max’s parents somewhat. Both remembered the briefing from the Sheriff about what had been happening in the vault, when Max somehow was able to stop it. The thought of that having been Isabel in there gave them pause, if only for a minute.
Then Dianne Evans looked through the window out in to the dining area and said, “Max…?” Five pairs of eyes watched as Max Evans walked through the door of the Crashdown and set down in the nearest empty booth.
“He shouldn’t be here,” shouted Lucy. "He’s here stalking the girl, trying to intimidate her.”
Philip Evans knew it had been unwise for his son to come to the Crashdown, unwise for him to do anything that might lead to further accusations, but he still felt guilty for not having defended his son to begin with, and still felt angry enough to want to fight this argument.
“There was nothing in the agreement that said Max couldn’t go to a public place, as long as he didn’t try to contact her. He can buy a hamburger if he wants one, damn it! If he isn’t welcome here, tell him, and he’ll leave, but as long as you are open to the public he has every right to come in here.”
And Jeff Parker knew that Philip Evans was right. He’d already backed off on objecting to the two kids being in the same classes. This was just the kind of situation that the meeting was called to set up. Baby-steps, building trust, closely supervised contacts where the two could eventually be together, but there would be safeguards.
There were other people present here tonight, Hell, there were all four parents present. There was no reason the boy couldn’t be here, maybe he and Nancy could start to understand just what was going on between the two, how they had both formed this…bond that seemed so strong.
Then Jose, the short order cook, entered the birthday room. The people in the room suddenly quieted at the entrance of the newcomer. Jose looked toward Jeff Parker and said, “Mr. Parker, I just wanted to tell you that boy you warned me about is here, so I called the police like you said.” Jeff looked quickly at the Evans’s and saw looking back at him twin masks of hate.
The memory came crashing down around Jeff Parker. He remembered telling Jose to do that. It had been even before he’d talked to Philip Evans about the restrictions, back when they were planning on a restraining order.
But when he’d told Jose to do that if Max Evans had showed up, it had been an unknown Max Evans he’d described, a strange boy who’d somehow beaten two grown men to death and scared the wits out of Lizzy. A boy who Lucy had said was dark, terrible, a monster.
It was a different Max Evans sitting out in that booth today. A Max Evans that had “always been there” for his daughter, a Max Evans who had fought for her, and yes, even killed for her, who’d put his own life on the line to protect her. A Max Evans that his daughter cared so much for that she would defy her parents, would likely run off, if they didn’t find a way out of this.
Jeff Parker would have given anything just then if he could have gone back 10 minutes and told Jose to just give the kid whatever he wanted for dinner, and let him be. Anything at all.
Jeff Parker was doing his best, trying to calm an angry Philip Evans, trying to rein in an irate and suddenly frightened Lucy Frederickson who was very defensive, citing public safety, citing necessity for taking liberties with privileged records.
It was apparent that both Philip and Diane Evans were proud of their children, and had been both hurt and angered by Lucy’s comments. But when Jeff had mentioned that he and Nancy were just scared parents, trying their best to keep their daughter safe, just as Philip and Dianne would have done if Isabel had been in that vault, it had seemed to calm Max’s parents somewhat. Both remembered the briefing from the Sheriff about what had been happening in the vault, when Max somehow was able to stop it. The thought of that having been Isabel in there gave them pause, if only for a minute.
Then Dianne Evans looked through the window out in to the dining area and said, “Max…?” Five pairs of eyes watched as Max Evans walked through the door of the Crashdown and set down in the nearest empty booth.
“He shouldn’t be here,” shouted Lucy. "He’s here stalking the girl, trying to intimidate her.”
Philip Evans knew it had been unwise for his son to come to the Crashdown, unwise for him to do anything that might lead to further accusations, but he still felt guilty for not having defended his son to begin with, and still felt angry enough to want to fight this argument.
“There was nothing in the agreement that said Max couldn’t go to a public place, as long as he didn’t try to contact her. He can buy a hamburger if he wants one, damn it! If he isn’t welcome here, tell him, and he’ll leave, but as long as you are open to the public he has every right to come in here.”
And Jeff Parker knew that Philip Evans was right. He’d already backed off on objecting to the two kids being in the same classes. This was just the kind of situation that the meeting was called to set up. Baby-steps, building trust, closely supervised contacts where the two could eventually be together, but there would be safeguards.
There were other people present here tonight, Hell, there were all four parents present. There was no reason the boy couldn’t be here, maybe he and Nancy could start to understand just what was going on between the two, how they had both formed this…bond that seemed so strong.
Then Jose, the short order cook, entered the birthday room. The people in the room suddenly quieted at the entrance of the newcomer. Jose looked toward Jeff Parker and said, “Mr. Parker, I just wanted to tell you that boy you warned me about is here, so I called the police like you said.” Jeff looked quickly at the Evans’s and saw looking back at him twin masks of hate.
The memory came crashing down around Jeff Parker. He remembered telling Jose to do that. It had been even before he’d talked to Philip Evans about the restrictions, back when they were planning on a restraining order.
But when he’d told Jose to do that if Max Evans had showed up, it had been an unknown Max Evans he’d described, a strange boy who’d somehow beaten two grown men to death and scared the wits out of Lizzy. A boy who Lucy had said was dark, terrible, a monster.
It was a different Max Evans sitting out in that booth today. A Max Evans that had “always been there” for his daughter, a Max Evans who had fought for her, and yes, even killed for her, who’d put his own life on the line to protect her. A Max Evans that his daughter cared so much for that she would defy her parents, would likely run off, if they didn’t find a way out of this.
Jeff Parker would have given anything just then if he could have gone back 10 minutes and told Jose to just give the kid whatever he wanted for dinner, and let him be. Anything at all.
Last edited by greywolf on Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sunday 8:24 PM, The Toggery, downtown Roswell.
The dress looked good in the dressing room mirror she thought, as Isabel examined herself. ‘Not quite the right color though, ….. Better,’ she thought as she touched it and the color lightened a couple of shades. ‘There, just right,’ as it lightened one more shade. And the price was pretty reasonable too.
As her phone went off, she opened it and lifted it to her ear. “Oh, hi Mom, what’s up? He’s where? Good Lord, I’ll come try to get him out, or at least sit there with him and try to keep them apart….”
Returning the dress to its original color, she dressed herself in her own clothes and left, putting the dress back on the rack on her way out the door. Jumping into the jeep, she drove down the street, phoning Michael on the way.
8:25 PM Crashdown Café Birthday room.
Nancy Parker watched through the birthday room window glass as her daughter walked from the area in front of the grill toward the dark-haired teenager. Her eyes searched the face of her daughter, but if there was any fear she could not see it. A soft smile was on her daughter’s lips as she stopped at the booth and quietly handed the young man a menu before placing a bottle beside the ketchup and salt and pepper shakers at his booth.
Large brown eyes looked up at her daughter, but if there was any threat in that gaze, it too was well hidden. She saw an urgent longing in the boy’s eyes that made her at first uneasy and she looked to see her daughters reaction, only to be amazed to see the longing mirrored in Lizzy’s face as well.
If that boy held any terror for Lizzy, the memories were well repressed indeed. But Dianne’s own memory returned to her of the screams she had heard from her daughter’s nightmare, the pleading Liz had made for the boy to stop, and her cry of sorrow and pain that had filled the Crashdown that night. What did it mean? Lucy was so sure it meant one thing, Lizzy and Maria were both so sure that this boy would not, could not ever harm Lizzy. Nancy just didn’t know. But her eyes could not leave the two, watching in detail the interplay between them.
Nancy watched as Lizzy took back the menu, watching her hand slip down briefly to touch the boy’s hand as she took it, lingering there for a second in a gentle caress that left Nancy certain what Lizzy believed.
She trusted the boy, trusted him completely.
But Lizzy was a child still, and it was up to her parents to protect her from harm. Nancy hoped that she and Jeff had the wisdom to do that but it had already been a long night, and little wisdom had emerged from the meeting thus far.
Nancy watched her daughter write out the order and hand it to Jose. Funny, she thought. She hadn’t seen the boy give her his choice from the menu, hadn’t even seen Lizzy ask him before she took away the menu. Did she really know this boy’s tastes that well? How had the two gotten this close? And what really happened in that vault?
So many questions, so few answers, so little agreement. And how patient would the two teenagers be with their parents who were groping to find a plan?
The dress looked good in the dressing room mirror she thought, as Isabel examined herself. ‘Not quite the right color though, ….. Better,’ she thought as she touched it and the color lightened a couple of shades. ‘There, just right,’ as it lightened one more shade. And the price was pretty reasonable too.
As her phone went off, she opened it and lifted it to her ear. “Oh, hi Mom, what’s up? He’s where? Good Lord, I’ll come try to get him out, or at least sit there with him and try to keep them apart….”
Returning the dress to its original color, she dressed herself in her own clothes and left, putting the dress back on the rack on her way out the door. Jumping into the jeep, she drove down the street, phoning Michael on the way.
8:25 PM Crashdown Café Birthday room.
Nancy Parker watched through the birthday room window glass as her daughter walked from the area in front of the grill toward the dark-haired teenager. Her eyes searched the face of her daughter, but if there was any fear she could not see it. A soft smile was on her daughter’s lips as she stopped at the booth and quietly handed the young man a menu before placing a bottle beside the ketchup and salt and pepper shakers at his booth.
Large brown eyes looked up at her daughter, but if there was any threat in that gaze, it too was well hidden. She saw an urgent longing in the boy’s eyes that made her at first uneasy and she looked to see her daughters reaction, only to be amazed to see the longing mirrored in Lizzy’s face as well.
If that boy held any terror for Lizzy, the memories were well repressed indeed. But Dianne’s own memory returned to her of the screams she had heard from her daughter’s nightmare, the pleading Liz had made for the boy to stop, and her cry of sorrow and pain that had filled the Crashdown that night. What did it mean? Lucy was so sure it meant one thing, Lizzy and Maria were both so sure that this boy would not, could not ever harm Lizzy. Nancy just didn’t know. But her eyes could not leave the two, watching in detail the interplay between them.
Nancy watched as Lizzy took back the menu, watching her hand slip down briefly to touch the boy’s hand as she took it, lingering there for a second in a gentle caress that left Nancy certain what Lizzy believed.
She trusted the boy, trusted him completely.
But Lizzy was a child still, and it was up to her parents to protect her from harm. Nancy hoped that she and Jeff had the wisdom to do that but it had already been a long night, and little wisdom had emerged from the meeting thus far.
Nancy watched her daughter write out the order and hand it to Jose. Funny, she thought. She hadn’t seen the boy give her his choice from the menu, hadn’t even seen Lizzy ask him before she took away the menu. Did she really know this boy’s tastes that well? How had the two gotten this close? And what really happened in that vault?
So many questions, so few answers, so little agreement. And how patient would the two teenagers be with their parents who were groping to find a plan?
8:30 PM Crashdown Café dining area.
Fifty feet away from her, the connection was as strong as if they’d been touching.
*I’m so sorry, Max* came her thoughts through the connection.
*It’s not your fault Liz* *It’s mine* *It’s because of what I am*
*What you are is the one I love, Max* *What you are is why I’m alive today* *You can’t blame yourself for this* *Max, it doesn’t matter really. We can start over somewhere else*
*No Liz, I’ll leave. Things will calm down. Isabel and Michael will be safe. People will stop looking at me, suspecting me. You should be with your folks. They love you*
*I can’t be with them Max, not if you aren’t here. If I go with you maybe someday we can come back, maybe someday I’ll forgive them for what they’ve done to you. If I stay here without you, knowing what they’ve done, I’ll come to hate them. Then I’ll never forgive them, not ever. I need to leave too, with you or without you*
Max felt her feelings through the connection, as her words came to him. It was hopeless to argue with her when he felt her feelings this strongly, it was like trying to argue with himself. He knew that if she left, he’d be there for her. And so did she.
As Isabel and Michael entered the Crashdown they immediately saw Max, sitting alone in the booth. Motioning Michael to sit across from Max in the booth, she sat beside him, trapping him in the booth. “What are you doing, Max? This is insane!” she whispered in his ear.
Max didn’t react at all, and she saw his eyes looking at the girl across the room. “Max, you’ve got to leave, before there is more trouble. You’ve got to leave right now.”
Isabel and Michael looked at Max. It was like he was ignoring them, his eyes only on the girl, his thoughts a million miles away. Isabel put her hand on his forearm and willed the connection to form. *Max, we need to talk….*
Isabel’s eyes opened wide as she heard in her mind the voice of Liz Parker, *Sorry Isabel, this is private right now* Isabel found herself pushed gently but very firmly out of the connection. Her mouth opened wide and she looked at her brother. Liz Parker was standing on the other side of the room. They were connected! ‘How were they doing that?’ And it had been Liz who had pushed her away. Not her brother, but Liz Parker…..
Fifty feet away from her, the connection was as strong as if they’d been touching.
*I’m so sorry, Max* came her thoughts through the connection.
*It’s not your fault Liz* *It’s mine* *It’s because of what I am*
*What you are is the one I love, Max* *What you are is why I’m alive today* *You can’t blame yourself for this* *Max, it doesn’t matter really. We can start over somewhere else*
*No Liz, I’ll leave. Things will calm down. Isabel and Michael will be safe. People will stop looking at me, suspecting me. You should be with your folks. They love you*
*I can’t be with them Max, not if you aren’t here. If I go with you maybe someday we can come back, maybe someday I’ll forgive them for what they’ve done to you. If I stay here without you, knowing what they’ve done, I’ll come to hate them. Then I’ll never forgive them, not ever. I need to leave too, with you or without you*
Max felt her feelings through the connection, as her words came to him. It was hopeless to argue with her when he felt her feelings this strongly, it was like trying to argue with himself. He knew that if she left, he’d be there for her. And so did she.
As Isabel and Michael entered the Crashdown they immediately saw Max, sitting alone in the booth. Motioning Michael to sit across from Max in the booth, she sat beside him, trapping him in the booth. “What are you doing, Max? This is insane!” she whispered in his ear.
Max didn’t react at all, and she saw his eyes looking at the girl across the room. “Max, you’ve got to leave, before there is more trouble. You’ve got to leave right now.”
Isabel and Michael looked at Max. It was like he was ignoring them, his eyes only on the girl, his thoughts a million miles away. Isabel put her hand on his forearm and willed the connection to form. *Max, we need to talk….*
Isabel’s eyes opened wide as she heard in her mind the voice of Liz Parker, *Sorry Isabel, this is private right now* Isabel found herself pushed gently but very firmly out of the connection. Her mouth opened wide and she looked at her brother. Liz Parker was standing on the other side of the room. They were connected! ‘How were they doing that?’ And it had been Liz who had pushed her away. Not her brother, but Liz Parker…..