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Zan will tell Max but will it help? Remember that Liz is a very proud young lady with a strong mind of her own.
CHAPTER 18
Liz eyes opened wide and one protective hand went down to her stomach and the other up over her mouth as she ran past everyone to the toilet. They could all hear her throw up and then her cries.
“Was it something I said” asks Max and looks at the others. They all shrugs their shoulders. No one knew what they should say. Liz didn't want him to know anything. It had taken them almost two months to persuade her to tell Zan.
“Maybe I should” said Kyle. The others nod their heads and Kyle walked to the door. “Lizzie. It's Kyle, can you manage to open the door?”
The only thing that was heard was her sobbing “Alex can you help me” asks Kyle. Michael knows what he needs help with and says to the others “Lets go out back and leave them alone for a while”
Alex waits until they leave and then walks over to Kyle. He holds his hand in front of the lock and they can her a click. “Thanks man” says Kyle and sneaks in to Liz. He sees her hanging over the toilet crying. “Oh Lizzie” he takes a washcloth and wipes her face but the tears are still coming down. Then he cradles her in his arms and talks soft nonsense words in her ear. After a while when she is calming down he can hear her “Why did he have to come?”
“I don't know. I don't think anybody knew that he would be here. Do you think you can make it?”
“Don't know. Maybe. If I try to stay away from him. But I can't do that, can I?”
“No, you can't. That would look really suspicious and since you wont tell him anything it's a no no. Sorry”
“Thought so”
“Should we get out of here? I must say that I have never spent so many times on the bathroom floor as when I'm with you” he jokes.
Liz giggles “I know what you mean. It feels like I spend more time in here then out with Granma. That is the only part I hate about being pregnant. How I feel.”
“You know what to do to make it better” says Kyle
“No no no no no, not gonna happen” Liz shakes her head hard from side to side. “Oh, shit. Shouldn't done that” and then she leans over the toilet again. Kyle sighs, holds her hair and strokes his hand over her back.
“Come on” he says “I'll help you to your room so you can lie down for a nap. Your eyes are even more hollow then yesterday.”
“Thanks you truly knows how to make a girl feel good” Liz tries to smile.
**
“Okey, can someone tell me what just happened” asks Max
“I don't know what you're talking about” says Isabel.
“Are you kidding me” he looks at Zan “You of all must now what the hell is going on”
Zan looks away and says “Why should I know something?”
“Maybe because she is your girlfriend. Why the hell is Kyle in there with her and not you?” Max stars at the others and knows they are keeping things from him. But why would they do that?
“Michael. Do you know?” he asks his best friend.
At that moment Kyle walks out “Michael. Liz wants to talk to you. I got her to lie down for a bit” he says.
Max looks between Zan and Kyle and shakes his head. “If one of you want talk to me I'm going to ask Liz?”
“No, don't do that” says Kyle “She's not feeling well right now”
“That I could have figured out myself since we all heard her. But then maybe you could answer what the hell you were doing in there with her and not her boyfriend”
“What boyfriend” says Ava “Ooops, shouldn't have said that” She looks at Isabel and takes her hand and drags her away. “I didn't mean to say that. I promise. I thought Zan had told him.”
Isabel tries to calm her down “Ava, it's alright. And if Zan hasn't said anything it's really time to come clean. He can't lie to Max forever and he has told all the others he lied to so”
Max turns to Zan. “What did she mean? Last I heard you told me you and Liz were back together. Did you break up again or something?”
Zan looks at Kyle and Alex for some help. “Umm... Kyle can you help me in the kitchen. Granma wanted me to...” says Alex
“Sure, come on, lets go” says Kyle and hurries away from the brothers.
“Oh.. umm...” says Zan
“Very informative” says Max statistically “Could you try a sentence now?”
“Fuck” yells Zan “This isn't easy and your just making it harder.”
“What am I doing? I came here with Michael because I heard from mom that you all would be here. I didn't even know that Liz lived here now. I found that out in the car over here. And now you all have some secret from me. Please just tell me what the hell is going on”
Zan turns away and slumps down on a chair. “Maybe you should sit down” Max does as he's told “Do you remember when Liz turned 14? When you came up to us at lunch?” Max nods “Well, that was the first time I noticed how you looked at her”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don't deny it. I noticed an interest in your eyes. It was almost like your eyes “sparkled” when you looked at her and then you kissed her cheek. You had never done that before. That was the confirmation I needed.”
“Confirmation to what?”
“That you wanted the same girl as me”
“But... she was 14... I was 18...”
“That won't change a thing. You still wanted her. Then at the party I saw how you were almost more protective than Michael when she danced. I don't know how the guys dared to dance with her when your eyes were burning holes in their heads.” Max looked down “That was the time I knew I had to make my move and I kissed her”
“I know, we all saw that”
“And after that I more or less talked her into going on dates with me. It was always as casual as she said and all that happened was some kisses. But I wanted more. And most of all I wanted to keep her from you. Did you know that I was almost happy when you left for UNM? That meant that I had Liz for myself”
“I'm sorry Zan. I didn't know...”
“How could you know when I myself didn't even know why I did what I did. Or maybe I do, now at least. You see it was never easy to be your little brother. You are this person that is nice to everybody, helpful etc and I have always been compared to you, every time I did something that mom and dad didn't like I heard things about how you never did this and that. It made me jealous. See I can admit that now... “ he laughs. Liz and the others helped me with that.
“But what has all this to do with Liz and what is happening?”
“I'm coming to that. I want you to understand. If I just blurt out what I have done you will hate me... Maybe you still will but at least I can tell you my reasons first.”
“Zan, I can never hate you” says Max
“You're saying that now but wait. I'm not done...” he takes a deep breath “As I said I was kind of happy when you left because now I had Liz to myself, or I thought so. Then summer came and there you were again. But now the look in your eyes were even more intense. I don't know how I was the only one to see that, or at least I think I was, nobody has said anything about it. Anyhow. You came home and it seemed that every time I turned around there you were. I started to long for school to start so you would leave again. I was so afraid that you would take Liz away from me... Listen to me... I talk about her like she is some kind of possession. And then came the day when she wanted to talk to me. The day she told me that we couldn't go out any more. I didn't want to hear what she said and kept away from her. I thought that if I wasn't there she would miss me. She has told me several times that she did miss me – but she only missed me as her friend, nothing more.”
“She told me about that the night of the pool party. She was so sad that she had lost your friendship. At least she thought she had” says Max
“For a long time she did. I was so angry that I did something really stupid. But she has forgiven me now or at least partly forgiven me. I guess we have a long way to go back totally but I will fight for her friendship. I know now that it's the only thing she can offer me.”
“What did you do Zan?”
“To tell you I have to tell you the reason and here is the hardest part to talk about... You see, that evening I was walking home from another party and I walked through the park...” Zan hears Max inhale sharply and looks over to him “Yeah... I saw you. First it was only you putting on your shirt as you came out from the bushes but then I saw Liz.”
“Oh, shit” whispers Max
“And even if I didn't see more I just knew that you had slept with each others. I followed you home, watched you kiss her and hold hands. I was furious and right then and there I decided that if I couldn't have her neither would you” Max snaps his head up “I overheard you all talking about them leaving the other day and it was too easy... The next day I told you that we were back again and you believed me”
“You lied?” hisses Max “Are you telling me that you lied to me?” now he is yelling
Zan slumps down even further “Yes, and not only to you. I told the same story to others back home and even worse. I told them that we had done everything but the sleeping part. Kyle found out, cursed me out and told Liz... When she moved I didn't know. She was just gone one day and everyone but me knew where she was and why she left”
“I didn't know either... Oh I was so cruel to her on the phone. I even lied about a date” Max puts his head in his hands. “Do you have any idea what you have done?” he asks.
“Yes. I do that know and I'm trying to fix it. You were the last person to tell. I'm sorry for messing with your life. I hope you can understand why I did this and don't hate me” Zan stands up “I'm gonna go see what the others are up to” and leaves.
Max look out over the backyard deep in thoughts. How could my own brother do this to me? Have I been such a lousy brother? Fuck! What have I done? I should have listened to her but I was too hurt by Zan's words. I have to talk to her. He walks in and sees Michael.
“Hey. How is she? Do you think I can talk to her?”
“Max. Not now, okey. She is resting. Lets go grab something to drink.” says Michael and walks to the kitchen. He opens the fridge and takes a deep breath. Here goes he thinks. “Granma has Apple-Snapple. Want one?
“Sure, no Cherry Cola? I thought she always had that” says Max with a smile
“Well, not at the moment.” says Michael. He can hear the others whisper out in the living room.
“She wants us to tell him?” asks Isabel
“Yeah, but not everything. We can't say a word about soul mates and stuff. Just let Michael do the talking. We are the support group” smiles Kyle
“Okey, I hope he won't be mad at us for knowing and not telling him” says Isabel
They walk in the kitchen and sits down round the table. After some smalltalk Michael clears his throat and says “Max, there is something I want to tell you. A very important thing but before I do that you have to promise me to not tell another living soul. Can you do that?”
Max laughs “What is this. Confess-to-Max-day or what?”
“Please, just promise and listen” says Isabel
Max looks at her and then on the others one by one “You all know, don't you? You all know what this is about? Am I the only one who doesn't know?”
“Yes. At first I didn't want to tell anyone and then by a mistake Maria found out and then Kyle and Zan”
Max stars at Zan “How long have you known about this whatever this is?”
“About two years now, a little more and no. I haven't told anyone. It has always been theirs decision”
“Max, can you promise me that?” asks Michael again
“Okey, sure I promise” grumble Max
“Fine. What I have to say isn't only about me. It involves Alex and Liz too and...” Michael tells the whole story once again but without mentioning the soul mate. He told about the prophecy, that Liz was their queen but nothing else. Liz didn't let him do that.
Max looked around the table to all the serious faces “Aliens? Hybrids? Are this some kind of joke and you all are in on it?”
“No joke” says Granma Claudia. She puts her bags on the table. “Make yourself useful and put away the groceries while I talk to Max” She sits down at the table and looks Max straight in his eyes “Why would we be joking about something like this? Before you answer, remember that you are in a community where almost everyone is either an alien or a hybrid”
“I don't know what to say” he shakes his head “So you are telling me that it's true? Even the bit about Liz being your queen.”
Claudia nods her head “Yes, she will be crowned when she turns 18”
Max leans back on the chair and look at the others that are working in the kitchen. “And you all knew?” They all nod their heads. He turns to his sisters “And when did you find out?”
Isabel and Ava look at each other “The night before Liz left” says Ava “We were all having a sleepover at her house and she was really sick and Alex slipped when he talked to Maria and Kyle.” Isabel continued “They agreed to tell us and I for one is glad they did. Now Alex won't have to think about what he says or do all the time around us” she looks over to Alex and smiles.
“I can't believe it. Why didn't you tell me Michael? We have been best friends since we were 14”
“I was afraid. You should have seen Maria’s reaction when she heard. Liz had a total breakdown when Maria ran out in the street screaming like a foghorn”
“Hey! I didn't scream like that” says Maria
“Maria” says Alex. “It was pure luck we don't live near the cemetery. You could have woken up the dead with that scream”
Everyone laughs at the sight of Maria doing just that. If someone could it would be her, they all new it.
“What's so funny” asks Liz “Could someone please give me some toast and tea?”
“Sure, I'll fix it” says Kyle and turns the kettle on.
Max looks at her. This is the first time since he left Roswell that he can truly see her. Earlier she ran away so fast. He studies her and sees all the changes she's going through. She has lost some weight, he thinks, and she has dark circles around her eyes. She looks really sick. “Lizzie. What's wrong with you” he asks
“Oh... I'm just not feeling really good right now” she says and sits down to hide her stomach. She has one of Michaels old t-shirts on and it's not too revealing.
“I'm not buying that. Come on. What is it? Are you sick?” he looks at the others that are watching them.
“Here Liz” says Kyle and puts a cup and a toast in front of her. “We have decided to go rent a movie. Anything you want to see?”
“Nothing sci-fi, no horror, certainly no romance... funny... yeah I feel like laughing tonight” says Liz
“Funny it is” says Kyle and leave them alone
“Can you answer me now? Are you sick?” asks Max again
“No Max. At least nothing that will last. This will pass in a couple of months. I just have to bear until then.”
“A couple of months? Are you getting some kind of treatment?”
“Nothing like that... You see... I'm pregnant” whispers Liz
“What?” shouts Max and stands up so fast that the chair is falling over behind him
“Sit down and relax Max. It's nothing more then a baby”
“When? How? Who? Why? Max stutters
“When – mars sometime. How – I think you know about the birds and the bees. Who – for me to know. Why – accident, nothing I planned” says Liz and ticks off his questions. But she thinks, he didn't even ask if it is his.
Max is doing some fast calculation in his head – mars and then 9 months back... June. That doesn't add up. “Liz, please be honest with me. When we were together was you a virgin?”
Liz nods her head “Yes, you were my first” and only she continues in her thoughts.
“But that's wrong. If you were a virgin then how can you..?
“Hybrids have shorter pregnancies then regular humans. About 6 months” she lies
“Oh” is all Max can say
“Liz” shouts Granma. “Can you come hear for a minute?”
“Coming. I'll be right back” she says to Max
“Liz. Why did you lie?” asks Granma
“I want to know that he will be with me for me and not because of the baby. You know that. I need to know. Can't you see that?” says Liz
“What I can see is two people deeply in love with each other and not knowing what to do about it” says Granma “But it's your move. I can't tell you what to do but I can tell you that I think you're wrong”
“You have said that” says Liz and goes back to Liz
“Is it Kyles” asks Max when Liz sits down again.
She's twitching of the chock. “Kyles?” she asks “Why do you think that? Or more so HOW could you think that?
“Well, he's the only one who helped you when you were sick and I figured that it's something a father-to-be should be doing”
Liz looks down at the table to hide the tears in her eyes “No, it's not Kyle. He has only been there for me from the beginning when I have been sick and he's not as hysterical as Maria. I'm a bit tired. I think I'm gonna go lie down for a bit” she hurries out of the kitchen before he sees the tears. In her bedroom she throws herself on the bed and buries her head in the pillow and cries.
Max sits stunned at the kitchen table. She is having a baby with someone else. She's gonna be a queen. She doesn't feel the same as me. I love her with all my heart. She's all I can think about. I wake up in the middle of the night with this anxious feeling inside. What should I do? I could do like Zan... if I friendship is all she can offer I'll take whatever she can give me. Max goes out to Granma Claudia
“If the others come back before me could you tell them I went for a walk?”
“Sure. Is Liz going with you?”
Max looks away with tears in his eyes “No, she's resting” and he turns and leaves out back. Claudia can see him walk towards the woods. He's looking totally defeated she thinks. I sure hope that they will work things out.
**