The next morning Liz walked into the kitchen looking for some coffee, and found Kyle and Jim talking in the kitchen. Kyle had a spare room at his place and offered it to Jim and Amy when neither were that anxious to go back to their motel, so they had jumped at the opportunity to room at Kyle’s, and now it was morning and new day. “Good morning, are the kids up yet?”
“Nope,” Kyle said. “They seem to be sleeping in,” he said as got up to get Liz some coffee from pot brewing. “How did you sleep?”
“It could have been better,” Liz admitted as she didn’t dwell on the dreams she had, and how all of them were of Max or her apprehension over keeping the kids away from their father, which was growing with each day.
“It will be okay,” Kyle observed as he saw the emotional hell his friend was going through as he exchanged a glance with his father, who only shook his head. “Maria isn’t up either and I believe Michael had a shift.”
“Let’s hope, where is Amy?” Liz asked Jim as she looked in the fridge for something for breakfast. “Should I make something bigger.”
“Amy is still asleep,” Jim said as he marveled at how much life had change in a span of a few hours. “You don’t have to do anything big because I am supposed to be at the police department around 10.”
“Oh, right?” Liz said, as if she needed a reminder that Tess was dead. “Jim can I ask you a question,” as she took the mug of coffee to the table.
“Sure,” Jim asked as he suspected what she wanted to discuss.
“How are my parents?” Liz asked. “Do they hate me for leaving them?”
“They could never hate you Liz,” Jim smiled. “They love you and they miss you, but they love you and are constantly thinking of you and wishing that they can know you today. But they don’t think badly about you.”
“Really?” Liz asked.
“Yes, they understand why you left” Jim sighed. “As much as Amy and I wished we saw Kyle and Maria, we understood, and so do your parents, and as well as the Evans.”
“But you knew why we had to leave. You could tell Amy. My parents, and Max’s parent really didn’t know. Okay Phillip and Diane did but they only knew a small portion. My parents didn’t know anything about what I was dealing with.”
“They know,” Jim said. “They can still understand.”
“Do they?” Liz asked.
“Yes,” Jim said carefully. “Liz, they found your journal.”
“What!” Liz asked, confused.
“Liz, your father one day not long as you left town was looking through your room for clues as to where you might have headed off to, and he saw a loose brick and found your diary.”
“Oh my god,” Liz jaw-dropped. “I forgot about my diary. I didn’t really write in it much the last year, once Alex died. I did plan to take it, but then I forgot about it.”
“Yeah,” Jim nodded. “Your parents were horrified to know all you went through and weren’t able to go to them, and as they read it through with some input from me, and Amy, they realized what we all knew and what it all meant.”
“Oh god,” Liz said and even Kyle was thunderstruck at the idea that the Parkers would be forced to go through it all alone. At least he had his father, and the group as he came to terms after his summer at camp. Liz’s parents wouldn’t have…
“Yeah,” Jim nodded. “We sorta began a group of parents, and tried talking… The Evans tried at the beginning, but they eventually stayed away for their only sanity and tried moving past it, but still we got together occasionally. And then the last few days when I heard about Tess. We all got together, and tried to piece together the clues, and then the Evans heard about what Max did.”
“What did Max do?” Liz asked quietly as Kyle sat quietly.
“He reactivated his Roswell bank account,” Jim said carefully as he looked at Kyle who nodded. “Apparently a real estate agency in New York transferred a large amount of money to it a few days ago.”
“What does that mean,” Liz asked as she looked squarely at Kyle. “You’ve been talking to Isabel. What’s going on Kyle?”
“It’s not my business,” Kyle tried.
“Kyle,” Liz said.
“Just that they are on the move,” Kyle said as he tried to soft pedal the truth.
Liz could only shake her head and got up, and left the kitchen to go see what was happening with her children, as it was unusual they would not be up yet, even on the weekend. Jim only looked at his son, and said what Kyle was thinking. “She’s close, you might as well tell her.”
“I know Dad,” Kyle said as she knew the moment was coming but prayed he didn’t have to tell her. “I am going to get dressed, do you want to come back to my place.”
“Sure,” Jim said as they got up and left via the back door.
****
Upstairs, Liz found Emma waking up and staggering to the bathroom. Parker’s door was still closed, and so she concentrated on her daughter first. “Hey sleepyhead.”
“Mom,” Emma wondered. “Is it true that Michelle and Amelia’s grandmother is here.”
“Yes, it was a surprise visit.” Liz smiled at her daughter. “When Parker wakes up, and you’re both presentable, you can meet them.”
“How come they got their grandmother to come and visit, and we don’t?” Emma asked, and broke Liz’s heart.
“Honey,” Liz sighed.
“I know I know Mom, it’s complicated. But you came from somewhere too, right. Why don’t we have grandparents?”
“You do honey,” Liz said quietly. “Two sets, and they would love you if they knew you but unfortunately it’s complex.”
“Why don’t they,” Emma asked. “I don’t get it”
“They will, one day.” Liz said quietly. “Now get dressed and meet me downstairs okay. Is your brother awake, yet?”
“Nope,” Emma said.
“Okay,” Liz said as she made her way to her bedroom, and she saw Maria coming from her end of the house. “Hey!”
“Hey yourself,” Maria said. “How was your night?”
“Sleepless mostly,” Liz said honestly. “I am happy for you Maria, I know you have missed your mother.”
“I did, and it’s pretty unbelievable and yet I missed so much of her life, just like she missed so much of mine. We missed each other’s weddings. She gets to meet Michelle and Amelia now, but she missed their births, and first years.”
“I am sorry.” Liz said.
“You know I am sorry too Liz,” Maria said with a sad smile. “I know how much you miss your own parents and would have wanted this moment.”
“I do,” Liz admitted. “Jim says that my parents don’t blame me. They miss me, but don’t blame me and even found my diary!”
“Whoa, they did?” Maria asked as she quickly remembered the diary. “Right I remember now that you commented that you forgot to bring it with you.”
“I figured it would be safe,” Liz said. “I never imagined that it would help my parents understand those three years.”
“Those years were very much a doozy,” Maria flashed back to those years. “I am not sure how we got through them to be honest.”
“They definitely were memorable,” Liz allowed with a small sigh. “And not everyone did get through them,” she said softly.
“Again Liz, I am sorry. I hate this for you because as much it brings joy to my life. I know it only brings pain for you.” Maria frowned. “God, I need coffee, I’ll see you downstairs petunia.”
Liz sighed yet nodded, and walked into her bedroom while Maria only shook her head and walked downstairs, and went looking for some coffee as she saw Michael come into the house from driveway, “What’s up.”
“Oh, nothing,” Michael said. “I had to work the early shift, as a fill in for a few hours, so I am just getting home so is everyone up yet?”
“Space boy, you look tired, do you still want to go with Jim to the station?” Maria asked.
“I have to Maria, I have to know she’s dead.”
“That haunting she gave Liz was a giveaway on that front,” Maria asked. “Evan seems to also think that his mother is gone.”
“Given our history, we have to know” Michael gritted. “She’s fooled us before….”
“I know,” Maria sighed. “You know this really does seem like all of this is colliding into something unexpected.”
“God if I know,” Michael muttered. “I am getting changed, and then I’ll make something for breakfast.”
“Relax, I will manage something” Maria smiled as she watched Michael head off… “God, why did this become a mess” as she muttered as she feared the reaction that Liz would have if Max really does show up, and while she didn’t want that pain for her friend and had been giving Max a tough time, she also knew Max was Liz’s soulmate and eventually they would have to cross paths, and make peace and maybe eventually happiness, one way or another would prevail. “Why does it have to hurt so much.”
“What hurts?” Amy asked as she walked into the kitchen. “Good morning sweetheart,” she smiled, and Maria felt at least god was giving one back to her as she actually had he mother back in her life. “Life.”
“Why?” Amy asked.
“Being an adult is no easier than it was to be a teenager. I thought the pain would be less,” she muttered.
“No, it only comes in a different package and it has a lot more consequences that can make you pay for a long time.”
“Then life sucks,” Maria sighed.
“Why?” Amy asked.
“Because I fear Liz is going to get hurt,” Maria muttered as she knew she had to tell her mother the truth of what was likely to happen that day. “Max is coming back!”
“He is?” Amy asked, stunned. “When.”
“The earliest, today!” Maria admitted. “She doesn’t know, and I fear her reaction or how she’s going to handle it.”
“Tell her honey,” Amy asked. “Liz deserves to know.”
“I know, and you’re right” Maria said as a barrage of children came rushing into the room and allow the conversation to be diverted. “Hey, morning everyone” she asked the kids stopped by the table.
“Aunt Maria,” Emma asked as she looked at her aunt, and then the stranger in the room. “Is this your Mom?”
“Yes, it is Emma,” Maria smiled as Amy saw the implications of Max coming to town as she had met her grandchildren the night before. “Mom, this is Emma and Parker. Liz’s daughter and son as they were asleep when you arrived last night, and before you ask, you know their father.”
“I do,” Amy asked.
“Yes, you do,” Maria muttered softly without having to say the actual name. “Emma and Parker, this is my mother. Amy Deluca Valenti.”
“Really?” Parker asked.
“Yes, I am,” Amy said as she could plainly see how the twins were miniatures of their parents. Emma was very much like Liz, and Parker had more of the essence of Max. “I knew your mom when she was your age. And she was always having fun and finding things to do with Maria, and I am thrilled to be able meet you.”
“So, you know our father too?” Emma said stepping on Maria’s quest to soft pedal Max’s name around the children. “
“Um,” Amy said.
“You can answer that Amy,” Liz said as she came into the room and had overheard what her daughter was asking the newcomer to the house. “Yes, your father is known to Amy and her husband Jim.”
“Then why don’t we know him?” Parker asked.
“Frig,” Maria cursed instead saying what she really wanted to say. “Mom, why don’t I show you the house now the kids are up, and we can see everything in the daylight.”
“That sounds perfect,” Amy smiled as she knew a diversion when she saw one, and she and her daughter with Michelle and Amelia soon vanished from the kitchen while Emma turned on her mother, and was stubborn insistent. “Mom!”
“Emma,” Liz asked.
“It’s no fair,” Emma muttered.
“I know it’s not, and I wish we all could do it over again,
and I might have definitely made different choices.
“Can we,” Emma asked.
“Sorry sweetheart, that is not how life works. We just have to deal with the choices we make, and how to move on with the decisions we did make.”
“I know,” Emma sighed.
“One day, sweetheart, one day.”
“You keep saying that,” Emma pointed out. “I want to know who my father is, have him in my life.”
“I know you do,” Liz said. “I know both of you do…”
I feel like such a jerk.
“Mom,” Parker said as his smile reached right into his mother’s heart. “It’s alright, I know one day we’ll meet our father. It’s not your fault as you’re a great Mom.”
“Thanks honey,” Liz said as she reached into the fridge and got some orange juice out, “Hey” she smiled as Evan came into the kitchen. “Hungry?”
“Yes,” Evan said.
“Good,” Liz said as she needed a diversion and went about getting the fixings ready to make some breakfast for the kids as Michael came in and protested that he was planning on making breakfast. “Stop and relax, you worked a long shift, so I’ll make something for breakfast” she assured her friend. “Take it easy.”
“I guess,” Michael nodded, and Jim walked into the kitchen. “Mornin’ Jim.”
****
A little before 10 in the morning, Jim and Michael walked into the Austin police department and got referred to the crimes division, and they set out to see if it was truly Tess who was dead. “What are we going to do if it really is Tess?” Michael asked.
“You got me,” Jim shrugged as they walked into the Crimes division and they looked for Detective Victor Sanders and his office. “Detective Sanders?”
“Sheriff Valenti,” the detective asked as he looked up, and saw two men approaching his desk. “You’re here about the deceased we located a few days ago, Tess Harding?”
“Yes,” Jim said.
“And you are?” Detective Sanders asked.
“A family friend who has had personal interaction with the victim, and who wants to make sure she is truly dead.”
“She really burned a lot of bridges, didn’t she?” Sanders asked.
“You have no idea,” Jim said. “Can we ask do you know what was the cause of death.”
“It doesn’t look to be suspicious, and we didn’t put much investigation into it as it looks to be a simple drowning.”
“Drowning?” Michael asked. “The woman I knew didn’t seem the type to kill herself.”
“Maybe it was accidental?” Sanders asked.
“Still,” Michael shrugged. “Weird. Do you have any of her belongs we can look at before seeing victim?”
“Sure,” Sanders nodded. “Let me go get the bag.”
The men nodded, and the detective walked away, to retrieve the little evidence they were able to find on Tess’s body. “Tess doesn’t strike me as someone who would kill herself,” Jim asked.
“Nope,” Michael shook his head. “Not the Tess I knew.”
“She kills Max’s wife, deposits Evan with Liz and then turns up dead. Even if she was tired of being a mother after all these years. Still doesn’t register to me, why kill yourself.”
“All if it is odd if you know what I mean,” Michael admitted.
“Is Liz ready if Max does return?”
“Deep down no, mentally no, but a realization is setting in I think that she knows she’s on this road that is leading him in coming back. Now that the twins are getting older, she’s seeing what it means to raise them without their father. And even if they aren’t destined to get back together, he needs to know he had more children and the Max I knew would want to be involved in all of his kid’s lives.”
“Especially the twins. What’s going to happen to Evan?” Jim asked.
“Another name change, maybe?” Michael joked because the name “Evan” was truly bizarre factoring in his biological father’s last name. “I truly don’t know. His adoptive family are dead, and it’s going to be confusing to go through the system yet again.
“I admire Liz for taking him in,” Jim said as they saw Detective Sanders return. “She didn’t have to. She could have put him back into the system.”
“It’s the Max factor,” Michael murmured. “And we don’t know if his mother was telling the truth about you know his status.”
“Yeah,” Jim said as he knew the unspoken fears always hung on the group in regards to the powers that the newest generation might achieve one day. They were told that Evan had been normal, but one never knew as he grew up. “I appreciate this Detective.”
“Why don’t you have a look at it, and then we will head down to the morgue, and you can confirm the identity.”
Jim and Michael nodded as they went to a nearby corner, and looked through the envelope and found a small picture of Evan, and then her wallet. And then an envelope that was addressed to Max.
“Nothing else,” Michael asked.
“Nope,” Jim sighed as he opened the envelope and perused the letter and found no suicide note, or motive for dying. “It’s personal, so I guess we’ll wait to give it to Max.”
“I guess we better get this over with,” Michael groaned.
“Yeah,” Jim said.
*****
“Well, she’s dead,” Michael announced as they walked into the living room a hour later after spending time at the station. “She even turned into dust as we view, freaked the morgue attendant out of course, but she’s dead and not coming back.”
“How is that possible,” Liz asked as her eyes googled at the idea.
“Before we start, I should ask, where are the kids?” Michael asked as he looked around and sought out the miniature generation and none of them were to be seen. “I don’t want them to come in and get an ear full.”
“Mom took the girls to the Mall while Evan and Parker are playing videogames upstairs,” Maria said.
“Amy knew where a mall was?” Jim asked.
“Google maps,” Maria smiled. “You don’t have to worry Jim as she borrowed my car and there is GPS on it, and so she’s pretty safe if she knows how to deal with the technology.”
“Jim,” Liz asked as she got them back on the topic of hand. “She’s dead?”
“Yes,” Jim agreed. “She even turned into dust in front of us. Michael was correct about it, and how much it freaked out the morgue technician. Michael only touched her softly, and she turned into dust.”
“Really?” Maria asked.
“Yup,” Michael smiled as he reassured the group. “She’s not coming back. As if anyone is going to want her to come back, and she’s not.”
“How did she die?” Liz sighed as she knew of one person who would miss her, “Evan will miss her.”
“They think drowning,” Jim said. “While there was no suicide note, all evidence they were able to find was that she didn’t intend to live much longer. Why, we have no idea.
“She did have her own way of doing things,” Maria muttered. “She abandons her son, and then goes off and kills herself. That doesn’t seem like the Tess we all knew.”
“Well it’s eight years later, and we’re different than we were in high school.”
“So, she’s gone?” Liz asked.
“Yes,” Michael confirmed.
“Good riddance,” Maria smiled.
“Maria, I want you to be careful of that sentiment in front of Evan okay, as we don’t know much of their relationship, but she did mean something to him. And he misses her.”
“I will,” Maria said. “But we can party, can’t we?”
“We can,” Liz assured her friend as she breathed a sigh of relief that was at least some weight had been lifted off her. “Thank you, Jim, for taking care of this for us and to you Michael for making sure. I assume if she turned to dust, what does that mean for her ashes?”
“Well, I arranged for the ashes to be delivered back to Roswell. Since none of you will want them, right? And Evan is too young.”
“Yup,” Liz asked.
“What are you doing to do with them?” Maria asked warily.
“I haven’t gone there yet,” Jim sighed. “What do you think she would want done?”
“Maybe spread them out by the chamber, you know, where we all hatched. And where she tried to get off the planet?” Michael asked.
“That might be an idea,” Maria said. “We trust you Jim. And she did screw with your family as any of us,” as she looked at both Jim and Kyle could only nod and groan because at least one part of their history was gone, but still the memories would linger over what Tess was able to accomplish during her reign of terror.
“So, Tess is dead. What happens next?”
“I have no idea…” Liz admitted.
****
A few hours later they still had no idea where this was going to lead, as Amy and the girls were back with presents galore for all the kids, and Evan and Parker were playing with a new videogame Amy picked up. Emma was reading a book she had picked up at the mall. Michelle and Amelia were playing with the Barbie dolls.
“Any clue about you know,” Maria asked as she watched Kyle grade some papers. Liz had gone off to the grocery store to pick up some supplies for the big family dinner they were planning for that night. As Amy and Jim were planning on driving home to Roswell the next day, and Maria was determined to make a night of memories since none of them knew what the future held.
“Nope, I haven’t talked to her since yesterday. I assume anytime now.”
“I guess this is the only disaster waiting to happen now,” Maria commented as Evan came into the kitchen. “Hey Evan.”
“Is it true my Mom is dead. I heard Emma and Parker talking about how Mr. Valenti and Michael went to confirm it.”
Maria could see the emotion on the child’s face. “I am sorry Evan, it’s true. Yes, she did die. They don’t know why or how. But they are positive.”
“Thanks for telling me,” Evan said as he struggled with the emotion. The nine-year-old knew he had an unorthodox relationship with his birth mother, but she still was his mother and now she was gone, and he was alone in the world. “What happens to me now?”
“We don’t know,” Maria said quietly. “But until we know, you have a home here okay.”
“Okay,” Evan nodded and turned to leave before murmuring. “Mom always did say that she wanted to make up for what she did in the past before her time was up.”
“What do you mean?” Maria asked. “Evan, what did she mean?”
“I don’t know. She might have ranted about my father all the time, and go on long speeches about this and that, stuff I didn’t even know about, but she did say at times, that she was sorry about the past, and maybe I needed to be with my father, and Liz. Time was always ticking down, she would mutter at times, and that I was human while Liz was Max’s real mate and mother of the real heirs.”
“Weird,” Maria asked.
“Yeah,” Evan said. “Then she dropped me off here…”
“You’re safe,” Maria smiled. “You don’t have to worry about anything, okay?”
“Okay,” Evan nodded before leaving the kitchen.
“What was Tess up to?” Amy asked.
“I have no idea,” Maria said. “We knew Evan was human. Or Tess said he was human, it doesn’t make sense for the twins to be Max’s true heirs. Evan was the first born, and he’s still alive and didn’t die”
****
Liz meanwhile was pulling into the driveway after returning from picking up some groceries, and she didn’t notice the car stopped down the street, in the eyesight of the house that Liz and others called home. She was muttering to herself as she was concentrating on getting the first bags out of the car, and walking up, and entering the house.
“Are you going to say ‘Hello” came Isabel’s voice. Max only shook his head and continued to watch. They had arrived ten minutes before, and had been watching the house and getting the nerve up to go up when they noticed a car returning to the house, and Max’s breath was caught when he realized it was Liz.
‘Oh god’ he muttered to himself as he saw the first glimpse of the woman he loved in eight years.
“I don’t have the guts,” Max murmured, as he watched as Liz came out again, and this time Maria and a bunch of kids came rushing out of the house to help. “WHAT” Isabel and Max both said at the same time.
“Michael and Maria have two girls I am told,” Isabel muttered.
Maria and two girls went into the house, which only left Liz out by the car with two young children; both brunettes. “Oh my god,” Isabel whispered said out loud accidentally as she realized the implications of the two young children who didn’t fit the description Kyle had given her of her nephew.
“What!”
“Nothing,” Isabel said quickly but they both continued to stare, as Liz smiled and handed the young girl her purse to take into the house, and the last bag to the boy, and they walked into the house as a happy little family…
And it suddenly occurred to Max what he had just seen…
“No…”
“Max,” Isabel said carefully.
“Please don’t tell me…” he asked as his eyes opened as his brain was stricken with the possibilities as
flashes came to him… Of the first and last time he and Liz had been intimate prior to graduation, and the night everything changed for them.
“We might only have twelve days to live” he heard them talking as they kissed after becoming engaged, and leaning into kiss… And that moment had led to even greater moment in their lives…
“You have to go in,” Isabel said urging, and Max knew it was true. He had to know. He had to see for himself. He needed to speak to Liz.
He opened the door to get out…
****
Moments later, Liz was finishing putting the groceries away. When there was a knock on the door, and a ring of the doorbell…
Maria and Michael were upstairs changing, and Amy and Jim were back in Kyle’s place and the kids were all doing their own thing, so it was just Liz as she smiling to herself that finally life seemed to be trying to calm down. Tess was dead. Maria got her reunion with her mother, and Kyle with his father.
“I’ll get it,” she called, and she knew she was ready to take on whatever happened next… But she didn’t anticipate that coming so soon… as she opened the door, and she went pale as she saw the visitor staring at her in all intensity.
“Hello Liz” he said quietly.
“MAX!” Liz said bluntly, and then the realization came to her of who she was staring at… “Oh my god, MAX!”
She fainted!