Chapter 11
Liz Evans lay in bed waiting for her husband and Emma to come home. Emma had been staying over at a friend's house. She called crying saying she wanted to come home.
Liz immediately threw back the covers, preparing to go get her, when Max vehemently protested Liz driving at one in the morning. He said he would go get Emma himself. When Liz offered that she would go with him, this offer was also protested.
Apparently, Max thought she was an invalid being eight months and one week pregnant. She was annoyed at first. But deep down her heart swelled at his protectiveness.
Emma has yet to go through with a sleepover at a friend's house. She would go, and would always want to come home. Liz didn't mind at all, it just hurt her deeply to think Emma still was having difficulty trusting her safety. She would only feel safe at home, with Michael and Maria, or staying over at Jesse and Isabel's. A tear slipped down her cheek unnoticed at the thought of Isabel. It had been well over three months, almost four, since Isabel was murdered. No leads...nothing. After her, the bodies just stopped appearing. Number six had yet to appear. Everyone was sick with paranoia and fear. All of Orange County was, especially Anaheim. The questions were on everyone's mind. Who would be number six? Would there even be a number six? Who is killing them? Was it someone they knew? It haunted everyone.
Emma seemed especially haunted. After everyone lost Isabel, Emma was so afraid of losing someone else. She never wanted to leave her family, hence why she was up at 1 AM, waiting for her family to come home. She knew Max was just as protective of Emma.
Splaying her hands gently over her protruding abdomen, a warm smile graced her face knowing that Max was going to show the same tender love and fierce protectiveness towards their babies. Their twins. Their son and daughter. Tyler Michael and Sophie Isabel Maria. Liz's smile grew even warmer. She remembered the day when they found out they were having a son and a daughter.
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"Max, calm down," Liz said frustrated.
"I am calm Liz," Max assured his wife.
"Then why do you keep bouncing your leg? You only do that when you are nervous," Liz said.
Max rolled his eyes. "I"m just anxious okay? I am dying to know," he admitted softly.
Liz smiled. "So am I Max. But you need to relax. You've got this look on your face like you're about to across enemy lines. It's just the doctor's office Max. You've been here dozens of times with me already," Liz teased.
"I know. I know. I'm just....nervous. You know?" Max admitted.
Liz did know. During her pregnancy, both herself and Max had been on eggshells. They were both so afraid of losing their babies. Especially since everything that had been going on. But Liz knew the babies would be born, they would definitely see the world and she was sure their entrance was going to be memorable.
"Liz Evans?" the receptionist asked interrupting the train of thoughts the couple were having.
Liz and Max stood up simultaneously.
"The doctor will see you now," she informed them.
They both nodded and linked hands and crossed enemy lines.
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"Both babies are fine. Beautifully, perfectly healthy twin babies," the doctor informed them.
The doctor smirked at seeing the impatient and excited looks on their faces. She knew they were absolutely dying to know what the sexes were. She decided to put them out of their misery.
"Well, it looks like you're having a son....and a daughter," she informed them with a huge smile on her face.
Max and Liz both looked shell-shocked.
"W-What?" Max gasped out.
"You're having a boy and a girl," she repeated.
"Oh my God," Liz whispered.
Max and Liz stared into each other's tear-filled eyes with the same intense feelings. Astonishment. Awe. Hope. Love. They felt all of these things.
"I can't believe it," Liz said.
Max smiled, "I know..it's just so...so..
"Perfect," Liz interrupted.
Max nodded, "Perfect," he whispered.
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Liz was broken out of her reverie by the sound of the front door closing.
She got up out of bed and padded across the room and out into the hall. As she was ending the hall, she saw Max carrying a sleeping Emma up the stairs.
"How is she?" Liz asked quietly as to not wake up Emma.
"Tired. Scared," Max answered solemnly.
"I wish she wasn't scared anymore," Liz said.
"I wish none of us were scared anymore," Max said.
Liz followed Max into Emma's room while he tucked her safely into bed.
Liz brushed a strand of dark, wavy hair out of her face and kissed her forehead tenderly.
"Sweet dreams baby," she whispered before her and Max walked out of Emma's room, leaving the door cracked.
"She's okay Liz," Max said softly at seeing the look on his wife's face.
"How do we know for sure? I mean, Max, she was traumatized severely," Liz said.
"So were you," Max countered softly.
"I know! But I wasn't a child Max. Emma was, god she was tormented by that bastard," Liz spat out feeling the anger resurface.
Max's heart broke at the anger he heard in her voice and saw on her face. It broke because he knew that fear and pain were fueling that anger.
"Baby, come here," Max said opening his arms.
Liz rushed into his arms without further encouragement.
"Everything will be okay," Max assured her.
Liz nodded against his chest, wanting to believe him, but knowing that he didn't know for sure whether or not everything would be okay.
The ringing of Max's cell phone broke into their moment. Liz sighed moving away from him, knowing he had to answer whoever the hell was calling so late. At least they had the decency not to call the house, Liz thought.
Max gave Liz and apologetic look and answered his phone quickly.
"Yeah?" he answered tiredly.
"Max...it's Jesse. I found him. I know who killed Isabel," Jesse said urgently.
TBC