A Life of Dreams(AU,M/L,Adult) [COMPLETE]

[Shadowlynxbehr]

Part 21

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Brandon. Happy birthday to you!” sang all of the voices around Tess and Kyle’s one year old son, who seemed more interested in sticking his little hand into the frosting rather than the fact that everyone was wishing him a happy first birthday.

As everyone finished singing, Tess leaned over her son and helped him blow out the candle as Kyle took the hand that was now covered in frosting and playfully nibbled on it. Brandon gave a thrilled laugh as he watched his father nibble the frosting from his chubby little hand until he decided he wanted to taste it too. Shoving his fist into his mouth, he proceeded to eat the frosting while everyone around him laughed at the antics of father and son.

Alex chuckled, “Well Kyle, he seems to like eating with his hands just like you do.”

Kyle wadded up a paper napkin and tossed it at Alex. “Shut up dude! I don’t eat with my hands.”

Tess handed a paper plate with a cake slice to Alex as she said, “He only eats with his hands when I want him to.”

As Kyle gasped in mortification and covered his son’s ears, the rest of the guests laughed at Tess’ admission.

Liz shook her head. “Wow and to think you were once a modest woman until Kyle got a hold of you. Now you’re actually giving Isabel a run for her money.”

Isabel snickered. “Actually, I think Courtney is closer to giving me a run for my money than Tess is.”

Courtney turned from feeding Michael a forkful of cake to grin at Liz. “So, when you gonna catch up with the rest of us Liz?”

“Hey!” Max spoke up as he wrapped an arm around Liz’s shoulders. “My girlfriend is doing just fine in that department. You guys just don’t know it ‘cause she’s not as vocal as you are!”

Liz nodded. “Yeah, just ‘cause you don’t hear me talk like that doesn’t mean I don’t!”

Isabel chuckled. “Oh trust me Courtney, Michael and I have heard Liz talk like us a time or two. And there’s also been times when we seemed to have walked in on something.”

She paused for effect before asking, “Remember that time…”

“Hey, hey! We have young impressionable children here remember!” interrupted Kyle. “Let’s keep today’s conversations clean, okay?”

Once more the others laughed before agreeing to watch what they talked about. Soon all of them had their cake and were sitting around the Valenti’s living room as Brandon sat on the floor and played with the toys he’d received for his birthday.

Later the women went to the kitchen to clean up a bit while the men remained in the living room with Brandon. Of course, this gave both groups a chance to gossip and catch up with each others lives. Despite the fact that they all kept in touch and often got together to hang out as friends, it wasn’t as long and leisurely as that day was.

It had been seven months since Kyle and Tess’ wedding and in that time the paperwork allowing Kyle to adopt Brandon as his own son had finally been processed. Kyle had officially been Brandon’s dad for the last two and a half months, but they were still celebrating it as part of Brandon’s birthday.

*************************************************************

Isabel and Courtney stood at the sink washing and rinsing dishes while Tess and Liz moved around the kitchen putting leftovers and clean dishes away.

“So, when is the deal on the house finalized, Izzy?” asked Courtney.

Isabel handed her another dish as she smiled. “Oh Alex and I are hoping it’ll be finalized by the end of the week.”

Tess chuckled. “I’ll bet you can’t wait to move in!”

Liz nodded. “Oh yeah, she’s already got most of her stuff packed! Alex is the one who’s slacking.”

The women laughed at that before Isabel added, “Well, he’s been rather busy with work, so he’s got a good excuse. He’ll be taking a week off when we finally do move though.”

“Oh, well then that’s good,” said Courtney.

“Yeah,” replied Isabel. “So, Liz? How are things going with Max?”

Tess perked up at that. “Yeah Liz, how are things?”

Liz sighed as she sank down into a nearby chair. “Same as always.”

Isabel stopped washing dishes and turned to stare at her. “Haven’t you talked to him yet?”

Liz shrugged. “The time just hasn’t been right Izzy. And every time I think it’s time, something else comes up and we have to deal with that.”

Courtney and Isabel exchanged raised eyebrows as Tess moved to sit next to Liz. Taking her hand in hers, she gave it an encouraging squeeze. “Liz, you can’t just keep waiting for the right time to talk to Max about your future together. Sometimes the best thing to do is seize the moment when you can. Look at Kyle and I.”

Isabel nodded as she sat in the chair on the other side of Liz. “Tess is right, Liz. Kyle seized the moment right in the middle of the delivery room when everyone was still welcoming Brandon into the world. Think how much it might mean to Max when you suddenly bring it up at a time he may be least expecting it.”

“Exactly,” added Courtney as she took the other vacant seat at the table. “Just bring it up at a time where the two of you are doing something that’s somewhat personal to the two of you. Maybe when you two are going grocery shopping together or when you’re working in the yard together. You know, something that makes you two close to each other.”

“Right. I know that. I guess I’m just a little scared,” answered Liz.

Isabel frowned. “What are you scared about?”

“What if I mess it up? Or what if we’re not on the same page? I just don’t want to hurt him anymore than he’s already been hurt. Max has been through so much and I just don’t want him to go through anything else, you know?”

Tess leaned over and looked into Liz’s eyes. “Liz, do you love him?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then just do it. The more you procrastinate, the harder it’s going to be!”

Liz nodded. “I know, I know. You’re right.” She looked around at the expectant faces before sighing. “Fine, I’ll talk to him tonight.”

Tess patted her shoulder. “Good, keep telling yourself that. We all expect to hear the results by tomorrow afternoon, if not sooner!”

Liz groaned as she set her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands while the rest of the women went back to cleaning up.

*************************************************************

Max reached over and clapped Michael on the shoulder, grinning at him. “So, what’s it like to be in love again Mike?”

Michael returned his grin. “You know, it really feels like this is the first time I’ve been in love. I mean, it’s like a breath of fresh air. And it’s so much easier than I thought it would be.”

Kyle chuckled from his place on the floor in front of Brandon. “You just hadn’t met the right woman yet Mike. As I understand it, last time you were doing all the work. This time, it’s a half and half situation. Much like Tess and I.”

Max nodded. “He’s got that right. Tess told me that after a while it had seemed like she was the one putting all the effort into the relationship with her ex. But seeing her with Kyle, I can see that’s not the case.”

“Nope, Kyle tends to take much of the burden from Tess, even though he won’t admit it!” replied Alex.

Kyle shrugged. “If that’s what you think, then maybe I am. Tess isn’t complaining though and neither am I. I think the point is you have to find a happy medium between the two of you. Tess and I have found ours.”

Michael grinned. “Well, I think Courtney and I have found ours too actually.”

The others turned to look at him. “Seriously?” asked Max.

Michael nodded. “Yep. We’ve been telling each other that we love each other for a few months now and a couple of weeks ago, we started talking about moving in together.”

Max gaped at Michael as Alex slapped him on the shoulder. “Well way to go, man!”

“So, you two looking to move into a new house?” asked Kyle.

Michael shook his head. “Nah, I’m going to move in with Courtney.”

Alex nodded. “Makes sense. She’s got that really nice four bedroom house after all.”

Michael chuckled. “Understatement of the year Alex. But you’re right. It is nice and it’s got four bedrooms which makes it big enough for both of us to work out of our home if we want to. And someday, we can expand if we want to.”

Kyle whistled. “Man, you really have been talking about it haven’t you?”

“Yep, but it’s still talking. We haven’t moved to the doing part yet.”

“Why not?” asked Alex.

“We just want to make sure this is what we want. I think Courtney just needs to believe that I’m not using her as a rebound. I can understand that and I know that’s not what she is to me at all, but I can wait until she’s ready to make the commitment. I’ve told her that.”

Kyle sighed. “Sorry man. I know you’re ready for the next step. I just hope Courtney will see that you mean what you say and that you’re ready for a life with her.”

Michael nodded. “Yeah, me too. I’m sure Max is in the same boat, right?”

Max had been watching Brandon playing with his blocks when Michael turned the conversation towards him. Looking up at them, he sighed and gave a half hearted shrug.

“What can I say guys? I’m still on pause, I guess.”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “Geez Max, maybe you should just put your foot down and say it.”

Max frowned at him. “And risk the chance of driving her away? No, I’ll wait.”

Alex shook his head as he sat on the couch next to Max. “Man, you’ve been waiting how long now? I don’t think you should let Liz get away with all the hedging she’s been doing. Either she wants to be with you or not.”

“Alex, you don’t understand…”

“Oh we understand completely Max!” interrupted Michael. “After all, Isabel and I have known Liz for longer than you have. And I know Isabel has been confiding in Alex, so he has to know a lot about it too. Everything she’s telling you, it’s all excuses at this point Max. Yeah Liz is scared, but who isn’t?”

“He’s right,” interjected Kyle. “I was scared too, but I loved Tess enough to know what I wanted. She could have said no, but I took the chance anyway. She’d just given birth to another man’s baby. A man who had treated her like dirt, so yeah, I knew I was taking a huge chance at asking her. But I did it and she said yes and look at us now. But Max, just because we’re now married with a son, it doesn’t mean I still don’t have days where I’m scared shitless.”

“Like Isabel likes to say, life is too short to worry about the outcome if you won’t even take the steps to get there in the first place,” said Alex.

Kyle chuckled, “A roundabout way of saying you will never know until you try.”

Michael laughed. “Yeah, that’s it!”

Max gave them a ghost of a smile as he seemed to be somewhere else.

The others looked at him for a few moments before Alex asked, “Max? What’s on your mind?”

Max waited a few seconds before running his hand through his hair. “It’s just she seems to be so contradictory at times you know? One moment she’s telling me she loves me and doing these things that make me think she’s ready for a commitment. Then the next moment I feel like she’s pulling away from me and closing herself off again. It’s this constant yo-yo thing between us.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “Do you know, there are times I watch her. When she thinks I’m not looking. Like earlier today when she was with Brandon. I see her acting certain ways and I swear, it looks like she’s envious of what others have. But when I bring these things up with her, she tells me she’s not ready.”

Kyle nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’ve seen how she is with Brandon. Even Tess thinks Liz is great with kids.”

Max threw his hands in the air. “Exactly! I know she’d be a great mom, but she says she’s not ready for it.”

“Well Max, you still haven’t even popped the question yet!” chuckled Michael.

“Oh believe me Mike. I would have already done it if I was sure she wasn’t going to shoot me down like she’s done every other time.”

Silence filled the room as the others understood what Max was saying. Michael knew first hand what Max had gone through to get Liz to take the next step with him since he’d known Liz before she’d met Max. Alex knew what Max was going through because he’d been the one Max most often confided in after Sean had betrayed him.

In fact, it already seemed that Alex was now Max’s best friend while Kyle had seemed to drift closer to Michael. Just like Liz and Isabel were best friends and Tess and Courtney had seemed to drift close together too.

Alex sighed. “I understand your fear Max, I really do, but like it’s like I said before. Maybe it’s time you stopped letting Liz get away with all the hedging she’s been doing and just straight out ask her.”

Max nodded. “I know Alex. I know you’re right.”

*************************************************************

Max glanced over his shoulder to see Liz washing her face at the bathroom sink. Sighing, he reached into his drawer and fingered the small box wondering if he should listen to what Alex had said earlier that day and just get it over with already. After a few more moments staring at the box, he curled his hand around it and steeled himself. Alex was right, it was time to just ask her.

Liz turned off the faucet and grabbed the towel she’d placed on the counter next to her. Straightening up, she dried her face as she glanced out of the door to see Max rummaging around in his drawer. He was slightly bent over with his back to her, which gave Liz a moment to wonder if she should just talk to him like the others had told her too.

They were getting ready for bed now, so Liz thought they could have that talk while they lay together in bed. Now was as good a time as any for her to finally come clean with Max about her feelings for him and where she wanted their relationship to go.

Hanging the towel back up, she turned the light off and headed into the bedroom. Max was still rummaging around in his drawer, so she went to the bed and turned down the covers. Just as she was getting in, she heard him speak.

“Liz?”

She looked up at him and was about to reply when her cell phone began to ring. She recognized the ring tone as Michael and frowned wondering why he’d be calling her at this time of night when she’d spent most of the day in his presence at the Valenti’s.

Holding up a finger to Max, she picked her cell up from the nightstand and pressed the call button.

“Hello?”

“Liz! Oh thank God you answered. Listen, I’m so sorry for calling but I tried Isabel and Max’s cell, but they’re not answering.”

Liz glanced at Max’s nightstand to see that his cell phone was on silent. “Oh, Max turned his cell off, Mike. What do you need?”

“I’m at West Memorial hospital. Courtney and I were in an accident.”

She gasped and widened her eyes at Max. “Oh my God! Are you all right?”

Max turned to push something back into the drawer and closed it before moving to Liz’s side and putting his head next to hers as Michael answered her. “I’m fine, but Courtney’s still in the emergency room. They’re telling me she has a broken leg and a fractured wrist, but otherwise she’s fine. My car’s totaled though. It was a hit and run.

Some idiot ran a red light and hit us at an angle on the passenger side. Ended up nearly tearing off the entire back end of the car and the hit was hard enough to propel Courtney forward even though she was wearing her seatbelt.

The cops said she was lucky that all she got was a broken leg and fractured wrist. She could have been killed if she hadn’t been wearing the seatbelt. The stupid air bag malfunctioned and didn’t deploy like it was supposed to.”

“God Michael! I’m so sorry!”

“Yeah, well I’m just glad she’s going to be okay. Listen, I know it’s late…”

“You need us to go over there? I’m sure you guys are going to need a ride home.”

“Yeah, could you?”

Max nodded as he took her phone from her. “We’ll be there in about fifteen minutes Mike.”

“Okay, thanks guys. I’ll owe you one.”

*************************************************************

When Max and Liz arrived at the hospital, Courtney’s left leg had already been put into a plaster cast and her right wrist was in a semi-permanent cast. She and Michael were both sitting in a private room where a couple of officers were telling them the statements they’d gotten from several witnesses.

Michael waved the two of them into the room and they’d sat on the couch listening as the cops told Michael and Courtney that three of the witnesses had managed to get the license plate number of the car which was already in the process of being tracked down. The officers said they’d be in touch as soon as they had any new information to give them before saying a polite goodbye and leaving the room.

Liz immediately got up and went to the side of the bed on the opposite side since Michael was already on the other side. She took Courtney’s good hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“How you feeling?”

Courtney smiled. “Fine for now since they gave me some painkillers. I’m sure I’m gonna start whining the moment they wear off though.”

Michael chuckled as he hugged her close to his chest. “Don’t worry, you can whine all you want. I’ll be there to take care of you.”

She tilted her head back and smiled up at him. “Thanks Michael.”

He nodded, as Max asked, “So, how long are you here for?”

Courtney smiled. “Actually, I’m just waiting for the signed papers to get here and then I can go home.”

Michael nodded. “Yeah, they said she checked out fine and she can go home, but they want her to go see her regular doctor tomorrow just to be safe. Would you guys mind driving me to my place so I can pack a few things before we head over to Courtney’s?”

Max shook his head. “That’s not a problem at all.”

“Okay, thanks,” he replied just as a nurse walked in with the papers.

Thirty minutes later they were all in Max’s car and on their way to Michael’s apartment so that he could get some things to take to Courtney’s.

While Max helped Michael pack some of his things up in the apartment, Liz remained in the car with Courtney. It was then that Courtney turned a smile on Liz. “I think I’m ready for the next step with Michael.”

Liz turned wide eyes on Courtney. “Really?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Tonight, I saw my life pass before my eyes. And then while Michael hovered over me in the ambulance and at the hospital, I realized just how much he really loves me. As I lay there while they put the cast on my leg, all I did was think about us. I mean, all this time it’s been me that was hesitant to move forward.”

She paused to look out of the window towards the building of Michael’s apartment. “It just struck me how much Michael has been so understanding and so patient through all of this and here I am just being a stick in the mud. I’m the one who’s letting my insecurities get in the way. I’m the one who’s holding us both back from experiencing a life together. It’s just like Tess and Isabel said to you Liz. I’ve got to just take that step myself. So tonight, when we’re alone at my place, I’m going to ask him to move in with me for good this time.”

Liz just sat in silence staring at Courtney’s profile in admiration. She could see the determination and love in the woman’s face. Courtney meant what she said. She was ready to make a real commitment to Michael now, there was nothing standing in her way anymore.

And the more she thought about it, the more Liz realized Courtney seemed to have more in common with her than she’d originally thought. Just like Liz, Courtney was hesitant to go commit herself to someone who’d troubles with past relationships.

As the guys returned to the car with Michael’s bags in tow, Liz sat back in her seat and realized just how ironic it was that both she and Courtney seemed to both be very confident when it came to their jobs. However, they were both seriously lacking in self-confidence when it came to their personal relationships with the opposite sex.

Max closed the trunk after tossing the last of Michael’s bags into it before getting into the driver’s seat and buckling up. As he did, he glanced in the rearview mirror at the women and smiled.

“Okay, we all set to go home ladies?”

Courtney flashed him a huge smile. “Am I ever!”

With that Max started the car and pulled out of the parking lot to take Michael and Courtney to their house.

*************************************************************

Liz frowned as she rummaged around in her drawer looking for the shirt she loved to wear to bed. It was one of Max’s old shirts that still smelled like him, but she couldn’t seem to find it. With a sigh, she closed the drawer and walked into the bathroom where she dug through the hamper until she found it.

Frowning, she stuffed it back in and made a mental note to wash clothes the following evening. She made her way back into the bedroom and snuck a glance at the bedroom door. She knew Max was still working on mixing a song that had popped in his head while they’d been at Courtney’s house helping her and Michael to get settled.

Deciding that he wouldn’t mind at all, since she knew he liked seeing her in his shirts, she walked over to his drawers and opened one up. She began to rummage through it, looking for a shirt that was more worn than most of the others when her fingers grazed something hard.

Lifting a shirt up, she looked under it to find a small square box covered in blue velvet. Stunned, she stared at it for a few moments before biting her lower lip in curiosity. Glancing back at the door again, she wondered if it was what she thought it was.

Turning to look at the box again, she realized that she really hoped it was what she thought it was. She stood there for a few more moments debating in her head, trying to figure out if she was going to open it and see if she was right or just close the drawer and pretend she’d never seen it.

Finally shaking her head, she shut the drawer and went back to hers, quickly pulling on a tee shirt and shorts. When she was dressed, she climbed into bed and lay there staring at the ceiling wondering how long that box had been there and how much longer it was going to be there.

She was so lost in her musing that she wasn’t aware of Max coming in until he’d shut the bedroom door. Startled, she leaned over and turned off the light on her nightstand before turning on her side to face Max.

He got undressed and tossed his clothes on a nearby chair before crawling under the covers in just his boxers. Reaching out, he turned off his light before moving closer to Liz and wrapping his arm around her waist. Liz lay close to him as he leaned down and kissed her goodnight, then he settled down and pulled her to lay against his chest.

“Goodnight, baby girl,” he whispered as he held her close.

“Night, Max,” she replied.

She lay there in the darkness listening to his steady heart beat for several long minutes before she spoke softly. “Max?”

“Mm?” came his sleepy reply.

“Remember how you asked me if I ever wanted kids?”

“Mm hm.”

“Why did you ask me that?”

There was a pause before he whispered. “Why did I?”

She lifted her head from his chest to look at him in the darkness. “Yes, why?”

He blinked the sleep from his eyes and shrugged. “I was curious that’s all. I mean I saw how you were with Brandon and I thought you’d be great with kids, so I wondered if you had ever wanted any of your own.”

She sat up and stared down at him. “That’s it?”

He frowned. “Yeah, we had never talked about it before, so I was curious.”

She continued to stare at him as if she thought he wasn’t telling her everything. Finally sighing, Max sat up and turned on the light. “Liz? You okay?”

She frowned at him. “I just thought it was really weird that you asked me that, you know? I mean the question seemed to come out of left field.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “No it didn’t. I saw you with Brandon, thought you were good with him. Then thought you’d probably be good with other kids and eventually my thoughts led me to wondering if you ever wanted your own.”

“Right.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s the truth Liz.”

She nodded. “Okay, well are there any other things you’ve been wondering about me that you haven’t asked me about yet?”

“What?”

“Well, you said it yourself Max. We’d never talked about kids before, which means there’s other things we haven’t talked about that you must be curious about.”

He frowned. “Where is this coming from Liz?”

She shrugged. “I’m just saying if there’s anything else you want to ask me, then now is the time to ask me anything that you’re curious about.”

Max sighed. “Well, I can’t think of anything at the moment, but I’m sure I’ll remember later.”

He leaned over to kiss her cheek before turning off the light again. He reached out and tugged her down against him. “Come on baby girl. It’s late and I’m tired, but I reserve the right to ask you questions later when I can remember them, okay?”

“Okay,” she replied.

Once more she lay there listening to his heart beat for a few moments. Unable to take it anymore, she sat up and turned on her light.

Max groaned and shielded his eyes from the light. “What is going on Liz?”

“Are you sure you can’t think of any other questions?”

He sighed. “Baby girl, it’s too late for my brain to function properly anymore. Come on, can we just get some sleep and talk about this tomorrow?”

She shook her head. “No Max. There’s actually something I want to ask you.”

He scrubbed his face with his hands before slowly sitting up and looking into her eyes. “Okay, ask me.”

She didn’t say anything. Instead she sat there just looking at him as if she were trying to see inside of him. After a while, Max finally reached out and caressed her cheek.

“Baby girl? Just say it,” he prodded gently.

She leaned into his touch and gave him a tender smile before leaning in and kissing him. Cupping his face in her hands, she deepened the kiss and slid her tongue into his mouth when he opened up to her.

She moaned at the taste of him as his tongue dueled with hers but when he slid an arm around her waist to pull her down on top of him, she moved away from him.

He frowned in disappointment. “Why’d you stop?”

She took his hand in hers and looked into his eyes. “Max? Can you honestly see yourself spending the rest of your life with me?”

He smiled. “Of course I can.”

Her eyes widened at the way he hadn’t even hesitated. “Y-you can?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I love you baby girl. I can’t imagine loving anyone else the way I love you.”

He leaned forward to put his forehead against hers. “And I can’t imagine my life without you in it either. I mean, if I enjoy practicing making babies with you, can you imagine how much I’d really love it if it were for real?”

Liz closed her eyes at that. So, he wanted a future with her. He’d said that much, but why wasn’t he asking her then? She’d given him the opening and he wasn’t taking it.

“Liz?”

She opened her eyes to look at him and smiled. “I love you too Max and I can’t imagine my life without you in it either. And I know that I’d love to make it all real with you too.”

He stared at her in silence before whispering, “What are you saying?”

She swallowed and braced herself as she looked him square in the eyes. “I’m saying that I want to spend the rest of my life with you Max. I want to have it all with you.”

She saw the look of amazement in his eyes. The way they sparkled in happiness at her confession. She knew without a doubt that he was more than ready to answer her next question.

“Max?” she asked as she took his hand in hers.

“Yes?” he replied in a voice that was barely there.

She lifted a hand to cup his cheek as she gave him a loving smile. “Max, will you marry me?”

She saw the way his eyes darkened and heard the swift intake of breath, indicating that she’d managed to surprise him. Unable to say a word, Max stared at the woman sitting in front of him on the bed.

“Did you…did you just ask me…”

“To marry me. Yes I did.”

A smile spread over his face. One that spread over his lips and into his eyes, making him seem radiant all the way into his soul. Still, he didn’t answer her. Instead, he got out of the bed and walked over to his dresser.

Liz watched as he opened the drawer, reached in and picked up something. Turning around he closed the drawer and made his way back to the bed.

Sitting down in front of her, he lifted his hand to reveal the diamond engagement ring sitting amid a bed of blue satin. Liz’s eyes went wide as he pulled the ring out and took her hand in his.

He slid the ring on her finger before looking up into her eyes, where she saw all the love and happiness he had for her.

“Yes,” was the answer he gave her right before he leaned in and sealed their future with a kiss. A kiss that promised a lifetime of dreams.


THE END