A Mother's Sacrifice, ADULT (Chapter 8B, 7/14/05) pg5
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 12:28 pm
*Thank you to everyone for the feedback!
A Mother’s Sacrifice
Chapter 8B
Evan’s home
Max’s room
11:35am Roswell time
(1:35pm Miami time)
Max couldn’t describe the feelings rushing through his body. Minutes ago, he had felt a terrible pain ripping through his abdomen, sending him to sit on his bed and try to breathe. That feeling had been followed by a rush of love so exquisite, unconditional and pure he had to wonder at the source of it. Immediately after, his pain had eased and he was able to think clearly.
His thoughts, as they often did, turned toward Liz. Where was she now? What was she planning to do with the baby? He gasped aloud as the realization began to dawn on him. The baby. He glanced at his desk calendar and saw the date.
This date would forever be imprinted on his memory. It was Liz’s due date. All of these feelings rushing through him could mean that his and Liz’s child had been born. Max sighed and buried his head in his hands. God, he was a father. How he wished he could see Liz right now. be with her as she laid her eyes on their child for the first time.
He should hate Liz for running from him with their unborn child. But, he was a fool for love. He loved Liz with every fiber of his being and that hadn't stopped just because she had been away for six months. On the contrary. He would take Liz back in a heartbeat when she returned.
And Max believed that she would return. Suddenly, a thought left him cold. Would she return with their child? Would she be so indifferent as to give their child away? He thought back to when Liz had left him by the pod chamber that fateful day last May.
She had looked utterly sad and destroyed. Knowing the destiny that Max supposedly was to share with Tess had to have made her think that their baby wasn't meant to be. She might be just desperate and alone enough to seek adoption as her only way out.
Max couldn't deny that their child would be safer away from their alien world...but that would mean that he would never lay eyes on their child or hold it. And if Liz was going to give the baby away, she didn't have his permission.
Suddenly, there was a knock on his door and Isabel walked in; closing it behind her. "Are you alright, Max?" she asked softly, for she had seen him go into his room minutes before looking upset.
Max looked up at her and told her everything he felt, and what he thought Liz was going to do. Isabel looked horrified.
"I can't believe that Liz could do that," she said softly. "To just relinquish the baby...and she would have to fake your signatures on the adoption papers. Still, she may feel trapped."
Max nodded and closed his eyes. He prayed with everything in him that Liz would come home with the baby and they would work everything out. If she gave the baby away, he didn't know what he would do.
**********
The hospital
Miami, Florida
5 pm, EST (3pm, Roswell)
Liz's room
Liz's eyes slowly opened and she gazed up at the bright lights of her hospital room. The sharp ache between her legs reminded her that she had given birth. Her hand drifted down to touch her stomach and she grimaced at the loosened skin. She would have to get her figure back quickly before she saw her parents at Christmas.
Or maybe sooner. Liz suddenly wanted to be home with her friends and family, they would comfort her just by being around her.
Her thoughts went to her daughter. It would be the hardest thing she had ever done, to give up her daughter to a better life. A better life. She would just have to keep telling herself that this was the best solution for her little girl. Liz was only sixteen, still a child herself...she couldn't raise a child properly.
Suddenly, the door opened and her aunt came in, carrying a pink bundle in her arms. She smiled when Liz turned toward her. "Look who's awake," her aunt said, by way of a greeting. Her aunt pulled a chair closer to Liz's bed with her free hand and sat.
Liz struggled to sit up. Seeing her struggle, her aunt pressed a button to raise the bed to sitting position. Then, she handed Liz the bundle. "Look at your daughter, Liz," she offered.
Liz awkwardly held her arms like a cradle as her aunt placed her daughter in her arms. Liz looked down to see the sleeping child and her heart ached with all the love that was inside her. She would memorize her daughter's features...so she could never forget.
She touched every one of her daughter's ten fingers and toes, bringing her feather light touches up to her baby's soft cheeks and button nose. Liz lowered her head to smell her daughter's light fresh baby scent and felt her heart squeeze. She was exquisite. Her and Max's daughter was perfect.
Liz looked up to see her aunt watching her with concern. Liz cleared her throat. "Did you call the Winters?" Liz asked.
Her aunt nodded. "Yes, honey," she said. "They're waiting outside. They said to take all the time you need with the baby. And honey, they said you could name her if you want. They'll keep whatever name you decide."
Liz was overwhelmed. The Winters were going to allow her to name her child before she gave her up? She gazed down at her daughter again and sighed, closing her eyes for a minute. Suddenly, her grandmother's face loomed in her mind and she gave Liz a loving smile.
Liz's eyes snapped open and she smiled. "Her name is Claudia," she said. "Claudia Elizabeth." She looked to her aunt to see her approval and saw her aunt smiling broadly.
"I think it's wonderful you're naming her after your grandmother," Aunt Natalie told her. Liz nodded and sat with her daughter for several more minutes, bracing herself to say goodbye.
The longer she waited, the harder it would be, Liz finally decided. She looked up at Aunt Natalie. "Can you give me a few minutes alone with her?" she asked. "And then you can bring the Winters in."
Aunt Natalie nodded and left the room without a word, closing the door behind her.
Alone with her child, Liz closed her eyes for a minute, breathing deeply. She had to say goodbye. She brushed her fingers over baby Claudia's cheek and looked at her. She really was perfect.
"Claudia," she whispered. "Even though you'll never here my voice, or feel my arms around you...I want to tell you that Mommy loves you so much, and she always will...no matter how far apart we are. You will always be on my mind, every day of my life and I can never forget the way you look right now, in my arms. Your daddy...he loves you too, honey, but you are going to have a wonderful life full of promise with a family that will love and cherish you."
Liz just cradled her daughter closer for the remaining minutes she had with her. She could do this. As Liz heard the door open slowly, she kissed her daughter's forehead and whispered her love in her daughter's ear.
Struggling to remain calm, Liz greeted the Winters and held Claudia out for Mrs. Winters, barely managing to keep the tears from escaping. "Her name is Claudia Elizabeth," she told them. "I love her so much, please take care of my little girl. Her life is with you now," she finished.
Gloria and John both looked upset for her but made their promises. "We'll love her so much, she will never want for a thing," they told Liz.
Liz nodded and laid back against the pillows. "Goodbye and thank you," she told the Winters. Liz slowly watched her daughter disappear from her life and her heart shattered as the door closed behind them under her torrent of tears.
She cried hysterically for a long time, barely feeling her aunt come to her and wrap her in her arms to rock with her. She had never felt such pain before. How could she ever get through this?
TBC...
*Okay, I know what you all are thinking. How could Liz do this? I personally, could never give up my own child for adoption. However, their will be a happy ending eventually and a do have a dreamer guarantee! I hope everyone remembers that the adoption is part of the challenge. Thank you for your feedback and keep reading!
A Mother’s Sacrifice
Chapter 8B
Evan’s home
Max’s room
11:35am Roswell time
(1:35pm Miami time)
Max couldn’t describe the feelings rushing through his body. Minutes ago, he had felt a terrible pain ripping through his abdomen, sending him to sit on his bed and try to breathe. That feeling had been followed by a rush of love so exquisite, unconditional and pure he had to wonder at the source of it. Immediately after, his pain had eased and he was able to think clearly.
His thoughts, as they often did, turned toward Liz. Where was she now? What was she planning to do with the baby? He gasped aloud as the realization began to dawn on him. The baby. He glanced at his desk calendar and saw the date.
This date would forever be imprinted on his memory. It was Liz’s due date. All of these feelings rushing through him could mean that his and Liz’s child had been born. Max sighed and buried his head in his hands. God, he was a father. How he wished he could see Liz right now. be with her as she laid her eyes on their child for the first time.
He should hate Liz for running from him with their unborn child. But, he was a fool for love. He loved Liz with every fiber of his being and that hadn't stopped just because she had been away for six months. On the contrary. He would take Liz back in a heartbeat when she returned.
And Max believed that she would return. Suddenly, a thought left him cold. Would she return with their child? Would she be so indifferent as to give their child away? He thought back to when Liz had left him by the pod chamber that fateful day last May.
She had looked utterly sad and destroyed. Knowing the destiny that Max supposedly was to share with Tess had to have made her think that their baby wasn't meant to be. She might be just desperate and alone enough to seek adoption as her only way out.
Max couldn't deny that their child would be safer away from their alien world...but that would mean that he would never lay eyes on their child or hold it. And if Liz was going to give the baby away, she didn't have his permission.
Suddenly, there was a knock on his door and Isabel walked in; closing it behind her. "Are you alright, Max?" she asked softly, for she had seen him go into his room minutes before looking upset.
Max looked up at her and told her everything he felt, and what he thought Liz was going to do. Isabel looked horrified.
"I can't believe that Liz could do that," she said softly. "To just relinquish the baby...and she would have to fake your signatures on the adoption papers. Still, she may feel trapped."
Max nodded and closed his eyes. He prayed with everything in him that Liz would come home with the baby and they would work everything out. If she gave the baby away, he didn't know what he would do.
**********
The hospital
Miami, Florida
5 pm, EST (3pm, Roswell)
Liz's room
Liz's eyes slowly opened and she gazed up at the bright lights of her hospital room. The sharp ache between her legs reminded her that she had given birth. Her hand drifted down to touch her stomach and she grimaced at the loosened skin. She would have to get her figure back quickly before she saw her parents at Christmas.
Or maybe sooner. Liz suddenly wanted to be home with her friends and family, they would comfort her just by being around her.
Her thoughts went to her daughter. It would be the hardest thing she had ever done, to give up her daughter to a better life. A better life. She would just have to keep telling herself that this was the best solution for her little girl. Liz was only sixteen, still a child herself...she couldn't raise a child properly.
Suddenly, the door opened and her aunt came in, carrying a pink bundle in her arms. She smiled when Liz turned toward her. "Look who's awake," her aunt said, by way of a greeting. Her aunt pulled a chair closer to Liz's bed with her free hand and sat.
Liz struggled to sit up. Seeing her struggle, her aunt pressed a button to raise the bed to sitting position. Then, she handed Liz the bundle. "Look at your daughter, Liz," she offered.
Liz awkwardly held her arms like a cradle as her aunt placed her daughter in her arms. Liz looked down to see the sleeping child and her heart ached with all the love that was inside her. She would memorize her daughter's features...so she could never forget.
She touched every one of her daughter's ten fingers and toes, bringing her feather light touches up to her baby's soft cheeks and button nose. Liz lowered her head to smell her daughter's light fresh baby scent and felt her heart squeeze. She was exquisite. Her and Max's daughter was perfect.
Liz looked up to see her aunt watching her with concern. Liz cleared her throat. "Did you call the Winters?" Liz asked.
Her aunt nodded. "Yes, honey," she said. "They're waiting outside. They said to take all the time you need with the baby. And honey, they said you could name her if you want. They'll keep whatever name you decide."
Liz was overwhelmed. The Winters were going to allow her to name her child before she gave her up? She gazed down at her daughter again and sighed, closing her eyes for a minute. Suddenly, her grandmother's face loomed in her mind and she gave Liz a loving smile.
Liz's eyes snapped open and she smiled. "Her name is Claudia," she said. "Claudia Elizabeth." She looked to her aunt to see her approval and saw her aunt smiling broadly.
"I think it's wonderful you're naming her after your grandmother," Aunt Natalie told her. Liz nodded and sat with her daughter for several more minutes, bracing herself to say goodbye.
The longer she waited, the harder it would be, Liz finally decided. She looked up at Aunt Natalie. "Can you give me a few minutes alone with her?" she asked. "And then you can bring the Winters in."
Aunt Natalie nodded and left the room without a word, closing the door behind her.
Alone with her child, Liz closed her eyes for a minute, breathing deeply. She had to say goodbye. She brushed her fingers over baby Claudia's cheek and looked at her. She really was perfect.
"Claudia," she whispered. "Even though you'll never here my voice, or feel my arms around you...I want to tell you that Mommy loves you so much, and she always will...no matter how far apart we are. You will always be on my mind, every day of my life and I can never forget the way you look right now, in my arms. Your daddy...he loves you too, honey, but you are going to have a wonderful life full of promise with a family that will love and cherish you."
Liz just cradled her daughter closer for the remaining minutes she had with her. She could do this. As Liz heard the door open slowly, she kissed her daughter's forehead and whispered her love in her daughter's ear.
Struggling to remain calm, Liz greeted the Winters and held Claudia out for Mrs. Winters, barely managing to keep the tears from escaping. "Her name is Claudia Elizabeth," she told them. "I love her so much, please take care of my little girl. Her life is with you now," she finished.
Gloria and John both looked upset for her but made their promises. "We'll love her so much, she will never want for a thing," they told Liz.
Liz nodded and laid back against the pillows. "Goodbye and thank you," she told the Winters. Liz slowly watched her daughter disappear from her life and her heart shattered as the door closed behind them under her torrent of tears.
She cried hysterically for a long time, barely feeling her aunt come to her and wrap her in her arms to rock with her. She had never felt such pain before. How could she ever get through this?
TBC...
*Okay, I know what you all are thinking. How could Liz do this? I personally, could never give up my own child for adoption. However, their will be a happy ending eventually and a do have a dreamer guarantee! I hope everyone remembers that the adoption is part of the challenge. Thank you for your feedback and keep reading!
