Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:19 pm
Hopefully this part will clear things up and uncover why things are they way they are...
Part 31
“Ah.” Alex groaned as the phone continued to ring. He wanted to get it, make it stop, but his body wasn’t cooperating. Heck his body wasn’t even moving. He was hanging off the couch, the shrill sound of the phone making his headache blaze to life.
“You know, when you pick it up it stops ringing.” Michael said as he walked toward the phone. Alex could hear him mumbling then walk his way. “For you.” He tossed the phone at him.
Alex groaned and reached behind for the phone.
“Yeah?”
“Hey there Drunky.” Shawna giggled.
“Shawna? How did you know?” He sat up quickly.
“I kinda called you last night. I figured you wouldn’t remember. How are you feeling?”
“Bad. Everything hurts. I…I didn’t say anything, um…inappropriate did I?” Alex swallowed.
“No, nothing inappropriate. You did say something important though.” She left it at that.
“Well, what did I say?”
“Um….well you said….” She paused. “Alex, how do you feel about me?”
The question stunned Alex. What did she mean? Oh god, what had he said?
“How do I feel about you?” He asked. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I mean…what are your feelings for me?”
“What did I say?” He started to panic. What could he have possibly have said to make her ask that?
“You kinda said you loved me before hanging up.” Shawna heard a loud thump on the other side of the phone. “Alex?” She heard him cursing and knew he’d dropped the phone.
“Shawna? Oh god.” She smiled as she heard him moving around. “I….I said I…loved you?”
“Yeah? It’s ok Alex, you were drunk.”
“I…I said I…I…loved….you?” Alex rubbed his now throbbing head. He had fallen off the couch. How could he be so stupid? He had said that?
“Yeah, you did. Look it’s ok Alex. Don’t freak out.” Shawna said, now feeling a little less good. Alex was taking this that bad.
“What…what did you say?” He asked nervously.
“I didn’t say anything. You hung up before I could.”
“What would you have said?” He asked.
“You know what? I’m going to go down there this weekend. I’ll tell you then.” She said with a smile.
“Uh, ok.” Alex gulped.
“I’ll talk to you later, I have to go.”
Alex hung up and brushed through his hair. Oh, his head was hurting now.
~*~
“Rice Auto, how can I help you?” Michael answered the phone.
“Michael, I need a big favor.” Liz said anxiously.
Within twenty minutes Michael was at the restaurant.
“So you think he’s getting himself into trouble?” He asked as she climbed into his truck.
“I don’t know. I hope not, but I have a feeling he’s there.” She replied.
~*~
“I strongly suggest you leave right now Zan, before I have you arrested for trespassing.” Jeff Parker warned.
“I strongly suggest you shut up Mr. P.” Zan countered. “I want to know here and now why you hate me so much. Why even when I was just a little kid, you did nothing but make my life hell?” Zan stared at the older angrily.
“Leave right now.” Jeff said again.
“Not until you answer me. I want to know, why you thought I was never good enough for your daughter. Why you never even gave me a chance. Is it because my mother was Hispanic? Was it because my family was poor?”
Jeff simply glared back at him.
“I don’t have to explain myself to you. Get out of my office.”
“No! Answer me. You owe me that much at least.”
“I owe you nothing.”
Zan stood face to face with him. The anger in his eyes could have pierced right through Jeff Parker if it could. He could feel the rage running through his veins. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it would rip its way out of his chest. He could see the same hate reflected in Jeff’s eyes. He could see the vein bulging along the neck of the older man.
“Just fucking tell me!” Zan exploded and grabbed Jeff by his shirt. Jeff only laughed and pulled himself free.
“You act like that and still ask why I don’t want you near my daughter.” He said viciously.
“I would never hurt Liz. I love her.”
“How do I know that? I have no assurance that you wouldn’t hurt her. My daughter is all I have left in the world. I don’t want to lose her to someone like you, where she could end up hurt.
“I’d never hurt her. You say you don’t want to lose her but you are. You are pushing her away yourself. She hates you because you’re the one who’s hurting her!” Zan told him.
“You’re lying. I’m not hurting her. I love my daughter, I’m only trying to protect her.”
Jeff Parker was starting to break down. He couldn’t take what Zan was saying. It couldn’t be true. His daughter couldn’t hate him, he was only protecting her.
“Why do you hate me so much?” Zan asked again.
“I don’t hate you!” Jeff yelled and slumped down on his chair.
“Then why do you treat me like I’m unworthy?”
Jeff sighed deeply and resting his elbows on his desk.
“It was your father.” He said softly. “He was responsible for the death of my wife.”
“What? How?” Zan asked, confused.
“He pumped her with some kind of drug and tried to take advantage of her. She was coming home from the doctor a month after Liz was born. He offered to give her a ride home and she accepted. Well he took her to his house first, saying he needed to get something. She went in with him. He offered her a drink, but she didn’t know he had put something in it. Well, it didn’t go as he planned. She went into a severe seizure and he couldn’t get what he wanted, so he dumped her off somewhere in the desert.” He paused then continued. “The police found her out there, she died a week later.”
Zan let the words sink in. He felt like arguing, like standing up for his father, but couldn’t. He knew it was probably true.
“What does that have to do with me?”
Jeff stood up and walked over to the picture of his wife.
“I didn’t want Liz near your father. I didn’t want her to get hurt. My hatred for your father also went to you. I thought you would turn out like him, or that he’d use you to hurt her. I didn’t want to risk that. I had to take of her on my own. I didn’t want to see anything bad happen to her.”
Both men looked at each other.
“You understand don’t you?” Jeff asked, his voice now considerably softer.
“I guess I could understand the feeling behind it. But everything you’ve been doing to her is hurting her. You sent her away; you do things to me that hurt her too. She loves me Mr. Parker, and I love her too. I’d do anything in my power to protect her from everything. I’d never hurt her, I swear.”
“He wouldn’t dad. He loves me like you love me. But you take it too far.” Liz said as she stepped into the office. Both men looked at her in surprise. “I do love you dad, but you take things too far trying to protect me. I’m a big girl now, and I have Zan. I can take care of myself, and if I can’t Zan can. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I have to, it’s my job.” Jeff smiled sadly. “I’m sorry Liz.” He said as a tear went down his worn cheek.
“I’m sorry too daddy.” She said and went over to hug him. “But you have to stop this, now.” She pulled away and looked at him seriously. “Stop the charges on Zan, stop trying to take him away from me.”
Jeff watched as she pulled away and went over to Zan. He saw how Zan wrapped his arms around her protectively and lovingly. He could see the love coming from both of them. It broke his heart to know that he had been trying to break that love apart.
He picked up his phone and called his agents.
“Yes, I’d like to have the charges against Alejandro Evans dropped. Yes everything is fine. Yes I understand what I said before.” He paused and looked over at the two. “Let’s just say I had a change of heart. Yes, that will do. Thank you.” He hung up. “You’re free to go.” He smiled.
Liz went over and hugged him again.
“Thank you dad.” She kissed his cheek.
“Yeah, thanks Mr. Parker. I’ll take care of her.” Zan said and shook Jeff’s hand.
“Think nothing of it. I only ask for your forgiveness.” He said whole-heartedly.
They nodded and left.
~*~
Michael smiled at the couple beside him. They looked so in love. They were holding onto each other like they’re life depended on it. Liz sat on Zan’s lap resting her head on his shoulder. Zan had his hands wrapped around her waist, his cheek resting on the top of her head, every once-in-a-while kissing her.
“Ok love birds, we’re home.” He said and laughed as they sighed.
They got of the truck and went up to the apartment. Everyone but Maria was there; she was still with her mom. Michael sighed and sunk down on the couch.
“What’s wrong Mike?” Zan asked as he sat beside him.
“Nothing.” He mumbled and turned to his friend. “You really love her huh?”
“Yeah.” Zan smiled dreamily. “Why do you ask?”
“How does it feel?”
“Hmm, well…” Zan paused and thought about it. “…ok you know how you feel after working on your truck? When you fix it up all nice so it works?”
Michael thought then smiled.
“Yeah.”
“That’s how love feels. Like this great feeling of like achievement. It’s a rush man. With Liz, I feel like I can do anything.” Zan smiled again.
“That’s deep bro.” Michael laughed. “I know what you mean though.”
“What's with the questions? Anything you gotta tell me about my adopted sis?” Zan teased.
Michael turned away and smiled. “I knew it. It was about damn time too man. You’re play is slow.”
“Shut up man. Don’t say anything ok.”
“A’ight. So what you gonna do man?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Maria and Liz walked into the room. Michael and Zan both looked over with stupid grins on their faces. Alex sat aside watching the whole spectacle.
“So what do you guys feel like doing?”
TBC...
The explanation for Liz's mom's death may be confusing so let me explain. I offered another explanation for her death in an earlier part, but that was only a cover story Jeff gave Liz when she was younger. He did not want her to know the real story of her mother's death and chose to make up one that would be easier to explain.
Hope that might clear up some confusion
Part 31
“Ah.” Alex groaned as the phone continued to ring. He wanted to get it, make it stop, but his body wasn’t cooperating. Heck his body wasn’t even moving. He was hanging off the couch, the shrill sound of the phone making his headache blaze to life.
“You know, when you pick it up it stops ringing.” Michael said as he walked toward the phone. Alex could hear him mumbling then walk his way. “For you.” He tossed the phone at him.
Alex groaned and reached behind for the phone.
“Yeah?”
“Hey there Drunky.” Shawna giggled.
“Shawna? How did you know?” He sat up quickly.
“I kinda called you last night. I figured you wouldn’t remember. How are you feeling?”
“Bad. Everything hurts. I…I didn’t say anything, um…inappropriate did I?” Alex swallowed.
“No, nothing inappropriate. You did say something important though.” She left it at that.
“Well, what did I say?”
“Um….well you said….” She paused. “Alex, how do you feel about me?”
The question stunned Alex. What did she mean? Oh god, what had he said?
“How do I feel about you?” He asked. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I mean…what are your feelings for me?”
“What did I say?” He started to panic. What could he have possibly have said to make her ask that?
“You kinda said you loved me before hanging up.” Shawna heard a loud thump on the other side of the phone. “Alex?” She heard him cursing and knew he’d dropped the phone.
“Shawna? Oh god.” She smiled as she heard him moving around. “I….I said I…loved you?”
“Yeah? It’s ok Alex, you were drunk.”
“I…I said I…I…loved….you?” Alex rubbed his now throbbing head. He had fallen off the couch. How could he be so stupid? He had said that?
“Yeah, you did. Look it’s ok Alex. Don’t freak out.” Shawna said, now feeling a little less good. Alex was taking this that bad.
“What…what did you say?” He asked nervously.
“I didn’t say anything. You hung up before I could.”
“What would you have said?” He asked.
“You know what? I’m going to go down there this weekend. I’ll tell you then.” She said with a smile.
“Uh, ok.” Alex gulped.
“I’ll talk to you later, I have to go.”
Alex hung up and brushed through his hair. Oh, his head was hurting now.
~*~
“Rice Auto, how can I help you?” Michael answered the phone.
“Michael, I need a big favor.” Liz said anxiously.
Within twenty minutes Michael was at the restaurant.
“So you think he’s getting himself into trouble?” He asked as she climbed into his truck.
“I don’t know. I hope not, but I have a feeling he’s there.” She replied.
~*~
“I strongly suggest you leave right now Zan, before I have you arrested for trespassing.” Jeff Parker warned.
“I strongly suggest you shut up Mr. P.” Zan countered. “I want to know here and now why you hate me so much. Why even when I was just a little kid, you did nothing but make my life hell?” Zan stared at the older angrily.
“Leave right now.” Jeff said again.
“Not until you answer me. I want to know, why you thought I was never good enough for your daughter. Why you never even gave me a chance. Is it because my mother was Hispanic? Was it because my family was poor?”
Jeff simply glared back at him.
“I don’t have to explain myself to you. Get out of my office.”
“No! Answer me. You owe me that much at least.”
“I owe you nothing.”
Zan stood face to face with him. The anger in his eyes could have pierced right through Jeff Parker if it could. He could feel the rage running through his veins. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it would rip its way out of his chest. He could see the same hate reflected in Jeff’s eyes. He could see the vein bulging along the neck of the older man.
“Just fucking tell me!” Zan exploded and grabbed Jeff by his shirt. Jeff only laughed and pulled himself free.
“You act like that and still ask why I don’t want you near my daughter.” He said viciously.
“I would never hurt Liz. I love her.”
“How do I know that? I have no assurance that you wouldn’t hurt her. My daughter is all I have left in the world. I don’t want to lose her to someone like you, where she could end up hurt.
“I’d never hurt her. You say you don’t want to lose her but you are. You are pushing her away yourself. She hates you because you’re the one who’s hurting her!” Zan told him.
“You’re lying. I’m not hurting her. I love my daughter, I’m only trying to protect her.”
Jeff Parker was starting to break down. He couldn’t take what Zan was saying. It couldn’t be true. His daughter couldn’t hate him, he was only protecting her.
“Why do you hate me so much?” Zan asked again.
“I don’t hate you!” Jeff yelled and slumped down on his chair.
“Then why do you treat me like I’m unworthy?”
Jeff sighed deeply and resting his elbows on his desk.
“It was your father.” He said softly. “He was responsible for the death of my wife.”
“What? How?” Zan asked, confused.
“He pumped her with some kind of drug and tried to take advantage of her. She was coming home from the doctor a month after Liz was born. He offered to give her a ride home and she accepted. Well he took her to his house first, saying he needed to get something. She went in with him. He offered her a drink, but she didn’t know he had put something in it. Well, it didn’t go as he planned. She went into a severe seizure and he couldn’t get what he wanted, so he dumped her off somewhere in the desert.” He paused then continued. “The police found her out there, she died a week later.”
Zan let the words sink in. He felt like arguing, like standing up for his father, but couldn’t. He knew it was probably true.
“What does that have to do with me?”
Jeff stood up and walked over to the picture of his wife.
“I didn’t want Liz near your father. I didn’t want her to get hurt. My hatred for your father also went to you. I thought you would turn out like him, or that he’d use you to hurt her. I didn’t want to risk that. I had to take of her on my own. I didn’t want to see anything bad happen to her.”
Both men looked at each other.
“You understand don’t you?” Jeff asked, his voice now considerably softer.
“I guess I could understand the feeling behind it. But everything you’ve been doing to her is hurting her. You sent her away; you do things to me that hurt her too. She loves me Mr. Parker, and I love her too. I’d do anything in my power to protect her from everything. I’d never hurt her, I swear.”
“He wouldn’t dad. He loves me like you love me. But you take it too far.” Liz said as she stepped into the office. Both men looked at her in surprise. “I do love you dad, but you take things too far trying to protect me. I’m a big girl now, and I have Zan. I can take care of myself, and if I can’t Zan can. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I have to, it’s my job.” Jeff smiled sadly. “I’m sorry Liz.” He said as a tear went down his worn cheek.
“I’m sorry too daddy.” She said and went over to hug him. “But you have to stop this, now.” She pulled away and looked at him seriously. “Stop the charges on Zan, stop trying to take him away from me.”
Jeff watched as she pulled away and went over to Zan. He saw how Zan wrapped his arms around her protectively and lovingly. He could see the love coming from both of them. It broke his heart to know that he had been trying to break that love apart.
He picked up his phone and called his agents.
“Yes, I’d like to have the charges against Alejandro Evans dropped. Yes everything is fine. Yes I understand what I said before.” He paused and looked over at the two. “Let’s just say I had a change of heart. Yes, that will do. Thank you.” He hung up. “You’re free to go.” He smiled.
Liz went over and hugged him again.
“Thank you dad.” She kissed his cheek.
“Yeah, thanks Mr. Parker. I’ll take care of her.” Zan said and shook Jeff’s hand.
“Think nothing of it. I only ask for your forgiveness.” He said whole-heartedly.
They nodded and left.
~*~
Michael smiled at the couple beside him. They looked so in love. They were holding onto each other like they’re life depended on it. Liz sat on Zan’s lap resting her head on his shoulder. Zan had his hands wrapped around her waist, his cheek resting on the top of her head, every once-in-a-while kissing her.
“Ok love birds, we’re home.” He said and laughed as they sighed.
They got of the truck and went up to the apartment. Everyone but Maria was there; she was still with her mom. Michael sighed and sunk down on the couch.
“What’s wrong Mike?” Zan asked as he sat beside him.
“Nothing.” He mumbled and turned to his friend. “You really love her huh?”
“Yeah.” Zan smiled dreamily. “Why do you ask?”
“How does it feel?”
“Hmm, well…” Zan paused and thought about it. “…ok you know how you feel after working on your truck? When you fix it up all nice so it works?”
Michael thought then smiled.
“Yeah.”
“That’s how love feels. Like this great feeling of like achievement. It’s a rush man. With Liz, I feel like I can do anything.” Zan smiled again.
“That’s deep bro.” Michael laughed. “I know what you mean though.”
“What's with the questions? Anything you gotta tell me about my adopted sis?” Zan teased.
Michael turned away and smiled. “I knew it. It was about damn time too man. You’re play is slow.”
“Shut up man. Don’t say anything ok.”
“A’ight. So what you gonna do man?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Maria and Liz walked into the room. Michael and Zan both looked over with stupid grins on their faces. Alex sat aside watching the whole spectacle.
“So what do you guys feel like doing?”
TBC...
The explanation for Liz's mom's death may be confusing so let me explain. I offered another explanation for her death in an earlier part, but that was only a cover story Jeff gave Liz when she was younger. He did not want her to know the real story of her mother's death and chose to make up one that would be easier to explain.
Hope that might clear up some confusion