Til We Meet Again (CC, Mature) - Chapter 84 - Completed - 09/01/2022

[keepsmiling7]

I'm afraid things might get worse before they get better?

[Parker1947]

Downstairs,

Max was still there. Although he was seriously now tempted to get up and to leave because he knew that Mariah was staying up there, and she was not coming down and he knew that was because he was here, and by staying, well, he was only torturing himself as the afternoon lull was now fully on, and only a few tables were filled, for Max, it was beginning to be too much, even for him, as he did look over and saw that River had finally abandoned his stance of guarding and both he and Jessica were now gone, they probably left when I was zoned out, thinking he thought as he had not seen his son head into the kitchen area once Mac had arrived. Which I cannot help he thought but then as he checked his watch Max did remember that his son was supposed to be working at some point today. Maybe he headed there he wondered so yes, only assumed his job was what got his son to finally leave. As he was also muttering to himself once more that he did not know what his son was doing with his time to make money. Will I find out? he asked. Do I even care? And he was also figuring out what courage he had to get up and leave.

After all, he was on his third cup of coffee. And he had not ordered anything more, besides a burger, but barely started it because he had lost any appetite, he had by being here.

Just as he was ready to leave. Finally deciding that he needed to get back home. The backdoor swung open, and his attention went to the door, and he hoped it was who he was praying it to be, but no, it was someone he did not know now, or not at all.

But it was someone who had both Liz and Mariah’s heart. Liz’s son he murmured. The child his former flame had with someone else, definitely, and conclusively he murmured because he had seen the pictures of Brady at the service held by Liz of her husband and the boy was definitely Brady’s son. A paternity that could not be disputed. Even if it stung to know Liz had been with someone else. But at least Max now knew he had a link that would last to eternity, whether he found peace with his daughter or no, or her mother for that matter.

Although the fact she keeps coming back has to mean something, right? Max was asking himself. Unsure of what the boy was going to do. It is Lex, right? he wondered of the name. Yes, that is the name he thought. Because the boy was named after someone special, although a name with a lot of bittersweet history behind it, and Max almost did not blame the kid for wanting some distance from the name. Max knew it had been under consideration for Mackenzie’s name but by that time he was born, Maria was in a creative bent and wanted something different for her child.

Obviously, Liz had chosen differently.

While other side of the room, Lex meanwhile did not know what he should be doing. Growing bored by being upstairs, he had come down because his mother and sister were having a private talk out on the balcony that was outside his mother’s childhood bedroom. Like his sister, Lex found it all sorts of cool and convenient.

I wish it was my room.

Initially he had not known where they had gone off too, but his grandfather had filled him in. Because Jeff often knew where his daughter could be found. Even back in the good old days he knew. It was easy to know when his daughter was with Max. If it was on his premises, was the caveat. They thought they were alone, and most of the time they were but there were other times.

Where Liz’s father could not help but know that his daughter was with Max.

So, Jeff filled in his grandson. On a G-rated version. But his grandson took it all in stride and Lex’s grandfather needed to check on the restaurant and so Lex had come down with his grandfather? Only expecting to see what went on down here, because like his sister his mother had chosen not to bring her children back to her hometown during Lex’s first twelve years on earth. Only with weeks to go until his thirteenth did he set foot on Roswell’s soil, and promptly two weeks later, he was sent to the hospital and a rehab facility.

And had lost his dad.

And dealing with a new life, that for the time being involved a wheelchair, and then graduating to crutches. So, he did not know this place well, or not at all. Because he had only been home a few weeks and he had not been doing anything other than dealing with catching up on his schoolwork, which was the need of Jaime’s services he thought. Now he was in his grandparent’s restaurant and was able to assess it fully. And he did find it to be cool. Weird but cool he muttered of the alien theme but the little he had read on Roswell before coming to town was about how the belief in aliens’ fed the tourism, and it ran the town. Bizarre he remembered feeling and even more to know his mother had come from this town.

And it how had been such a mystery to him, and his sister.

Why did Mom not bring us back here he thought? Because it is cool.

But of course. He now knew this town held more, which is why his mother probably had not brought us back he muttered because he saw a dark hair man looking at him oddly. He remembered the whispers surround the man since he came in and did remember when he was still at the table surrounded by Jaime’s stepsister, and his sister’s half-brother, River Evans Lex thought.

The name shocked him, when he came to realize it, and the fact that he would be related to his own sister. So, the discovery was still rocking him. Because Jaime had filled him on that part of the story because she had told him the name, and so it was quick to make the connection. And now to know there was another sibling for his sister. As it did seem odd to him that his sister could have family that was not related to him, or that there was another branch related to her, one that he did not have anything to do with.

I am not a kid. Of course, I know the concept of half siblings. Because of Aunt Priscilla. She and his father had different mother, same father.

Still to know that this was his sister’s life now, it was so bizarre to him so he could not help but stare at the man because it crystalized to him even without being told that it was his sister’s biological father.

And now he was also staring at him.

But then I am staring right back he muttered to himself.

And was even thinking of approaching and questioning the man about both his mother and his sister especially as he could feel the heat of the man’s stare at him. So, it made him curious enough to ask his grandfather for intel, “Is he, you know?” he asked of his grandfather who was nearby. Jeff had stopped to talk to a customer who wanted to say hello and did not register who was still in the restaurant, and when he heard his grandson speak, he turned, and yes, he saw Max. “What was that?” he asked of his grandson.

“Him, you know?” Lex asked.

Oh, Jeff muttered as he looked at Max, who was staring at his grandson like a ghost from the past. And for once Jeff felt for his daughter’s former boyfriend because it was hell of a situation. “What do you think you know?” Jeff asked, unsure of what his grandson knew.

Knew as in knew.

Lex did know, and he was curious, so he was willing to ask questions although he was still scared to really go there with any assumptions. “Is that you know, Mariah’s…” unsure of how to frame the role Max had in his sister’s life.

“So, you know?” Jeff asked as he saw the curiosity on his grandson’s face, and he felt for the boy because it was not going to be an easy transition just like it was not one for his granddaughter. But Mariah had different skin in the game, unlike his grandson. So, obviously, it was going to be a very difficult time for the family as a whole, especially now that all the parties knew.

Aware now that his grandparents knew, or at least his grandfather. “It sounds like I was the last to know,” Lex muttered and thought of what he now knew, and at the same time. He could not help but wonder just how much he did not know because after all, this was a town his mother had history in, and he did not know of that history. And now he was starting to feel resentful about the fact that his mother had kept it all a hidden part of her life. Sure, he had seen his grandparents, but they came to him, never did his mother come here, okay, if she did, maybe once or twice in those twelve years, still she had kept them back home with their father.

He had always wondered, why?

That they stayed behind with his father.

My father he murmured. Unsure of how to think of the situation.

“Son,” Jeff muttered.

Knowing that he should not be expected to be told anything, especially not from his grandfather. “It’s alright Grandpa,” Lex muttered as he knew how it had to be hard for everyone to realize because they had assumed one thing, and now all that was undone. “So, I guess because you did not answer me. That means, yes, he is her you know” he sighed as he did not want to have to say the words because to him, his father had been Mariah’s father too. Brady Anthony was much more their father than some man in the distance.

Jeff nodded.

It is a hell of a time he thought and felt for his daughter.

It was a situation no one wanted.

Although he supposed that Max wanted it Jeff thought. Although he would not want his daughter to accept him. But Jeff knew that for Max, it was a link that he still would have with his daughter Which Jeff knew was also unfortunate because it was better to have a clean break, and not to have closure if you are still going to be interacting.

Assuming his granddaughter wanted Max to play a role.

Or Jeff’s daughter for that matter.

And moments later, Jeff was reminded once again that closure was never going to be in the cards between his daughter and Max Evans. Because just as his grandson was thinking what he wanted to ask first to his grandfather, or to even approach the mystery man.

The doors swung open once more.

And out walked Mariah.

And Liz.

And both Jeff and Lex could see how Max’s face turned, and his face lit up.

At the sight of both Liz and at Mariah.

Uh oh, Jeff muttered to himself as he turned and went back behind closed doors, and they swung shut behind him, yes, closure was going to be highly unlikely.

*

As both mother and daughter were staring at the man who held so much, and in ways the younger girl would not understand but her mother knew, and once again Liz was feeling conflicted. After all, her husband was dead, and had been so only three months or so, and here she was reacting like she was a teenager whenever she looked at the man who had held her heart when she was eighteen.

She hated to feel relief to know Brady was not here to see this, and that he died believing everything was solid in their life. Of course, she had no idea what he might have thought or believed but kept it under his heat for the sake of their marriage, and both of his daughter, and son.

But Liz had known their life had been solid and she was now beginning to wonder just how they could have kept that life once here in this town if the worst had not taken place. Because seeing Max, she felt swept back to when she was sixteen, and even eighteen despite all the angst and history that had a cruel ending.

An ending of her own making.

And she had deprived her daughter.

And maybe she had deprived herself…

But she did not want to think of that now, “Are you sure?” Liz asked as she finally spoke some words at her daughter.

“I am sure,’ Mariah muttered. Although she was not sure if she was, but she needed to deal with it because she could not stay hiding.

She needed to know what she wanted.

Whether Max was a man she wanted to know.

She knew to her mother; he was because anyone taking a glance at how her mother looked at Max Evans would think she had lived a sham of a life these last sixteen years and now her own children were thinking of it.

But it did not detour Mariah, and she approached Max.

“What is she doing?” Liz’s son, Lex asked as he approached his mother as they both saw how Mariah was tentatively approaching Max.

Which was feeling like it was taking an eternity.

“Poking out from behind the tree,” Liz thought of analogy that Max had long told her, and one that had different connotations at the time. But now it was about whether a daughter wanted to know about her biological father and taking a chance at whatever that was formed with time.

“What would Dad think?” Lex blurted out, not really thinking. And he quickly braced that with, “Sorry, I was not thinking.”

No, you were thinking. Which is what I should be doing Liz was telling herself. She knew it was hard for her son to be dealing with, all the twists and turns that life had brought them starting with the loss of his father, after all, the only loss she had before Alex was her grandmother. And while, that was brutal and sudden still, she was older and if she was destined to than it was her time, right? she told herself although it should not have been Alex’s time to go, she muttered to herself as she thought of someone else Max had been unable to save, although he did give me some precious last moment with my grandmother Claudia.

Life would not give the same consideration when she later lost Alex.

“You are right to be thinking that” she said as she turned to her son. “I do love your father and he made me happy but I do believe he would have wanted you kids to be happy, and while he did not get to see what would have come of the last few months still, he wants your sister to be happy, and I would think he would be fine with whatever Mariah wants,” she muttered even though she was not convinced she was telling the truth. Because who knows if they still would have known, if December had never happened, and it had happened if a different way.

While she knew her son was looking at her wearily. As if he did not believe her.

As across the restaurant, Mariah was not sure why she wanted to do this, but she knew she had to take the chance.

While Max still was in a trance of sorts.

Was his daughter approaching him compared to other way around? Max did not know how to deal with it, but stayed put while Mariah did the one thing, she once considered to be impossible, approaching her biological father.

She did not know how to start, or what to say.

So, she went with the simple, and just to say “Hello,”

Max was at a loss to respond.

While behind them, all Liz knew was that this was a beginning of something. Although she did not know, what that something was.

But it was something she thought.

All the while Lex saw his family changing, and Jeff knew it too.

And knew the future was going to be different.

[keepsmiling7]

A different family future is definitely in the books.
I feel sorry for Lex as he is just introduced to this news.

[Parker1947]

Meanwhile,

Mac was taking a ten-minute break that was helped along by the low customer turn out so far and was now out by in the same alley that was had been only just vacated by Jessica and River mere seconds before Mac had come out of the doors. The discussion he had been with Jessica ended simply because River finally noticed that time was ticking down and he had to turn up for his shift at Cow Patties and it finally told them to table their discussion as he and Jessica walked off, with Jessica looking for a bus to head home. While River was running late for his shift, so he did have time to head home to change, so he simply drove straight to the bar.

And totally missed Mac who decided to take his break. With it being unfortunately a cigarette break. Because while River only smoked when truly aggravated by his family situation namely his father. Mac had more of a habit of doing such a thing. Which he knew Jessica disapproved mightily. Sometimes River did. But he did not have grounds for disproval. But Jessica did, and Mac did not care. Okay, maybe I do care what Jessica thinks, he muttered. But on a day like this it relieved some of the stress of the day, and it was only a small break so he could not have a burger break yet, and he was thinking of what he did not know. Because unlike Jessica, he did not know what was going on. And so, he was getting him time to think.

And to wonder. Which was never a good thing.

And his break was almost over when he got rudely interrupted by someone, he did not like seeing. “Well, well, what do we have here?” came a smile of a multi-colored female as she came closer to Mac as he was close to extinguishing the cigarette as he spotted the female in question. Someone who was now wearing both a pink and green haircut that did not do her own favors. “You should not be thinking of doing that too a perfectly fine puff piece,” she said crudely as she walked his way and took it from his fingers before he threw it to the ground.

And started to smoke it herself.

Ugh Mac thought. Why me? he thought as he found the sexy troubled siren coming his way. “Roxy, what do you want?” he asked of notorious party girl Roxy Turner. Someone who had already quite the reputation in their town.

As she was also the one who had led Mariah astray.

Although Mariah did that all on her own Mac allowed. Because Mariah was smart enough and had been in town long enough to know not to tangle with Roxy.

The warning signs were all there, to anyone who was in their town more than a minute Mac now thought.

“Making my way around town,” Roxy smiled as she was liking how Mac was looking, and Mac was squirming from the attention. Normally he would go after any female out there. After all I am young, and there was only so much time before I cannot anymore, he told himself. Why settle down.

River is the dumb one. But if he chooses too then you will not catch me doing the same thing he thought. Not until I am much older. But still, he had lines he rarely crossed, and Roxy was one of those lines.

Or so he liked to tell people. Including his father.

“So, this is where you are working these days?” came a smiling Roxy as she took a close look at Mac and the teenager could not help but squirm at the attention he was receiving. Attention that was sticky, and was uncomfortable even though on most days, he was usually craving that attention on a good day. But on this day, and from this girl. All he wanted to do was to head back into the grill inside. Why did I not stay inside? But it did not deter Roxy. “You are looking good Guerin.” Real good.

Not Roxy he muttered

“You are something Mac,” Roxy teased, and got the expected reaction.

Squirming.

Unsure of what she was after. Mac did not know why she would coming anywhere close the Crashdown. It does not seem to be her place he thought. Because it was too mainstream, he thought. Too many of their parents come here, and especially the Sheriff comes here Mac thought of his grandfather. Which is why Roxy, and her crew usually stays away. “Leave this place alone,” Mac muttered even though he could leave the job if I were able to Still though he was feeling protective of the place and did not care about Roxy’s way of doing things.

“Why should I,” Roxy asked. “It’s a free world is it not?” she asked. “And plus, you are not exactly the person to be barring me from going in somewhere to get some food. You would be lucky if I did actually care about this place. Which I do not. All I was planning on doing was looking for Angelo, is he not working today?”

“Nope, he will not be on tonight,” Mac muttered and this once he was wishing he was on the night shift, if it meant getting out of this uncomfortable position, and yet he still knew how old Angelo was and could not help make it his business to ask, “Is he not too old for you?” he wondered. Because after all he knew that the night cook had to be in his late 20’s by now. Way too old for someone who like Roxy, even if she is Roxy he thought.

Although why do I care?

“I like them old,” Roxy smiled. “But I also like them young too,” she said smiling at Mac. “As you well know. I do not know why you did would not want to be getting together with me, because we had so much fun that one time, did we not?” she asked in almost a whisper. And it could not help but annoy Mac that she had this capacity to still get to him. When he should know better, and I do know better because there had been that once.

“It was my mistake, because I do not want you,” Mac muttered as he tried to imagine of the other possibilities, he had that were not Roxy. “I would want anyone other than you…”

“Well, you did once,” Roxy murmured as she slinked up close towards Mac. And it almost sickened him, but he could not stop himself around her, “I see who you do date Mac. So, why would you be so picky,” she said with a laugh. “Because I am all about the now…” she said with a smile. “I am exactly the person you are looking for is it not, or do I have the wrong information?”

“It does not mean I want you,” came an annoyed Mac. Anyone but you…

“I think you do,” Roxy murmured.

“I have to get back to work,” Mac mumbled as he now relished the idea of getting back inside the restaurant.

“I think you can wait,” Roxy murmured as she came closer, too close “No one is in there at the moment,” she said with a smile. I had to check it out right, before I came back here, she thought. I could not have the Sheriff paying a visit. “So, we have all the time in the world,” she said as went it, and she grabbed Mac in for a kiss, a kiss that he wanted to sink away from, but was frustrating responding too.

It would continue on until of course there was a noise from behind them, and they got an outraged shrinking voice. “What the hell is going on here?” it was asking.

And that is when the kiss did stop, only for Mac to turn and see that it was Jessica who was staring at him with anger in her eyes

…and he did not know if those eyes of betrayal were at him, or at Roxy.

*

Truthfully it was a bit of both. Because Jessica could not help but feel a combination of both disgust and anger at what she was witnessing. Because she had come through the ally because she had realized just as the bus was arriving that she had forgotten her phone back at the Crashdown, because she had also forgotten her jacket, as she had put it down on a chair in the backroom when she had come back to talk to Mac, only to get diverted by River’s disclosures. And because they had to head off, she had not gone back in, and instead left from the outside, and so instead of getting on the bus, she rushed back to the Crashdown and decided to take the back route instead of going through the front of the restaurant. Figuring Mac was still working, and she did not want to answer any of his potential questions.

But what she had not been expecting was to have Roxy all over Mac, and worst of all to have Mac responding Mac is a fool she thought. I mean, all those warnings, and still he cannot help himself she told herself. What the hell is wrong with the boy she thought. “That is right, he is a boy" she muttered. “I thought you were better than that to fall for her games,” Jessica muttered as she glared at Roxy.

Because she was aware that Roxy had in the past thrown herself at both her cousin, and her best friend. But she was sure they had pushed her away.

River, she knew he had.

But Mac. I was so sure she thought. That he would not fall for her line.

And now she was steaming. And it was just the expression that Roxy wanted and cultivated many of a time in her life.

After all. She was liking that they had gotten interrupted. And especially because of who it was. Well, well is it not Ms. Clean cut,” Roxy murmured as she stuck close by Mac, too close for Mac’s liking or for that matter, Jessica’s. Almost purring. “You should leave us be,” she muttered. “Mac was liking my attention.”

“No, I don’t” Mac muttered.

“Yes, you do” Roxy smiled. “You liked it last time when we had no interruptions.”

Sickened. “I cannot believe either of you,” Jessica murmured as she wanted to throw up, but wisely did not because she knew she would be giving Roxy exactly what she wanted from the situation she was crafting. So, Jessica did the next best thing by not stopping to even get some explanation as to what happened, as she would only push on past the two teenagers, and raced away, and into the door that would take him back into the backroom of the Crashdown Café.

“Wait, Jessica, wait” Mac said as he pulled away from Roxy who had tried to grab onto him to prevent him “Leave me alone,” he muttered as he twisted around.

“Let her go,” Roxy smiled. “We were having a fun time here, and we can continue you know,” she murmured. “If we did not have any interruptions. Because Mac, the two of us are the same you know. We like to look at life the same way, so, why would you want a nobody like Jessica because she is so insignificant in this world,” she spat but it was enough, because whatever spell had compelled was now broken, and Mac chose to ignore her, but she did not stop. “She will only give you boredom.”

“Jessica is not nothing,” Mac muttered. “She’s more than you will ever be,” he murmured said as whatever spell that was there, was now gone. And he twisted away from Roxy’s grasp on him, and pushed her away, and ran after Jessica.

Opening the door and running inside. Not caring about his shift.

Caring about Jessica.

Back outside, Roxy only smiled. And walked away. Aware she had put a crimp in the friendship of Jessica and Mac.

She did not care that Mac was slipping through her fingers once more, as he took out her burner phone call, she did have for emergencies like not having her main one because of that idiot teacher confiscating it she muttered. If only Mariah had not gotten busted.

I would have it back. She thought. But she had another one, because one could not be without her phone, and she dialed. “Am I seeing you tonight?” she asked. “Yes, I did mess with the Guerin kid, and Ramirez-Evans."

She smiled.

“I cannot wait,” Roxy murmured as she then disappeared.

*

As inside, Jessica could only stomach to stop and pick up her coat, and make sure her phone was still in the pocket. Which it was, and she out of the restaurant in no time flat. This time taking the front way, instead of the route she had taken to enter the café because she did not want to have to run into either of those idiots she murmured. Mac was not that far behind and saw where she was heading and seeing that the grill was dead, he put up a quick sign to indicate bathroom break, which was okay because there were no customers needing the kitchen. Not that he stayed to get clearance, and so he ran out.

And it was not as if anyone truly cared because Jeff was not downstairs, so he was not seeing that his fry cook was no longer there.

And especially Mac did not care because all he cared was catching up with Jessica. “Hey, wait Jessie” he called after the running teenage girl who was clearly a first-class runner. Why is she not on the school team? Jessica by the way was trying to catch up to the bus at the corner, but she was too late because the bus closed its door and was off before she could get to the stop despite running full speed to catch up.

She missed the bus.

By a mere two seconds Jessica cursed. Only my luck “Nonesomuch” she cursed so close, no luck and I would have been on the bus, and away from him and those images as she heard Mac calling after her. “Hey, wait up, Jessica.”

“No,” she muttered as Mac was able to reach her and stop. “Stay away from me. You should be at work” she muttered of her friend my so-called friend she corrected herself. Yet she did know that Mac was taking the job seriously because the best perk out of it, was the money, and she knew his boss would not be happy to see that his cook was no longer on duty.

She was annoyed. Because she had not counted on Mac actually coming after…

Because of that job.

“There is no one to serve,” Mac said as he stopped racing after his friend. “I can take a minute before I go back,” he muttered. “About what you think you saw…”

“I think I saw what I saw, and it was definitely enough,” Jessica muttered. “You should have stayed back with her. Because I mean, god Mac, I cannot believe you would stoop so low. You know of all those warnings. You told me that you would stay away from her,” she sighed. “She’s not my type, you said because I remember” Jessica thought as she thought of Roxy’s type. “Because this is exactly what she wanted, you know and we gave it to her, or at least I did. You gave her something else altogether, and it was not the first time I told. But she wanted that scene. She wanted me to react like I did, and I gave it to her, so, yeah, I am weak enough to do that because she pushed my buttons. But I thought you were better to fall for her antics.”

“She surprised me, okay” Mac muttered. “I was only taking a break, and I did ask for it. She is the one who kissed me.”

“And you were responding to it you, dumb ass” Jessica muttered. “You even liked it,” she muttered. “If that is what you want. Go at it. If you want to be that kind of guy?” she muttered. “

Because you have seen what she does at school. She uses them and then she throws them off, and you should be better off then what you are…”

Knowing that Jessica was making sense. He knew better because yes, I did tangle with her before which is why I knew I am an idiot, so he did not need Jessica reminding him of his weakness. Still, he was curious to know why she was so furious. Why was she so disgusted? Not that he was not already with himself, but he did not need to hear it from his friend “And why does it matter to you who I kiss?” Mac demanded. “You have Alan do you not?” he asked.

“Yes, I do” Jessica agreed.

“Because you sound jealous,” Mac asked. “Are you?”

“You are a fool,” Jessica muttered. I am happy with Alan, so my being angry has nothing to do with being jealous. “I am not jealous,’ she sighed as she saw the bus coming from afar, although still a few minutes away. But she wanted for it to come quicker. She needed to be on the bus now, and not dealing with Mac.

“Look,” Jessica sighed as she turned to face her friend. “As you said to me as recently as New Year’s Eve, your relationships are your business,” she muttered. “I am certainly going to leave them to you from now on,” she sighed once again as she glanced at the concern on her friend’s face. “You will not catch me meddling in them, so go back and do whatever you want with Roxy,” she sighed. “Which I am disgusted to know was not to first time,” she sighed as the bus came, and stopped.

She got on.

Leaving Mac to watch the bus head off and cursing how his luck was turning bad.

*

Meanwhile,

Isabel was getting out of the car in the driveway. As her quest to know more about her duplicate and her talk with Kyle had been cut short by an emergency with an order at the store she ran. A fashion boutique. Delirium. But she delegated frequently. Especially with two growing girls in the house. It was becoming a more frequent necessity. She had the day off, but an emergency with a delivery that was problematic had driven her to go to the store, which had relieved her because she had been looking for a diversion in the first place.

She was hoping for one of the girls. But she was grateful it was not, and that it had come in the form of her job.

Because the girls would have been ten times worse than any job disaster. She could manage the business disasters that often happen. Because that was easy. Whether it impacted her bottom line or not. But if they were to erupt within the family? The scale of damage would be a hell of a lot bigger, by far she thought as she locked the car, and looked down at her phone, and mumbling to herself as she spotted a familiar brunette coming down the sidewalk. “Jaime are you just getting home, where on earth were you?” as she fully came back to her reality.

Her daily life.

Jaime Valenti could only look at her stepmother. Unofficial she would say. Although at this point her father and Jessica’s mother would be considered common law, so technically they probably are married in the eyes of the court. I am not going to tell them that because they might call off the wedding, she muttered to herself. Because she wanted her dad to be happy, and Isabel made him happy.

It did not bother her that his love for Isabel went back to high school. Preceding her own mother. Because her maternal grandparents who she saw sometimes when they came from Europe where they currently live to visit her not as often as Jessica goes to Arizona she thought. She was fine with it because she did not know if she would like to have her grandparents near her every day. She had that in her Grandfather Valenti. She did not need it with her mother’s side of the family. Because they moved overseas after losing their daughter, to get away from the grief. Custody had automatically gone to Kyle, and Gina and Ryan Miller thought Kyle was a decent guy and was a great father even if he was not the greatest husband.

Because he was a model father, they had no grounds to challenge for custody, and they knew their daughter would have wanted father and daughter to be together. So, they had told their granddaughter when she was old enough that her father had wanted Isabel.

Not that Jaime had not heard the rumors. She had. She was fine with it, as she thought. Because she figured her mother was okay with it.

Teri was, mostly.

But Mom is gone so she cannot tell me whether she truly was Jaime thought. But she liked Isabel. She also liked Jessica and she wanted her father to be happy.

And he was, and she wanted the wedding to finally happen. It would mean he was truly moving on.

And they could officially be a family.

Not that they were not already. But either one could leave so easily, if they decided but she knew her father and Isabel did love each other. “Sorry,” she said as she checked her watch and knew the day had gotten away from her. “Where did the time go,” she muttered. “It seems so much has happened, but nothing has at the same time.”

“You did not call?” Isabel asked as she spotted the teenager walking towards her. “I thought you only had to tutor Lex this morning?”

“I did, but I ended up at the Crashdown,” she murmured. “And things went from there, and I stopped and spent time with friends on the way. I figured you and Dad would be busy, and it is Spring Break after all.”

“We were busy,” Isabel conceded. Enough anyways she muttered. “We still need to know what is going on with the two of you because you are growing up, and most all, you are our children,” Isabel sighed. “You two might think you are grown up. But you are not, and neither of you are on your own, or even close to it, so we worry…” Isabel murmured. As she could see how much Jaime was growing up. It seemed all of a sudden. It just seems like yesterday she was a little girl Isabel thought. As she also remembered when the little girl who resembled her father so greatly had those little pigtails and was the easiest of little girls despite losing her mother so young. She never had a problem with me, and Kyle Isabel thought.

A relationship she had not seen coming. Even though she knew that everyone else had seen it coming.

Saying things to her about Kyle having a crush on her when he was in senior year. When I was with Jesse and had already graduated. She sighed.

She did not see it.

So, she could only take the stories on face value. She wanted to believe that she and Jesse had something real. I tried hard, maybe too hard she thought.

But she would always be grateful to have her daughter. Too bad Jesse could not have met her she thought.

And things had escalated when she had lost Jesse so senselessly, but their marriage was in trouble and basically over. She was single, by choice. And she had not seen it coming when Kyle became free and was trying to raise his daughter a weekend father before his ex-wife got sick, and in the wake of the illness that had shocked the family, when he had to pick the slack up with his little girl.

She finally noticed him. And started to help out with Jaime.

And things had grown from there, and finally they had jumped into something together, and now finally were planning on tying the knot. And she could not see how anything would disrupt their day.

Whenever that day did arrive.

And now she was reminded how grownup Jaime was looking. She was getting used to those feelings with her own daughter, because Jessica had been looking much older than her age for a long time now, but Jaime was now growing up, and aging. And it was reminding Isabel how both girls had so much independence.

The town was small, sure.

Which was a relief most days of the week.

But there were dangers out there because she knew there were people out there unaccounted. And it reminded her, that she needed to know what was going on with Lonnie. Even though I do not want too. “We would like to know when you make unscheduled detours off your schedule. You and Jessica both.”

“Yeah, sure,” Jaime nodded. Whatever she said silently because publicly at least yes was the best answer to give to a parent, so they do not give you more of a lecture she thought. She and Jessica knew what to say to appease their parents. To get them off their case.

And Isabel knew Jaime before long would be testing her limits as they walked into the house. Kyle was pulling the casserole that she had prepared earlier from the fridge for the oven. Isabel saw the relief on her boyfriend’s face when he saw his daughter walking into the kitchen. “Yes, I know Dad, I did not call?”

“No, you did not” Kyle muttered as he put the dish on the counter to warm up. “You know Isabel and I want to be apprised of any unscheduled detours,” he sighed. “We have reminded both you girls of that before,” he muttered before things had increased, which it has these last weeks and months.

“Which is exactly what Isabel told me,” Jaime sighed. “Neither of you should worry about it because it was all so simple. Most of it was where people had their eyes on me and would have called you if it truly gotten away from me, but on this day, things just flew by. It did get past me,” she thought. “I did not intend it but time really flew because yes, I was at Lex’s, and we were playing some games on the computer once his session was over, when his mother arrived home and realized his sister was not home keeping an eye on us. So, we ended up at the Crashdown where we would find Mariah, although that was a fluke. By the way, Jessica was there, with Mac and River, and so we stayed for quite the show. Although nothing really came from it by the time I did leave, and once on the way home, I stopped in and saw Shelly and Monica” she sighed as she saw the concern on both of her parental figure faces. “It’s Spring Break, and it is not like I have any homework to deal with unlike Lex.”

Oh, we know Kyle thought as he exchanged a look with his girlfriend. Because it once more a reminder of how his daughter was growing up. And how before long he was going to have to stay up at night like Isabel was constantly doing with Jessica these days. If Lex was not younger, I might have to worry he thought of the now thirteen-year-old. And especially the slip that it sounded like my daughter and Lex were left alone to study he thought but did not comment on it.

Isabel knew her boyfriend caught onto the same words.

But neither adult was going to comment on it because they it was Jaime, and it was all pretty innocent but there would come a time where it was not going to be all innocent.

“Seriously Dad it was nothing,” Jaime muttered. “It was only fun,” she sighed. “Nothing to worry about. River’s father showed up, and it was a collision because Mariah’s mother was also there, so it was a lot of fun, but it did not really lead to anything that I know of before I came back this way,” she sighed.

Oh god Isabel muttered as she swiftly turned her concern to her brother. Whenever my brother and Liz are concerned, it leads to drama she thought.

Kyle also knew this, and so he was going to give his daughter a pass, “At least you are home now,” he thought and said as much out loud.

“Yes, your father is right, you are home now, and there was nothing to worry about” Isabel murmured even though they were still worried. The girls are teenagers she thought. “We only want you to think next time, okay? Because letting us know is so simple,” she sighed. “None of us do not know who is out there, and there is always the potential for trouble.”

“Really?” Jaime asked, a tad wearily. Life has been tame. Where is the danger?

“Yes,” Kyle murmured.

“What could truly happen. It’s all been quiet,” she sighed. “I cannot see how that will change anytime soon.”

“Although one never can count anything out,” Isabel murmured as she glanced over at her fiancé. I want it to stay tame. To think we just have to deal with the misguided adventures that come from Mariah dealing with her entrance into this world, she thought. But one never can be too sure…

The teenager jumped on her stepmother’s words. “Do we really have to worry about something?” Jaime asked, as her curiosity was peaked. Maybe there is more we kids do not know?

But before either adult could think of answer to give the fourteen-year-old, the front door slammed. And a lot of cursing was taking place as Isabel knew instantly it was her own daughter, as they walked back towards the living room, and spotted an aggravated Jessica. “Honey,” she said of her daughter.

“Do not speak to me,” Jessica muttered as she wanted silence. “Men, I hate them with a passion” she said as she raced upstairs, and slammed her door shut.

What was that? Both Isabel and Kyle could only say.

Jaime was also lost.

“Alan?” Kyle asked of his girlfriend.

“Who knows,” Isabel murmured as they both looked at the younger teenager. I thought things were going great with those two. “Is there anything that you know why Jessica is in a mood?” as sometimes the best method was to go through Jaime if Isabel wanted to know what was going on with her daughter.

“Nope,” Jessica sighed. “She was fine earlier.”

“I am sure it will blow over,” Kyle thought. Both girls can be moody he thought.

“I think I will go and check on it,” Isabel said softly as she was finding yet another distraction from looking into the going on’s of her own duplicate, which is fine by me she thought as she walked upstairs.

*

Moody was the best description of Mariah’s mood most days it seemed. She never knew how she was going to feel as she was now in car. And not a vehicle she knew of. And fortunately, it was not a law enforcement officer either, but it was being driven by a man she did not know. Someone she was wary of, and still was, but still she had gotten in. With the full approval of her mother. Who knew this was something that needed to be happening? As Mariah could only look out the moving car at the road they were traveling down.

She had not spoken a word since she got in, and neither did the driver.

Max.

Who was driving his daughter because Mariah had approached him? And they mutually decided to go somewhere to talk. Max knew where and did not know how his daughter would feel of the place. Because the last time she had been there was not a good experience for her.

Mariah did not ask any questions, but from the path the car was driving. She figured where she was going. She chose not to battle over the choice of locations.

Of where Max was taking her.

She did not know why she was doing this because still she did not know how to feel. But she needed to come to terms. So, I can make some decisions she thought as she remembered back to the restaurant.

And the urge she had to finally confront her biological father.

“Are you sure you want to go with Max?” her mother was saying to her, and she nodded and turned back to Max who was not sure what was happening. Because it all had happened so fast, but it was not something he was going to pass up.

Time with Mariah he thought as in the car he was also thinking of how his daughter approached him, and now he was thinking of what to say in the car.

“I know this is a lot?” Max said as they were the first words spoken in a good fifteen minutes. But he knew they soon would almost be at their destination.

“Yes, it is” Mariah allowed.

“I was not trying to push,’ Max said again.

“I know that” Mariah sighed. She was unsure of what to say, or how to exchange chitchat with a man who was a stranger to her but meant so much at the same time.

“If this was your mother’s idea, we can turn back?” Max asked. “Because I do not want to pressure you into anything you are not ready for…”

“I thank you for that but no, this was purely my decision” Mariah muttered. And it was. “I have been stuck in my misery, and letting it infect the situation at hand. I have had enough, and I need to know more, and I cannot sit back at the Crashdown because it’s not like I know this town. Or anything at all for that matter because Mom did not bring me back here…” she sighed. “So, I do not even have a base to start from…”

“She was thinking of you,” Max said in defense of the actions of his former girlfriend. As she could almost see why Liz never did come back to this town. Or she did, but she stayed in the shadows he though. Although I am no better because if she came to town, I would not have known he thought. I was in my shell, and it was not like Michael, or my sister were going to tell me?

“Nah, she was only thinking of herself” Mariah muttered.

“Mariah,” Max sighed.

“I am fine with it. I am beginning to think that in one’s life. You have to look out for yourself and your needs. You cannot expect for someone else to not be thinking of their kids over themselves,” Mariah murmured even though a parent is supposed to be thinking of their kid over themselves. Not that Max had much experience because I let myself get in the way of what was best for River once I revoked that adoption he thought. It was almost like I thought that would be enough he thought. But now he knew that was not, not by a long shot.

“We parents have to look out for our kids?” Max asked even though his words were a tad rich and even he knew that, and Mariah looked at the man who had helped give her life and he could tell she was not buying his words.

Almost like she knew himself better than he did. Despite their lack of understanding of each other.

“Really?” Mariah asked.

“Or it is supposed to be what we are looking out for, you guys” Max said softly. “Although not literally because of course I did not know of you.”

Mariah nodded, one of the reasons I am in this identity crisis she thought. “Mom was a great mother. I know I have not been treating her well these months since I found out, but she was a fantastic mother, but it is not like she could handle coming back to this town. Obviously, she could not deal,” she sighed as she looked out at the open roads they were travelling down. “But I think I would have liked to know this town. Even without knowing what I know now. Because after all this was a place, she grew up, and she was a being a ghost. Most people want to return to their hometown, right? Not Mom. While she did come back, because she did have to occasionally visit Grandma and Grandpa, but she did not bring me or my brother with her, because obviously she could not handle the memories of whatever the two of you had together,” Mariah muttered. “Instead, she left us with Dad,” she sighed as she looked over at Max, “Sorry…” she muttered because she was beginning to see how it must hurt her biological father to know she was thinking of another man as her dad.

“It’s alright,” Max murmured. But is it? he wondered as he glanced over at his daughter and rued all the missed time. “Your mother did not know. Otherwise, things might have been different. But they were not. No matter what happens between the you and I or if you ever learn to accept me in some fashion. I know your mother’s husband was a wonderful father to you, and I am not trying to replace him, okay?” he asked. “I know I could never do even if I were to have wanted to, and I do not. You are now sixteen, as of today. And you have led a life, a different one, and you had someone who loved you caring for you, and that is what I would want for you and your mother” he murmured. “All we can do is look at what comes next. Because none of us are able to go back and do it over again.”

Mariah could only nod.

“So, yes, your mother did move on, but she had reasons for that decision.” he sighed once more as he was taken back sixteen years and how it had all ended for them. And it was also a reminder of how this situation was so much more complicated than being a simple reunification between father and daughter. It could not be that easy because Mariah liked her life and now, she is faced with a new one. One that she has to craft for herself.

“You are not angry that she did not tell you about me?” Mariah asked as she looked over the man who had helped with her creation. As she was trying to access him and figure out how he ticked. He is such a mystery man she muttered. And then remembered how that was how her own other had described him in her journal and for once she had to believe in those words, because he is a mystery she thought.

“No, how can I?” Max asked.

“So, you believe she did not know?” Mariah asked. “She could be lying to us all you know.”

“Yes, she could but she is not,” Max said because the last thing Liz was a liar he muttered. She will never be Tess he thought. Although of course will always believe in Liz and will always defend her, “Your mother is an incredible woman. She is not a liar. I know someone who was very easily one, and she is not your mother. But your mother. She is very special to me. Because she gave me a chance, and by doing that, she changed my life by loving me like she did. We gave it a shot. And it did not work out. But that is life. She could have walked away from me in the beginning. But she stayed. She will forever be my dream girl. Nothing could ever change that for me. No matter what happens between us, or how much anger we feel towards each other. Love is never easy. It changes you, and I am forever grateful to your mother. She let me love her, and she gave me the gift of you.”

Wow Mariah thought as she felt the genuineness in the words as he was stating them. And it painted an incredible portrait of a love that was denied, and how cruel life was, “You really love her?” she murmured as she could not help but blurt out the question, even though she was not sure how she was reacting to those words.

To know her mother had been this man’s dream girl.

“I still do?” Max mutter as they finally got to where they were driving too as the car stopped, and they open desert was before them.

Nothing by golden brown sand.

And caves, and the chambers, and the secrets in the midst of them.

[keepsmiling7]

This growing up for the next generation is not going to be easy.
I sense Roxy is going to be big trouble........(another Tess in the mix)
Yes Mariah, Max still loves your mother!

[Parker1947]

Meanwhile,

“Do you need anything in that milkshake?” was a quip coming across the table within the Crashdown as Liz was now back at a booth across from her best friend Maria. As they were meeting for a friendly chitchat because they both had nothing else useful to do on this day, I am sure we can think of something else to be doing both women were thinking to themselves, but they were amusing each other in their presence. Maria had arrived not long ago. And noticed her son working in the kitchen.

There were not that many in the restaurant, but enough to keep the traffic steady. She saw Mac hard at work. But cursing and obviously in a bad mood. Maria wondered what that was about because her son was in a better mood back at home at the start of his shift. Of course, she did not have to work in this place anymore. Not since I was a teenager she thought. There were days when she missed it. The adrenaline was a fuel. If she did not care for the morning shifts, or the late ones although the restaurant did not stay in business as late as some in town. But still, it was good way to make money.

Which helped the family resources she thought because then her mother did not have to worry about having to give her the spending money that was coming from the store that Amy ran. Maria had been working to make money of her own since she was younger than her son was now. It helped it was here, the Crashdown. And she was like family. She trusted the Parkers, and Liz was a sister, family.

And they were such a pair, and of course being such a pair. Who knew we would each be seduced into the world of aliens she thought?

Although I blame Liz for that she smiled she brought me into this life as she looked around and saw how much this place was the center of her world even though she had not worked in this place since she was eighteen. She had moved on when she and Michael made it work.

She found other uses to make money so they could feed their family.

And now their son was here, and it was like looking into a portal into her younger days to see her son working through the window of the kitchen. Even if he was annoyed by something, still he had not left work yet, and Jeff seemed okay with what her son was doing.

Which was fortunate for her son since he needed the job to continue to pay off his debts. Although she and Michael were prepared to be slightly lenient with their only child but there is no telling him that she thought.

Because Mackenzie would take it the generosity and run with it, “This is some life is it not?” she asked of her best friend. As they talked in the booth.

“Yes, it is” Liz sighed as she looked around and the memories were flooding back to her. As it could not help by being in the same place where it all changed once upon a time for her. Everything changed on that September day she muttered. She was never able to change back. Did I even want too? She asked herself because she found a love that was earth shattering different than anything she had found in this town, and since. Although she loved Brady, I love Brady, she reminded herself, but it was a different love.

How could it be the same? Liz asked of herself. I loved the life we had together.

I did she told herself as her brain was questioning that as she knew on this day when her daughter was born. And they were a part of a whole different life than she had ten months before that momentous day, when she had bravely left this town.

And all being here in Roswell had meant to her, because of Max.

Simply Max.

And now she was back. And she was a changed person.

And so much was different.

And now she was having to come to terms with a new life. She was a mother. She was no longer the eighteen-year-old who had left this place and stayed away for sixteen years. Maria meanwhile could see that her best friend was in another world.

What else is new? Maria thought. Liz is always in space she murmured as she saw her son coming out, and delivering the plate of fries, as he slapped the dish down on the table. “Iris is on break,” he muttered as put the drink and plate on the table.

Instantly, ever the observant mother. Maria could tell something was bothering her son. After all her son had Michael Guerin for a father, so her son could be brisk with the best of them. Having learned it from his father but still Maria knew her son, and his behavior was atypical of her son. “Honey, what is it?”

“Nothing,” Mac muttered. I am not about to talk to my mother about it. “Working, can’t you see that?” he responded as he immediately left the table and went back to the kitchen.

And back to work. Even there was not that many customers, and therefore he had too much time on his hand to think.

What was that? Maria muttered as she was back at the table and considering her son.

“He’s in some mood?” Liz asked as she came back to reality and the sudden appearance of the sullen teenager. Someone else’s sullen teenager teenagers suck she thought. But it is refreshing because the child does not belong to me, she muttered to herself. As she could not wait until her daughter was older, and able to come to terms with what has life brought to her. And maybe she will see that I only wanted to protect her.

Although she wondered will I like life then Liz asked herself? I hope so.

“I noticed,” Maria sighed, and she felt concern for the first time all day. “It is never good news when he’s in a mood. Because he’s liable to do something rash?”

“Maybe he will curb that feeling before he does?” Liz asked.

I am not betting on it, Maria muttered as she could see something was truly bothering her son, and it was beginning to make her wonder what was on tap.

*

As inside the kitchen. Mac was doing his job. While the minutes ticked on down to the end of his shift. Thankfully he was not working the dinner shift on this day, otherwise if he was liable to annoy someone else, or kill someone. He was barely keeping himself in check and thankful that Jeff was not down in the restaurant as he was overseeing his grandson up in the apartment while his mother met with her best friend.

Mac’s mother.

Mac was not happy to have his mother where he was working, but mostly he was keeping to his side of the kitchen. And she was doing the same. And it was not bothering him, because there was something that was.

Because Mac was thinking of Jessica. Generally annoyed she was walked off and did not stay to hear his side of the story. And instantly was thinking bad of him. Sure, the picture was bad, but I have a side, right? he muttered. But it was also annoying him that he could not help but also think of Roxy. Mac did not know why Roxy had been coming on to him because they had stayed away from each other, and Roxy had found her way to have other options in the pipeline of other teenagers, and he was fine with it. Not in the jealous in the least. I did not ask for the kiss he muttered. It was something I was not willingly wanting.

But he did not stop her or slap her. Which was probably the only way it was going to stop her. I do not hit females he thought. Because he knew he got the same motto from his father. But his father was different from him because he had been abused before he moved out on his own. Mac had much an easier life than that, but Michael had a code, and he had taught that code to his son. Mac was a number of things, and he was a tad wild most days but still he had lines he would never do.

Or cross.

Roxy was not going to force himself across that line, even though he had believed he would never deal with her again after last time.

Which was a disaster he thought.

Roxy is always a mistake he thought. So, she was not the foremost on his mind. Jessica was. And felt intrigued by her reaction.

And his own reaction.

*

While back at the Evans-Valenti household. Isabel had been unable to talk to her daughter because Jessica had barricaded herself in her bedroom and had used her powers to reenforce her lock. Now Isabel was not your average parent who could be stopped by that move of her daughters because of course she had her way of getting through such a maneuver. But she gave her daughter time. And did not burst through the door when she wanted too, and so she put the casserole back in the fridge and decided to actually cook something because cooking allowed her mind to go through its paces, and along with Jaime’s help, they went to work, and after putting the lasagna in the oven. She finally, decided to end her daughter’s need for privacy, and even though the door was still locked.

Isabel opened it using her abilities.

The room was quiet, and it usually was not such, so her excuse was that she needed to make sure her daughter was still at home. Because one never took a chance when you have two teenagers in your house, although she doubted that Jessica would leave it through the window. But I have to check, don’t I? she murmured. It is not like she is grounded she thought. She had freedom to come and go.

Using the front door, she thought. Like a normal person.

Opening the door. She saw the blonde hair of her daughter standing her closet, but also saw that the bed was a mess with flung closes. “I really hate that you are able to not leave me alone,” Jessica muttered as she instantly felt her mother even if she had not turned around, because she had heard the turning of the knob, and the glow from the other side of the door. Days like this was when she hated how her mother is exactly like me Jessica muttered.

“I was worried about you,” Isabel murmured. “I would have come in earlier, but I listened to your pleas to leave you alone. So, I did, but I figure you had time to slow down and to breathe,” she said as she saw the pile of clothes on the bed, and it was like looking into a mirror of her younger years she told herself. She remembered when she ransacked her own bedroom to be able to get ready for a date or some other gathering, or whenever her mind was totally overwhelmed.

When you and your brother are not your average type of human and you both live in the same house with a mortal set of parents, you often got overwhelmed. How could we not? Even if you are presenting yourself as a normal teenager, who the world would not guess that you were holding a secret that could change how you they looked at you.

Because she was different.

Her daughter was different.

Kyle and Jaime were the mortals in this house. But unlike Phillip and Diane Evans once upon a time. The Valenti twosome of the household were in the know.

It did take some time to get used to, in those early days she thought. But they had long been able to deal with how different their household was from the average one. “Are you okay, honey?” Isabel asked as she could not help but stare at her little girl, who is not a little girl any longer. “Dinner is in the oven.”

“I have plans with Alan,” Jessica muttered as she threw her dress on the bed, and Isabel could laugh because it was something she had once done I did, she thought. Once upon a time when life was completely over the edge, and all I wanted to do was find love she thought. To have someone love me. To make it easy. Max and Michael at that point were seesaw between being on or off with Liz and Maria, but still it was easy to know they were the love of her brother’s lives. Isabel had not had that luck.

She went out on dates. And had some success and then there was Grant she thought. Someone who was way too old for me, she thought. But in the beginning, I thought we could have had something she thought until he got infected by that Queen Jellyfish hive alien crap Isabel thought, and that ended up taking him away from me even if by then we were totally over, and it was all a mess.

She remembered when she was overwhelmed and how she would fling things over her room. “You did not tell me you had plans with Alan,” Isabel murmured. “Kyle and I were planning on you for dinner.”

“Sorry, came up late, and I was going to tell you” Jessica said as she saw the dress she flung onto the bed, and she discounted the piece of clothing. “Nah,” she said as she threw it to the floor and went to the closet.

“We did not spend all that money for your clothes end up on your floor,” Isabel murmured as she saw the calling car of someone who was a mess, emotionally out of sorts. “Honey is everything alright with Alan. We heard you before?”

Jessica stopped what she was doing and looked up at her mother. And knew her mother had to be worried for her, but she did not care how she was treating her bedroom tonight. “Oh, sure,” Jessica nodded. “I would not be going out with Alan if he was the issue.”

“Then what is the issue?” Isabel asked.

“Nothing,” Jessica muttered. “I will clean up tomorrow.”

“Honey, you know you can talk to me?” Isabel asked. “It might surprise you to know that I was once your age, and I have experienced so much more than you could even imagine experiencing. So, maybe I can be of some help?”

“It’s nothing,” Jessica murmured. “Sorry about dinner,” she sighed. “Maybe there will be leftovers for me tomorrow,” she smiled as if to try to assure her mother that she was going to be alright.

Isabel was not buying it.

But the doorbell rang, and they both heard the shout from the door. “Jessica, it’s Alan” Kyle called up.

“Got to get ready,” Jessica murmured. “Sorry Mom, we can talk later.”

Isabel nodded as she watched as her daughter yanked a sweater out of her dresser drawer and threw it on, and grabbed her purse, and left the room in no time flat, and Isabel could only stand there and wonder what the whirlwind was that she had just experienced with her daughter, because she could sense how her daughter was in the middle of something.

“Why will you not tell me?” Isabel asked.

But she knew her daughter was a teenager, and teenagers live not to tell her parents everything. And that same could be said about a daughter who knew her mother was of the same ilk as her and can find out something troubling her daughter too quickly, if she really put her head to it, but Isabel was trying to heed her daughter’s privacy.

Jessica has never given me the need to disrupt her privacy she thought. Which is why it was a no go to even try to dream walk her daughter.

But knew the time might come, when she might have to, and the door open and she saw her betrothed at the door. “So,” she said lightly.

“Jessica had plans with Alan, so I see?” Kyle asked.

“She did not even ask for permission,” Isabel murmured. “She informed me of such of the event.”

Kyle only laughed.

Kids they both wanted to say.

*

Yes, kids. And Max was getting on run down on what it was like to be with a teenager. Especially given he had been so inactive with the teenager he did have in his house. He would of course acknowledge to anyone who did have the courage to ask that his son raised himself, and whatever person his son was today, it was not because of me Max though because he knew that he had not been terribly present even though they both lived in the same house. And they were only two people in the house. Of course, it was a boy. And boys tended to be raised to do their own thing from early on, but Max knew he had taken it to a whole new level. And he knew his son probably resented how he was trying with Mariah.

Because he had not given him that same consideration. But if he also knew, that if he could do things again, a lot would have change. It was like it took him sixteen years to hit rock bottom. And now he was out by the caves.

Not far from his own home.

And with his daughter,

Someone who he wanted to get to know. But now he was trying to explain the unexplainable to her. “I know how it sounds,” Max was saying as he did know she had gotten a quick tutorial back on New Year’s Day from his son. A conversation she had not been ready for, and he was not convinced she was ready for it today.

But she was clearly more receptive to it.

“You were really hatched out of some pod thing,” Mariah asked as if she was in some sci-fiction drama. Maybe I am she thought. This makes no sense, she thought. And this is coming after I have experienced all those dreams, and those insane abilities that I clearly have not gotten a clear handle on.

“If you want to see it?” Max asked as he had not dared open up the chamber because it might be too much. After all, everything was so tentative at the moment. It could blow up at a moment’s notice, and Max had to deal with this, just right he murmured.

“I am not sure, maybe later” the teenager replied.

And it was something Max could understand since it was nearly two decades later, and he was still coming to terms with all that they had learned out here. It is never easy to understand he thought. But this is how I came to this planet, but thankfully I have been able to lead a normal existence he thought. Okay, slightly abnormally he thought.

Still, he was normal.

And wanted to be normal.

It’s why I stayed on this planet he thought. Okay, there were other reasons I stayed he conceded as he looked over at his daughter and could tell this was a mind-blowing experience for her. “Maybe we should head on back. You have your dinner, right with your grandparents, and your mother and brother?”

“We have time,” Mariah sighed. “They will understand.”

Max nodded.

“So, this place, this is the place you landed?” Mariah asked. “Assuming what you say is true, and not some elaborate plot to get me to trust you?”

“Oh, it is true, it is real” Max sighed with a slight murmur. “It is all too real.”

“Really?” Mariah asked. Because it cannot be, right? she wanted to ask. But then she already had experienced so much so why is she truly to think that she was dreaming, when she knew that she was awake. I am not asleep she thought.

“I know you want to deny what you are feeling,” Max said sighing because he never wanted this to be a burden for the second generation. All of us have kids. And the kids were dealing with the same burdens despite the best efforts of many of their parents. While their kids were facing a different life thankfully than what he, Isabel and Michael faced when they were younger. Still, it is safer for them Max thought. Although they still have to hide who they are…

“I wish I could deny it,” Mariah sighed. “But I cannot, can I?” she asked as she looked at the man who loved her mother.

“You can do whatever you want to do,” Max said. “You are fortunately in a different position than I was back at your age. Because I came to this country a completely blank person. I woke up and I was a different person,” he sighed. “I had no memories of what I was before, but I knew I was in a whole new land. With no parents to call my own. All I knew was I had my sister and our friend Michael with me,” he sighed although we did not have immediately have Michael nearby as he still had memories of those days. Before he became Max Evans. A boy in a whole new world, and the focus of the attention of authorities who did not know what they had in two six-year old’s who could not speak the language, or much of anything. Wondering in the nude in the woods, rescued by Phillip and Diane Evans who were as luck would have it driving by and finding two young children, and taking them in, although time would force them to be in a foster care, until the Evans got permission to take them in. Still, they had to get used a new environment, and had a new language to assimilate to along with his sister. Isabel took to their life and new surroundings better than he did. Max felt like he was missing something. Initially it was his friend Michael, but it later on, it would be someone else completely. Luckily his parents gave him time to get used to his new normal. Eventually it would become his life, and he accepted what this planet was offering him, but the transition was tricky, and it was hard to navigate, he murmured. This new generation has it differently than we did and that is what he, Isabel and Michael wanted for their kids. It is why we fought those battles so that our children would not have to…

“That was really you?” Mariah asked as she never thought of it that way. She never imagined how it might have been for him. For any of them because she still had not come to terms with her situation.

“Yes,” Max smiled. “It was never easy. But we lived that life so that you, River, Mac, and Jessica did not have to go down that same path to go down. So, that you can make your decision of the life you want. If you want the life your mother gave you, and your father, Brady gave you. You can have that. Life it if that is what you want. Because accepting what you are does not mean you have to give that up. You will just gain a different understanding, and I want that for you. You should be able to accept all parts of your life. There are parts of prior life I do not know, but I am fine with it because I know this is the life I want. Everyone is different. And my situation was different than yours. You should achieve whatever you can so that you can live your chosen life to the fullest, so that you do not feel like you are missing out on anything.” he sighed. “That is all we want for you kids. The others are different situation than you are. They have been able to grow up with a different understanding, for good and for bad. Mariah, I am not forcing you to accept me as your father. You have had a dad. Sure, I was part of how you came to be, along with your mother. But I have not been able to father to you. You have had a dad, and I am not trying to replace him.”

Mariah nodded.

“I mean it Mariah,” Max sighed. “I love your mother. I wish I could have been there for you growing up, but I was not, and my love will never change. She was able to give you a chance at a normal life in this world, which I wish we could give all of you kids. We might be comfortable with our lives. But there is so much that is completely different from the life you were able to live. So, for you to accept that, it will require a lot for you. And you need to know everything so you can make the decision that is right for you. So, I know I am not pushing you to accept me. To accept this life. You can do that on your own timetable, or you can never, as long as you are happy, and well adjusted. That is all I care about…”

“Really?” Mariah murmured.

As she was unprepared for the fact that he was not trying to push acceptance on her. Max was allowing her to do what she was comfortable with it, and she was being given the chance to do it at her own speed.

She wanted him to be able to ignore all this. To be able to go back to the life she had all her life, albeit with more information on how and who she had come from. Still, she had sixteen years of being Mariah Christina Anthony. The daughter of Elizabeth and Brady Anthony, the older sister of Alex Mitchell Anthony, now known simply as Lex. The grandchild of Mitchell and Christina Anthony, of Chicago, Illinois and Jeff and Nancy Parker, of Roswell, New Mexico.

I am not asking to be the daughter of Max Evans she thought.

But biologically she was…

My lucky day Mariah muttered.

“So, are you ready to know more?” Max asked of his daughter.

Was she?”

[keepsmiling7]

I hope Mariah realizes how sincere Max is. This gives her a lot to think about.

[Parker1947]

An hour later,

“She still not back?” Jeff Parker was asking his daughter as she was now up in the apartment. Lex was watching something on television, and now they were waiting for Mariah to show up to her birthday dinner. Liz was not about to interrupt whatever was going on between her daughter and Max, because it would not do any good in the long run, and she knew her daughter needed to do this at her own pace. “I told you Dad, she’s with Max”

“Why did it have to be today?” Jeff muttered as he wished their granddaughter was back here celebrating her birthday. Something they had not always done with their granddaughter because she had been raised elsewhere, and he and Nancy could not always get away, to head to Chicago. Still, it was obvious their grandchild was struggling. “She has gone through so much these last few months. Today should be about her birthday, and about celebrating, and not inflicting more angst on her,” he sighed.

“It is what she wanted Dad,” Liz murmured. “I did not force it on her. She is the one who wanted to spend some time with Max. She needs to know that part of herself. Yes, it could have been tomorrow. But she wanted it to be today. So, Mom and Dad, we need to face the fact that this could be what her life is going to be like from now on,” she sighed. “I did this to her, and Max, and I am not about to get in the middle of it.”

“You did not do this to her, Lizzie” Jeff murmured. “You would have told Max if you had known…”

“It does not make me feel that good to not have known the truth,” Liz sighed. Sure, the circumstances were iffy, but still, I did not question it. “I knew the circumstances and I knew that there was a chance that the timing was off with Brady and me, sure, I would never have known it was Max. But I might have if I actually did the test, and we had learned early on that it was not Brady. The chances are, we might have known,” she sighed. Although she hated knowing that she would have to go down the list of men to know that it was Max. Because there was no way she should have done the math and come up with Max Evans.

I am no longer going to be feeling guilty. All I need to do is figure out how to manage the life I lead now she thought.

“Oh, honey” Nancy murmured.

“It is okay Mom,” Liz sighed. “It’s what it is, and that is why I am giving my daughter the chance to know Max. I am not going to be forcing anything on her because it’s already confusing to her, and if she wants to know more, than I am going to allow that for her,” she sighed as she decided to stop talking about and going to the couch and sitting with her son.

“I hate this,” Nancy murmured.

“I do too,” Jeff sighed. “But our girls will figure it on out."

*

While at the same time, Max and Mariah were returning from the desert as it had gone well enough. And it was just enough for now. Because actually going into the chambers might have been too much because it would only be telling how freaky it was to Mariah that their heritage came from another planet. And it involved donors, and it was not clear if it was a willing donation or not, for all of them and that bit about being engineered, and then finally hatching out of a pod. Max was able to answer some of Mariah questions. But at this point, she did not have that many because right now, she was a beginner.

Just like her mother once upon a time. But her mother came into this life through a different manner than their daughter now did.

And Mariah was trying to make sense of it.

By spending time with a man who meant so much in this quest of hers.

And she did not understand it all, and by the end of it, she had wanted to head on back to the Crashdown for her birthday dinner, and so Max agreed to drive her back. And now they were arriving, and parking across the street from the restaurant. “Thank you for this,” Mariah murmured. “I know I was pretty mean to you before?”

“You were trying to understand it,” Max murmured. “I was not taking it personally” Yes, you were, he would mutter to himself. And you know it and he did. But he was not going to admit it to his daughter when their relationship was in such a fragile place. “People much older than you probably would have issues with it, so I totally understand which is why I wanted you to know so that you could understand it, fully” he sighed. “There is still so much more that you do not know, but if you want to know, you can.”

Mariah nodded.

“Max,” came the voice of two people who had not been heard from that much so far. And Max recognized their voices immediately. Although Mariah would not know them, although she had seen the man the day before when she was in that jail cell. And he had been one of the ones responsible in convincing the Sheriff department to release her.

So, of course, Mariah would instantly know who the man was, but she would not know the woman who was with the man.

Um Max said, as they were standing across from the Crashdown and now he was spotting his parents. He knew his daughter knew his father because of the day before, but his mother would be a stranger to her, although both would be a stranger to Mariah. “Mom, Dad?”

And with those words Mariah was reminded that she had potentially other family that she had not even thought of at all in her journey towards acceptance. These people are Max’s Mom and Dad? she murmured. Whoa. They would be my grandparents, right? she thought as the sudden realization that was coming to her because of the fact that I was too much of a goner yesterday to even realize I was being saved by my grandfather from time in jail.

A new set of grandparents?

After all. She thought she was like everyone was in this world. Who are used to having only two sets with it being in her case, one set in Illinois, and one here in Roswell because of course most people only have two sets?

She knew that one set lives across the street. Mariah thought of where they now were. I have now another set, wow…

All the while Phillip and Diane Evans saw their son with and the young woman, only slightly younger than their grandson and maybe the same age as their other granddaughter, Jessica. Max had not talked to his parents much about this new development. She had wanted to keep it among himself, although there were conversations. Phillip had certainly known about it the day before but still Phillip and Diane had not yet come to terms with the fact that they had another grandchild.

One that they did not know.

And one that only got sprung on them recently.

To be fair, Mariah got sprung on all of us Max muttered to himself. Including me. “What are you doing here?”

“We were stopping for dinner nearby,” Phillip murmured “We stopped by your place, actually” he said to his son. “We were hoping to drop something off” he was saying and knowing they were not addressing Mariah. All the while the teenager was watching them, and not doing really saying anything.

“I was busy,” Max murmured.

“We see,” Diane murmured as she spotted the girl. And saw a girl who looked so much like her son, and it made her want to cry that her son had missed out on so much. “And who is this?” she murmured, even though she knew who it was, because the resemblance was so strong.

“Mom, Dad…” Max was unsure of what to say. How do you make such an introduction? “Mariah these are my parents. Phillip and Diane Evans, Mom, and Dad, this is Mariah,” he said of the situation they were in, and knew how Mariah had to be finding this to be uncomfortable. It is even uncomfortable for me…

“It is a pleasure to meet you Mariah,” Phillip murmured in a welcoming tone as Diane did not know what to say. “I know that we met a little less formally yesterday?” he smiled. “Still, I am glad we are in a better situation to see you today…”

Mariah only nodded. Unsure of how to respond to how awkward this was. Wanting to get out of the situation, “it is alright,” Mariah murmured at how awkward this situation was. “Well, I guess it is nice to meet the both of you, but I am late for my dinner plans, so I will go on across the street,” she sighed as she turned to focus on Max. “Thank you for spending time with me Mr. Evans” she said, as she was still unsure of how to address her biological father.

“You can call me Max if you want too,” Max said simply. “But it was my pleasure…” he said. “You do have my phone number so if you need to talk to me.”

Planning on walking across the street so that she could get out of the awkwardness of the situation. Mariah was getting ready to turn, but Diane stopped her. “Wait Mariah, it was something for you that we were planning to drop off with our son,” she said softly as she got a package out of her purse. “Because he was not home, we were going to do it after dinner,” she said. “This for you,” she said handing the small package to her granddaughter.

“For me?” Mariah asked.

“Yes, you are our granddaughter” Diane murmured. “And it’s your birthday?”

“Mom, please…” Max said in deference to his daughter.

“It’s alright,” was all Mariah was going to say because she was not a kid anymore. She knew how awkward it was for them all. I do not have to accept whatever it is in that package she thought. “What is it?”

“A birthday gift,” Diane smiled.

“Really?” Mariah asked.

“Yes,” Phillip nodded. “You do not have to accept it, but we wanted to give it to you. Diane was insistent of it because it is an heirloom.”

“It is?” Mariah asked.

“Yes,” Diane murmured as she handed the package to Mariah who could only look at it with a weird sense that this was out of place. Because she did not know these people, and they did not know her, and it seemed to be inappropriateness to be accepting from grandparents she did not even know.

“Open it,” Diane murmured.

“I guess,” Mariah said unsure of what to do. But she did stop, and she decided to open it. And she was stunned when she did, taking off the ribbon off the little box. And she opened it, and saw it was a ring.

And older type ring and one that had a collection of diamonds and emeralds. “This is…”

“My mothers,” Diane murmured. “It goes to first born child,” she murmured. “I did not get the ring until the kids were older, and my daughter was already married, so I was keeping it for the next generation,” she sighed. “Which you are a part of, so Happy Birthday.”

Feeling bothered by the ring. While she appreciated the gesture, but she did not think it was right to be getting something that was within the Evans family. Simply because I was born, she muttered to herself. “As you said, do you not already have a daughter. Or another granddaughter?” Mariah asked. “Should the ring not go to her…” she asked. You know that grandchild. Because you do not know me…

“You were born first, and Isabel is fine with it”

I cannot see how she was fine with her mother giving something that would have gone to her daughter if not for the sudden revelation that I am your grandchild Mariah muttered to herself. And I am only a few months older than Jessica she muttered to herself. “This really should be Jessica’s. You do not even know me?”

“You are our granddaughter,” Diane murmured.

“Only because of the fact your son got my mother pregnant,” Mariah muttered. “This is too much, you really should give it to Jessica when it’s time,” she said handing back the box. “I appreciate it, but I really do not think it’s appropriate to give it to me because you do not know me. I mean I only met Max’s father yesterday for the first time, and you would have been giving it to Jessica when she had her birthday, right?”

“It’s yours, you deserve it” Diane murmured.

“You should be giving it to Jessica. She will appreciate it because she knows the Evans history. I do not,” she sighed. “I think I will head back to my party. Again, thank you Max for everything, and it was nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Evans.”

“You can call us Phillip and Diane if you want too…” Phillip could see the awkwardness of the situation and could see his wife was hurt. But both he and his son knew that it was way too soon, and it would have been something Max would have reminded his mother of if he had indeed been home when she dropped off the package.

“That might come later,” Mariah sighed as she walked.

As the adults watched as she walked off…

Diane wanted to say something, but Max stopped her. “Was that not an inappropriate type of gift,” she sighed. “You need not to push her to accept our family because the more you do, the more we stand to lose her…” Or more like, I stand to lose her…

“Max,” Diane murmured.

Come on Mom Max thought. Even though he understood the temptation of his mother. After all his parents lived for their grandchildren. It was a chance to add to their family. And while it was an odd family with a lot of complexities, but still it was understandable, but still he was not going to lose the possibility of knowing his daughter over his mother. “Mom, Mariah barely knows me. If she does not know me. She does even know the Evans family, and you are trying to push an heirloom on her, when she does not understand the symbolism behind the ring. So, yes, she did rightly see through it. She knows you would have given it to Jessica when she turns sixteen in a few months…” if we had not found out she was my daughter…

“She deserves it.” Diane insisted.

“Then leave it to her in your will,” Max muttered. “Or wait until we know she’s planning on giving me the time of day,” he sighed. “It was big that she decided to spend time with me, because she had a life before this town. Before me, and she is trying to understand why this life has been bestowed on her, and if I want her to be a part of my life. I need to be patient. And all of us of should be patient.”

“We understand that right Diane?” Phillip asked. Even though he understood his wife’s desire to know their granddaughter. Something he felt too, but they could not push her otherwise their son was right, she will run in the other direction and disown them all, and most importantly their son, we cannot have that he thought.

Diane nodded.

“Thank you,” was all Max could say.

“How was it son,” Phillip wondered.

“The best few hours of my life,” Max murmured. At least since I was able to have Liz to love me, he sighed. Because nothing can top that he thought.

“We are glad,” Phillip murmured.

*

Upstairs…

Above the Crashdown, in the apartment. Liz was relieved to see her daughter finally arrive in the apartment. “How was it?” was the first question she asked as her mother, Nancy was in the kitchen getting dinner prepared. Nancy was never a big cook because they ran a restaurant after all and either she or her husband would have been down there during the day, during the hours of operation. Of course, once their daughter came of age and was able to hold a job. She was often downstairs as well working many of a shift. Or as she became a teenager and had a bounty of friends she often was off seeing, or they were all gathering downstairs within the Crashdown. So, Nancy never had to really showcase her cooking for her husband and daughter. Although she knew how, but when you run a restaurant that is open most hours of the day, you do not always have to cook because you never know if your husband or later your daughter would show up for dinner. Because Liz often worked the shifts after school, until she got later in high school and was able to manage the morning shifts around her classes, and other mischief making with Max and his friends Nancy would think now.

So, on this night. Her granddaughter’s birthday if she ever shows up Nancy muttered, with a reminder to herself as she was cooking in the kitchen or making the final preparations for dinner that her granddaughter was growing up, and was getting older, and there would be more of these days where they might be lucky to see her at all, hopefully tonight is not one of those days she muttered. But then with that thought in the back of her mind, she heard the door to the apartment, open, and close, and she looked out and was relieved to see her granddaughter Thank god, Nancy would mutter to herself.

Because she still did not know how to take the fact her granddaughter had been with her biological father because Nancy and Jeff had obviously not yet had the chance to get used to the fact that their daughter had Max as a father. We should have seen it even more than our daughter she muttered because they knew how intense it was for their daughter and Max back in the day. But Nancy believed her daughter had successfully moved on.

If it was not a bit quick for our liking she thought. Her daughter being married within six or so months of leaving their town. Especially when she left a short-lived engagement to someone who their daughter had an extremely intense relationship. For their daughter to suddenly call home and say she was married, to someone they had not even met yet. That had been a shock. But it made sense when they realized their first grandchild was born only a mere months later.

She believed her daughter had been happy with Brady.

Once she and Jeff had met their son-in-law, they had been happy, and approved of the man who made their daughter happy and was a great husband and father to first Mariah than a few years later, Lex.

She and her husband had not thought of how much their life would change by their daughter’s decision to her hometown after sixteen years away from it, because they had been happy to have her back, but only too soon after she had come back did everything change for their daughter, and now her daughter was trying to make it from day to day.

And it was senseless to lose Brady, and then to have her life that she had shared with Brady so upended with the news, about Mariah’s paternity. None of us would have guessed probably because Liz did marry Brady.

“We are glad you joined us,” Nancy heard Liz speak to her daughter. “How did it go?” she was saying to Mariah as Nancy went back to the kitchen, as she did not want to know what was going to happen next because the thing, she knew most was that if Max and her daughter shared a daughter, then there it was a bond her daughter was not going to be able to walk away from. Everything now had changed.

Nancy was almost relieved to know that Brady was not here to see what was going to happen next…

As outside in the living room. Mariah was arriving and spotted the balloons. Maybe it is a bit much she thought but she did not have the chance to spend her birthday with her Parker grandparents often.

It seems a bit much for my 16th.

“Fine,” the teenager was saying to her mother as she saw her brother look up from the television. “What’s on television?” she asked of her brother.

“Nothing special,” Lex muttered. “We were waiting for you?”

“Sorry, I got kind of delayed,” Mariah sighed. “It went longer than I even anticipated,” she muttered. “And it did not help matters when we ran into Max’s parents,” she muttered. “Right before I came up here…”

Your grandparents Liz thought to herself because she did not say those words because she knew her daughter was not going to see Phillip and Diane as her grandparents. Because of the situation. It was all a mess as Liz was forced to realize that there were more than just her and Max in this situation. Max had a family. Because he and Isabel had two parents who was trying to deal with this situation, the best they could.

As was everyone she told herself.

“And?” Liz asked.

“It was awkward as one would expect it to be because I do did not know how to respond to it,” Mariah thought. “Mrs. Evans wanted to give me an old family ring that was probably an heirloom,” she muttered as she did not know how to respond to it because she did not know these people. She barely knew Max.

“Oh,” Liz murmured. “Did you accept it?” she sighed as she remembered how she had not known of any family ring because the brief time she had been engaged to their son, well Max, he came up with such a special stone for the ring she thought. That diamond. She thought of how he crafted it, right within her view, and one of the reasons why she probably had said yes because it had been such a moment. Such an unbelievably special moment she thought. How could I say no when she creates a diamond out of a piece of coal?

“No, I gave it back” Mariah sighed as she remembered the ring, and it looked nice. But it was too much, way too much she muttered to herself. “I know I was born first but it’s not anyone knew about me until a few months ago, and it was obvious their other granddaughter would have gotten it if I had not shown up, and they had not found out how my DNA matches their son” she sighed. “It was really weird…”

“It will all work out,” Liz murmured.

“Will it?” Mariah wondered.

“Let’s hope so,” Lex muttered in the back of them as Nancy came out a few moments later and said dinner was ready, and they all settled down at the table together. Eating as a family and celebrating Mariah’s big day.

*

As downstairs. The restaurant was on its last legs for the night. Jeff had officially handed off duty for the night to a trusted employee, who was watching over it, and would be closing up, and only a few were still in the restaurant. It was a slow night. Despite it being still in the heart of Spring Break for the teenagers of their town. Both high schools were off at the same time, so the restaurant often got a lot of traffic most days.

But this night was not one of them, which was good for Louise Tanner because she knew her boss would have a hard time handing it off to her if there was a zoo of people down here, so she worked the crowd that did come in.

As the door opened, and in walked Jessica Ramirez-Evans and she was with her boyfriend Alan. They had just gotten out of a movie, and were now coming for something to eat, and she had been distant all night. And Alan could see it. So, after Louise saw them to a booth, and they both took their seats, and were handed the menus.

“Are you okay?” Alan asked.

“Sure, what makes you ask that?” Jessica asked even though she had been distant all night. It helped that they were in the darkness of a movie theatre, but previously to this night, when they had a movie date night, they sometimes got handsy, but that was not happening tonight. Instead, they stayed still, in their seats and watched the movie, and eat their popcorn and drank their drinks, and there was not much of an intimacy that had been there presently.

“It’s just it feels like you are distant tonight, so, what is up?” Alan asked as they both placed their order, which was just a burger and fries for each of them. Plus, also a milkshake and after a few minutes, they back to being alone.

“I am fine,” Jessica murmured. “I guess I am just tired,” she muttered even though she knew she was lying.

“Are you sure?” Alan asked, not that convinced.

“I am positive,” Jessica lied. “We were up late last night, and then everything that is happening in the family,” she murmured okay that is plausible she thought. “So, I think it is dragging me down…”

“If, you are sure?” Alan muttered.

“I am sure,” Jessica muttered as the front door of the restaurant opened, and in walked Mac and his date for the evening, Francesca who she had seen at school but she knew the brunette lived next door to the Guerin’s and had since Michael and Maria had moved in with their son when he was a toddler, once they were able to afford the house with a little help from Jim and Amy. Michael and Maria had long since paid back the loan. Thank God it is not Roxy Jessica could not help but mutter.

Still, she was not in the mood to see Mac at the moment, so her mood which was already low, took another dip down.

*

Mackenzie had been given a reprieve from having to work. Neither of his jobs required his services on this night. So why am I back here when I was here basically all day, he muttered but still his parents were busy for the night. His mother was working, and his father was working one of his mysterious cases. Ones he did not discuss with his parents. All he knew it kept his father busy at times, and the money was good, and the bills got paid. Which he knew he had put it all in danger with his adventure back in December.

While he might have been responsible for the crash, still, he should not have been driving that night. He should have been forcing it on River, although no matter whether it was him or River, if Mariah’s father was meant to be in that fire, then it was fated to have happened. Not that Mac tended to think about fate when I like to walk the blurry line.

So, I had time off tonight and needed to get out of the house. And so, I checked in with Franny he thought of his nickname for his friend. We are strictly friends, okay with a few benefits he thought. As he was her way to get out of the house before she found a boyfriend earlier in the school year, but they had recently broken up, and she did not want to sit home. So, they came for a sundae or two.

“I see that Jessica and her boyfriend are here,” Franny asked as they walked into the restaurant. “Do you want to sit with them?”

“No,” Mac muttered. As the encounter a few hours prior was still running his head.

“Are you sure?” Franny asked, “I thought you two are friends?” she asked because she knew how close Mac was to Jessica and their friend River Evans. “It would not bother me,” she asked. “We are spending time together, so I do not have to stay home with Mom and Dad all night.”

“We spend too much time together as it is,” Mac muttered, and it was obvious that Jessica was not trying to entice them over to join her with Alan. Which was fine with him, because he could use some time away from Jessica at the moment. “Let us just have a sugar rush and let them enjoy their date.”

“Sure, whatever.” Franny muttered as they went to sit down. Although she could not help notice that her friend, simply friends could not keep his eyes drifting away from Jessica Ramirez Evans, and the same could be said about the blonde, interesting she thought.

*

As across town, River was arriving at Sierra’s house for a date. Instead of going downstairs to the entrance he knew his girlfriend had for herself, well, he figured he would be the gentlemen and knocked on the front door, instead of using the easy out he had to have some alone time with his girlfriend. So, he knocked and then saw and the doorbell, and rang it, and waited. And it was a moment later when he saw it open, “Hello,” came the woman at the door.

It was not Sierra.

But her mother. “Mrs. Cruise,” he said forgetting for a moment that it was not her married name. Because he was aware that Sierra’s mother had gone back to her maiden name after the divorce, and that Sierra joined her mother in the undertaking because he knew his girlfriend had some real issues with her father and did not want to associate with the name. Not like I can console my girlfriend to give her father the time of day if he shows no effort, but then I do not know about their issues because I have certainly too many of mine with my own father he thought. We might be better off than we were, but not by much, and we are one explosion away from being back in World War III he muttered.

So, he trended softly on her issues, and it was obvious that he did not meet the approval of his girlfriend’s mother, which was fine. Because he never looked for approval. If I cannot get from my own father, why should I look for it from some one’s parent, although he knew she could make trouble for his relationship, and that certainly worried him. But the news that Sierra was who she was gave him some leeway, or so he assumed.

But one never knew for sure, right?

Right, he thought. “Is Sierra home?”

“River,” Kate Cruise muttered. “It’s Ms., I am not married to Sierra’s father anymore and we have a different name,” she muttered. Thank God for that…

“Sorry,” River murmured. “I knew that, but I guess that was a reflex,” he sighed as he could tell that he was still being met with an air of disapproval by the woman. “Is Sierra home?” as he barrowed on to his mission for the night.

“You could have checked by going down and knocking on the door downstairs,” Kate muttered. “I know that you have used that entrance and exit in the past,” she sighed of the fact that she did not care for the fact that this boy was coming to pick up her daughter. “But yes, my daughter is home. Although it is kind of late, do you have plans?” she asked. “My daughter did not tell me you two had plans.”

“We were just going to get some fresh air,” River muttered just a friendly walk or something in that general area “We have nothing big planned, I just got off my shift, so I thought I would see if your daughter was available.” he assured the woman. “Look Ms. Cruise, I know that you do not like me Ms. Cruise,” he sighed. “But I like your daughter, I mean, I really like her, but I do not know where this is going. I am kind of a beginning in this kind of thing. There have not been many girls before your daughter,” he murmured. In fact, it has only really been only Sierra. “For a lot of reasons, but your daughter is captivating me, and she intrigues me. Who knows what the future will be, but I am not looking to hurt your daughter, and it will be totally up to her how far we take this… whatever we have together,” he murmured, and he did not know whether what he was saying was getting through to Sierra’s mother? Because the woman’s face was blank, and there was no reaction.

Your good Kate was thinking but did not say it.

“It is not you,” Kate murmured. Even if it is. “I think Sierra should be concentrating on her studies,” she murmured. She should be not concentrating on a boyfriend. “So that she does not get seduced by someone who says all the right things,” she told herself.

“I care about her,” River allowed. I do not always say the right things he muttered to himself. If you heard me once I knew who she was…

“Which is all fine and good,” Kate sighed. “I do worry about my daughter. I knew someone once upon a time, someone who was able to say everything was good to the ear, and I fell for him, only for it to turn out to be the worst decision of my life. But I got my daughter out of it that, and I love her, and I will not have her hurt in the same manner that her father did in hurting both me, and our daughter,” she murmured. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am” River nodded. “I do have plans for the future. And I know Sierra also has them too, and therefore I do not intend to do anything that would impedes that for either one of us, okay, although there are aspects to our lives that might surprise us, and that we would not be going looking for, but none of can figure out the future, so I do not know what the future will be for either of us, but all I know is that I want to explore it with your daughter until we make a mutual decision about whatever our future is, okay?”

Kate could only sigh and nod.

“So, can I see your daughter now?” River asked.

“I guess I cannot stop you?” Kate muttered.

“No, you cannot” came a voice. Someone who had overheard what River had been saying to her mother, as both stared and turned to stare at Sierra, who was now standing behind her mother. “I would love to go out with you River.”

“Great,” River murmured. “I know it’s late, so I figure we can go for a walk or something” he murmured of a plan that would be approved by Sierra’s mother, as opposed to driving around in my car.

“I would love it,” Sierra smiled. “Let me grab my coat,” she said as she went to the closet and grabbed her purse and coat. “We will be back later.”

“Make sure you do because I will be checking your bedroom,” Kate murmured with a hint of disapproval in her voice. Which did not deter either teenager, as Sierra grabbed River’s hand and they were off.

And Kate could only watch them go off together…

Muttering to herself as she closed the door behind them…

*

“Seriously I am not lying Max,” Isabel was saying “I was fine with it,” as she was spending time with her brother as Max had elected to stop in for a quick visit on his way back out of town. After some initial awkward moments with his mother and father. Max knew he needed time to compress everything that was happening, so he was taking the slow approach to heading home because he needed time to think of how unusual the day was.

And how he had been given a gift by being able to spend time with his daughter. Because regardless of whether she thought of him as her father. Being able to spend time with her had been a gift for him. It might have her birthday, but he was the lucky guy, and it would be something he would always treasure. And because he decided to take his time. Max decided to stop off on his sister’s home. The house she and Jessica shared with Kyle and his daughter Jaime.

It was not something he often did. Because until recently, for so much time he had been a hermit in so many aspects of his life. And left almost everything to dwindle and die off, although his sister never wanted to let their relationship die off. And because Michael was busy on this night with one of his mysterious missions. He did not dare try to stop off at the Guerin household. Because he knew Maria was likely at the store.

But if she were home. And he stopped by, well, he did not know of the response he would get by showing up. So, he picked his sister, and had told her about the run in with his parents, and how their mother had tried to give Mariah the family ring, that came from their grandmother.

“You are?” Max asked, slightly surprised of his sister’s reaction because in the past Isabel had not taken kind to any belief of favoritism that was directed at her brother by their mother, over her, “Because we both know it would have gone to Jessica if not for…”

“The entrance of your newest love child?” Isabel asked with a smile although this child is being greeted a lot warmer than the first one. “You should not sweat it Max. Because Mom did run it past me, and I okayed it. Because I know Jessica will be getting plenty of other heirlooms on both sides of the family whenever the time comes,” she murmured, and that time hopefully is not coming anytime soon but she did know that Jesse’s mother had already promised that Jessica would inherit her jewelry once she was gone from this world. And of course, their own mother also had other nice pieces. “And this particular one had meaning to Mom and given that there a whole promise of it belonging to the first female grandchild”,” she murmured as she had heard the legend behind the ring. “I was too old to receive it when Grandma died. Although when is someone too old for jewelry,” she cracked. “I did not want it, and plus, really, Mariah technically is the first grandchild…”

“I guess,” Max murmured.

“So,” Isabel smiled. “She did what no other woman would probably do in her position. Reject a diamond ring?” Isabel asked with a smile of her niece.

“She did not think it was appropriate,” Max murmured.

“It probably was not,” Isabel agreed. “Although I understand the meaning in Mom’s decision. And it would have been a perfectly wonderful birthday present for any sixteen-year-old,” she laughed. “Although given the situation…”

“Yes, the situation,” Max muttered. “Mariah does not even know Mom or Dad, and she barely will talk to me,” Max sighed. “She does not care for our side of the family.”

“Only because she does not know us,” Isabel murmured. “If she did know us, she would find out we were a hell of a lot more interesting than her Parker side, or even her Anthony side” she cracked because seriously how could a bunch of people from the society class be that interesting? she muttered because she and Michael had done a little of what you called research when they had heard of Liz’s sudden marriage. They had looked up Brady Anthony, and found he came from serious wealth in Chicago, and they had been impressed. How do you turn that down? she had thought as her brother frowned. “Seriously Max, she will come around,” she muttered of her newfound niece.

“I hope so,” Max asked. “I laid a lot on her today.”

“Which is something she needed,” Isabel sighed. “Otherwise, she will not be able to come to any kind of decision one way or another,” she murmured. “She’s already come this far, and she is not going to turn away from you…”

“You really think so?” Max asked.

“I do,” Isabel smiled. “You have an aura of mystery to you, and the more she comes out of her funk that came with finding out her paternity. She is going to want to know more, and that will lead you two to figure out whatever that will mean for you.”

Max nodded.

“But where does it leave you and her mother…”

“You mean Liz…”

“I assume that is who we are talking about,” Isabel laughed. “Unless there is someone else named Liz in your life?”

“Of course not,” Max murmured. There is only one Liz he murmured to himself. There will be no one like her in my life. “There is only Liz…”

“Then what are you going to do about it?” Isabel wondered.

[keepsmiling7]

The special ring brings up lots of interesting conversations,
I feel sorry for Mariah......she has so much going on, change wise!
What a birthday!

[Parker1947]

There could be only one Liz. And Max could not help but think of her while Liz and her children were back at the Crashdown. The night was finally wrapping up. As the candles were blown out, and a wish was made, with the hope that the birthday girl would get what she was dreaming of. The birthday girl knew her greatest wish could not come true. So, she had not even tried to wish for it. So, she settled for something different, and she enjoyed spending time with her grandparents. Because it was not often. Even with the family now back in town. Still some topics had been off limits. Max, and Mariah’s recent rebellion were not discussed. Or even attempted because they found other topics to discuss. Although Liz had hopes that because her daughter now looked a little more like the girl she once was. She hoped their nightmare was closer to being over. Although she did not know today was only a ceasefire, and tomorrow would bring back the battles and could they be in a temporary lull? Still, she did dare to have hope.

For the first time in a several months.

Dinner was over, and now they were wishing her parents a good night and prepared to head home.

Although almost at the exact time that Max was calling it a night as he was now back in his car and was heading home. Of course, the route he took was by the Crashdown. Google told him to take another one, but he decided to take his own road. And he was making his pass by just as Liz was coming out of the restaurant with her two children. Mariah was carrying the reminder of her birthday cake, and Lex was dealing with his crutches, and it was a reminder of how different Liz’s life was now, but he still could not stop himself from stopping his car.

Causing the three to stop in their tracks. Mariah groaned at the sight of Max, and how her mother reacted. It is understandable for him she muttered now that she knew so much more about her biological father, but the way her mother was reacting. It surprised her, as she stood there and watched and mutter to himself Why could he not drive on by? as they were walking to find the car down the street, near the park because it had been busy when everyone showed up earlier in the day, and they were unable to find a spot. So, it meant walking. Lex was quite adaptable on the crutches and did not mind the walking. It got him out of the responsibility of carrying anything, except his crutches. As he was making remarkable progress.

“Liz,” was Max’s first words as the window came down. It is an incredible coincidence is it not he asked himself. So many opportunities to see each other. Spotting how much they were carrying. “Do you three need a ride or something?”

“No, we have our car, but it is down a way,” Liz murmured. “By the park,” she sighed of the walk. “It was busier when we were arriving earlier.”

“Still, I could help you get there?” Max asked. “You are carrying a lot?”

“It’s alright,” Liz smiled.

Really Mom Mariah wanted to say when she was seeing how her mother was smiling at Max. She might be starting to come to an understanding with Max although there is still a way to go but she was still partial towards the man who had raised her. So, she could not stay here, and see her mother act like a teenager with a man who might have helped create her, but still he was not her father. “I think Lex and I will continue to head towards the car,” Mariah murmured. I have already spent so much time with Max today, I need a breather she thought. Almost like he could read his sister’s mind he could not, he’s human she muttered. Lex nodded, and Max could have taken it as a slight, but he was okay with it. Because he had been given so much on this day, “If you have to go?” he asked of his former girlfriend.

“We do,” Mariah murmured as he was prepared to give a concession. As she knew they were in weird times, very bizarre times she muttered. “But Mom if you want to take time, you can, because we can walk, and wait by the car?” she sighed because she knew neither she or Lex wanted to be sticking around for any of this, and plus, any movement will indeed take a bit of time with her brother using his crutches.

“How is that going by the way?” Max asked of the boy. Someone he did not know well, or at all. Because neither had communicated much with each other, because of the circumstances.

“It easier than it used to be,” Lex murmured as he found it strange to be taking to his man. Someone who had obviously had a past with their mother. One that was long enough to be Mariah’s father he muttered to himself.

“I am glad,” Max sighed.

“If, you are sure?” Liz asked of her children.

“We will be fine,” Mariah muttered. Let’s get out of here “I am getting to know this town. And Lex could use the time himself…”

Lex nodded.

“Okay, then go ahead,” Liz murmured to her children. “I should not be too long.”

“Take your time,” Mariah murmured as she and Lex set off on their walk. And once they were out of sight, Max parked his car, and got out. “I figure it would be more personable than talking to me while I am in my car.”

“Yeah,” Liz said. “Yes, it would…” she sighed because she did not know how to deal with this. She should be concentrating on her children, but Max always does to me she thought. And here I am acting like I am still eighteen.

“You have two great kids there…” Max said softly as they spotted the kids walking down the sidewalk. As he knew full well that whether he and Mariah were able to manage to find a relationship out of this. Any credit for her growth would be going full to Liz for being able to raise her children. And I guess Brady he conceded to himself.

“Thank you,” Liz taking the praise. “Although I credit more Brady, because there were a lot of shifts that took me away from the kids” Liz admitted. “Brady had more latitude with his boss and had the ability to work from home more often than I did.”

Max nodded. “So, you worked in different places?

“Yes,” Liz nodded. “Which meant Brady was able to spend more time at home, especially once the kids were starting to get older.”

Max nodded. “Although being home more often does not always allow for more time with one’s kid,” Max muttered as he could not help but think of how much time he did have with River, and how little he had to show for it, because it had been my choice, he muttered to himself. “But I am glad if Brady was able to have time with the kids. Although I am sure you were able to have a big role in terms of what kind of people, they have grown into…’

“The job is not done yet,” Liz murmured.

“No, it is not,” Max agreed. I have a seventeen-year-old to show for it he thought. Who is a remarkable kid, but still, he is not eighteen yet?

“My daughter can barely stand me,” Liz murmured. “We are on a ceasefire today because it is her birthday, but I do not know what tomorrow holds.”

“Hopefully that ceasefire continues,” Max sighed at the thought of that ceasefire. Because from the time he had with their daughter. Maybe, there was hope that that it might hold, but he did not know the girl or whether it would truly hold. Liz would know more about our daughter than I do. “She will eventually get it.”

I hope so,” Liz murmured. “I never imagined this would be our first months back here in Roswell…”

“It is one thing after another, right?” Max asked.

“Yes,” Liz sighed. “I do not know what I was thinking by agreeing with my husband’s plan to come back here,” she murmured.

“Oh,” Max asked as he was unsure of what to say. Thank you for coming back he thought. Because he did not want to think of what kind of life, he would have during these months without her presence in his life. Okay, maybe I know what kind of person I would be. A bad one he muttered as he forced his thoughts back to the fact that it had not been his ex’s choice to come back. “So, it was not your wish to come back to our hometown?” Max asked.

“No,” Liz muttered. I would have preferred not to be back here she thought. Because it only opens up too much by being here, she thought. “We were leading a great life in Chicago. It was Brady scouting out the job offer, as I have since learned it was because he wanted our daughter away from her boyfriend back in Chicago,” she sighed as she could not help but wonder about a lot. And what would have happened if she had been destined to have lost her husband. Could she have had stayed in Chicago? Or would she have still been forced to come back here… Because her parents would have been here, and there is that bombshell about Mariah.

“Oh,” Max murmured as it was one more thing that he did not know about his daughter of the mountain of things he did not know. “She has a boyfriend?”

“Had,” Liz acknowledged. “They have since broken up. But apparently, I was in the dark about how serious it had gotten for the two of them, and apparently Brady wanted to do something to separate them and so he found a job here in New Mexico…”

“You did not know?” Max asked.

“No,” Liz sighed. “Brady only said the job was too good to pass up, with a pay raise” she sighed as she remembered those days when they were debating whether to take it. “If I had known it was because of our daughter’s romantic life, I would have told him that it would not have worked.”

“What would not?” Max asked.

“No,” Liz sighed. “Although apparently it was Mariah’s decision to break up. But Brady was risking our daughter fighting for her relationship. Or more like he was risking our relationship with our daughter. Because if he had asked me then I would have told him that it does no good to say she cannot see someone because then she will want to see him ten times as much as she did before,” she murmured. “After all, I have had my own experience with parental meddling.”

“Yes, you do” Max sighed of how much Jeff had interfered in their relationship. And how it had ultimately sent Liz far from him. Although it was Liz’s ultimate decision to go to boarding school, but it was Jeff who had made the first move. Now he has every right to be upset because I did get his daughter sent to jail, and by the skin of her teeth, she stayed out of prison he told himself. But it does no good to interfere he thought. Which is why I told Sierra’s mother not to get in the middle of my own son’s relationship.

So, Max knew it did nothing to get in the middle of a teenager’s relationship.

“Although I will take worrying about her romantic future compared to the wringer that she had been putting me through these last months.”

“I bet,” Max said with a smile.

And the smile made Liz’s heart beat all the more harder…

*

“Now that is a sight,” Jessica thought moments after Max and Liz began their conversation. She had seen Mariah’s mother leave the restaurant with her children. After Mariah’s birthday dinner, but she had not seen that her uncle had managed to find his way back into the vicinity of his greatest love.

A love that was legendary if you believed the hype that came up through the family. For many years, it was a story to laugh at. How can two people love each other so much but not end up together, if both sides truly loved each other she thought. So, while she heard the stories. She only half believed them but now that she was seeing how her uncle was behaving since Elizabeth Parker Anthony came back to town, well I guess I have to believe them she thought. Sure, her uncle had been a hermit all this time, but she had never seen it with her two eyes. You can only hear so many stories.

Especially when you have an uncle who was so unresponsive that he was barely functioning. But she knew it had all changed since December, when he had come back into the family. And now she was exiting the Crashdown with Alan, after having been distant all evening. And she was sorry for it because Alan was a good guy.

He loves me she sighed. He’s the one I should be wanting she thought. I do she thought. But… she was now having doubts.

Which is why she had seesaw through relationships until Alan had surprised her. She might be only fifteen, but she did not take it seriously and now she knew Alan could be the one who she should be serious about, and the roads had been leading her down this way since she and Alan had begun whatever they had together.

Now why am I being distant? she asked. As she was seeing the show that her uncle and Mariah’s mother was giving, and it was fun.

Because it was a distraction from her own life. “That is my uncle,” she said referring to Max to Alan. She knew Alan had not met her uncle because Max had been inactive from family events. And there was never an opportunity to see him.

“Who is he with?” Alan asked.

“Someone new to town,” Jessica murmured. “Someone he loved a long time ago. Until they broke up.”

“Really?” Alan asked. “What happened?”

“It is a long story,” Jessica murmured. And one for another day she thought. “I am sorry about tonight. I am usually in a better mood, and I do not know why I am not…"

“It’s alright,” Alan murmured.

No, it is not, Jessica told herself and especially once the door behind them and Mac and Franny came out moments after them, is he following me she thought. And said as much as she turned, “Did you have to follow us?” she blurted out.

“You should not give yourself that much credit,” Mac muttered. “Get over yourself.”

“I would,” Jessica sighed. If I did not have to see you in my face all the time she thought. As Mac grunted. Truly in the style of his father before him.

Franny only smiled.

Alan did not know what was happening as in the backdrop was Max and Liz.

*

All the while the subject of Max and Liz’s conversation was slowly walking towards the car with her younger brother. The darkness had settled in, and lights were along the main street that they were walking down. Showcasing their wears, or the smells for the restaurants. As they would learn, their grandparent’s establishment was not the only place in town to eat. But they were slowly walking down because Mariah knew her brother needed to take it slow. “It’s a small town, and yet…”

“It’s not either,” Lex asked as if he could read her mind. He could not but still they had a tight bond from a life that had caused them to grow up in Chicago, and in its suburbs. “It is same you have not been able to see more of it.”

“I am getting stronger,” Lex muttered.

“I am glad,” Mariah sighed, “Thank you for the birthday present.”

“I found it back in Chicago,” Lex murmured. “Talia told me how much you liked those earrings,” he said of the flower earrings that he had seen before they ended up moving, and thankfully he had been able to save his allowance to by them. “I hope you enjoy them”

“They are cool,” Mariah smiled. “Thank you also for being there for me,” she allowed. “Even when I have had those moody days.”

“You mean every day these last three months or so,” Lex asked with a smirk.

“Basically,” Mariah conceded. “I hope that I am getting better…”

“I hope you are too,” Lex sighed. The house cannot use more tension he sighed. “I know how hard it has to be for you to be dealing with all this, because I am sure I would be something like you if my life has been upended.”

“Thankfully it has not,” Mariah sighed. “Lex is fortunately Dad’s kid,” she sighed. “Although your injury was pretty brutal.”

“Yes, it was” Lex agreed, and he was much happier. Ever since he had been home from the hospital. “Although being home make me miss Dad.”

“So, do I” Mariah nodded as she could not help but think of man who had been there every day from the days he was born, until he was cruelly taken from them. I so miss him she thought. He would make sense of this for me…

Or would he?

“Dad loved you, you know…” Lex murmured.

“But would he if he knew I was some other guys’ kid,” Mariah sighed. “I am glad he never had to find out,” she sighed. “I wanted him to be here for my birthday today?”

“As Mom told me on my birthday in January. Dad is with us in spirit,” Lex murmured as they continued down the street. “So, how are you dealing with it?”

“I am barely dealing with it,” Mariah sighed.

“How are you dealing with Mom getting closer to that guy?” Lex could help but ask his older sister. Someone who was nearly three years older than him, and who often made life make sense and still it did not make sense to him currently, and how could Mariah make it make sense for me? he asked because this has to do with her parents. Her biological parents.

“At the end of the day I want Mom to be happy,” Mariah sighed. “I know Dad made her happy,” she murmured. I might have a lot of questions about everything to do with my mother but still I believed they were happy, because something like that could not be a lie, right? “But Dad is gone, and she is now alone, and I do not want her to be sad forever. And for some reason Mom has a connection with that guy, Max. I do not even think it is about me. But something more fundamental. Despite all the pain in their past, something about them makes some sense, even though I do not understand it,” or would I want to truly endorse it right now even though it sounds if I am? “Thankfully Mom is going to be careful because that is who she is, and her second nature, but whatever she eventually decides. I want her to be happy.”

“So, do I” Lex sighed.

“She will find some way to figure it out,” Mariah sighed. “She always does.”

“It does not change the fact that I miss Dad,” the thirteen-year-old muttered as they both got closer to the car, and she unlocked the door with the keys that her mother had handed to her, and she put the cake in the trunk, and she was about the unlock the car for her brother, so he could take the pressure of his leg, they heard commotion in the park, because where they were parked, they were by the shaded part. Out of the openness of the park. Almost in the spot of her antics the day before…

So, I know the place well she thought.

“What was that?” Lex asked to his sister as both saw a beam of glowy light out in the darkness of the night.

“How should I?” Mariah muttered, although instinctive she knew it was not good.

Not good at all.

With the words, “You slut, you stay away from my boyfriend,” came an outraged female that would identify herself as Sierra Cruise as the start of full-on fight had erupted fully within the view of both Mariah and Lex.

Lex was intrigued.

Mariah was baffled.

“Stop it,” River was saying, but he pushed against the tree, by some supernatural strength coming from the other participant in the fight, which of course was Roxy Turner, who was “You want me bitch, come and get me,” at Sierra as he was trying to intervene, he fell unconscious from the blows. While yes, Sierra was coming after Roxy.

“Shit,” Mariah murmured. As it did not take a genius to know they were in serious trouble…
And it was not because of her, but because of their secret…

*

Minutes before…

River and Sierra were in the park, just having a good time. Sitting on a blanket, and looking up into the sky, and the stars, and testing each other’s knowledge on the solar system, and coming up more and more outrageous names to try to con the other one, and they were having a quiet evening, and doing a little kissing, but nothing more because they were in the park. And they knew they could be spotted by a passerby at any time, and River was already under close scrutiny because of what the town believed he had done at New Years.

Instead, he was protecting his sister. But the town did not know it.

Only the Sheriff did. And he kept the truth in one of the many corners of his brain, because it was better not to have written proof of what the truth was when a crime strikes. River and Mac were taking the blame. And the bill had already been paid by the two families involved, so as far as the town was concerned.

The bill was paid, but it did not mean River and Mac did not get noticed because the town believed they were the ones guilty.

So, they kept a close eye on them. So, River tried to stay an upstanding citizen when he was actually in public, so you could not get caught up in an indecency charge with your girlfriend, even if both of you were still underage.

“It is a beautiful night,” Sierra commented. After they got a little frisky, but they stopped because yes, they were in public. Even if they were not in the most public of places. And with their activity being monitored, they had to be careful.

“Yes, it is” River murmured as they would lean in for a kiss, that might have led to more…

But…

“You guys do make me sick,” came a familiar voice. “You should be taking that display behind closed doors if you ask me, and neither of you apparently are…” As River and Sierra stopped their kissing and could not help but look up found that they were now joined by Jessica who was alone, without Alan. Unfortunately, though for her, Mac was also steps behind her. As Alan was now headed home, because Jessica wanted to walk home, and had taken a beeline towards the park. Mac had witnessed it, and as Franny headed for the bus, along with Alan. Mac headed after his friend.

Although an unnatural sense of silence was hanging over them, which had not been evident before, but now it was.

“We were achieving some privacy,” River muttered. “You both have invaded our space.”

“It’s a public park,” Mac muttered as he still did not fully trust Sierra. And did not care if he was interrupting things. “If you wanted privacy, go to one of your homes, and do not be so public about your displays,” he muttered. “Because they have gotten us in trouble in the past, as well as you know…”

Sierra knew full well that she did not have the support of Mac. Not that she cared. Because it was evident that Mac liked to stir the pot, and Sierra was not looking for trouble or to get in the middle of the long-time friends, so she stayed quiet. River had told her that both Jessica and Mac knew of her status, but there had not been a lot of discussion.

Which was fine with her.

“We were together, as you both could have seen” River muttered. “You could have gone your own way, and ignored us, if we were so offensive.” he muttered. “Why are you here anyways?”

“We were on the way home,” Jessica murmured.

“Both of you live many streets away from each other,” River muttered. “Neither of you have used the park before, have you?”

“Are you the one to talk?” Jessica muttered. “You do not even live in this town,” she sighed because her mood felt dark. And she did not know why. Almost as I am taking over for Mariah she thought. But it is not like I have Daddy issues.

I am pretty normal. So, what is up with me?

“What is wrong with you tonight?” River asked as he could see that his cousin and friend was in a mood, and it was usually him who was reacting to his environment, and his cousin has always been known to be on the perky side, most of the time he allowed. “Sierra lives here…”

“Unfortunately,” Mac muttered.

“That is enough,” as River muttered as he got up from the blanket he was sitting in and was now facing both of his friends. “We were trying to have a nice moment here, and you did not have to cause trouble. If you are going to be in a funk than you can go?” he asked bluntly to Mac, but it was as much for his cousin, who nodded.

“I am sorry,” Jessica murmured. “I do not know what came over me,” she sighed. “I will leave you alone,” she muttered as she looked at Mac to do the same thing, but Mac was not prepared to leave.

“You do not have to do that,” Sierra murmured as her phone rang, and it was a message came through on her text message, and she frowned. “I need to return this message,” she said to the group, and nodded to River who sighed as the blonde walked away. As he turned around. “Okay, what is up with the two of you?”

“Nothing,” Mac muttered.

“Really?” River asked, because as lifelong buddies with both his cousin and best friend. River knew when their moods were off the charts, and this one was one of them. And it was rare to have both Jessica and Mac in this frame of mind. “Tell me what is going on, because I know something is up?”

“I will tell you what is going on,” Jessica muttered.

“Do not,” Mac warned of his friend. “It is none of your business.”

“You do not own me,” Jessica muttered. “You want to know what is bothering him. Well, it has to do with Roxy Turner...”

Oh god, River could only mutter. Of course, it has to do with Roxy “What has she done now?” he asked of the resident bad girl.

“She kissed Mac, and Mac liked it” Jessica muttered.

“Give me a freaking break. I can kiss anyone I want okay without having to go through you, or getting your permission, so leave me the hell alone,” Mac muttered. While River was shocked by the very notion that Mac could fall for Roxy’s charm once again.

“Perfect, fine, you want to go and screw your life up then go ahead,” Jessica muttered as she also saw a text coming through on her phone. “I have to go deal with this,” she sighed because it was from Alan, and she had to answer it given how much of a bother she had been on their date. “I will be back,” she sighed as she walked off, in the direction of Sierra.

As both girls could not get the signal because of the bushes which were known to cloud the signal of one’s phone.

And it led the boys to be alone, and all River could do was sigh. “Jesus, Mac, why?” he asked. “I know you like the girls, and they mostly like you but come on, Roxy?” he muttered. “I thought you had standards?”

“I do,” Mac muttered. “I did not want it okay,” he sighed. “I did not ask for it. She laid it on me, and she did not give me a chance to say no…”

“Would you have?” River asked. “Said no?”

“I might have, but Jessica came and interrupted, and well…”

“And well she got pissed off didn’t she, and of course Roxy loved it, right?” River asked. Because he knew how much Roxy loved to goad Jessica. And Jessica mostly lets it flow off her back, most days but on a day like this, you get warn down.

“Something like that,” Mac admitted. “Look I know it was not advisable.”

“Just a touch,” River sighed. “Look your love life is your love life. If I will not take what you think of Sierra than I cannot say you are a monster for going there, but I know you went there once before, and you had to live through that disaster.”

“I swore I would not go back there,” Mac muttered. Jessica might not have known about before, but River did know he thought. After his weak moment with Roxy, and given how bad it went, well, he had to spill to someone. And Jessica was in Arizona with her grandmother, and so River was the best option and that was before things deteriorated between Jessica, and his cousin had seen Roxy for what she was.

A manipulator who liked to play with fire for attention.

“Except you did,” River sighed.

“Yes, he did” came a laughter and both boys could not help but turn and around see the laughing eyes of the subject of their conversation. “Well, boys what do we have here?” she asked with a smirk. “Are we alone?”

Roxy doubted they were…

But she could help toy with them some more. “You are still as delicious as you were earlier Mac,” Roxy smiled.

“Get lost Roxy,” Mac muttered.

“Were you filling in River on our little escapades earlier?” Roxy murmured as she slinked up the boys. She so loved playing games, and these two make all the more fun. “We were rudely interrupted at the time; so, do you want to continue what we started earlier?”

“Hell no,” Mac muttered.

“We might not be able to keep you from coming around the park,” River muttered because yeah it is a public place “But we do not want to be speaking to you, so take the hint and go on your way, and make some trouble elsewhere…”

“What,” Roxy asked with a laugh, “You mean you do not want what I gave your friend,” she asked. “Something like this,” she asked as she grabbed River before he could stop her and planted a very similar kiss that she had earlier given to Mac.

River did not have a chance to respond or not, because before they knew it, seconds later, they heard an outraged duo of girls coming their way. “Get the hell away from my boyfriend,” Sierra demanded, and River thankfully stepped away from the kiss.

While Sierra slugged Roxy, who hit the ground.

*

And now…

The paralysis Mariah was under ended as she saw the fact that Sierra and Jessica were now fighting, Roxy after the troublemaker did not stay down on the ground long and had regained her strength pretty quickly, and had gotten up and laid one on Sierra, a punch that was impressive, and Sierra went flying. Jessica got into the act. Since she already had an axe to grind against the girl. For reasons she did not know or want to comprehend at the moment.

River had been silenced by the kiss. Not that he wanted it or was prepared to respond to it, I am not Mac because I like Sierra he thought although he was not prepared to qualify what he and Sierra shared just yet. While Mac could not believe Roxy’s nerve, or the strength in both Roxy and Sierra. More so Roxy because he had the sense of River’s girlfriend in what he knew now. So, he was slightly impressed by the nature of Sierra’s fighting ability. As both guys were not in the mood to end the fighting, until that is, Roxy controlled the fight, and River and Mac knew they had to get into it.

“Stop it,” River murmured, as he was going to get in the middle of the girls, but in the anger on all sides. Roxy pushed, with incredible power. Something that Sierra did not even have, and River fell back and against the tree, and onto the ground.

“River,” Mariah cried. As she wanted to run and get in the middle. But she could not leave her brother, because Lex did not have the capacity to get out of the way. “Do not get the middle of it,” Lex warned.

“Someone needs to stop it,” Mariah muttered. And I am more than able to step in she thought but she had to behave like she did not. “I know what Roxy does when you do get on her bad side,” she sighed. Which is why I agreed to break in the school in the first place she thought. Lex shook his head, and advised his sister, “Go find Mom. Maybe she is still with Max,” he asked. “I would go, but I cannot, you know with these crutches.”

Mariah did know, “I cannot leave you alone.” I am the older one in this situation.

“I will stay here by the car, I promise” Lex murmured.

“If, you are sure?” Mariah asked.

“You cannot afford to get dragged into this,” Lex murmured. You have already been cited by the police twice in the last three months, he thought. “You need to go, before the trouble gets out of control” Lex advised because they were seeing the fighting, as Mac was now getting into the act, but he went to his fallen friend, because of his sworn duty to not hit a female…

Even though he wanted too, in this case.

“River are you okay?” he asked but he knew he could not heal, because he did not have River’s fathers’ ability. None of us do he thought as he checked and made sure he was breathing and accessed for any injuries. It did not look like it was a significant head injury, but he was still unconscious. Or playing unconscious, in this case, Mac did not know which one it was, so he muttered in a whispered voice “If you are putting on a show, you might want to wake up” he advised his best friend.

But River stayed unconscious. So, Mac knew this was for real.

“Shit,” Mac muttered as he looked up and saw Jessica and Sierra was gaining ground in their fight, and it was becoming a serious one. And he knew they were incredibly lucky they had not been spotted yet, and he knew he was getting a wakeup call of what happens when mayhem rains down on their clan.

And just like that Jessica got knocked unconscious when to the shock of those who were still conscious, they saw green blasting power coming from Roxy fingers, and Jessica went down like a rock, and Sierra was too stunned to get a final blow to win the battle as causalities were starting to pile up, and the fight had to end. What on earth is going on here?

Mac was a good distance away with River and ran forward, but before he could get a hold of Roxy and break his rule about showcasing violence against a female, the multi color headed troublemaker tumbled to the ground herself.

And Mac saw that it was not an exhibition of unknown power in him who did it, but it was Lex Anthony who had knocked Roxy unconscious with his metal crutches and was looking at the bodies on the ground.

“What the hell did you do?” Mackenzie Guerin asked of the thirteen-year-old.

“What you did not do,” Lex muttered. And what did I just see?