The Language of Longing
Title: The Language of Longing
Author: Meredith
Email: [email protected]
Category: L/M/T
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Liz and Max, now seniors in college, are engaged to be married
and seem to be living the perfect life. But something is keeping them apart. Or
is it someone?
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I know nothing. I write what the little voices
in my head tell me to write. Roswell© and all characters within are the
property of Melinda Metz and the WB Television Network. The character “Morgan
Patrick” belongs to me.
Author’s Note: This story takes place five years in the future. This
story does have an unconventional couple flavor to it, so if you are a
traditionalist you may want to click “Back” on your browser. To Linda, Ash,
Anne, MyrnaLynne, CharlieJ, and all the other great writers featured at the
Crashdown…your work brings me such joy and stirs my creative juices. To Jason
and Shiri, who have breathed life into one of the most romantic couples ever to
grace my TV screen. You guys are the jam. Thanks to Stacy and Kelly for all the
feedback. And lastly, to Adrianne and Myles, who inspire me on a daily basis.
“True love’s the gift which God has given
to man alone beneath the heaven:
It’s not fantasy’s hot fire,
Whose wishes granted soon fly;
It liveth not in fierce desire,
With dead desire it doth not die;
It is the secret sympathy,
The silver link, the silken tie
Which heart to heart- and mind to mind-
In body and in soul can bind.” – Sir Walter Scott, “Lay of the Last
Minstrel”
It was their morning ritual.
He
always woke up first. He found it hard to sleep sometimes with her lying beside
him. They had shared a bed for almost a year now and he hadn’t yet grown tired
of watching her sleep. He didn’t think he ever would. He rolled over and
looked at her sleeping face. The blinds in their apartment were half-closed, so
streams of sunlight were starting to pour in and shine on her creamy caramel
skin. He sighed, taking in all of her. Her long, silky auburn hair, her cute
little widow’s peak, her big brown eyes that were like two sparkling spheres
when awake. Her rosy lips, still swollen and puffy from their night of
lovemaking. Her soft, round shoulders, leading down to her long, lean arms that
were draped so casually over her stomach. Her round breasts perfectly set off
her defined abdomen. She was the picture of beauty and grace. His goddess of
love. His Venus.
He
slipped out of the tangled sheets, stepping into the black silk boxers crumpled
up on the floor. He walked over to the window, opening the blinds to half-mast.
This was the only way to shake her out of her dream world.
“Five
more minutes…” She moaned. He looked over from the window and grinned. They
had been going to Boston University for four years and he still hadn’t tired
of opening up his window and seeing all the hustle and bustle outside. It was so
different from where they grew up. No cowboys. No tumbleweeds. He walked back
over to the warm bed and slipped in between the sheets. He began tickling her.
“Max!” She cried, squirming around. “Max, stop it! Ok, Ok, I’ll get
up!” She cried, laughing. She buried her head in his chest and kissed it.
“That’s better.” He said, smiling. “I don’t want you to be late for
your bioethics class again.”
“Remind me never to take 8 AM classes again…” She groaned. “It’s so
cold…” She said, shivering. After four brutal winters in Boston, she
didn’t think she could make it through another one. He walked over to her
closet, grabbing her robe. She wrapped it around her nude body.
“You’re going to be in trouble when you get out of med school…babies come
at all hours of the night- even 8 AM. They don’t wait for mommy’s doctor,”
Max said, getting up and walking into the kitchen. He got a tin out of the
refrigerator to make coffee for them like he did every morning. She had tried to
make coffee a few times, but according to her, it was never as good as his was.
She walked into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around his back.
“Aren’t you cold?” She asked, shivering. He turned around and kissed her-
their first kiss of the day.
“Nope.” He said, smiling. “I feel warm all over.”
“Mmm,”
She moaned into his mouth, pulling him closer to her. “You always feel
warm.” She kissed him again, this time longer and more forcefully. She thrust
her tongue into his mouth, massaging his gently.
“Liz-
let’s not start.”
“Why
not?” She groaned.
“Cause neither of us will get to class today.” Max replied, smiling. “And
we both have exams this week so we can’t afford that right now.” He turned
to the cabinet, pulling out two mugs. She grabbed his chin, looking into his
eyes.
“You
want to meet for lunch today?” She asked. “We can go down to Harvard Square
after your chem class, sit out in front of Au Bon Pain, feed each other
croissants and strawberries…” She asked.
He
smiled, putting his arms around her once again. “And then we can come back
here for dessert.”
Liz
smiled. “Hmm…tempting.” Max kissed her forcefully. The feeling of her soft
silky skin up against him was making him weak. He was thirty seconds away from
skipping his human relations class and taking her back to bed. Between sensual,
soul stroking kisses, Max broke away.
“If
we keep this up, neither of us will be graduating in May…” He began.
“May…” She said, smiling at him. She seemed to be drifting away. “The
month before June…”
“June
22. When will it get here?” Max asked, looking at the beautiful diamond ring
on her left ring finger and kissing it.
Liz found it hard to concentrate on the middle-aged graying man standing at the
front of her auditorium. She was doodling hearts and V-Shaped constellations
made of stars in her notebook. A blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl sitting next to
her pointed to Liz’s drawings and smiled.
“Girl, get your head out of the clouds.” She whispered to Liz, smiling.
Liz
sighed. “I can’t help it, Morgan. He just does something to me- like I
can’t concentrate on anything but him.”
“It’s called being in love, Lizzie.” Morgan replied, smiling. Liz smiled
and stared at the beautiful diamond ring on her left hand. “But bioethics
calls. We better pay attention cause I think this is going to be on the exam
next week.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Liz said, shaking herself out of her daze. She
listened intently to the professor.
“So
can anyone explain to me the argument against the practice of euthanasia?”
Professor Wallace asked. No one raised his hand and he sighed, shaking his head.
“You, young lady.” He said, pointing to a girl. “In the third row, with
the curly blonde hair. What’s your name?”
The
girl smiled. “Tess.”
Liz’s
blood ran cold. She knew it was her. The same Tess who had taken Max away from
her all those years ago. Max had to choose between his destiny with Tess and his
soul mate Liz. Her eyes narrowed into a stealthy glare that burned into the back
of Tess. What in the hell was she doing at Boston University? Liz’s eyes
welled up with tears as she listened to that sugary sweet voice that haunted her
dreams. It was like her worst nightmare was coming true.
Megan
looked over at Liz while Tess was speaking. She was alarmed by her friend’s
appearance.
“Babe, are you ok? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” She cried.
Liz
quickly wiped her eyes and shakingly slammed her books closed. She threw her
notebook and textbook into her messenger bag and ran out of the room. “Liz!”
Morgan cried, running after her. The commotion caused the entire class to turn
around, including Tess.
“Miss
Parker? Miss Patrick?” Professor Wallace asked. “Hmm. I hope everything’s
okay.” He said under his breath.
Tess
grinned mischievously.
“That’s right. Run to your precious Max.” She thought. “You won’t have
him for much longer.” She sent a telegraphic thought to his brain. An image of
the two of them having passionate sex on Max and Liz’s bed.
* * * * * * *
Max was falling asleep in his human relations class when he felt a charge go
through him, then a flash of he and Tess making love on the bed that he and Liz
shared. His stomach retched at the thought, but the images of Tess kept coming.
The two of them kissing, the two of them as children in the pods. The night they
realized Tess was one of them. The hurt in Liz’s eyes when she told Max she
saw the two of them kissing. All the painful memories of their junior and senior
years, as well as all the happy ones he had with Tess.
He was distracted from his trance by the sound of the door opening. He and
several others in the lecture hall instinctively turned around. As his eyes fell
on the visitor, his mind raced. He knew something was wrong. Was it Isabel or
Michael? Alex or Maria? His parents? Her parents? His mind was racing. He jumped
up and ran to her.
“Mr.
Evans…” The professor said. “Please take your discussion outside.” Max
wasn’t even paying attention to his professor; he was too busy focusing on
Liz. He followed her outside the hall and looked into her eyes. He could tell
she had been crying. Her eyes and face were red and puffy and she was out of
breath. When they were safely out in the hallway, he hugged her to him tightly.
“Tell
me.” He breathed.
“Tess.” She managed to whisper through choked sobs. “She’s…here.”
Max’s
eyes got wide as all the memories of their junior and senior years at West
Roswell High came flooding back to him. Tess had told him that they were
destined to be together. She put him under her mind control, and he was
convinced she was right. Liz broke up with him because she couldn’t stand to
know that Tess would always be around, one step behind them. Without Liz’s
support and love, he crumbled under his desire for Tess and fell under her
spell. They were inseparable for over two years. He even gave up his virginity
to her- something he had always thought he would reserve for Liz. On graduation
night, Liz, who was headed to Boston University, had summoned all her courage to
tell Max she still loved him and would never stop loving him. That was all Max
needed to end things with Tess for good. Max drove Liz out to the rock formation
where the foursome had crashed and had emerged from the pods almost 20 years
before. They made love by the fire all night, and swore eternal devotion to each
other, saying they’d never be apart again. Max, who had committed to going to
Stanford University, withdrew his application and with his unblemished school
record and perfect SAT score, managed to get into Boston University to be with
her. Michael and Maria had moved to Santa Monica, California, and Isabel and
Alex went to the University of New Mexico. They both had decided they would miss
each other and their parents too much to go far away.
The day
after graduation, Max ended his two-year relationship with Tess and she was
never seen again. Max was upset at first, because he genuinely cared about her.
They had come to earth together and he didn’t want any harm to come to her.
Isabel and Michael were also upset. All three had felt like they’d lost a part
of themselves when Tess left, especially Michael…Tess was his sister. Even
after four years, he still hadn’t forgiven Max for pushing her away.
Michael’s feeling of betrayal stung deeply and he still only talked to Max a
few times a year.
“Where…is she?” He asked. He was relieved to know that there were reasons
for his sudden visions of Tess- she was nearby.
“In
my bioethics class. Morgan and I were talking and… the professor called
on…her… to answer a question.” Liz said, her eyes cold.
“You
didn’t know she was in your class until today?” Max asked, astounded.
“She
wasn’t in there last week! She must have just enrolled here! Oh, God,
Max…” She cried, burying her face in his chest. She kept telling herself
that if she didn’t let go of him, maybe she could keep him away from Tess.
“What are we going to do?” She finally asked him as he rocked her back and
forth.
“I
don’t know, baby. I don’t know.” He said, breathing into her hair and
kissing the top of her head. He was filled with fear and a twisted sense of
longing. He couldn’t control his attraction to Tess. Here he was, holding the
love of his life close to his chest, and he couldn’t stop thinking about his
high school girlfriend. His relationship with Tess was primal…chemical. He and
Liz had something so much better than that ever was. Their relationship was
romantic, personal- sensual, real. There was a vast difference between the two
women and even after all these years and his true love for Liz, he still felt an
attraction to Tess. He felt like it wasn’t up to him. Someone or something had
set the wheels in motion…
And he
knew his universe was about to come crashing down on him.
“It
won’t be long now.” Tess said quietly to herself as she poked her head
around the corner. Down an abandoned quiet hallway, she saw Max holding and
cradling a crying Liz in his arms. “Just wait until he meets you,” She said,
opening up her locket and looking at a small picture of a young boy. She kissed
it and smiled. She pressed it close to her chest and quickly darted back around
the corner and out the door so they would not notice her.
* * * * *
Liz was so startled about seeing Tess in her morning class that she went to
classes with Max the rest of the day. She felt the need to be with him all the
time, almost like protecting him. After Max’s organic chemistry lab,
They jumped on the subway to their apartment near Harvard. As they sat together
for the 20-minute train ride, neither said a word. Max just held Liz’s hand,
caressing and kissing it. She looked out of the window with cold, dead eyes. She
couldn’t bring herself to show Max how scared she really was. As they
approached their stop, they both picked up their book bags and filed off the
train. Max instinctively grabbed Liz’s hand as they crossed the busy
intersection and came within sight of their apartment building. He fumbled in
his pocket for his keys and they climbed up the flight of stairs to their small
apartment. It was warm and cozy with a nice view of Harvard Square. It was
expensive, and they both had to work full time to pay for it, but they didn’t
mind, because they were together. Liz worked at the Urban Outfitters store down
the street and Max did work for a doctor’s office in Cambridge.
“When
do you have to work tonight?” Max asked, breaking the ice as Liz flung her
tired body, face first, onto their bed. She kicked off her shoes and sighed.
“6 to
close.” She said, grimacing. “You’re working tomorrow right?” She asked.
“Yeah.” He said, grabbing her a Diet Coke out of the fridge. He knew she’d
ask for one so he saved himself a trip and brought it into the bedroom. Liz
stripped out of her jacket and socks and jumped under the goose-down comforter.
She turned on the TV and flipped to her favorite soap opera, General Hospital.
Max walked over to the bedside and kicked off his shoes. He put his bottle of
water down on his nightstand and handed Liz her soda.
“Oh,
you are too good to me.” She said, giving him a quick smooch. He smiled,
peeling off his sweater and revealing only a tight white t-shirt underneath. He
cuddled up with her and buried his face into her neck, breathing in her peach
shampoo and sweet perfume. She smiled contently. This was her Max. He wasn’t
acting any differently than normal. Every afternoon, they’d come back from
class, he’d drink a bottle of water and she’d have a Diet Coke. They’d
cuddle up in bed together. She’d watch her soap and he’d fall asleep.
Sometimes he’d mumble things in his sleep, usually “Oh, that’s nice,” or
“Oh, what a bitch,” responding to whatever Liz would scream at someone on
the television. She looked at him and sighed. Oh, God, how she loved this man.
If anyone or anything ever came between them, she didn’t want to live. She
turned herself around in his arms so their chests were touching. She kissed each
of his eyelids and left a trail of hot kisses from his cheeks down to his neck.
He instinctively pulled her closer to him; his eyes still closed. Liz figured
that he was nearing his dream state. He began moving his hands up and down her
back, pulling up the back of her sweater so he could feel her soft skin. She
threw her head back instinctively as she felt his hands move further down her
back.
“Max…” She said quietly to him. “Wake up, baby.”
“Hmm…” He groaned, pulling her close to him and kissing her forcefully.
Liz could feel his desire and need and returned it back to him. They both sat
up, still kissing and in each other’s arms. Liz wrapped her legs around
Max’s back, who had his legs stretched out on the bed. She began moving
forcefully into him, her mind and body on auto pilot. “Whoa, girl, slow
down.” He said, laughing. She looked at him with desire in her eyes. She
helped him pull his shirt over his head, revealing his exquisite chest. She
rubbed her hands over his shoulders and pulled herself close to him, aching to
have all of him. He pulled her sweater over her head, revealing her perfect
breasts to him. He sighed, rubbing them softly and slowly placing his mouth on
her. She pulled him down on top of her as he continued to worship her with his
mouth. She felt herself changing inside, like she needed him to survive. She
felt herself becoming a contradiction- she loved this closeness she and Max
shared, but she was terrified that he was becoming the key to her survival.
Liz and Morgan had the closing shift at Urban Outfitters that night, and they
were in the back room unloading new merchandise. They were jotting letters and
numbers on a clipboard as they sorted through the clothes, picture frames,
candles, journals, and other random stuff.
Liz
picked up a new candleholder and smiled. “This is the exact candleholder that
Maria had in her room when we were in high school!”
“Wow,” Morgan said, looking at it. “Retro-kitsch. Making a comeback, I
like it.” She smiled.
“Retro?” Liz asked, grinning. “Ok, come on, Morgan, we’re not that
old!”
“Have
you talked to Maria lately?” Morgan asked.
Liz
paused, a sudden pain stinging her. Talking about Maria made her think about
high school and all the horrible things that happened there. “No,” She
managed to spit out finally. “I guess I should call her or something.”
“She
was your best friend for like 18 years, I think that would be a good idea!”
“It’s just so hard to talk to her about things, cause Michael and Max are on
such bad terms right now. Last I heard, Michael wasn’t even coming to our
wedding.” Liz said, a tear coming to her eye.
“And
since when do you let guys get in between you and your best friend?” Morgan
asked. She walked over to the phone that was on the store room wall and picked
it up. “Call her.”
Liz
smiled at Morgan’s forcefulness. It was refreshing. Liz had a hard time
standing up for herself, let alone motivating herself to do something as sad and
awkward as calling up Maria out of the blue. She admired Morgan’s strong
attitude. The two of them had met their freshman year when they were randomly
assigned to be roommates. They got along so well that they decided to live
together their sophomore year too. Morgan’s boyfriend of two years, Owen, had
also gotten to be a good friend of Liz and Max’s. They double dated a lot and
went to parties together. Morgan and Owen had no idea that they were in the
presence of an otherworldly creature every time they were in the same room with
Max.
“I
can’t.” Liz said. “What am I supposed to say to her?”
“How
about…’Hello’?” Morgan asked, swinging the receiver.
Liz
paused. “I will talk to her. But not here…we’ve got too much work to
do.”
Morgan
sighed. “Ok, Lizzie. You’re off the hook for now. But If I find out you
didn’t call her, you’re in big trouble, pally.”
Liz
smiled.
* * * * * *
Max was
sitting on the couch in his apartment, listening to his Dave Matthews Band CD
and working on an anatomy lab. Anatomy was his favorite subject because it
caused him to want to learn more about his own body. He ran his fingers over his
bare, well-defined stomach, fingering the muscle formations that were indented
in the skin. Were the diagrams of the human abdomen the same as his insides? As
far as they knew, their cells were the only things that were different than
humans. Was the composition of his organs different than Liz’s? If they were,
would they ever be able to make a baby together? One that would have a normal
life? These were all questions that had no easy answers. His mind raced as the
phone rang. His eyes traveled back into the text book as he absentmindedly
reached over and picked up the receiver.
“Hello?” Max answered.
There
was a paused. Max rolled his eyes and groaned.
“HELLO?” He said forcefully.
“Hello, Max.”
His
heart stopped. His blood ran cold. He knew that voice.
It was
Tess.
“What
in the—“ He began.
“Yes,
my love. It’s me.” She replied in that sultry voice as sugary as ever. Max
paused. His voice got angrier as his blood began to pump fervently.
“What
do you want?” He screamed into the receiver.
“Oh,
you don’t know, Max? You feel it when you sleep at night. You feel it when you
wake up in the morning. You feel it when you look in the mirror—and see my
face.” Tess said sweetly, her finger wrapping around the phone cord.
“You’re delusional, Tess.”
Tess
chuckled. “I’m not delusional, Maxy. I’ve come to claim what’s
rightfully mine…”
“…and that would be…?” Max asked.
“You,
of course.” Tess said.
“I
don’t belong to you! I’m with Liz! We’re in love. We’re
getting…married! She’s the ONLY one for me! Do you hear that Tess? The ONLY
one!” Max cried, his voice hot with rage.
Tess
laughed again. “That’s fine, Max. Keep on playing house with your puppy
love. You know I’m the only one who drives you, Max, I’m a part of you.
You’re a part of me. You can’t deny that. When you make love to her,
you’re thinking of me.”
“No!
That’s not true!” Max screamed. He punched his fist into the couch in anger.
“You are crazy!”
“Oh,
Max. You’re the crazy one. Keep on fooling yourself with Liz. You’ll see
soon enough- that you belong to me. We’ll see you on June 22nd. Or maybe
sooner…” Tess said ominously, hanging up the phone.
“Tess—“ He said, his voice choked with rage and tears, muffled completely
by the sound of dead air on the line, and then a dial tone. He screamed with
frustration, slamming the phone into its cradle with such force that it was
knocked over on the floor. The caller I.D. box fell beside it. Max picked it up
and looked with horror at what it displayed.
“HARDING-EVANS,
TESS (617) 290-0666.”
She’d
changed her last name to Evans! Max’s stomach got weak as he had another flash
about making love to Tess. He reeled. “Why is this all happening to us? Why
now? Everything’s perfect!”
He
heard Tess’s voice echoing through his brain. “You’ll see soon enough-
you belong to me.”
He
tried to fight it. Tess was nothing to him. Liz was his world, his heart, his
soul, he didn’t want anyone but her.
“We’ll see you June 22nd.”
How did
she know he and Liz’s wedding date? And the last part really shocked him.
“Who’s we?” He screamed out loud.
Max
felt stained, dirty. He needed to see Liz. To hold her, touch her, kiss her.
Breathe her in. He needed her. Like a drug.
* * * * * *
Santa Monica, California
One Week Later
March 31, 2005.
Michael Guerin looked out of the window of the apartment he shared with his
girlfriend of five years, Maria DeLuca. It was extremely small, only a bedroom,
a kitchenette, and a small living area, but it was cozy, and it was theirs, so
they loved it. He watched the rain as it fell down outside in the darkness. He
watched as it fogged up the windows, making it increasingly difficult to see
outside.
Maria
was still asleep. It was early, he didn’t want to wake her. She hadn’t been
sleeping much lately. Her best friend from childhood, Liz Parker, had called her
a couple of weeks before and they got in yet another argument. It was tearing
Maria apart but she couldn’t allow herself to show weakness.
Michael
looked over at her then, watching her chest rise and fall in the moonlight. She
always slept in the nude and he loved this time of night, her lying still and
restful on her back; the moonlight dancing on her silky skin. He would often sit
up at night, thinking, watching her. He wasn’t much of a spiritual person, but
he thanked whoever or whatever that created him for bringing him together with
this beautiful creature. Part of him hated Liz for taking Max away from him all
those years ago, but he loved her for delivering this perfect sleeping angel to
him, so completely and effortlessly.
Her arm
moved in her sleep just then, draping it across her stomach. “Michael…”
She whispered in her sleep. He smiled. It made him feel like such a bad ass
whenever she called out his name. At that moment, she was his, and nothing else
mattered. The past, the future- nothing. He only saw her.
Until
tonight.
“Michael,”
The voice whispered in his head, echoing through his brain and shaking him to
the core. “Michael, I’ve missed you so much.”
It
continued to haunt him. That voice he hadn’t heard in so long- the voice of
his sister, Tess. “Michael, I need your help. Michael, you need to see him.
I named him after you.”
Michael
tried to shake that last thought out of his brain. He could feel Tess reaching
out to him. He got a flash just then, of Tess, Max, and a young boy. They were
playing in a park, the boy was pushing a toy truck through a sandbox. Tess and
Max were looking at each other with loving eyes. The boy looked exactly like his
best friend, his surrogate brother, their leader, with the brown hair, doe eyes,
long eyelashes, and prominent ears.
Tess
and Max had a child?
It
couldn’t be. Maria had just talked to Liz, and she and Max were as happy as
ever. They were even getting married in less than three months. Why, after all
these years, is he finally getting visions of Tess? Why can he feel her presence
with him?
“Michael, come
to Boston. Please, Michael, I need your help. She has to be stopped.” Tess
seemed to be pleading to him.
“Boston?” He thought to himself. He felt a wave of terror wash over him-
like he knew that something awful was going to happen. “They’re in
danger.” He said, looking over at the snapshot of Max and Liz from years ago
that still hung on Maria’s mirror. He ran over to Maria and shook her out of
her dreams.
“What?” She cried, her eyes sealed tight with tiredness.
He
paused, looking at her. He seemed to be drowning in her for a moment.
“Michael, WHAT?” She cried. “What’s wrong?”
“Get
up, we’re going to Boston.”
“Boston? What?” She sat up in bed like a rocket. “Are Liz and Max okay? Oh
God!” She screamed. “Tell me! What’s happened to them?”
“Nothing- yet. But I think my sister might be after Liz.”
“Tess? What the hell…you don’t hear from her for almost five years and now
all of the sudden you’re getting visions about her? God, she’s such a
bitch!” Maria cried.
“Hey,
calm down, she’s the only family I have, all right?”
“What
about Max, Isabel? You have me!”
Michael
shook his head. “It’s not the same, blondie.”
“Fine, Michael, I’ll bite. How do you know that psycho hose-beast is going
after Liz, huh?” Maria asked.
“I
just know ok? Don’t ask so many questions!” Michael cried, grabbing two
suitcases out of the closet and throwing them on the bed. He scared her when he
got like this. Something must really be wrong. Maria stood up, her body
twinkling in the moonlight. She shuddered as she thought of Liz and Tess coming
face to face again. She knew Liz might do something crazy. And if Liz didn’t
stand up against Tess, Maria sure as hell would do anything to protect her
Lizzie! Michael looked over and saw her then, his glorious distraction. He could
feel that she was in pain. He walked over behind her, wrapping his arms around
her back. He placed his lips lightly on her neck.
“Don’t worry, ok?” He said quietly. “Liz is going to be okay. So is Max.
I won’t let Tess hurt them.” Michael could feel Maria’s worry.
“I
just wish this would be over with… I mean, Max and Liz have been through so
much. They’re good people, why can’t they just be happy? Why does this
always have to happen to them? When will they be happy? When will we be
happy?”
“I
thought we were happy.” Michael said, looking into her eyes with hurt. He
looked like a wounded puppy dog- she looked at him and frowned.
“Nice one, DeLuca.” She thought to herself.
“Michael Guerin, I’ve never been so happy in my whole life than I am right
now with you. I’m just scared. As long as your sister and Nasedo and God knows
who else are out there lurking around, I just can’t feel safe.”
“Maria, You don’t have to feel scared. I won’t ever let anyone hurt
you.” He replied, lacing his fingers with hers.
“I’m not worried about me. But I would die if…they took you from me.”
Maria said, her eyes welling up with tears. He moved his hands through her soft
blonde hair.
“I
love you.” Michael said, kissing her soundly.
“I
love you too.” Maria replied. “Come on, let’s go find Sissy Dearest.”
* * * * * * *
Boston, Massachusetts.
Later That Afternoon.
Max never told Liz that Tess had called him that night. Liz felt him changing,
acting strangely. Everytime the phone rang, Max would jump ten feet, like he was
expecting something. She didn’t want to say anything to him because they’d
both been going through a lot of stress with school, work, and wedding
preparations. They had barely had time to stop and breathe, let alone just relax
together in those precious moments of the day that made her want to wake up and
live the next one.
Liz
hadn’t seen Tess since that day in her bioethics class. Tess never showed up
to class again. It had been almost three weeks since she had appeared out of
nowhere and she seemed to have disappeared just as effortlessly as she’d
disrupted their rosy existence. General Hospital was on, but as usual,
Max wasn’t paying much attention. He was focused on Liz, who was watching the
screen intently. They were lying in bed under the covers, his bare chest pressed
firmly up against her soft back, that skin to skin contact that drove him
insane. He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her intoxicating scent, and
closed his eyes. He tried to forget that every vision of Tess was pushing him
closer into his own private hell.
“Max, it won’t be long now. We’ve been waiting for this day so
patiently.” He heard Tess’s voice echo through his brain, awakening
hatred he never thought existed. His eyes flew open. This has to stop! He
thought to himself. But her voice and images kept flooding his brain.
“You won’t
be able to deny it anymore. We belong together. You and I. Not Liz.”
No! Max
kept repeating in his brain, holding Liz closer to him. She wrapped her left arm
around him, stroking his skin and soothing him. He seemed to be upset. She
turned herself around in his arms. He opened up his soulful brown eyes, his
beautiful eyelashes fluttering with each staggered breath, and looked deep into
his lover’s own.
“Max,
what’s wrong?” She asked him. “You seem upset.”
Without
answering, he pulled her close to him then, kissing her with need and urgency.
He continued to attack her with a million kisses all over her body. He didn’t
leave any part of her neglected. She moaned his name as the kisses became
stronger, kisses full of desire, longing, fear… His lips continued to travel
lower until they reached their desired destination. She grabbed his hair then,
pushing him closer into her. She threw her head back as a million sensations
washed over her. She felt his name cross her lips over and over again, without
thought, sensation, meaning…
She closed her
eyes and had a vision of Max playing with a young boy in a sandbox. He pushed a
toy truck through the sand and laughed as Max helped him build a small
sandcastle. He looked so much like Max that she shuddered. Liz felt like she was
seeing her future, their future- their son. Liz gasped with horror
when Tess showed up then, picking up the young boy and kissing him. Max then
took the two of them in his arms and they embraced.
“Oh
my God!” She screamed, tears streaming down her face.
“Liz,
Liz, I know baby…” He said, his face buried in her stomach, his eyes sealed
with passion. He kissed her fiercely around her navel, working his way
back up to her neck. She sat up like a rocket.
“No,
Max, I saw her! I saw her in my vision!” Liz screamed, her eyes filling up
with tears.
“You
saw Tess?” Max asked with alarm. “What was she doing?”
Liz
looked in his eyes. The pain she felt was too great to tell him about. “She
was playing with a little boy- you were there too. He looked exactly like you,
Max.”
Max was
stunned- a child? He had had lots of visions of Tess over the past few weeks,
but none involving a child. Was Tess somehow getting messages to Liz’s brain
too? He shuddered at the thought. “Liz…” He said, moaning her name. He
tried to push Tess out of his brain as he took Liz’s face in her hands,
kissing her with passion and intensity. They broke away and looked into each
other’s eyes.
“Max…” She whispered. “I want to have your baby.” She placed her hand
on his chest, letting it travel further down to the center of him that had
always fascinated her. “Make love to me.”
“Oh,
God, Liz…” He said, the words filled with desire. He kissed her and lowered
her down onto the bed. “You’re my world, Liz, there’s no one else…” He
made love to her with such force and intensity that the feeling frightened Liz.
Making love with him had never been this way before. She felt him pushing into
her with such need that it almost hurt her.
“Max,” She moaned. He laced their fingers together, pressing her hands into
the bed. He continued this quest for something- anything- salvation- to return
to that feeling of safeness- complete and utter bliss he had while making love
to Liz.
He looked into Liz’s eyes to try to gage her response at what was
happening to them. And to his horror, Tess’s face gazed back at him.
“I
told you, Max. You belong to me.”
Max
screamed, pulling himself away from the image that shocked him so much. When he
came back to reality, he saw Liz staring back at him with horror.
“Max…” She whispered. “What is happening to us?”
“I
don’t know.” He said, shaking his head. “God, I’m so sorry, Liz, I’m
so sorry.” He burst into tears then. Liz was shocked to see him cry. She’d
only seen him cry twice in her life- when he and Michael got in a huge fight
years ago and Michael told him that they were no longer brothers, and after she
accepted his marriage proposal.
“Max…” She continued to whisper. Her lover was crumbling right in front of
her eyes. She stretched out her arms to him and he crawled into her warm
embrace. They buried themselves under the covers as he rested his head on her
chest, needing to hear her beating heart. Needing to feel that closeness.
“I’m sorry,” He kept repeating. She just shushed him and kissed the top of
his head.
“You
don’t have anything to be sorry about. You’re mine.” Liz said.
“You’re
mine.” Tess repeated in Max’s brain. He squinted his eyes in pain.
“I
love you.” Max said, lifting his head up to meet Liz’s. “I’ll never stop
loving you.”
“I
love you too, angel.” She said, kissing him. “I’ll always love you.”
The
phone rang then, and Max’s eyes lit up with terror. It was her, he knew it.
What were they going to do? Liz looked over at the caller I.D. box.
“UNKNOWN CALLER.”
She
looked at Max for a second, both having the same thought. Would it be Tess?
“I’ll let the machine get it.” She said, smoothing his hair.
The
ringing stopped and she heard the sound of her own voice. “Hi! You’ve
reached Max and Liz’s! We’re not in right now, but leave a message and
we’ll get back to you!”
“Liz!
Max! If you’re there, pick up the phone, it’s Michael.” Max and Liz were
both shocked. Max grabbed the phone quickly.
“Michael, Michael, we’re here.” Max said. “Is everything ok?”
“Yeah, but can you do me a favor?”
“Anything.” Max said.
“Come
pick Maria and me up from the airport? We’re in Boston.” Michael said.
Max’s
jaw dropped. “You’re here?” He looked at Liz. “He and Maria are in
Boston.”
“What
are they doing here?” Liz asked.
“Tell
Liz we’re here to save her ass.” Michael said. Max’s eyes lit up with
fear. Maria smacked Michael’s arm for making such a rude comment.
“She’s in danger?” Max asked, squeezing Liz’s hand. “From what?
Who?”
“Listen, if you could just pick us up, we’re in terminal B. Gate 8. We’ll
explain everything when we get back to your place. It’s not safe to talk about
it here.” Michael said.
“Michael, tell me what’s going on!” Max demanded.
“I
will, Maxwell, just chill, all right?” Michael cried. Maria rolled her eyes.
“Give
me the phone, genius. You obviously failed diplomatic relations last
semester.” Maria grabbed the phone from Michael’s ear. “Hi, Max. It’s
Maria. If you could please just come pick us up, we’d greatly appreciate it.
I’m sorry my boyfriend can be such an asshole sometimes.”
Max
nodded. “We’re on our way. Give us twenty minutes.” They hung up. Max
looked at Liz. He cupped his hand in her face. She turned her face to kiss his
open palm.
“I’m in danger?” She asked, looking into his eyes. They were both on the
verge of tears.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you. But we need to find out
what’s going on. Come on, get dressed. We’re going to get Michael and
Maria.” Max said.
* * * * *
Michael was sitting impatiently at the gate, waiting for Max and Liz to come get
them from the airport. Maria had gone to a nearby stand to grab the latest issue
of Cosmo, so she was out of his hair for a few minutes. This gave him
time to catch some much-needed rest. That plane ride had been brutally long. He
looked at his watch, hardly believing it was almost 6 PM. It felt like lunchtime
to him. This time change was making him ill. He shut his eyes and laid his head
back on the cushy blue chair.
The
visions came again. This time, it was a vision of a wedding. Michael could only
see the back of the bride and groom, but as he got closer, he determined that
the groom definitely was Max. He couldn’t make out the bride’s face. As he
got closer and closer, he saw who it was.
“Michael, You’re so close. You’ve almost found me.” He heard
Tess’s voice haunting his brain. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at
the ceiling of the airport.
“Ok,
Tess, enough is enough…what are you trying to tell me?” Michael said to
himself quietly.
The two
rows of chairs behind Michael were empty, all except for a young woman and a
little boy. The little boy sat close to the edge of the chair, kicking his legs
over the side and coloring in a coloring book. He frowned as he broke the crayon
he was using. He looked up at the woman, his big brown eyes watering with tears.
“Mommy, I broke my crayon. Can you fix it?” He asked her sweetly.
“Of
course, Adam-Michael.” She held the broken green crayon in her enclosed fist,
and when she opened it back up again, it was whole. “There, darling. Mommy
fixed it.” She said, handing him the crayon and kissing his head.
“Thanks, Mommy.” He said, smiling. He went back to his coloring contently.
His mother pushed her sunglasses down her nose and turned around in her chair so
she was facing Michael.
“Honey, put your book away. It’s time for you to meet your Uncle Michael.”
She said, grabbing her child’s tiny hand.
“Mommy, I don’t want to.” Adam-Michael pleaded.
“Honey,” She said, squatting down to his eye level. She sent him a
telegraphic message that he was able to understand since he was completely
alien. His eyes got wide as he saw a vision of himself riding his very own
horse. His mom had promised him that she’d buy him a new pony of his very own
if he’d cooperate with her.
“Ok,
Mommy.” He said, smiling. He reached out his hand to her. She smiled, reaching
down to the chair and grabbing her purse. She slowly led her son to the two rows
of chairs where Michael was sitting, her heart pounding faster and faster. If
she was this nervous meeting her brother again, how was she going to be when she
met Max?
Michael
turned around instinctively, smirking. He knew she was there. “So, if it
isn’t my baby sister.”
“Michael.” She replied, smiling. “It’s so good to see you.” She was
disappointed that he didn’t stand up to hug her, but then again, Michael
wasn’t really that into public displays of affection.
“Tess, I’m only going to say one thing to you…why did you leave?”
“I
couldn’t stay, Michael. Not if Max wouldn’t accept me as his chosen one.”
Tess replied. Michael wasn’t paying much attention to what she was saying. He
was too busy looking at the small child clutching Tess’s hand nervously.
He
looked exactly like Max.
“Oh
my God…” Michael whispered. Maria came up to the two of them then, dropping
her soda she had just bought.
“Holy
shit!” Maria screamed. She had to keep herself from fainting. She felt like
her knees might give out. She saw Tess talking to Michael, and Tess clutching
the hand of a small boy who looked exactly like her best friend’s fiance.
“Tess what the HELL are you doing here?”
Tess
glared at her. “I’d ask you the same thing, but you probably would never
shut your mouth.”
Maria
stared daggers at her. “You’re never going to get him back, you know. I
don’t know why you’re bothering to try.”
Tess
laughed. “Oh, but I will now. I will get Max back, he belongs to me. And
Adam-Michael is the proof.”
Maria
grabbed Michael’s arm for support. Their jaws dropped in disbelief.
Tess
continued, scooping up the boy in her arms. “Michael, Maria, I’d like you to
meet Adam-Michael Evans, Max’s son. The first procreation of our species.”
Maria’s eyes rolled back in her head as she started to faint. Michael caught
her and his jaw dropped. “Tess…what the hell…”
At that
moment, hell came colliding into Boston-Logan International Airport.
Max and
Liz ran over to Michael and Maria hand-in-hand.
“Hello Max. Hello Liz.” Tess said, smirking.
Liz’s
eyes welled up with tears. Max couldn’t do anything but stare in awe at the
child she was holding. No one had to tell him anything- at that moment he
knew…
He was
a father.
“Tess…” Max said, still in awe from looking at the child staring at him.
They had the same eyes.
“Yes,
Max, it’s really me.” Tess said, smiling. “Aren’t you going to hug me or
something?”
Max was
silent. “Tess, why didn’t you tell me? I had a right to know… that I
have…”
“A
son? Go on, you can say it Max.” Tess said, smiling. She looked over at Liz,
who looked like she’d seen a ghost. She was shaking her head over and over,
like if she didn’t believe what was standing right in front of her, it would
all just go away. “Oh, but we wouldn’t want to hurt your little girlfriend
over here.” She added with a grin.
“Tess, I swear to God! You’re dead, you hear me?” Maria screamed, lunging
for her. Michael held her back.
“Maria! Stop it!” Michael said. “This is something Max and Tess have to
work out on their own. And stop screaming at her, you’re scaring the kid.”
The
four of them looked at Adam-Michael, who had buried his face in Tess’s pant
leg with confusion and fear.
“Mommy?” He said quietly. She bent down to his eye level once again.
“What
is it, sweetheart?” Tess asked sweetly, her hand smoothing her son’s
chocolate brown hair.
“Who
is that man?” Adam-Michael asked, pointing to Max. Max’s eyes filled with
tears, as did Liz’s. She wrapped her whole body around her fiancé’s arm,
clutching on to him like a scared child.
“He’s your daddy, sweetie.” Tess replied, beaming.
“If
he’s my daddy, how come I’ve never seen him before?” Adam-Michael asked.
“He’s been away, sweetie. But now we’re all together again. Your mommy,
your daddy, and you. We’re a family again.” Tess said, smiling and looking
up at Max, who was still in shock. Liz burst into tears, running away from the
entire scene. She couldn’t breathe.
“Liz!” Max cried, running after her. Liz shook her head and sped up her
pace. She had to get out of there.
“Some
family you’ve got there, Tess.” Maria said, coolly. “Mommy’s psycho, and
Daddy’s in love with someone else. I feel sorry for the poor kid.”
Tess glared daggers into her. She raised her hand towards Maria, and with out a
care, used her powers to throw her into a nearby wall.
“TESS! What the fuck are you thinking?” Michael screamed at her, grabbing
her arm and twisting it. He then ran over to the wall, where Maria was slumped
over, rubbing the back of her head. “If you EVER touch Maria again, I will
kill you myself. Plus, what in the hell were you thinking doing that in a public
place? Anyone could have seen you! You idiot!”
“I
don’t care who knows it. Michael, I’m your sister. How can you put your
little tramp before family?”
“Watch me.” Michael said firmly, grabbing a squirming Maria and flinging her
over his shoulder.
“Michael, PUT ME DOWN! I’m going to kill that bitch! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT
NOW!” Her screams echoed through the terminal. A crowd was growing around them
now.
“We’re going to find Max and Liz.” Michael said. He turned around to give
Tess a last warning. “Look, Tess, I don’t know why you’re here now, but
rest assured, I will find out. And we will stop you. We’re not going to let
you hurt any of us, ever again.”
“Mommy,
where’s Uncle Michael going?” Adam-Michael asked Tess, tugging on her pant
leg.
“I’m sorry, Adam, but I’ve got to leave pal. We’ll play some other time
ok?” Michael said, trying to smile at his tiny, clueless nephew.
“Ok.” Adam said, a frown washing over his face. Michael was shocked. He
couldn’t believe how much he looked like Max.
“Michael—“ Tess cried.
“What!” Michael screamed, getting impatient.
“You’ll change your mind. I’ll make you.”
“No
you won’t, Tess. No you won’t.” He said firmly, walking away with Maria
still screaming over his shoulder.
“MICHAEL SHE
IS SO DEAD! TESS, DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU ARE ONE DEAD BITCH, YOU ALIEN FREAK! MARK
MY WORDS!” Maria said. Tess laughed loud enough for Maria to hear. She
waved at Maria and smiled.
“Bye,
Bye, Maria!” She said, laughing.
* * * * * *
When
Max finally caught up with Liz, she was crouched behind a chair next to a flight
gate that wasn’t being used that day. Max ran up to her, out of breath.
“Liz--“
“Max,
go away. I need to think.”
“Liz,
don’t shut me out. I am just as surprised about this as you.”
Liz
looked up into Max’s eyes. They were both crying now. “Max, don’t you
realize what this means? You have a son! A son that isn’t mine! Do you have
any idea how that makes me feel?”
“Devastated?” Max asked. “Used? Out of control?” He continued, crouching
down next to her and pushing a loose strand of her brown hair behind her ear.
“I never wanted kids unless they came from you…came from us. I’m not ready
to be a father yet, certainly not of this child that came from Tess.”
Liz
looked at his eyes and frowned. “I guess she was right. We don’t belong
together.”
“What?” Max asked frantically.
“You
and Tess should be together. To raise your son.” Liz said, not being able to
control the words coming out of her mouth.
“Liz,
I can’t believe what you’re saying. You know that’s not true.” Max said,
his eyes welling with tears.
“Well, what am I supposed to believe, Max?” Liz asked, her tears growing
stronger and more forceful now. “I know he was conceived when we were apart,
but…it seems like everything Tess ever said, about how you guys belonged
together- were true. And he’s the proof.”
Max
shook his head. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I can’t believe that
after all we’ve been through you still have doubts about us- about the depth
of my love for you.” Liz looked up at him then, seeing the pain in his eyes.
She didn’t want to hurt him but she just go through losing him to Tess- not
again.
“I
can’t lose you to Tess. Not again. That will kill me.”
“You’re not going to… not ever.”
“Max,
whether you like it or not, you and Tess are tied forever-
through…your…son.” It pained her to say the words. “I don’t think I
can handle that, her being part of the rest of our lives.”
“She
won’t be- she isn’t part of me. You are.” Max said, cupping his hand on
Liz’s cheek, trying his best to comfort her.
But to
no avail.
Liz
looked away from him then.
“I
think I should stay at Morgan’s for a while.” Liz said.
Max
couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The words came out of Liz’s mouth
slowly, carefully, like she was going in slow motion. “Liz, oh God, no. Please
don’t say this.”
“Max,
I need this. We need this space right now.”
“No,
Liz, I can’t be away from you- not even one night.” Max said, shaking his
head.
“Max,
you know this is the right think to do. Until you work things out with Tess, and
your son… we should be apart.”
“I
don’t want that family, I don’t want that life- I only want you!” Max
screamed, tears flowing out of his eyes.
“Max,
listen to yourself! He’s your son for God’s sake!” Liz said, pleading with
him. “Tess may be the devil incarnate, but he’s still your son.”
Max
couldn’t take it anymore. He put his head on Liz’s shoulder and sobbed
uncontrollably. “Liz, I can’t believe this is happening…why is this
happening to us?”
To see
Max so uncontrollable, so raw and open like this made Liz’s heart break for
the second time that day. “I don’t know Max. Let’s just take some
time…and see where we are.” After a few breathless moments, Max raised his
head up to meet her face. He kissed her with such a need and urgency that it
scared them both. After what seemed like an eternity, they broke away, looking
into each other’s sad brown eyes. Liz could feel her heart breaking slowly,
painfully in her chest and she knew Max was close to emotional death.
“Oh, God,
Max…” She said, returning to his lips again. Somewhere in the back of her
brain, she believed that if she just kept kissing him, that somehow, they’d
both wake up and this horrible nightmare- Tess, that little boy- they’d both
be gone. And she and Max would have their perfect life back.
“Liz…”
He moaned into her mouth. “Please don’t do this to me…I can’t just sit
here…” He continued kissing her, hungrily lapping up her kisses like he was
never going to kiss her again. “And let you walk away from me.”
“Max…”
She said, her eyes closing in ecstasy as Max’s lips traveled down her neck.
“…we both know it’s the right thing…” She said, breathless. She
couldn’t take it anymore. She ripped her neck away from his lips. He groaned.
“It’s only for a little while.”
Max looked
into her eyes with disbelief. She really was leaving him. He never thought this
day would come.
Just then,
Michael walked up, Maria still slung over his shoulder. Max and Liz could
faintly hear Maria’s screeching voice getting louder and louder as they
approached. “…SPACEBOY! PUT ME DOWN! We’re away from her now! I promise
I’m not going to go after her just PUT ME DOWN!” She screamed, banging her
fists on his back. Michael wasn’t paying attention. He had his full attention
focused on the train wreck sitting in the floor in front of him that used to be
his best friend and his best friend’s fiancé.
“Hush,
Blondie.” Michael said, putting her down on the floor.
“Finally!” She screamed. She looked over immediately to where Max and Liz
were screaming and gasped. “Oh my God! Lizzie!” She ran into her best
friend’s arms. Liz was still in shock, but the tears flowed freely from her
eyes. Michael walked over to them as well, looking at Max.
“Max…what’s going on?” He asked gravelly.
“Liz and I
decided, to separate, for a while.” Max said quietly, choking back tears. He
turned away from them and solemnly walked over to the window near by. Maria
heard this and buried her face in Liz’s soft brown hair.
“I am so
sorry, Liz.” Maria said, petting Liz’s hair softly. Maria looked up at
Michael, signaling to him to go talk to Max. Michael tried to protest, but Maria
widened her eyes and gritted her teeth. “GO.” She mouthed silently to him.
He got the picture. She looked down at Liz, who broke away from their hug.
“Maria,
I’m so glad you are here.” She said, her bottom lip quivering. “What am I
going to do?”
“You and
Max are going to get married. Tess is nothing but a washed up ho-bag, ok? She
means NOTHING to Max and he’s told you that until he’s been blue in the
face. When are you going to stop being so stubborn and just believe him?”
“Maria,
it’s not that simple anymore. Not now, not with this boy.”
“Adam-Michael.”
“What?”
Liz said, stunned, realizing at that moment how real this child really was.
“Adam-Michael. That’s his name.” Maria repeated. Liz shuddered.
That’s what
she’d had wanted to name a son if she and Max ever had one.
“I can’t
believe this is happening…” Liz said.
“Look, Liz,
I know you’re upset, but don’t you think Max is just as stunned about all
this as you are? I mean I hate to take his side on this one, but maybe you
should be a little more understanding…”
Liz looked
into Maria’s eyes with a death stare. “Maria, how would you like it if
Isabel showed up at your doorstep out of nowhere one day holding Michael’s
four-year-old son and ranting about how Michael belonged to her now?”
Maria paused.
“Ok, I deserved that, I know. But we’re not talking about Izzy, we’re
talking about the wicked bitch from Planet Lord-Knows-What. Max does have a son
now, and he will be tied to Tess because of that, but he loves you and would
never choose her over you.”
“He did it
once, what’s stopping him from doing it a second time?” Liz asked. Maria
looked at her.
“Liz, if I
recall, YOU were the one who made that decision for him. YOU broke up with him
when we were juniors. Don’t let her win again! Ok, don’t! I won’t let you.
You and Max are two of the most wonderful people in the universe, the only
family I have, and you belong together- if you won’t stand up for your love,
then by GOD, I will!” Maria screamed at her. Liz was stunned by her
forcefulness, but was happy at the same time that she and Maria were on the same
side again.
Michael
slowly walked up behind Max, who was sobbing with his forehead against the
window. “Michael what am I going to do?” He asked, sensing his best friend
was near.
He reached
out a hand and placed it on Max’s shoulder. “I don’t know, Maxwell. I know
you’re going to have to work this out on your own. Liz can’t help you, Maria
can’t help, neither can I. It’s up to you.” Max crumbled, turning around
and hugging Michael.
“Michael,
I’m so sorry, for everything, for all the fights—you’ve always been my
brother, that’s never stopped being true…”
“I’ll
never stop being there for you Maxwell.” Michael said. “But this thing with
Tess isn’t just going to go away…”
“I know,”
He said, nodding.
“You’re a
father now.” Michael said.
The words
echoed in Max’s brain, lingering for a few seconds before making their exit
into his memories. “I know. And I want to know my son.”
“That’s
good. That’s a start.”
“But I want
to be happy, with Liz.” Max said. “I only love her. I can never love anyone
as much as I love her.”
“You’ll
love Adam just as much. But in a different way.”
“Tess will
never let me see him if I marry Liz.”
If…
Max couldn’t believe that “if” came out of his mouth before “I marry
Liz.” It had always been a given, they would marry, have a couple of kids, and
grow old together. Why were these doubts registering in his brain now?
“Max, I can
talk to her, try to work out a compromise.” Michael said, trying to comfort
him.
“We both
know Tess. She’s as stubborn as hell. She’s a lot like you, Michael.”
Michael
couldn’t help but grin. “I know. But I’m her brother, maybe I can talk
some sense into her…?” His voice trailed off as Maria and Liz walked up,
their arms linked.
“I’m
going to stay with Liz at her friend Morgan’s tonight. Is that okay?” She
asked Michael.
“I’m not
your keeper. You can do what you want.”
“I know
that, Michael. I just wanted to run it by you.” Maria said calmly. Max tried
to look at Liz, but she was avoiding his stare.
“Sounds
good.” Michael said. “Can we get back to your place, Maxwell? Or go grab
something to eat? I barely touched that crappy airplane food they gave us.” He
rubbed his stomach, looking at Maria.
“Yeah,
I’m hungry too.” Maria piped in. “Guys?” She said, looking at Liz and
Max. They were only looking longingly at each other. Maria smiled. I give it
two days, tops. She thought.
* * * * * *
Max was sitting up in his bed. He looked over at the clock.
3:14
A.M.
“Dear
Lord, let me fall asleep.” He whispered. “Some time tonight. That’s all I
ask.” He knew why he couldn’t sleep. It had been his first night without Liz
in what seemed like years. It probably was. Neither of them ever went out of
town without the other. Liz never stayed over at other people’s houses.
Whenever she had to work late, he’d walk down to the store three blocks away
and he’d walk her home. It was hard for him to sleep without her lying beside
him, knowing she was safe with him. He tried to deny it, but he had a nagging
fear. Tess was going to do something to harm her. She wasn’t going to be able
to get to him the normal way, so she’d get to him through his Achilles heel…
The
entire town of Roswell, NM, most of the student body of Boston University, and
small corrupt sects of the FBI know that his Achilles heel is definitely
Elizabeth Marie Parker.
Now
that he knew about Adam-Michael, his only son, being without him made him feel
doubly awful and fearful.
Michael
walked into Max and Liz’s bedroom then. He had been sleeping on their couch
out in the living room. He rubbed his hands through his spiky brown hair and sat
down on the edge of Max’s bed.
“You
can’t sleep either?” Max asked him.
“Nope.”
Michael said. “Not a wink.”
“I’m
sorry about the couch, I know it’s not the most comfortable-“ Max began.
“No, no,
it’s not the couch, I just miss…”
Max smiled.
“Maria?”
“Yeah.”
Michael said. He could see in the moonlight that Max had been crying.
“You’ll see Liz tomorrow, Maxwell.”
Max nodded.
“I know.” He tried to force a smile. “It’s just not the same. I feel
so…empty. Like someone has come along and ripped an entire part of my body
off, and left me exposed…vulnerable.”
“Max, this
is only temporary. Until you can settle things with Tess. You both said that.”
“It’s not
just that…I’m afraid…Liz isn’t going to want to marry me anymore after
all this.” Max said.
Michael
chuckled. “The girl is nuts about you! She has been since we were 16 years
old! Of course she wants to marry you. But she’s human, she’s hurt. It’s
not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault. You just have to work through it so
you can be together again.”
“I don’t
know how long I can take this. I haven’t even survived a night yet.” Max
said, his eyes welling up with tears. He grabbed Liz’s pillow and pressed it
tightly to his chest. He could still smell her peach shampoo lingering on it.
“It’s the
first night. It will get easier.” Michael said. “And…I’m here man, as
long as you need me. We’ve got to get to the bottom of this shit with Tess.”
“No
kidding. I’ve got to get my son.”
Michael
stared at him. “You want him, like full custody?”
“It’s
worth a try…” Max said.
Michael shook
his head. “It will never stand up in court.”
“Why
not?”
“She’s his mother, that’s why not. She’s been the only parent in the
picture his entire life…” Michael began.
“That’s
not my fault…” Max pleaded.
“I know
that, Maria knows that, Liz knows that, even Tess knows that…but the court
won’t see it like that.”
Max sighed. “Liz would make such a great mother to him.”
“Then have
your own babies, Maxwell. Cause I’m sorry, but I don’t think you’re going
to ever get Adam away from my sister.”
“She’s
using him as a pawn, Michael, can’t you see that? A pawn in some sick,
ridiculous game that I’m so tired of playing!” Max cried. “He’s my son
too and I have a right to be with him.”
The phone
rang then. Both Max and Michael looked over to the Caller I.D. box. Max reached
over, turning on the lamp next to the bed.
“HARDING-EVANS, TESS. (617) 290-0666.”
Max’s heart
sank in disappointment.
“What do
you want, Tess?” He asked, picking up the phone.
She paused.
“Max, I was hoping you’d be a little more responsive to me. To our son. I
never meant to hurt you.”
“Oh yeah,
Tess?” Max shouted back at her. “Well you did hurt me. You kept Adam from me
for almost five years!”
“Five years
this Christmas Day.” Tess said, rubbing her belly subconsciously and smiling.
Max’s eyes
filled up with tears. He had spent that Christmas with Liz, Isabel, Michael,
Maria, Alex, and their families while his son was coming into the world. “He
was born on Christmas?”
“Yeah. He
was big too, Nasedo delivered him in the cave where the pods are…the delivery
was very difficult for me, because I’m so tiny. We almost lost Adam…”
Max felt a
twinge of pain. He couldn’t help it. No matter what Tess had ever done to him,
Adam-Michael would always be his son. Nothing would ever change that. “I’m
sorry I wasn’t there…to help.”
“You were
with us, Max. You’re always with us.” Tess replied, smiling.
Max felt
conflicting emotions after hearing this. He was speechless. He shook his head,
denying his happy memories with Tess all those years ago to flood his brain. It
killed him a little more as she continued to jab the knife in deeper…
“It was
that night at the rock formation---we had a romantic picnic under the
stars—then we…” She said slowly, smiling as she remembered.
“You said
you were on the pill, Tessa. You lied to me!” Max said, sternly as those
disturbing yet strangely sensual images of that night came into his mind again.
Tess chuckled
then, somewhat sadistically.
“Oops…”
She said, smiling.
Max was
livid. “Look, if you think bringing Adam-Michael into the picture now is going
to keep me from marrying Liz, you are SO wrong!”
“Oh,
really? I think it already has….” She said, prophetically.
Max gasped.
“How do you know…?”
“I know
everything, Max…everything about you and Liz. You wake up before her every
morning, and you marvel at how wonderfully different the city of Boston always
is. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights, Liz works at Urban
Outfitters on JFK Street. You work at Dr. Sutton’s office in Cambridge on
Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. You and Liz like to eat lunch at Au
Bon Pain in Harvard Square on pretty afternoons. You…make love to her…every
free afternoon and every night…if you’re both not too tired from working.
And the nights you don’t, you sleep in each other’s arms and wake up to face
the day all over again.” Tess said, her eyes welling with tears as the last
words escaped freely from her lips.
“Max,
what’s she saying…Max?” Michael asked frantically.
Max shook his
head in disbelief. “This can’t be happening…you are sick…”
“Oh, but it
is happening, Max. You know I’ll stop at nothing to get what I want…” Tess
began.
“Including
sacrificing your own son’s happiness? Our son’s happiness? Who’s next,
Tessa? Who’s next in your sick little game?” Max screamed, the vein in his
forehead pounding with anger. Michael tried to grab the phone from him, but he
broke away.
“It’s not
a game, Max. It’s our destiny.” Tess repeated.
“No, it’s
not! I make my own life, my own destiny! And that life is with Liz! I will NEVER
go back to you, Tess- do you hear me? Never!”
“Well
then,” Tess said, livid. “We’ll just have to do something about that now,
won’t we?”
Max’s heart
stopped. “If you hurt Liz, if you hurt Adam-Michael, so help me Tess…”
“Calm down.
I would NEVER harm my own child. What do you think I am, some kind of
monster?” She asked, taken aback.
Max paused.
“I’ll never let you get to Liz.”
“Oh, really
Max? How do you know she’s not already here, sitting beside me? She’s not
sleeping with you tonight, so you’re pretty clueless now, aren’t you?”
Tess said, grinning.
Max gasped
again. This was like some sort of nightmare he couldn’t break free of.
“Tess…”
His voice was choked by fear, anger, and tears.
Mostly fear.
“Leave her
alone… I’ll do…anything you want. Please. Just don’t hurt her.” Max
pleaded, freely crying now.
“Oh, I’m
counting on it, my love.” Tess said. “Now, don’t try to call here or
arrange visits with your son. We’ll find you. Rest well, my darling.” She
made kissing noises into the phone.
“Tess!”
He cried. The line went dead. Max hung up the phone to see Michael with his head
in his hands.
“God,
Maxwell- I am so sorry.” Michael said.
“She’s
going to hurt Liz- I’ve got to get to her before Tess does.” Max said,
mumbling to himself and rummaging in his dresser for a shirt to wear.
“Maxwell,
no!” Michael said.
“Michael,
let go of me!” Max said, pulling Michael’s arm from his. “Liz needs to be
with me so I can protect her!” Max said, his eyes welling up with tears.
“She’s going to kill Liz, she’s going to hurt her, she’s going to…and
it’s all my fault, my fault, she’s going to kill my baby, my angel,
my…my…” Max crumbled onto the floor.
The phone
rang as they were struggling. They both froze and ran to check the Caller I.D.
box.
“PATRICK,
MORGAN E (617) 419-6442.”
Max’s heart
jumped.
“It’s
Liz! Something’s wrong!” Max cried. Michael picked up the phone. Max was
shaking too badly to talk.
“Liz?”
Michael asked, picking up the phone.
“This is
Morgan, I need to speak to Max.” Morgan said into the phone.
“This is
Michael, Max’s brother, what’s up? Are Liz and Maria ok?” Michael asked.
“You guys
need to get over here right away.” Morgan replied solemnly. “Liz is really
sick.”
“What?”
Michael cried. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s
been throwing up for like two hours straight. And she’s been mumbling things,
hallucinating…”
“We’ll be
right there!” Michael cried, hanging up the phone and grabbing Max.
“Oh my God!
What’s wrong with her? Tess got to her! No!” Max screamed.
“Maxwell,
it’s nothing like that. Liz is…really sick.” Michael said.
“What?”
Max said.
“That’s
all Morgan would say, we’ve got to get over there. How long will it take
us?”
“Ten
minutes,” Max said. “We’ve just got to go across the street to the parking
garage and get the car.”
Michael
walked into the other room and pulled a shirt on, and grabbed his jacket. Max
did the same. The latter said nothing to the former, but he was terrified.
He had a
sinking feeling that Tess really had lived up to her promise.
* * * *
"Into the morning light
Followed by madness
Reach through the empty fight
Searching through sadness
I know it's been a long road
To get these fears behind me and I
Will gladly reap what we may sow I am
There for you and you're there for me” ~ Vertical Horizon
Max’s heart raced as they reached the front door to Morgan’s condo. His mind
raced on to a million different things. What was wrong with
Liz?
Michael
steadied him as they raced to the front door. Without knocking, Morgan opened
it.
The
look in her eyes was enough to chill Max and Michael to the bone.
“Come
in.” Morgan said, ushering the two to come inside. It wasn’t long before
Maria was in the foyer, rushing into Michael’s arms.
“Where’s Liz?” Max screamed, trying to push his way inside. Michael put
his hand on Max’s shoulder.
“Oh,
Michael, I’m so scared for her,” Maria said. She looked at his eyes. “We
know that you guys will know what to do.”
“Take
me to Liz.” Max said, directing his gaze at Morgan.
Morgan
paused. “Okay.” She said, holding a cold washcloth. “Give this to her.
She’s in my bedroom, the second door on your right when you go up the
stairs.”
Max
rushed up the stairs, running into Morgan’s bedroom and slamming the door
behind him. “Liz! Oh God!” He ran over to her bedside. She was lying cold
and still on the bed, her sweaty body lying on top of the covers, a washcloth
lying on her feet and forehead. Her eyes were shut and flung open when Max came
in the room. He kissed her cheek, wrapping his arms around her. “Liz, baby, I
was so worried, are you all right?”
Liz
didn’t answer, but put a hand on Max’s cheek.
“Max,
I’m ten days late.”
Max
paused, fully understanding the gravity of what she was telling him.
“You’re…?”
“Yeah.” She said, smiling, rubbing her belly.
“Is
that why you’re getting so… oh God, Liz, if I had known this was going to
happen to you…” Max said, grabbing her hand and kissing it gently.
“Max,
don’t apologize, my love.” She said, her voice strained and weak. “I’ve
never been so happy in my whole life.”
“But
you’ve never been so sick either.”
Liz
paused, taking a deep breath and trying to continue. “I can’t explain
it…it’s like some kind of force is taking over my body. Something I can’t
control, even if I wanted to…”
“Is
it our…” Max began, putting his hand on her belly.
“I
think so.” Liz said. She raised her shirt and Max was stunned to see a small
glowing symbol right below her navel.
“Liz!” Max cried. “That’s the symbol!” He recognized it from his
dreams, and from Isabel’s necklace they had found in Atherton’s Dome so many
years before.
“Yeah,” She said, weakly, trying to smile. “What’s going to happen to
me, Max?” She began crying. Max held her.
He felt
like he was being stabbed in the heart, to think he had been the one to do this
to her. To this beautiful creature, his beautiful angel. He’d been the one to
make her so weak and so sick…carrying this child for them.
Liz
knew what he was thinking. “Max, it’s not your fault. I’m just…”
“Scared?”
“Yes.
Terrified.”
“I’m calling Isabel.”
“Okay.” She said. “I think that would be a good idea.”
Max
looked over to the table and grabbed the phone. He hadn’t talked to his sister
in a couple of weeks and he knew she would kick his ass for calling her in the
middle of the night, but it had to be done.
* * * *
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Alex and Isabel Whitman’s home.
2:46 A.M.
Michaela Diane Whitman slept soundly in her crib, her jet-black hair shimmering
in the moonlight. She obviously had gotten her hair from her father. Her mother
hovered over her, kissing her gently.
“Goodnight, baby girl.” Isabel Whitman cooed, ecstatic that she had had a
“Good Mommy Day”. She’d been able to get a crying Michaela back to sleep
without much fuss. She was only four months old, but Isabel felt like her life
had completely changed in that short amount of time. Michaela was the center of
her universe, and Isabel loved it that way.
The
phone rang then and Isabel jumped a mile. She looked at her watch.
2:46
A.M. What are they thinking?
“This
better be important, whoever it is!” She groaned into the phone, quickly
leaving the room and shutting the door behind her sleeping daughter.
“Hey,
Izzy, it’s me. I’m sorry to wake you.” He said.
“Max,” Isabel said frantically. “You didn’t wake me, is everything
ok?”
“Well…” His voice trailed off. “I needed to ask you some questions.”
Isabel
narrowed her gaze. “At 3 A.M., Max? Couldn’t it have waited until
morning?”
“Liz
is pregnant.”
Isabel
smiled. “Max, that’s, that’s wonderful! Congratulations!” Isabel could
tell from the sound of his voice that something was wrong. “So what’s the
matter?”
“She’s sick. Very sick.”
“What, like morning sickness? That’s normal, Max.”
“No,
she’s been throwing up all night, having hallucinations, sweating like crazy,
fainting spells, dizziness…”
Isabel
gasped. “Oh my God! The poor thing!”
“And
that’s not the creepy part…on her belly…there’s a glowing symbol…”
Isabel
paused. “What…kind…of symbol?”
“The
symbol from your necklace. The one from your dreams. The one that lead Nasedo
and Tess to us all those years ago.”
“Oh
my God…” Isabel said.
“Did
that happen to you when you were pregnant with Michaela?” Max asked. Liz
grabbed his hand as she drifted off to sleep.
“No…I mean, my pregnancy was pretty normal, as far as pregnancies go…just
some morning sickness and insomnia, but no glowing symbols or hallucinations or
anything…” Isabel had walked in the kitchen, pulling out a leftover piece of
chocolate cake. She walked over to the cabinet, pulling out one of the dozens of
bottles of hot sauce that were standing inside. She started shaking a bottle
onto the cake and shoved a small piece into her mouth.
“Maybe that’s because…”
“Alex
is human? Yeah, we talked about that- that could be it. We’re just going to
have to see what happens to Liz…since this is the first pregnancy involving
one of us as the father.”
“Isabel, Liz is in pain, I’m not going to sit by and watch her suffer.”
“Well, Max, I really don’t know what else we can do for her…” Isabel
began.
“I’m going to talk to Tess in the morning…” He said idly, not realizing
Isabel had no idea she was an aunt already.
“Tess?” Isabel asked. “What are you talking about, Max?”
Max
paused. He knew he had to tell Isabel sometime, so he sucked in his breath and
went for it.
“She
showed up in Boston a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t tell you because I
didn’t want to worry you. She brought…” Max paused. He couldn’t bring
himself to say it.
“She
brought what, Max?”
“My
son. Our son. Me and Tess’s son.” Max repeated. He looked over at a sleeping
Liz and kissed her head.
“YOUR
SON?” Isabel screamed, dropping the fork onto the floor with a loud clanging
noise.
“I
know, Isabel, I was just as surprised as you were.”
“Oh
my God, Max…” Isabel began. “I have a nephew? I never knew about?” She
began tearing up. “What’s his name? How old is he? Does he look like you?”
Max
sighed, the sight of his precious little boy coming back into his mind. “His
name is Adam-Michael. He’s almost 5. And according to Michael, he looks
exactly like me.”
“Oh,
wow…Max…well, how are you taking it?” She said, leaning over to pick the
fork up from the floor. She walked over to the sink and rinsed the fork off with
hot water.
Max
paused. “I don’t know, I mean, I’d be ecstatic if Tess wasn’t his
mother…”
Isabel
paused. Her blonde hair shone in the moonlight, and she had lost all the weight
she had gained during her pregnancy with Michaela. She had never looked more
radiant, according to her doting husband, Alex.
“But
he’s your son, Max. That will never change. You can’t blame him for being
born to Tess.” Isabel said, munching on her cake. “He’s here now, and you
have to accept that.”
Max
sighed. “It’s been so long. I’ve missed so much of his life…what if he
doesn’t…accept me?”
Isabel
smiled. “Max, you’re his daddy. Of course he wants you in his life. He’s
just a little boy. He doesn’t understand fate and destiny and your history
with Tess and Liz for that matter. He just knows that you’re his daddy and he
loves you. That’s all that matters.”
“I
know, I mean, I want to be a good father to both my kids- Adam-Michael, and this
new…” He looked longingly at a sleeping Liz. “…edition.”
“You
will be, Max. Loving things and caring about people comes naturally to you. You
have a kind heart and a gentle soul. You were so sweet with Michaela when you
and Liz came to visit right after she was born.”
Max
couldn’t help but smile. He took the phone and raised Liz’s shirt up
ever-so-slightly, trying not to disturb her. He caressed his fingers over the
strange glowing symbol. He spoke to it sweetly. “Hello, baby. I’m your
daddy. And this is your Aunt Izzy.” He put the receiver over Liz’s belly and
Isabel smiled.
“Hi,
little one.” She whispered. “I can’t wait to meet you!” It warmed her
heart to hear her brother so happy. He picked up the receiver and smiled.
“Thanks,” He said. He kissed Liz’s belly and she subconsciously flung her
hand into his hair. He waited for a moment, smiling into her stomach until she
was settled. He then slowly moved his head away from her, kissing her open palm
as she slept.
“Wait
till Mom hears about this one.” Isabel said, rolling her eyes.
“Oh,
no…what are we going to tell her? Surprise! You have a four year old
grandson!” Max said, grimacing.
“And
another one on the way!” Isabel said, smirking. “We’ll think of
something.”
Max
nodded. Even though he had always been thought of as the “leader” of the
three of them, he always counted on Isabel to support him. She was the rock he
leaned on.
* * * *
Maria,
Michael, and Morgan sat in the living room of Morgan’s condo, talking and
drinking hot tea.
“Morgan, how long have you and Liz been good friends?” Michael asked. While
she wasn’t looking, he’d grabbed a bottle of Tabasco from her cupboard and
poured a good bit into his tea. It tasted perfect.
“Oh,
since our freshman year at BU. We were paired as roommates.”
“You’re from North Carolina?” Maria asked.
“Yeah, Charlotte.” Morgan nodded, sipping on her tea.
“Do
you miss home?” Michael asked. It was obvious he was trying to make small
talk.
“Sometimes. I mean, I miss my…family…I have great friends up here and an
awesome boyfriend named Owen. Here’s his picture right here.” She seemed
uncomfortable with the question until she picked up a gold picture frame lying
on the coffee table and showed it to them.
“You
guys are cute together.” Maria said, smiling.
“Yeah, we’ve been together for about two years.” Morgan said, smiling. She
sighed at touched the picture with her hand. “He works with my best friend for
her production company, and they’re away right now in California. I miss
them.”
“Must
be hard. We know what it’s like to be away from best friends.” Maria said,
nodding.
Morgan
smiled. “Liz and Max talk about you guys all the time. You obviously mean a
lot to them.”
Michael nodded. “Max and I have always been like brothers. Maria and Liz have
always been like sisters. So I guess you could say we’re close.” Michael
couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something weird about Morgan and
this line of questioning.
There
was an uncomfortable silence in the room until Max came down the stairs with Liz
in his arms.
“I’m taking her home.” Max said to Morgan. “Thanks for all your help.”
Morgan
jumped up, frantic. “But are you sure it’s okay to move her? I mean, I
don’t want her to get any worse…”
Everyone looked at her. Obviously she didn’t know not to get between Max and
Liz. The results could be pretty nasty.
Max
narrowed his gaze at her. “I’m taking her home.” He repeated
firmly. Morgan ran to the door, trying to block their entrance.
“No,
Max, you really hurt Liz, and I’m not going to…let you walk out of here with
her, pretending…everything’s ok!” Morgan screamed.
Maria’s jaw dropped. Morgan was in for it now!
“Morgan, I’m taking my fiancée home, now get out of my way!” Max said,
pushing her gently away from the door and allowing Michael to open it. Maria
grabbed her purse and Liz’s bag from the table in the foyer.
“Max,” Morgan said with fire in her eyes as the foursome filed out of the
door.
They
were halfway to the car when they turned around.
Morgan
began to say something, but didn’t.
She
turned around and went back inside, slamming the door behind her.
“What
a weirdo!” Michael said, shaking his head.
“She’s never been that strange before. Something’s up.” Max said,
carrying Liz around to the back door and laying her head gently in Maria’s
lap. She stirred a little bit and Maria noticed the glowing symbol on her
stomach.
“Oh
my God, Max!” She cried.
Michael
and Max looked back.
“Holy
shit, Maxwell…what does that…?” Michael began, turning around from the
front passenger seat.
“She’s pregnant.” Max said, starting the car.
Michael
and Maria looked at him with mouths gaping.
* * * *
From inside the condo, Morgan was pacing back and forth inside the foyer, a
phone at her ear.
“Look, I’m sorry, I couldn’t finish it, okay?” She said frantically into
the receiver.
“What
do you MEAN you’re SORRY?” The voice on the other line screamed at her.
“You can change into ANY human body, have a multitude of powers that no human
possesses, and you couldn’t carry off a simple poisoning? You’re USELESS!”
“Tessa, don’t you dare speak to me that way.” Morgan’s tone of
voice got extremely heavy and dark. It almost scared Tess.
“You
will get the job done. And you will do it tomorrow.” Tess said. “I can’t
have Liz in the way anymore.”
“You’re not listening to me. I may not have to do the job at all…she may
be dying.”
“What
do you mean?” Tess asked, intrigued.
“She’s carrying Max’s baby.”
Tess’s heart stopped.
“WHAT?” She screamed. Morgan held the phone away from her ear.
“She’s pregnant with Max’s baby, and she’s gotten very sick. The baby
seems to be draining her energy or something, her life force, I don’t know.”
Morgan said. “We’ve never had to deal with a hybrid birth like this.”
“Isabel never had this problem.”
“No,
she didn’t, because she is alien and was carrying a half-alien child. Liz is
human carrying a half-alien child. It’s extremely different.”
“Don’t worry, Tess. Liz will be out of the picture one way or the other.”
Morgan said. “You have my word.”
“Make
it fast. Adam-Michael is starting to ask where his father is and it’s making
me terribly upset.” Tess said, pouting like a spoiled brat.
“Of
course. You and Max are meant to be together. Leave it to me. You will be
together once again.” Morgan said.
“Nasedo, I knew I could always count on you. I’ll be in touch.” Tess said,
hanging up the phone.
Morgan/Nasedo switched off the phone and smiled.
“The
party’s over, Liz.”