| Part 43C Rated: R ************* Liz sat back on the blanket and watched as Max emerged from the water, his swim trunks hanging off of his slender hips. She continued to spy on him through her sunglasses, as he threw his head to the side, splashing water everywhere. He looked up at her and grinned. His hand came up to brush his wet locks out of his face, slowly making his way out of the water. The sun was hanging high, casting a beautiful light across the water. As Max trekked his way across the water, Liz watched as droplets of water cascaded down his muscular form. She watched as each step he took, caused the water to ripple around him. God, he was beautiful... Her breath caught in her throat as he stood above her, drops of water falling on her. She curved her hand around her eyes, shielding the sun from her view. �Hey, watch it! You�re getting water all over me.� She pulled her sunglasses to the tip of her nose, raising an eyebrow at him. Max gave a smirk, shaking his wet head mercilessly over her. Liz ducked under her arms, rolling herself into a ball. Squealing, she peered up at Max. �Max...Max...STOP IT!!!� Max laughed a deep belly laugh. He grabbed his towel and bent down, wrapping her up in it. He kissed the tip of her ear, then whispered to her. �I�m sorry, babe. I didn�t mean to get you all wet.� Liz scrunched up her nose, at him. �Babe?� Fumbling with his words, Max gave her a sheepish grin. �I mean, um, uh, sweetie?� She crinkled her nose, reminding Max of Samantha from the old television show Bewitched. She was absolutely gorgeous. �Um, I mean, uh, my intelligent girlfriend?� Liz couldn�t keep the charade up any longer. She threw her arms around him, placing kisses all over his face. �I was only kidding, Max. You can call me whatever you want.� She paused looking thoughtful for a moment, tapping her index finger against her chin. �I take that back. You can call me anything you want, unless it�s pookie, or any other cheesy, funky, nickname.� Being playful, Max hugged Liz closer to his body so that she was sitting in between his legs. �Ok, I�ll keep that in mind.� He nipped the skin right below her ear, causing her body to shiver slightly. �Are you sure you don�t want me to call you pookie?� Liz tried to forget that she was sitting right in between Max�s muscular thighs. She was going to have to get him back for that one. Slowly turning around, she pushed her hand against his chest, resulting in Max laying sprawled against his back. Liz leaned forward, hovering just above him. Touching, but not touching. Her chocolate covered tresses, cascaded over them, like a Hershey waterfall. She threw her sunglasses to the side, not caring where they landed. Her eyes took on a fiendish tinge. She reached her slender fingers over, gently tracing his well contoured chest. Max shut his eyes tightly, when he saw Liz�s pink tongue peek from between her rosy lips. She had to know what she was doing to him. Liz bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. This was going to sweet. ************* After another round of whooping and hollering at the television, Alex turned around a smile on his face. �So what�d you think about that little buddy?� His eyes practically bugged out of his head when he realized that Noah was nowhere to been seen. He grabbed Michael and Kyle by their sleeves. �Omigod!! You guys, Noah�s gone!!� The three boys looked to each other, frightened out of their minds. Before they went crazy wondering where Noah had wandered off to, the three of them heard a childish giggle come from the hallway. All three boys jumped over the ottoman, and ran into the hallway, where they were greeted to the sight of Noah wearing a diaper held together by duct tape, Kyle�s cowboy boots, and the sheriff�s Stetson hanging over his eyes. The grin on his lips couldn�t be mistaken. Kyle rushed forward, tipping the hat so he could look into Noah�s eyes. �Hey, little buddy. This isn�t a toy. This is the sheriff�s Stetson. No playing, with it, ok?� He grabbed the brim of the hat, proceeding to take it away from Noah. As soon as Kyle had the hat in his possession, Noah�s bottom lip quivered. He grabbed onto the edge of his little t-shirt, balling his hands up into little fists. Silent tears, trickled down his chubby cheeks. Michael covered his eyes. �Oh man, just give it back to him. I can�t stand to see him cry.� Alex joined the chorus. �Yeah, Kyle. I mean we�ll put it back before your dad gets home. He�ll never know.� Kyle looked from his friends, then back to a sniffling Noah. Leaning down so that he was at eye level with Noah, he crinkled his eyebrows. �Oh, don�t cry.� Noah�s tears subsided, but his bottom lip still stuck out, quivering faintly. Kyle covered his eyes with his hands. �Don�t do that to me little buddy.� Kyle didn�t know why he even cared that Noah was crying. He was supposed to be a guy. Guys didn�t break down at the sight of an upset baby, right? Sighing, Kyle placed the Stetson atop, Noah�s little head. He tipped the front so that Noah�s face was visible. He picked up Noah, holding him against his chest. Looking down into his smiling face, Kyle gave Noah a little lecture. �Now, you better not make me regret this decision. Even if the sheriff of Roswell is my dad, he still has no mercy.� Noah leaned his forehead against Kyle�s planting a wet kiss on the tip of his nose. Kyle tried to keep the grin from his lips. He shook his head, making his way back to the living room. �Alright, I think the game�s back on.� Before heading back into the living room, Alex and Michael exchanged knowing smiles. It was kind of funny how the three of them were so affected by Noah. Never in a million years would they have imagined themselves crumbling, under the sad gaze of a long lashed little boy. They could only imagine how the rest of the day was going to play out. ************ Liz lay her body flush against Max�s. With an impish grin, Liz traced the outline of Max�s lips with the tip of her tongue. Fighting back a groan, Max�s hand flew up, gently gripping Liz�s hips. Even as he fought to gain some sort of control, Max couldn�t resist running his fingers down her sides. She had the softest, smoothest skin. Liz smiled against his ear. That was exactly the reaction she was looking for, but she wanted more. She snaked her tongue out, tracing the outer shell of his ear, while her hands were softly kneading his shoulders. Max tilted his head back, unknowingly exposing his neck to Liz. Taking advantage of his position, Liz brushed her lips across the expanse of Max�s neck, lingering slightly longer at his jugular. When she felt him shift beneath her, she sucked harder. Max held the back of her head, muttering her name. �Liz.........Liz......� As she continued her assault on his senses, all thought left his mind. All he could do was feel. Liz nuzzled the cleft on his chin with her nose, before closing the gap between their lips. Max had opened his mouth to let a moan escape, only to have Liz slide her tongue in his mouth, allowing their tongues to dance together. Max grabbed Liz by her elbows, pulling her up higher against her chest. She let out a surprised squeak and sat up. She continued to sit in his lap, wiggling her bottom to find a more comfortable position. Max felt like he was going to die. His body was on fire. Liz was so soft and responsive in his arms. He about lost it when she had started squirming in his lap. If he didn�t stop this soon, she was bound to come across the bulge in his swim trunks. Gasping for breath, he pulled his lips away from hers to tell her to stop, but she cupped his face in between her hands, bringing her lips to his once again. Moving forward, Liz scooted as close as she could possibly get to Max, without having to actually fuse her body to his. Her eyes flew open when she felt Max�s erection in between her legs. She found her hips grinding into his. Max ran his fingers through her hair, finally putting a little distance between their lips. �Liz?...............What are we doing?� Max was going to keep speaking, but Liz had wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. He placed his large hands on her hips to stop their movement. Max froze when he felt her breath at his ear. �Make love to me, Max.� He reached around his neck and deftly unwrapped her arms from around his neck. He grabbed her by the waist, sitting her beside him on the blanket. Liz looked up at him from her long lashes, her eyes tinged with tears. �Max?� Max pressed the heels of his hands against his closed eyes, taking deep breaths to regulate his heart rate. �Max, what�s wrong?� Liz�s voice shook as she spoke. With the amount of frustration building up inside him, Max threw his hands up, cursing under his breath. �We can�t do this.� Liz pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. �You mean you don�t want to have sex with me.� It wasn�t a question, more like a statement. Liz waited with baited breath for Max to disagree with her, for Max to prove her statement wrong. �Yes!� His voice was hoarse from all of the emotions running through him. �Oh.....� Liz hugged her knees closer to her body. She was beyond humiliated right now. She couldn�t believe how badly things turned out. Max opened his eyes, and felt like kicking himself. Liz had tucked herself into a tight ball, her long hair shielding her face from his view. He saw her shoulders quivering, making him hate himself even more. He got up on his knees and crawled to her, tentatively touching her shoulder. �I�m sorry, Liz. That�s not what I meant.� Liz looked up at him, her eyes red from tears.� If that�s how you feel, you don�t need to apologize. I should be saying sorry, for assuming- Max cut her of. He tucked her hair behind her ears. His fingers, gently caressed her jaw, letting his thumb brush he full lips. �Liz, that�s not want I meant. You have to know that I love you. I would die before I willingly hurt you. And honestly, I think you know how much I want you....� He gave her a sheepish grin from under his lowered lashes. Liz found herself exchanging smiles with Max. It was true that she had felt how much Max had wanted her, but it still didn�t change the fact that he had said that he didn�t want to have sex with her. The smile disappeared from her face, her mind sobering up. �Then why did you say it? Why did you say that you didn�t want to have sex with me?� �Liz, the thing is, I don�t want to have sex with you...� His hand came up to stroke her cheek, only to have her pull away from his touch. Max couldn�t deny how much that hurt, to have her pull away from him....... �But I do want to make love to you, soo much. But, the truth is, I�m not ready. My body may be, but my mind isn�t. I�m not emotionally ready to start a sexual relationship.� He looked at his hands that were sitting in his lap. �There�s nothing more than I want, than to take you in my arms, and make love to you. To make both of us forget the real world for a little while........But that wouldn�t be fair to you. I�ve only ever been with one girl in my whole life, and the two of us took a humongous step in our relationship that we weren�t ready for. We made life altering mistakes that affected so many people.....I don�t want our relationship to be like that.....When we make love for the first time, I want it to be special. I want it to be about us, and not because we�re trying to hide from something....� He finally looked back into her eyes, his own eyes glistening with tears. �If and when we do decide to take that step together, I want us to both be ready. It�ll be because we love each other so much, that we can�t think of anything else, but each other.� He took a breath, holding up his palm to her. �Do you understand where I�m coming from?� Liz eyed his palm carefully, right before she placed her hand in his. She scooted closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder. �I do, and I�m sorry for putting you in that position, Max. I guess you know me better than I know myself, sometimes.� He leaned his head against her, rubbing her arm aimlessly. �There�s no need for apologies.� He kissed the top of her head. �Like I�ve said before, I�d wait for you forever.� She wrapped her arm around his waist. �I�d wait forever for you, too.� Part 43D **************** The three boys were in the kitchen, rummaging through cabinets, and the refrigerator looking for food. Michael looked up from where his head was deep inside the fridge. �You guys have spaghetti.� Kyle�s ears perked up, jumping off the counter. �Go ahead and nuke it.� He pulled open a cabinet door that held the plates, grabbing three. He pulled another door open and reached for a plastic bowl. �Hey, you guys? You think we can feed this stuff to Noah?� Alex looked thoughtful for a moment, rubbing the nonexistent stubble on his chin. �Why not? I guess it can�t hurt to try.� ******* Max and Liz loaded their things into the jeep. As Liz heaved the blanket into the back seat, she felt a tapping on her shoulder. She turned, a bright smile on her face. There was Max holding up a flower he had picked up along the way. �For you.� Liz took the flower in her hand, grinning from ear to ear. �What�s this for?� Max scratched the side of his head, the beginning of a smile forming on his lips. �Well, I was planning on buying you some flowers, but I forgot to ask Maria what kind you liked, and well, I just thought I�d get you something anyway....� He gave her a sheepish grin, shaking his head slightly. �I honestly don�t know how you put up with me though. I�m such a cornball.� Liz wrapped her arms around his neck, turning his face so that they were looking into each other�s eyes. �Hey, I think it�s sweet. And I don�t think you�re a cornball.� She placed a kiss right above his eyebrow, making a trail all over his face. �Don�t ever change, Max. I like you just the way you are.� She placed one last kiss on his nose. "And besides, even if you were, which you're not, you'd my incredibly handsome cornball." Max felt his face flaming. He returned the favor by kissing the tip of her nose. "Gee, thanks." Liz grinned up at him. "Welcome." Their lips touched in an innocent kiss. �We better get back. I shouldn�t leave Maria alone with Noah for too much longer. It�s just about time for his nap, and well, you know how he gets.� Liz nodded her agreement as the two of them climbed into the jeep. Max reached for the gear shift, but noticed his pager bouncing up and down. He picked it up, pressing the button. �Hmm, I must�ve forgotten to take this with me.� He reached for his cell phone in his back pack. It was a voice message, so he waited for the message to start. �Hey, Max. It�s Maria. Sorry to do this to you, but Isabel just called me a few minutes ago because she needs help at the Crashdown. I had to leave Noah with Kyle, Michael, and Alex. I hope you don�t mind. They�re just a little slow, but they�ll get the job done- BEEP! �Ugh! Sorry, I got cut off, um anyway, please don�t be mad at me. The guys will take care of Noah, and I�ll be there as soon as the Crashdown settles down somewhat, k? Talk to you later, Max. Oh, and if you have a problem with this situation, just call me and I�ll haul ass back home.� BEEP! Max hung up the cell phone, a chuckle escaping his lips. �What�s so funny?� Max turned to look at Liz. �That was Maria. Apparently, she was called into work, so she had to leave Noah with Michael, Kyle, and Alex.� Liz�s eyes grew wide. �Oh, my gosh! What was that girl thinking?� She joined Max�s laughter at the image of three boys trying to babysit. Max pulled out onto the highway, wiping at the tears in his eyes. �Man, I feel sorry for those guys. Noah�s gonna put them through the wringer.� ******** Alex sat at the table with his hands covering his eyes. �Tell me again why we thought eating spaghetti was a good idea?� Alex peeked from behind his fingers to look at the mess that they were sitting in. The kitchen table was covered in spaghetti sauce, plates and forks everywhere. Michael laughed from where he was sitting. �Dude, I think Noah actually got some in his mouth that time.� Alex turned to see Noah perched on a seat, spaghetti sauce all over his face, his hands, his t-shirt. Everywhere, but his mouth. He was holding a piece of spaghetti in his hand, valiantly trying to get it into his mouth. When he did, a chorus of cheers and hi-fives erupted from the boys. �Oh, yeah!� Just then, a loud bang, and a shout, rang through the living room. �KYLE!� All three boys looked at each other, wide eyed. That was the sheriff, and he didn�t sound the least bit pleased. His cowboy boots, made a loud stomping noise as he walked into the kitchen. The sheriff�s eyes just about bugged out of his eyes. �What is going on here?� When no one spoke up, Jim pointed his finger at the three boys, ready to hand out a lecture, when Amy walked in behind him. �Jim, honey, what�s- Here voice suddenly caught in her throat when she caught sight of her kitchen. Her hands flew to her head, holding it, while assessing the damage. �What happened to my kitchen?� Jim gave his son a pointed look. Kyle tugged on his shirt collar. Somehow the air in the room had suddenly become thicker. �Dad, Amy, I didn�t think you guys were going to be home until tomorrow.� Amy looked towards Kyle. �We weren�t, but your dad forgot his Stetson, and you know how he can�t go anywhere without it.� Kyle was about to start talking again, to explain why the house was in shambles, but he was stopped short when Noah�s little voice rang out. �Hi.� All eyes turned to the little boy who was covered in spaghetti sauce, still wearing the sheriff�s Stetson, Kyle�s boots, and his funny looking diaper. He gave a little wave to where Jim and Amy were standing. Amy covered her mouth, walking to where Noah was sitting. She kneeled beside him, stroking his chubby arm. She turned her attention back to the three boys who were all looking at the ground, shuffling their feet. �Where did you boys get him?� Alex�s head shot up, his hands frantically making some sort of movement, as if to aid his speech. �We, uh, he�s, um.... Jim closed his eyes, his hand coming up to cover them. He mumbled a few words to himself, waiting for the boys to offer him a plausible explanation. �We�re babysitting.� Jim shot Michael a look. He was the only one who hadn�t said a word yet. �Babysitting?� He raised his eyebrow, indicating his suspicion. Michael crossed his arms in front of him, kind of like a defense mechanism. �Yeah. Maria was babysitting him, and she got called in to work, so she left him with us.� Jim opened his mouth to speak again, when he heard the delight in Amy�s voice. �Jim, come and take a look.� She had picked up Noah in her arms, unable to stop from pinching his cheeks. �Isn�t he precious?� Jim took a closer look at Noah, but suddenly, his eyebrows turned into a frown. �Hey, that�s my Stetson!� Amy walked closer to Jim, handing Noah to him. �Oh, come on. Doesn�t he look adorable in it?� Jim was about to say no. That Stetson was his absolute favorite, and it was the only reason why they had come home in the first place. But Noah gave him a toothy grin, reaching out to touch his nose. �Hi.� Jim couldn�t keep the smile from his face. The little boy reminded him of Kyle when he was that age. Kyle was always getting into his clothes, wanting to wear anything but his own clothes. �Hey, little fella. Got a name?� �His name is Noah.� Kyle shoved his hands into his pockets, but nearly had an aneurysm when Noah�s sauce covered hand came into contact with his dad�s Stetson. �Oh God, dad, I am so sorry. I�ll, I�ll get you a new one.� Jim shifted Noah into his other arm, handing him over to Kyle. He bent down, his hands resting against his knees. �It�s ok.� He turned his attention back to Noah, a smile on his lips. �And since you seem to like my Stetson so much, I�ll let you keep it.� He tweaked Noah�s nose, eliciting a giggle from the small boy. Jim stood back up, wrapping his arm around his wife, leading her towards the door. As they kept walking, Jim called out over his shoulder. �I expect this mess to be cleaned up by the time we get home!� �Yes, sir!� Kyle threw a mock salute to his dad. Michael and Alex slumped against their seats, both sighing in relief. �Man, I thought we were goners.� Alex looked to Michael who had sweat dripping down the side of his face. �Yeah, but little buddy over there saved the day.� Kyle turned Noah in his arms so that he could look in his face. Noah�s eyes were drifting shut, his body becoming restless. �Hey guys, I think he�s falling asleep. I think we should put him down for a nap.� After the words left his mouth, Noah promptly began crying. Alex and Michael turned angry eyes on Kyle. �Look what you had to go and do.� Kyle shrugged his shoulders. �What? What did I do?� ****** Amy looked at her husband from the corner of her eye. "What?" Jim had begun to feel antsy with Amy giving him looks every few minutes. Amy shook her head, leaning back against her seat. "Nothing, I'm just surprised that you gave Noah your Stetson. I know how much you love that thing." Jim tried to keep the smile from his lips. "Yeah, well, it's just a hat. I can always get a new one. Besides, the little fella seemed to like it so much.. Amy scooted over in her seat, placing a kiss on her husband's cheek. "Why, Jim. Are you getting soft in your old age?" Jim gave Amy a mock glare. "Hey, I'm not old!" Amy sat back, laughing at her husband. It was good to see him be Jim Valenti instead of just the sheriff of Roswell. Part 43E *************** Kyle, Alex, and Michael had each taken turns, gently bouncing Noah up and down, hoping he would calm down. But ever since Kyle had uttered the word, nap, Noah had been inconsolable. Michael paced the length of the living room, rug, running his hands through his hair. He would throw a glance to Kyle, who was holding Noah, then he would return to his pacing. He stopped suddenly, biting his nails. �Maybe, we should call Maria. I mean he�s been at it, for a good 15 minutes, now. We can�t just let him keep crying.� Kyle held Noah�s head against his shoulder, using his other hand to rub the little guy�s back. �We can do this. I mean, we�ve come this far, haven�t we?� Alex looked up from where he was making a makeshift bed on the couch. �You know, I don�t say this very often, but I think Kyle maybe right. We�ve pretty much gone the whole day without asking anybody for help....� Alex stood up, moving aside to let Kyle have enough room to lay Noah down on the couch. Kyle placed Noah on the couch, pushing the Stetson aside. He pulled off his boots, placing a blanket over Noah�s squirming body. Kyle let his fingers run softly through Noah�s hair, sitting back on his heels. �Maybe if we sing to him?� Kyle looked up at his best friends, hope in his eyes. Michael looked skeptical, but when Alex placed his arm around his shoulder, he had no choice but to nod his head. �Ok, so what song are we gonna sing?� Alex clapped his hands together, and started singing. �Rock a bye, baby, on a tree top...� He looked to Kyle and Michael who were both just standing there. He kept singing, but urged the others to join him. �When the wind blows, the cradle will rock, When the bow breaks, the cradle will fall, and down will come baby, cradle and all.� When Alex finished the song, Noah only kicked off the blanket, still continuing to cry. Michael ran a hand down his face. �Dude, I don�t think that was the best song you could�ve picked to sing to a crying baby.� Crossing his arms, Alex gave Michael a pointed stare. �I don�t work well under pressure, ok?� Michael was going to say something sarcastic, when all of a sudden, Kyle started singing. �I�m a little teapot, short and stout. Here is my handle and here is my spout. When my water boils, I start to shout. Just tip me over and pour me out!� Michael and Alex watched in morbid fascination, as Kyle sang the teapot song, while doing the actions. They both tried to suppress their laughter. Kyle turned back to them, a smile of triumph on his face. �Do you guys hear that?� Michael cocked an eyebrow at him, obviously confused. �Hear what?� �Exactly! You don�t hear anything cos Noah�s stopped crying.� Michael and Alex exchanged smiles, both walking to stand where Kyle was. Noah had stopped crying and fussing, but was now just staring at the three boys in interest. His eyes would drift shut, but he would rub them with his fists, trying to stay awake. �Maybe if we all sing it to him, he�ll finally drift off.� Michael shook his head wildly. �No way! Uh uh. I am not going to stand here and sing I�m a little teapot and do actions to go with it.� Kyle gave Michael a pleading look. �Dude, no one�s gonna see you, but us.� He threw a glance in Noah�s direction. �Come on, won�t you do it for the little guy.� Pretending to be unhappy about it, Michael fixed his face into a scowl. �Fine, but I�m not going to enjoy it!� Alex rubbed his palms together. �Alright. I guess it�s I�m a little teapot. After three. One, two, three.� The three boys started singing. Kyle stood in the middle with Alex and Michael standing on either side of him �I�m a little teapot, short and stout. Here is my handle, and here is my spout. When my water boils, I start to shout. Just tip me over and pour me out!� When they finished singing, Noah clapped his little hands together, his eyes drifting shut. Sleep had finally claimed the little boy. Michael put his arms down, suddenly feeling really ridiculous. �Ok, I�m glad that�s over.� Kyle gave him a smirk. �Me too. But next time, you should watch where you�re sticking your spout.� Michael smirked back at him. �I wouldn�t have to worry if you grew another few inches to ya, Valenti.� Before their little game of wits became interesting, Alex spoke up. �You guys, need I remind you. Sleeping, baby in our presence.� Both boys looked to the sleeping baby on the couch. His curly hair was in disarray, his long lashes lay across his chubby cheeks that were slightly flushed, but it was a little tough to tell with all of the spaghetti sauce on his cheeks. They continued to watch as Noah�s hand drifted to his mouth, so that he could suck on his thumb. Michael walked to the diaper bag that lay beside the couch. He pulled out the tub of wipes, proceeding to take a few. He kneeled down beside Noah, gently wiping the remnants of lunch from his face. When he moved to throw them away, Kyle pushed the blanket back over Noah�s body. �I don�t know how Max does this everyday. I mean on top of everything else....� Kyle�s voice drifted of, not knowing how to voice what he was thinking. In reality, he knew he didn�t have to say a whole lot. He knew that Michael and Alex were thinking the same exact thing that he was. Max Evans sure was a hell of a guy. ********** Max had parked the jeep in the alley beside the Crashdown. He held onto Liz�s hand, not wanting to let go, just yet. �So, you�ll come on over with Maria and Isabel, right?� Liz laughed at the eagerness in his voice. It was like he couldn�t stand the thought of having to go too long without seeing her. The truth was, that�s how she felt. She wanted nothing more than to tell him to forget his plans with the guys, but she knew how much that meant to him. He barely had time to act like a normal teenage boy, and just hang out with the guys. She knew that he had been looking forward to it, and she would never deny him any kind of happiness. She kissed the tip of his nose. �I�ll be there. Have fun with the guys, just don�t get into too much trouble.� He smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her waist. �I will and I won�t.� Liz found herself giggling at his answer. She gently pushed away from his arms, putting some distance between them. �You better go before I decide to lock you up and keep you here.� Max gave her a wicked grin. �Well, since you put it that way, maybe I should just stay here.� Liz playfully slapped him across the chest, pushing him towards his jeep. �Go on, get out of here.� Max�s laugh, rumbled in his chest. He blew her a kiss, then waved goodbye. �Love, you.� Liz watched as he drove away, waving as she did so. �Love you, too.� She hurried up the back steps that led to her family�s apartment, wanting to shower and change first. She was in such a hurry, that she almost bowled over her dad. �Oh, I�m sorry.� Liz glanced up at her dad, then moved to walk towards her room. Ever since the talk she had had with her parents, they hadn�t uttered so much as a hello or a goodbye to each other. Jeff smiled at his daughter. �I think that�s the most you�ve said to me all week. You think you could spare a few minutes and talk to your dear old dad?� Liz found herself smiling, despite herself. She followed her dad and took a seat from him at the kitchen table. Jeff watched as Liz twiddled with her thumbs. He reached over gently, stopping their movement. �I know I�m not much to look at, but do you think you could look at me while we talk?� Jeff�s voice was more sad than it was angry or sarcastic. He just missed his daughter so much. The way her big brown eyes would look up at him with happiness and love. He didn�t want to lose her. Liz saw the tears in her father�s eyes. It broke her heart that they were in this position. �Lizzie, I know that we haven�t been on good terms for a while now. Heck, we�ve barely said a word to each other since that afternoon. Your mother and I, we miss you sweetheart. We want to get past this, and work together as family.� Liz pulled her hand from her father�s grasp. �Yeah, well if you and mom are thinking that Max is just a thing to get past, you�ve got another thing coming. Max and I, we�re going to be together for the long haul. What we have......this isn�t just your average teenage fling, and I refuse to sit here and let you tell me otherwise.� Liz stood up, making a move to walk to her bedroom. �That�s not what I meant, and you know it.� He let his head fall forward into his hands. �You and your mother are both so stubborn. You�re always assuming I�m taking the other one�s side, but you guys haven�t figured out that this isn�t about sides. I love you both so much, and I feel like I being torn in two. I can�t say the right thing.....� He looked back up at Liz. �Tell me what you want from me Lizzie. Tell me what you�d like to have happen.� Liz felt her heart constrict at the sight of her father. She hadn�t realized that she and her mother had been playing tug of war with him. She felt guilty for being selfish and not seeing it from her father�s point of view. How hypocritical was she? There she was, complaining that her parents wouldn�t take the time to understand things from her point of view, when she couldn�t even take the time to see it from her fathers. She walked back into the room, pulling up a seat beside her father. �I�m sorry dad. I didn�t realize what I was doing to you.� Jeff smiled through his tears. �There�s no need to apologize. I just want everyone to be happy.� �I do too. I just want you and mom to get to know Max, before making all of these conclusions. I mean you guys haven�t even met him.� �Invite him to dinner then.� �What?� �You heard me.� Liz shook her head. �But what about mom?� �Don�t worry about your mom. I�ll take care of it. Just make sure you invite Max to dinner.� Liz stood up again, slowly nodding her head. She was about to go, when she turned back around. �Why are you doing this?� �Because I think maybe it�s time to meet the young man that makes my daughter�s eyes shine brighter, and her smile to sparkle.� Liz ran to her father, flinging her arms around him. �Thank you, daddy.� Jeff placed a soft kiss on her temple. �I love, you sweetheart.� ******* Max arrived at Kyle�s, knocking on the door. He was greeted by a very tired looking Alex. �Hey man, come on in.� He stepped aside to let Max inside. Max looked to the living room to see Michael and Kyle crowded over the couch. He walked up to them, his hands in his pockets. Kyle looked up. �Hey, Max. Glad you could make it.� Michael stood up, heading for the vcr. �Pull up a seat. Let me rewind the tape so we can watch the game.� �You mean, you guys haven�t watched the game yet?� Alex slumped against the recliner. �Not yet. Noah was showing us the ropes of babysitting.� Max chuckled slightly. �Yeah, about that. I appreciate you guys watching him.� He looked at each guy, wanting them to see his sincerity. �Thank you.� �No sweat. It was like taking candy from a baby.� Max gave Kyle a crooked grin at his funny analogy. He turned around, and kneeled down beside Noah. He ran his finger down his son�s cheek, placing a kiss on his forehead. �Hey, little man.� Max gently picked up Noah, cradling him in his arms. As he did so, the blanket fell, exposing Noah�s duct taped diaper. Michael, Kyle and Alex all gasped. Michael spoke up. �We can explain. That was all Kyle�s idea.� Kyle sat there, open mouthed, unable to say anything. All three guys expected Max to get angry, but he surprised them all. He just sat back and laughed. �Good thinking, Kyle.� Alex sat up, watching Max with mounting curiosity. �That�s it? You�re not going to yell, or get mad?� �Why would I? I think it�s a good idea if you ask, me. Those diaper companies should really look into making better sticky tabs for diapers.� All three guys just burst out laughing. They had to hand it to him. On top of everything else, Max had a very good sense of humor. Michael jumped across the coffee table, sitting on the floor beside Kyle�s feet. �Y�all ready for some basketball action?� Part 44A *************** Nancy Parker stood in front of her dresser mirror. She toyed with her hair, not quite sure how to have it. She pulled it into a tight bun and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Obviously unhappy with the image she saw, she pulled the pins out of her hair, letting her red hair fall across her shoulders. �I�ve always liked your hair down better anyway.� Startled, Nancy looked up to the mirror to see the image of her husband standing behind her. She watched as he moved closer, until he was but a few inches next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. �Just relax, Nan. Everything�s going to be fine.� She turned so that she was facing her husband. �Is it? I mean.....� She looked at her hands, they were trembling. Jeff took her hands in his own, giving her support. �It will be. We just have to let things happen. Whatever happens, happens. We really need to give this a chance, Nancy. If not for Liz, for me.� Nancy placed her head on Jeff�s shoulder, allowing him to wrap his arms around her. �I will. I�m going to give this a chance.� ******* Liz looked at her reflection in her full length mirror, playing with her hair. She couldn�t decide whether she should put it up or leave it down. �Liz, babe. You�ve been playing with your hair for the last 20 minutes. I think it�s fine the way it is.� Maria lay back against her elbows, making herself comfortable on Liz�s bed. Liz turned around, fingering the necklace that hung right above the cut of her dress. �I just, I want everything to be...� She sank down on her desk chair. Banging her head softly against her table, she started speaking. �Remind me again why I agreed to this?� Maria sat up, walking towards Liz, finally kneeling beside her. Stroking her friend�s hair, Maria spoke softly. �You agreed to this so your parents could finally meet the love of your life and so that they could fall in love with him too.� Liz looked up at Maria, huffing out a breath of air. �That�s easier said than done. I just don�t want this to turn out into a, a.....I just don�t want my parents to gang up on Max.� �It won�t. I�m pretty sure you or your dad won�t let it come to that. Relax, hun. Everything will work out fine. Max will be his sweet, charming self, and your parents will just love him, and Noah too. That is, when they finally meet the little guy. Which brings up the question, when will your parents meet Noah?� The phone rang before she could answer. Liz reached across her desk, answering the phone. �Hello?� �Liz?� Liz felt her heart stop beating for a second. �Max? What�s wrong?� Max paced across his room, running a frustrated hand through his hair. �It�s Noah.� Liz sat up, her heart racing a little faster. �What�s wrong with Noah?� Max fell on his bed with a thud. He covered his hand with his eyes. �He�s fine, just a little under the weather. I was going to leave him with Izzy and Alex since my parents aren�t home, but he�s just so irritable. He keeps fussing and he only stops when I�m with him.� Max paused, taking a deep breath. He really didn�t want to say what he had to, but he just didn�t see any other way around it. �I�m sorry Liz, but I don�t think I can make it to dinner tonight.� Liz�s face fell. She totally understood how Max was feeling. He was thrown for a loop, but she had to find a way to get Max to come over. If he didn�t show up, it would give her mom more ammo to use against her relationship with Max. She wracked her brain, thinking of something to get Max to come to dinner. �Bring Noah with you?� �What?� �I said, bring Noah with you then. If he�s only happy when he�s with you, I think you should bring him.� Max sat up, eyeing his son in his crib. �Are you sure that�s such a good idea? I mean I don�t want to just throw Noah in your parents face.� �You won�t be. Besides, they�re gonna want to meet him eventually. Why not kill two birds with one stone?� �You�re sure? I don�t want you to feel like you have to- �Max, I�m sure.� She looked at the clock that hung above her desk. �Look, I should let you go if you guys are going to get here on time. I�ll see you guys in a few minutes?� Max stood up, walking to where Noah was. �Yeah. We�ll see you in a little bit. Bye.� �Bye, Max.� Liz hung up the phone and turned back to Maria. �Well, I guess that answers your question.� Maria scrunched up her face in confusion. �Huh?� Standing up, Liz smoothed down her dress and slipped into her shoes. �About when my parents are going to meet Noah. I told Max to bring him.� Maria nodded her head. �Oh, I see. Well, as much as I�d love to stay here and watch the events unfold, I have a date.� She reached for her jacket, placing her arms through it. �I�ll talk to you later?� Nodding, Liz pulled Maria into an embrace. �Thanks for stopping by. I don�t know what I�d do without you.� Maria chuckled, disentangling herself from Liz. �If you didn�t have me around, you�d probably have Alex sitting here telling you the same exact thing I�ve been telling you.� Maria placed her hands on Liz�s shoulders, taking one last look �Perfect. I�ll see you later, hun.� Liz walked Maria to the front door, waving goodbye. ********* Michael looked up from where he was sitting on the back of his truck. �Ready to go?� Practically skipping towards him, Maria wrapped her arms around his waist. �Yep. Let�s go.� As Michael opened the door for Maria, he was blinded by the lights of an oncoming car. He shut the door, shielding his eyes from the glare. �Oh, goody. It�s Max and Noah.� Maria's voice was laced with excitement. Michael waited as Max pulled up into a space next to them, giving them a little wave. He got out of the car, opening up the passenger door to retrieve Noah and his things. �Hey, guys.� �That was quick!� Maria couldn�t keep the amusement out of her voice. Max gave her a shy smile. �Well, I was already ready, and Noah, well- Michael walked forward, tipping the Stetson off of Noah�s face. �Hey, little buddy. Give me a hi-five?� Michael held up his hand, waiting for Noah to slap it. Noah held out his little palm, touching it to Michael�s. He gave a little smile before turning his head, burying his face in Max�s neck. Smiling, Michael touched Noah�s little fist. �Now that�s what I�m talkin� �bout.� Maria slapped him across the shoulder, flashing him a smile. She moved to stand in front of him, trying to get Noah�s attention, but he just tried to disappear in Max�s sweater. Looking apologetic, Max offered Maria a smile. �I�m sorry. He�s just a little cranky. He�s been that way since he woke up from his nap this afternoon, and I think he�s coming down with something.� Maria touched Max�s shoulder. �That�s ok. Well, I hope you guys have fun at dinner.� Max pulled the corner of his mouth into a smile. �I hope so.� �See you guys, later!� Michael waved as he walked to the driver�s side of his truck. As Maria was getting into the truck, Max�s soft voice stopped her. �Maria?� �Yeah?� Max shifted his and Noah�s weight from foot to foot. �You think you could thank the sheriff for me? Noah loves the Stetson. He never goes without it now.� Maria smiled. �No problem.� She waved from the truck as Michael pulled out of their parking space. Taking a deep breath, Max made his way to the Parker�s apartment. When he reached the door, he turned to Noah. He pulled him higher up against his chest so that they were eye to eye. �I know we already had this talk on the way over here, but I just wanted to make sure that we were on the same page. Tonight, it�s really important for Liz and I.� At the sound of Liz�s name, Noah grinned. �Liz.� Max returned his smile. �That�s right, pal. Liz is going to be here, and so are her parents.� Max paused, taking another deep breath. �I�m going to have to ask you to be on your best behavior.� Noah just smiled wider. �Liz.� Max just shook his head, raising his hand to knock. �This is it.� Back Next |
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