| Part 44B **************** As soon as Maria had left, Liz busied herself with arranging the dinner table so that it would accommodate Noah. She had thought about going to her parent�s room to tell them the news of their extra guest, but she decided not to upon seeing her parents locked in an embrace. She felt like she was intruding so she just waited until they came out. When they did, she would tell them. Jeff and Nancy walked into the dining room to see Liz fussing over the dinner table. "Honey, what�s with the extra chair and table setting?" Liz opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of the doorbell ringing averted her attention. Nancy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was it. "I�ll get it." She walked to the front door, turning the knob in her hand. "No!" Liz dashed around the table, trying to get to the door before her mother could get to it. She was too late. Her mother opened the door, revealing Max and Noah. Max looked up from where his attention was focused. Noah had thought it was the opportune time to place the Stetson atop his head. Smiling nervously, Max took off the Stetson. "Good evening, Mrs. Parker." Nancy just stood frozen for a moment before stepping aside. "Good evening to you too." Nancy bit her lip as soon as she had gotten the words past her lips. Her voice sounded strained, even to her own ears. She swallowed a few times, finally forcing a smile on her face. "Please, come in." Max gave Nancy a slight nod of his head as he made his way through the door. Once he step foot inside, Noah practically jumped out of his arms, attempting to propel himself towards Liz. "Liz!" His sweet little voice surprised Jeff. With Nancy opening the door, and Liz hot on her heels, he had missed the sight of their extra guest. He watched quietly as Liz made her way towards Max. They exchanged brief smiles before Liz took Noah into her own arms. Liz�s eyes danced with a light that Jeff had never seen, and a smile that lit up her face. "Hiya, precious." Closing her eyes, Liz nuzzled the soft skin of Noah�s neck. She peppered his cheeks with kisses, delighting in the fact that he seemed to adore her as much as she did him. Jeff felt the different emotions run through his body. He couldn�t quite name them all, but he could sure feel them. Seeing his daughter with Max�s little boy, he couldn�t find the words to express what he was feeling at that exact moment. So instead, he opted to help get the night started. "Max, glad you could make it. And I have to say, what a lovely surprise it is that you�ve brought...." Jeff felt like kicking himself in the groin. For the life of him, he couldn�t remember the name of Max�s son. Max sensed Jeff�s distress, so he offered a little help. "Noah." He found himself wondering why Liz�s dad seemed so surprised to see Noah. Surely Liz had told her parents about Noah before they had arrived? Liz rested Noah�s weight against her hip. She could see this turning ugly, so she spoke up. "Mom, dad, I want to apologize. I was about to tell you that there was a slight change of plans and that Noah was going to be joining us for dinner. I was just about to tell you guys, but Max was already at the door...." She let her voice trail off, knowing that her parents understood. If Max felt uncomfortable before, the way he was feeling right now, couldn�t even begin to compare. In his haste to arrive on time for dinner, it had completely slipped his mind to allow Liz a few more minutes to explain to her parents. He pulled at the collar of his sweater, his eyes darting between Jeff and Nancy. "Mr. and Mrs. Parker, I had no idea that Liz didn�t have a chance to tell you yet. If we present an inconvenience - Jeff walked towards Max, cutting him off in the process. "Nonsense. You and Noah present no inconvenience. We�re delighted to have the company." Jeff squeezed his wife�s shoulders, as she had come to stand beside him. "Jeff�s right. It�s a pleasure to have the two of you over." Jeff smiled at Nancy, grateful for the effort that she was putting into this. "Now that that�s settled, I don�t think we�ve been properly introduced." Jeff held out his hand for Max to shake. "Max, this is my wife Nancy, and I�m Jeff. It�s nice to meet you." Max shook his hand gladly, extremely grateful that they were trying to make this work. He knew how hard it must�ve been for them to even invite him to dinner, but with the extra addition of Noah... He could see where Liz got her good graces. "I�m Max. Max Evans." He reached for his son, who had practically attached himself to Liz�s hip. "And this is my son, Noah." Noah offered the Parkers a toothy grin and a shy little wave before hiding under his hat. He turned his attention back to Liz, who had come to stand behind Max. She placed her hand on his lower back, offering him any type of support that she could give him. When Noah caught sight of her, he tried to climb over Max�s shoulder, trying to get to his Liz. Jeff smiled at the image Noah presented. Nancy cleared her throat. "Well, if you�ll all excuse me, I�m going to check on dinner. It�s going to be a few more minutes, so you kids should make yourselves comfortable in the living room." Before she was out of the room completely, she heard Max�s voice call out to her. "Mrs. Parker?" "Yes, Max?" "Is there anything I can do to help?" Nancy just smiled and shook her head. "Thank you, but I�ve got it all covered." She turned back around, making a hasty retreat into the kitchen. Jeff watched as she walked away. Turning to the kids, he smiled. "Go on ahead and make yourselves comfortable. I�m gonna help your mom in the kitchen and grab a booster seat from downstairs." Liz led Max back into the living room. They sat on the couch beside each other, with Noah slipping into Liz�s lap. Max wrapped his arm around Liz, giving her a kiss on her forehead. "Hey, what�s wrong?" Liz idly played with the soft curls of Noah�s hair. "I�m sorry. I was going to tell- Max tilted her face upwards. "Hey, no apologies, ok? We�re in this together, remember?" Liz nodded her head in the affirmative. "You�re absolutely right. We�re in this together." She lay her head on Max�s shoulder, watching in amusement as Noah tugged on the chain around her neck. Max gently pushed Noah�s hand away. "No. That�s not a toy, little guy." Liz smiled up at Max, gently rubbing Noah�s arm. "It�s ok, Max. I don�t mind." "I�m sure you don�t, but I have to lay down some rules. I�m already a pushover as it is. I can�t just let him do whatever he wants. If I don�t teach him what�s right and wrong now, he�ll never learn." Liz listened to Max in silent awe. She knew that he was a good father, but it always warmed her heart when she witnessed first hand how seriously he took parenting. She watched as Noah climbed into Max�s lap. Max worked his magic fingers, causing the tyke to burst into a fit of giggles. Liz joined in the fun, tickling Noah right along with Max. Nancy stood at the kitchen sink, washing her hands. She turned just in time to see Jeff with the booster seat. "Dinner almost ready?" "Just, about." Jeff held his wife�s hands in his. "You know, I�m real proud of you, Nan. The way that you handled yourself.....Thank you." Nancy let out a shaky breath. "I don�t know if I can keep this up, Jeff." "Keep what up?" "I mean, it was one thing to have him over for dinner, but his son too? I just.....this is just so much to take in. It�s like seeing him with his son, it makes everything more real." "Real, how?" Nancy continued talking, not skipping a beat. "It was so easy to tell Liz not to start a relationship with Max when I didn�t know who he was, or what he looked like. Because then I could make him into whatever it was that I wanted him to be. I could make him into this bad guy that was corrupting our daughter. Someone who was just going to hurt her. But everything I see and feel so far tell me that he�s good for her. That the reason why I�m so against this relationship is because I�m afraid of seeing our daughter grow up." Jeff sat back in stunned silence. That was the first time that Nancy had admitted all that she had been feeling, all that she had been thinking. "Does that, am I a bad person, Jeff? Am I terrible for reacting this way?" "That doesn�t make you a bad person, honey. It makes you human. You acted on your gut instinct. There�s nothing wrong with that. You are not a terrible person. You�ve proven that by being here tonight and admitting to what it is that�s been bothering you." "Do you think.......do you think Liz will forgive me?" "If she hasn�t already, she will eventually. The two of you are so alike, and the funny thing is that you guys don�t realize it." He placed a kiss on her forehead. They both turned their heads in the direction of the living room at the sound of laughter. It had been a while since they had heard that around here. "You wanna see what that�s all about?" Nancy wiped at her eyes, finally letting her smile reach her eyes. "Sure." Part 44C ************** Jeff and Nancy walked into the living room, hands clasped together. The scene before them was one that would forever be burned into their memories. Noah was sitting in Liz�s lap, with Liz tickling him all over the place. The laughter that erupted from the two was like music to one�s ear. Liz�s hair had fallen across her face. Max slowly twined his fingers through her hair, pushing it out of her face, tucking it behind her ears. Smiling, he placed a kiss on her cheek before taking Noah into his arms, lifting him up in the air. He lifted his little t-shirt up, blowing zurbits across his tummy. �You like that, little man?� Noah was laughing so much that the Stetson had fallen off of his little head. He continued to squirm in Max�s arms, laughing and giggling like there was no tomorrow. Nancy squeezed Jeff�s hand a little tighter, and he squeezed right back. Liz looked up and found her parents standing in the doorway. �Mom, dad...� Max craned his neck, bringing Noah back down to sit down into his lap. �Mr. and Mrs. Parker.� Jeff couldn�t think of anything to say. He felt like he had just intruded on something too beautiful to be interrupted. �I think dinner is just about ready, so...� Liz stood up, smoothing down her dress. �Right.� She reached for Max�s hand, and the two of them made their way into the dining room. Nancy looked into her husband�s eyes, knowing that he was feeling the exact thing she was. As hard as it was to watch Liz grow up and become a young woman, they couldn�t deny the beauty they saw when they watched her. She had come into her own. A young woman who stood strong in her convictions, and had a heart larger than life itself. This dinner was only further going to prove those things to them, and possibly prove to them that she had made the right decision with Max. That he was probably everything she needed, and that she was everything he needed. The three of them together was beauty in and of itself. It was hard to describe, because in all honesty, words failed what they were when they were together. Letting out the breath that he hadn�t realized that he had been holding, Jeff pointed his head towards the direction of the kitchen. �Ready?� �Ready as I�ll ever be.� ******** Dinner had started and it was filled with an awkward silence. No one really knew what to say to break the ice, so they all sat in silence, eating their dinner. Jeff thought he was going to pass out from the silence. They had made some small talk earlier, surely they could do that again. �So Max, I hear that your family is from California?� Max placed his fork down, turning his eyes towards Jeff. �Yeah, I grew up in the San Bernardino area.� �Oh really. What made your parents decide to move out here to Roswell?� Liz practically choked on the food in her mouth. She was tempted to kick her dad under the table, but chose to shoot him a glare instead. Realizing his blunder, Jeff was about to retract his question, but Max answered. �Well, my parents thought it would be better to raise Noah in a smaller town. We, uh...... Noah didn�t need all of that negativity around him.� Max knew he wasn�t telling the Parkers the whole truth, but at the same time, he wasn�t lying either. Nancy couldn�t help but let her curiosity get the better of her. Jeff had already asked a few questions that she had wanted some answers to, but there were a few more answers she wanted to hear from Max. She knew that Liz would probably hate her. The glare she had sent to her father a minute ago had not gone unnoticed by her. But she had to know. One of the purposes of this dinner was so she and Jeff could get to know Max. What better opportunity than now, to find out more about the young man. �So Max, I hope you don�t mind my asking, but I�m a little curious to know. Where is Noah�s mom? I mean you have a pretty unique situation. Not many boys end up with custody of their children.� �MOM!� If looks could kill, Nancy Parker would have been dead by now. Liz was furious, and embarrassed to say the least. She turned to Max, touching his arm lightly. �You don�t have to answer that, Max.� Max picked up his napkin from his lap, wiping at his mouth. He turned to Liz, squeezing her hand on his arm. He gave her a small smile. �That�s ok. You�re mom has every right to ask that question.� Liz shook her head. �No she doesn�t. It�s rude, and- �Really, it�s ok. It�s not like it�s a secret or anything.� Max turned his gaze back to Nancy. �Noah�s mom, well, her name was Tess. She uh, she passed away when she gave birth to Noah. Her parents would have gotten custody of Noah, but uh, they,........I guess he reminds them of her a little too much. I think it was too painful for them to see her in him....� His voice trailed off, sounding a little strained. Liz felt her heart breaking at the sound of Max�s voice. She knew how difficult it was for him to talk about what had happened. It bothered her to know that he was doing this all for her. That he was enduring all of this awkwardness, all of these questions, simply because she had asked him to. Nothing more, nothing less. The sound of her mother�s voice broke through the haze of her thoughts. �I�m so sorry, Max. I had...I had no idea.� She placed her hand against her mouth. She felt like such an ass. What did she actually think she was going to accomplish by asking that question? Max Evans had been put through more hell than she could possibly imagine. From that piece of information, and everything she had seen, Max definitely wasn�t the rebel without a cause that she had played him out to be. He wasn�t a bad person. Max Evans was just a boy who had made his share of mistakes while he was growing up. Mistakes that he was taking responsibility for now. �It�s ok. There�s no need to apologize.� Nancy felt lower than she had a minute ago. She knew that every word out of Max�s mouth was nothing less than the truth, and it made her feel awful knowing that she had placed him in that awkward position. With all of the tension in the room, Noah had gotten upset. He was really sensitive to the emotions of the people around him, so it wasn�t a surprise that he had begun fussing. He started crying, pushing the plastic bowl that sat in front of him, flying to the floor. Max was on his feet in an instant. He threw an apologetic look towards Liz�s parents. �I�m so sorry. I�ll clean that up.� Jeff stood up, shaking his hand. �Don�t worry about it Max. Nancy and I will get that. Why don�t you take Noah into Liz�s room and see if you can calm him down a little?� Max picked up Noah in his arms, nodding his head. He hesitated by the archway of the kitchen. �Down the hall, second door on the left.� Liz gave him a reassuring smile. �You go ahead, and I�ll be there in a second.� When Max was out of earshot, Liz threw her napkin at the table. She stood up, watching as her mother and father cleaned up the mess that Noah had made. �I hope you�re happy, mom. Thank you for a wonderful evening.� Nancy sank back against her knees, the tears flowing freely down her face. �She hates me. God, why couldn�t I have just kept my mouth shut?� Jeff crawled across the floor, wiping away Nancy�s tears. �Hey, you didn�t know. Liz is just upset right now, and Max, I think he understands.� His thumbs traced her cheekbone. �Look, I think maybe the four of us need to have a talk, as adults. We need to get all of this out in the open so that nothing is left to a misunderstanding.� He reached for her hand. �Come on.� ********** Liz stood outside her bedroom door, not wanting to disrupt what was going on inside. Max was cradling Noah against his body, gently rocking him back and forth. �I�m sorry, you got upset out there little man. Things were getting pretty tense, but it needed to happen. Liz�s parents, well, they don�t know too much about me. And Liz, she�s just always looking out for me.� He traced a finger down Noah�s nose, feeling Noah�s hiccups shake his little body. �You�ve had a pretty long day, and I think maybe it�s time for some shut eye.� Max walked around a little, his eyes glued to the restless bundle in his arms. He knew that Noah was close to drifting off, and he knew that if he sang to him, Noah would be out like a light. Max�s lips curled up into a smile, his voice coming out into a whisper. �You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,� he placed a soft kiss on Noah�s forehead. �You make me happy, when skies are gray.� Noah�s long eyelashes fluttered against his rosy cheeks. He reached up his hand, curling his fingers around Max�s index finger. �You�ll never know dear, how much I love you.� Max�s smile grew even deeper. He loved singing this song to Noah because Noah reminded him of a bouncing ball of sunshine. Noah was Max's sunshine when there was nothing but darkness in his life. His voice grew even softer as he sang the last of the words. �So please don�t take my sunshine away.� He placed one last kiss to Noah�s cheek. �Sweet dreams little man. I love you.� Liz put her hand to her mouth, fending off the sob that wanted to escape her. The tears burned her eyes as she continued to watch Max quietly watching his son sleep, oblivious to the fact that he was being watched himself. What in the world did she do to deserve Max Evans? *********** �So please don�t take my sunshine away. Sweet dreams little man. I love you.� Max�s hushed whispers, touched both Nancy and Jeff�s hearts. They knew now without a doubt, that Max Evans was probably just what Liz needed in her life. The way he treated his son was a great indication of what kind of person he was. And judging from the scene that they had just witnessed, Max was one devoted father. They knew it wasn�t an act and that Max was the real deal. You couldn�t do better than Max Evans. Jeff cleared his throat, catching everyone�s attention. Time to nip this thing in the bud. Part 44D **************** Jeff pulled Nancy closer to his side, his voice coming out in a whisper, so as not to wake up Noah. �Max, Liz. I think maybe the four of us should go outside and have a little talk.� Max nodded, shifting Noah�s weight into his other arm. �We�ll give you a few minutes to settle down the little guy, and the two of you can meet us outside.� Liz waited until her parents had turned around, before she walked into her room, closing the door behind her. Without meeting Max�s stare, she walked to her bed, pulling the covers aside. �Here, why don�t you lay him down in my bed. We�ll put some pillows around him so he won�t fall off of the bed.� �Liz.� Max�s voice was soft, but determined. He needed to have a talk with her before they went out there and talked to her parents. He knew that she was upset and that she was bottling it up. Instead of dealing with it and facing it head on, she chose to focus on inane tasks. As if she didn�t hear him, Liz arranged the pillows around her bed. She walked towards Max, plucking Noah out of his arms. When she did so, Max grabbed hold of her arm in a gentle grip. He whispered into her hair, his voice pleading with her to understand. �Liz...� Noah shuffled in his sleep, causing Max to let go of Liz. He watched her put Noah in her bed, tucking him under the covers. �Sleep tight precious.� Liz leaned in, placing a soft kiss on Noah�s forehead. It ate him up inside knowing that she wasn�t opening up to him. He continued to watch as she stroked Noah�s hair, watching him take deep and even breaths. He sat on the bed across from her. Liz felt the bed shift underneath her, but refused to acknowledge his presence. She didn�t know why she was acting the way she was. She knew that she was being childish, and overreacting to everything. Max tried one more time to get her attention. He scooted over, tilting her chin up with his fingers. �Don�t do this Liz....please....� The plea and sadness in his voice was unmistakable. �I know what you�re going to say, Max, so you can just stop right there.� She stood up, pulling away from his touch. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling very cold. Max studied her for a moment before standing up himself. He made no move to get closer to her, sensing her need for space. �Okay, since you know what I was going to say, then why don�t you tell me what it was I was going to say?� He shoved his hands into his pockets, waiting to get a response from her. She threw him a steely glance. �Don�t patronize me, Max.� She crossed her arms in front of her, her body taking on a defensive stance. �I know you�re going to tell me that I should apologize to my mother, but I�m not going to. She was out of line!� Max gave her an incredulous look. �So were you.� Liz�s jaw practically fell to the ground. She couldn�t believe what was happening. She and Max were having their first fight. Her voice took on an extra edge, anger lacing it. �I was looking out for you. I was trying to protect you.� Max�s shoulders slumped. He walked closer to Liz, reaching out to touch her, only to have her shun his touch. He couldn�t deny how that had hurt him, but he understood. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. �I don�t need you to protect me, Liz. I�ve been able to take care of myself for a while now.� The tears spilled over Liz�s cheeks, her shoulders shaking in the process. �Oh, well thank you for clearing that up for me, Max. I think I�ve got it now.� She turned away, not wanting him to see her completely breakdown. Max bit the corner of his bottom lip, hating that all of this was happening. He came to stand behind Liz, taking a breath of her scent before placing a hand on her shoulder. �I think you should go.� Her voice trembled as she spoke. �I can�t do that.� She turned to face him, wiping away her tears. �Why not? Why do you even care if my mother and I don�t agree on this.....on you...� His hand reached forward, tentatively tracing the contours of her cheek. �Because I love you. And because I can�t just stand around and let you push away the people you love, just because you think you�re helping me.� His hand cupped her face, his thumb tracing her eyebrow. �I know I didn�t make the right choices when I was younger. The truth is, I�m still learning from my mistakes. I can�t let you make the same mistakes that I made.� Her eyebrows knotted in confusion. �What are you talking about? You and I already agreed that we weren�t, that we were....that we were going to wait.� �I�m not talking about sex Liz, or, or having Noah. I�m talking about shutting yourself off. I�m talking about pushing away the people you love, and locking up all of your emotions until it eats you up inside and the only thing you can do is hit bottom.� He took a breath, his eyes pleading with her to understand him. �You may not realize it now, or even understand it, but your mom, she really loves you. She only wants what�s best for you.� �If that�s true, then why can�t she accept that I love you, and that I want to be with you.� �She�s just worried, Liz. I mean how did you expect her to react? Here she is, probably having to deal with watching you grow up faster than she expected, then I come along with a baby in tow. That�s got to be really scary for her and your dad. Putting all else aside, your parents have been very civil to me. They didn�t have to invite me to dinner, but they did anyway. They did it because they knew how much it would mean to you.� He let his other hand drift to her hair, his fingers running through their softness. �I know that you were only looking out for me, and I appreciate that, but you have to understand that I�ve been dealing with this for a long time. I can tell when someone is only out to hurt me. And that definitely isn�t the case here.� Liz shook her head, her lips curling at the sides, hinting at a smile. �How do you do that?� �Do what?� She curled her hand around his hand. �Make things clearer, make me understand things.....� Her voice softened to a whisper. �How is it possible for me to love you more with every passing second?� Max shook his head, his amber eyes dancing with love. �Probably the same way it�s possible for me to love you more with each passing second.� Liz pulled him against her body. �Thank you.� His voice was muffled by her hair, but she heard him anyway. �No, thank you.� Max gave her one last squeeze, reluctant to lose physical contact with her. �Come on. We should probably head on out there before your parents send in the national guard looking for us.� Liz watched the corners of his lips curl into a smile. �They probably think we�re halfway to Mexico by now.� Liz let laughter escape her lips. She gripped Max�s hand in hers, leading them outside. Max was right. They were in this together, and together, they could face anything. Part 44E ************** Nancy looked up from where she was nursing a cup of tea. With shaky hands, she placed the cup on the coffee table, waiting to hear what Max and Liz had obviously come to say. She felt Jeff come to stand behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder for support. �Is everything alright? You guys were taking a while.....we were starting to worry.� Jeff�s voice expressed exactly what he was feeling. He couldn�t help but feel anxious about this talk. Max and Liz exchanged small smiles before making their way further into the room. Their clasped hands did not go unnoticed by either parent. Nancy felt her heart thumping wildly against her chest. She felt like she was getting ready to face the firing squad. Not that she didn�t feel like she didn�t deserve it. She knew that she had approached this thing the wrong way. All she had wanted was to make sure that Liz was making the right decisions and that she knew what she was getting herself into. She wanted to make sure that Max deserved every bit of love that Liz was certain to give him. And from every indication, from everything she had witnessed, Max Evans and his son could not be more worthy of her daughter�s love if they tried. She had made her bed, and now she had to sleep in it. Jeff�s eyes danced nervously, darting back and forth between Liz and Max. He had yet to hear a peep out of them. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. He wished that someone would just say something, anything, just so long as they didn�t have to sit through the silence. It was absolute torture. Max gave Liz�s hand one last squeeze, giving her a smile of encouragement. He brushed his lips against her forehead before giving her a slight push towards her parents. Liz gave him one last look, finally walking towards her parents. She took a seat on the coffee table so that she was seated right across from her them. With gentle hands, she reached forward, folding her mother�s hand in her own. �Mom, I just......I wanted to apologize about dinner. I was out of line, and I just wanted you to know that I�m sorry. I realize now how scary this must be for you and dad, and so far you�ve been really great.� She glanced to where Max was standing in the corner, looking somewhat out of place. �I guess I just needed some reminder that you�re doing all of this because you love me. If you didn�t, then you wouldn�t be so upset.� She reached forward, wiping away her mother�s tears. �I hope you can forgive me, mom.� Nancy�s arms flew around Liz, pulling her into a fierce hug. �No, Liz. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. I should have trusted your judgment. I�m just, it scares me to see you growing up so fast. Will you forgive me, honey?� Liz nodded her head against her mother�s shoulder. She tightened her hold on her mother, not wanting to let go. They had both made their share of mistakes, and had come to see the error of their ways. Jeff watched as the two people he loved more in the world reconcile. It had tore him up to see the two of them at odds, playing an emotional tug of war with him. He was glad that they had cleared that up. He wiped away the dampness at the corner of his eye, looking up in the process. His eyes landed on Max who was trying his best to become invisible. He could see that the boy felt like he didn�t belong at this moment, but he�d have to change that. Catching his eye, Jeff motioned for Max to follow him. The two of them made their way down into the dining area of the Crashdown, which had been closed for the night. Jeff motioned for Max to take a seat on one of the swivel stools at the counter. He busied himself with getting out bowls and spoons. �So, Max. What�s your poison? Chocolate, Strawberry?� Max shook his head. �That�s ok, Mr. Parker. I�m fine.� Jeff smiled at the young man, heading into the kitchen. �C�mon, why don�t you just indulge me?� He poked his head out from the service window. �So, what�ll it be?� �Uh, how about vanilla?� Jeff just smiled and went to the freezer. �Vanilla it is.� He couldn�t help but chuckle. Vanilla was Liz�s favorite flavor. It figures that she�d fall for a guy that was perfect for her. They were like a match made in heaven. He came through the swinging doors, carrying two bowls of ice cream. He let Max�s glide across the smooth surface of the counter. �Nice catch.� Max smiled, snatching up his spoon. �Thanks.� Jeff watched Max carefully, trying to find the right words to say. �Thank you, Max.� Max looked up from his spoonful of ice cream. �For what?� �For what you did up there. If it weren�t for you, the two people I love most in the world would probably be at each other�s throats by now.� �I don�t.....I didn�t- Jeff continued to watch Max stumble over his words. �Don�t try to deny it, Max. If I know my daughter at all, she was probably standing in her room, hands on her hips, refusing to apologize to her mother.� He saw Max�s lips curve into a smile. �Am I right?� Max let out a little laugh. �Close. She did everything but the hands on her hips thing. She had her arms crossed.� Jeff tilted his head back in understanding. �Ah, she got that one from me. The hands on hips thing is from her mother.� The two men shared a laugh, actually enjoying themselves. Jeff picked up a napkin, wiping off the stickiness of the ice cream from around his mouth. �As much fun as I�m having with the two of us just talking, I did have another purpose for asking you down here.� Max swallowed, waiting for Jeff to continue. He had known this was coming, so he wasn�t too surprised when Jeff had brought it up. �While I haven�t said anything about your relationship with Liz, I haven�t been totally behind it 100 percent either. I have had my qualms, but I�m just not quite as vocal with my fears as my wife is.� He saw Max�s amber eyes cloud over with sadness, dimming the light that had once been dancing in them. That was the first time he had really looked into the young man�s eyes, and he realized for the first time how beautiful they were. They seemed to change color with different lighting, expressing his every emotion. He had long eyelashes, that reached his cheeks. If Jeff didn�t know any better, he would have said that eyes like that only belonged to women. But seeing them on Max, somehow, he knew they were perfect for the soft spoken young man. He felt awful for making his eyes change. He didn�t want to be responsible for marring something so beautiful. Max found his voice, wanting to have his say. �I love your daughter, Mr. Parker. With all of my heart. I know there�s nothing I could say or do, that would assuage your misgivings about my relationship with your daughter. I know how hard it must have been for you and Mrs. Parker to invite me to dinner, and with the added bonus of my son. I have to say that you and Mrs. Parker have taken all of this gracefully. All I can say is thank you.� He took a deep breath before continuing. �However, I can�t just stop feeling. I can�t put a stop to what I feel for Liz. My relationship with Liz will continue regardless of how anyone feels about it. The only way that this relationship will end, is will be if Liz changes her mind and chooses not to be with me. I�m not saying this to throw our relationship in your face. I�m saying this, so you realize how serious I am about Liz. This isn�t just a fling for me, but at the same time, I�m not trying to tie her down........ I just want a chance to love your daughter, sir.� Jeff moved his mouth, but he couldn�t form any words to say. The impassioned speech that Max had just delivered brought tears to his eyes. He knew without a doubt that everything that Max had said was true. Jeff found himself in constant awe of Max. He couldn�t have found someone more deserving of his daughter�s love than Max. Liz Parker sure knew how to pick �em. Part 44F ************* Upstairs Nancy and Liz pulled away from each other, both laughing at the image they presented. Liz looked around the room, and for the first time noticed that her father and Max where nowhere to be seen. Chuckling, Liz verbalized what she was thinking. �We must have scared Max and daddy away with our tears.� Nancy looked around to see that Liz was right. Both of their heads flew to the bedroom where Noah�s crying filtered through. *********** After putting away their dishes, Jeff led Max back towards the apartment, a tub of ice cream in their possession. Max�s speech had given Jeff a lot to think about, but more importantly, Jeff realized that he and Max were on the same page. Both of them loved Liz, and they would do anything for her. Jeff had briefly thought about talking to Max about being in an intimate relationship with his daughter, but he decided against it. They had already dealt with plenty tonight; that talk could wait. Besides, this relationship looked to be a lasting one, so Jeff knew that he had plenty of time to scare Max a little. He chuckled at the though that he and Max would be comfortable enough to joke around with each other. Jeff had always imagined himself not liking any boy that Liz would bring home. Especially one that seemed so capable of taking away his only daughter. He found himself not minding if Max and Liz did end up together in the future. Not to say that he was quite ready to let his daughter go just yet, but when the time did come, he wouldn�t mind at all if he lost Liz to Max. Jeff shook his head at the thoughts tumbling through his head. He had no idea why he was thinking about all of these things. He had just met Max, and yet he was ready to let Liz go with him when she was ready. The sound of hushed voices broke him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Nancy and Liz on the carpet. Little Noah was sitting in Liz�s lap, his body slumped against hers. Liz looked up at the sound of footsteps. She smiled when she saw her father and Max come through the door. She stood up, snuggling Noah closer to her chest. She stopped short when she reached Max. Placing her hand in his, her eyes darted back and forth from Max to her father. �Everything ok?� Max smiled. �Yeah.� Jeff held up the tub of ice cream in his hands. �We come bearing sweets.� He caught the attention of his wife, tilting his head towards the kitchen. �You think you can give me a hand?� Nancy wiped her hands against the front of her skirt, following her husband. When they were out of the room, Max turned to Noah and reached out his arms, waiting for Noah to move towards him. �Hey, Noah. You wanna come to daddy?� Noah shook his head, wrapping his arms tighter around Liz�s neck. �Liz!� Max put his arms down, laughing at their predicament. He scratched the side of his head, the laughter evident in his voice. �I guess I�ll take that as a no.� Liz laughed with him, gathering Noah in her arms fully. She gave him a kiss, smiling at his baby face. �That�s ok sweetie. You can stay right where you are for as long as you like.� Max shook his head, running his fingers through Noah�s hair. �What are you doing up anyway? I thought we put you to bed already?� Noah looked up at his father with sleepy eyes. He swallowed back a yawn, laying his head on Liz�s shoulder. His voice came out in a whisper. �Liz.� Max let the smile on his face linger a little longer. He and Noah were definitely father and son. He knew exactly what it was like waking up and wanting to be around Liz. Too bad he wasn�t as lucky as his son, he thought ruefully. ********* Jeff watched as Nancy made ice cream sundaes for herself and Liz. �Are you sure you and Max don�t want any? I mean you didn�t even ask him yet.� Jeff leaned back against the counter. �I think Max and I have had our fill of ice cream for tonight.� Nancy just nodded, deciding not to ask if that had any underlying tones to it. �So, is it safe to assume that you and Lizzie are alright again?� Closing the freezer door, Nancy stopped her movement for a second. It was as if she was reliving the moment. She looked into Jeff�s eyes. �Yeah, I think so.� She paused, reaching into the silverware drawer. �I mean, we still have some things to work through, but I think the worst is over. We finally understand where the other one is coming from, and from that, we can build back up.� Jeff placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. �I�m glad to hear that.� �Me too.� ************ Half an hour later. Liz leaned back against the couch, pushing her bowl away from her. �Please, someone take this bowl away from me before I eat it too.� Her words caused laughter to bubble forth from her company. Max stood up, reaching for it. �Here, I�ll take it.� Nancy stood up, waving off Max�s attempt to help. �That�s alright, Max. I can get it.� Max smiled at Nancy, pointing to Liz who had Noah curled around her. �It�s ok, Mrs. Parker. I think I should at least do something for Liz considering Noah won�t let her have a chance to do anything.� Nancy smiled, heading towards the kitchen with Max following closely behind. She turned on the faucet, waiting for the water to warm up. �You can go ahead and just leave Liz�s dish right there.� Max looked at her, a question in his eyes. �Are you sure? Cos, I could wash the dishes myself. In fact, it�s the least I could do for you and Mr. Parker for inviting me to dinner tonight.� The sincerity in his voice was palpable. How in the world had she thought she could hate Max Evans, was beyond her. Sure, he may not have been her first choice as Liz�s boyfriend, but the more she saw of Max�s heart and soul, it was hard not to like the young man. Her lips curled up into a bonafide smile. �I know that I haven�t been the best hostess tonight, nor have I been the most understanding person, and I really hope that you can accept my apology, but I want you to know, that you and your son will always be welcome in our home. Always.� Max felt the air rush out of his lungs. Had he just heard her right? He and Noah were welcome in the Parker home? Always? He opened his mouth to speak, his voice sounding a little parched. �Thank you, Mrs. Parker. You have no idea how much you saying that means to me.� He turned to walk away, only to stop at the sound of Nancy�s voice. �No. Thank you.� She and Max exchanged understanding smiles. Although they hadn�t talked about everything that they wanted to talk about that night, they had all come to an understanding. And from there, they could all move forward. Back Next |
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