| Part 85 *********** �Hey guys.� Maria carried trays of food through front door, a sugary sweet smile plastered to her lips. �I hope you guys don�t mind that we came early. We thought we could help out before everyone got here.� Maria continued to chatter a mile a minute, not really caring if anyone was listening. It was beginning to seem that she liked hearing the sound of her own voice. Michael threw an apologetic look towards a very disheveled looking couple, knowing that he and Maria had interrupted something. He really had tried to stop Maria from coming over so early, but what could he say? Maria was Maria. When she wanted something, she stopped at nothing to get it, and even he, stonewall Guerin couldn�t compete with that. �I�m sorry for coming so early, but Maria- Max shook his head, helping Michael carrying some of the food to the kitchen. �Don�t even worry about it.� Max eyed Maria and Liz talking animatedly as the two of them discussed the upcoming party. �It�s probably a good thing you guys came over early.� Michael chuckled, walking over to the sink to wash his hands. �So, when is this shindig gonna start?� Maria wrinkled her nose, stopping her mile a minute babble to look at Michael. �Shindig? Michael, are you like living in a time warp?� The giggles were contagious, everyone laughing. �What? What�s wrong with the word shindig?� Max, Liz and Maria burst into another fit of giggles, their faces turning red. Maria held a hand to her chest, trying to regain somewhat of a normal breathing pattern. �Honey, I think only person who still uses that word is Jim.� Michael let out a laugh, poking his tongue out his girlfriend. Maria walked up to Michael, wrapping her arms around his waist. �Well when you start school at Albuquerque Community, maybe you�ll get to mingle with a variety of people instead of the same old crowd.� �Yeah, well I like the same old crowd.� Liz had moved to stand next to Max, her head resting on his shoulder. �I didn�t know that you decided on going to Albuquerque Community College. When did this happen?� Michael blushed a little, not used to having all the attention directed towards him. �Uh...I kinda decided a few weeks ago. I mean, I don�t really know what I want to do for the rest of my life, but with everyone getting their acceptance letters, well, I thought it would be a cheap way to continue with my education. If I like it, I can stick with it. If I don�t, it�s not gonna hurt my bank account too much.� Liz gave him a grand smile, walking towards him to give him a hug. �Well congratulations, Michael. I know how tough of a decision that must have been for you.� Michael felt his cheeks burning again. He shook his head, looking for a way to divert the attention away from him. �Well, I guess a congratulations is in order for you too. I heard you got accepted to UNM.� �Thanks. This might be like high school all over again. What with me, Kyle, Courtney, Alex, and Isabel going to UNM, and you, Max and Maria going to ACC.� Liz finished with a chuckle. �A little help please?� Isabel�s muffled voice came from the front of the house, four sets of eyes turning in that direction. One by one, they walked to the front of the house, laughing as the saw Alex tangled up in a mass of balloons and Isabel carrying various shopping bags. �Hey, Iz.� Isabel looked up to see Maria and Liz, dropping the bags onto the floor. �Ohh, I�m so glad you guys are here. We can do the rest of the decorations together.� The three girls bounced with an energy that only teenaged girls possessed. �Does anyone know what time Courtney�s getting here? I was hoping the four of us could do this together.� Maria was busy looking through the assortment of decorations, her eyes twinkling. �Well Kyle was on his way to pick her up when Michael came to get me.� Alex looked at his friends, holding his hands up in frustration. �Excuse me? Remember me? I�m Alex, otherwise known as the balloon man. I could use a little help.� Max and Michael leaped forward, helping to untangle their friend from the balloons. They had been so caught up in watching their girlfriends acting so girly that they had momentarily forgotten Alex�s current struggle. �Guys got room for more?� Kyle tipped his head from the open doorway, smiling wildly when his friends welcomed him and Courtney. Isabel rushed forward, pulling Courtney into the circle of girls. �Yay, now we can start.� All four girls went about decorating the room, each giving ideas on how to get the most out of the decorations. The four guys stood there watching with half amused, half unbelievable expressions as the girls busied themselves with hanging things up and clearing out the living room. Kyle rubbed his chin, continuing to watch with mounting curiosity. �They do realize that the kids at this party are like 2 years old and aren�t really gonna care if the Happy Birthday Noah sign isn�t hanging completely straight, right?� Max shook his head, the smile on his lips belying his mock disgust. �Yeah, well try telling that to Isabel. She�s like a control freak when it comes to stuff like that.� Michael nodded, his arms crossed in front of him. �Tell me about it. When Maria even hears the word party, her ears perk up and she gets all militant on me, telling me to do this, or do to do that.� Alex laughed. �Yeah, well I get the distinct feeling that we wouldn�t have it any other way.� All four boys nodded, each of them eyeing their respective partners, all of them wearing goofy grins. Isabel blew the hair out of her eyes, stopping when she looked at the four boys just standing there. �Earth to Max!� �Huh?� �You think you could get started on that cake? Mom and dad are gonna be home soon.� �Right, right.� He turned to walk into the kitchen, leaving the guys to the mercy of the girls. Liz dropped what she was doing, making a beeline for the kitchen. Maria grabbed her arm, stopping her from moving. �And where do you think you�re going, chica?� Liz pointed in the direction of the kitchen, trying to get out of Maria�s grasp. �I was gonna help Max with the cake. You know, because it was our assigned job, to do....together. Max and I were gonna bake the cake, but you and Michael showed up- �Wait a second. Baking cake isn�t a code name for....� Maria let her voice trail off, letting the suggestive tone of her voice make Liz blush. �Maria!� Liz slapped away Maria�s arm, trying to glare at her but to no avail. �Very funny. Besides, nothing even happened. You and Michael showed up before things even got good.� Maria held her mouth to her hand, an apologetic look in her eyes. �Chica, I am so sorry. I had no idea.� Liz shook her head, smiling at Maria. �Don�t worry. I guess I can consider it a good thing. It was better you than Max�s parents walking in on us, using their kitchen in new and wonderful ways.� Liz winked at Maria, earning her a smirk. �Girl, you are sooo bad.� She turned Liz towards the kitchen, giving her tush a soft push in Max�s direction. �That cake better be in one piece when the party starts!� Liz turned around, sticking her tongue out at Maria. Maria grinned, not being able to resist making one last jab. �Might as well make two cakes, you know, just in case.� She winked, leaving Liz with her jaw hanging open. ************ Once Liz had calmed down after Maria�s teasing, she stood under the kitchen doorway, silently admiring Max working in the kitchen. He had already put all of the ingredients together, mixing everything in the bowl. Liz bit the corner of her lips, loving the set look of concentration on Max�s face as he continued to mix. His amber eyes were trained on the chocolate mix, his lip darting out from the corner of his mouth. He took a quick look around, not noticing Liz standing by the door. Satisfied that no one was there, he put down the wooden spoon, dipping his finger into the chocolate concoction. His eyes closed as he sucked the sweet stuff into his mouth, a moan of pleasure making it�s way out of his lips. Liz couldn�t help but feel a little jealous of the cake mix, wishing it were her that he was devouring instead. She couldn�t believe how turned on she was getting just by watching him devour the uncooked cake mix. God help her if she was gonna survive the rest of this day without attacking him. Making her presence known, she stepped into the light, her hands behind her back as she bounced on her heels. With a raised eyebrow and a playful grin, she caught his attention. �Ahem!� ************* Max�s head snapped up, his face wearing a guilty look for having been caught with his hand in the cake batter, literally. �Liz.� �Hey, honey.� She walked at a leisurely pace, almost skipping, but not really. �Looks like you�ve got a handle on things, here.� She stopped when she was standing next to him, picking up his chocolate covered hand, examining it. She gave him a grin, the tip of her tongue tasting his finger more than the cake batter itself. �Yum.� Max mumbled, walking to the sink to stick his hand under the cold running water. He was hoping the cold water would help to keep him from over heating, I mean wasn�t that what you were supposed to do when certain extremities weren�t behaving? He only hoped that sticking his hands under the water would do because he didn�t have time to take a cold shower. Max reached for the dish towel, wiping his hands as he tried to get his hormones under control. He was hanging on a very thin line, and he feared that if he broke, nothing, and he meant nothing could stop him from devouring Liz. Right here, right now. He closed his eyes, his hands clenching and unclenching in the dish towel. The sexual frustration was killing him. Liz was a goddess, and more than once had she hinted that she was ready to take their relationship to another level. Max had always been wary, though, not because he thought that he would get hurt, but scared at the thought that he might hurt Liz. She meant everything to him, and he didn�t want to jeopardize that. It was true that he wasn�t ready before, but after recent revelations between the two of them about how they truly felt for one another, he had wanted nothing more than to consummate their relationship. To show her how much he loved her in more than just the physical aspect of sex, because whenever they chose to cross that barrier, it would never just be sex. Because everything with them was always something more. Making love for him wouldn�t be just about raging hormones, sweaty bodies, and loud moans. Making love was being so in love that you would comfortable enough to share your whole being with someone. To let them see you at your most vulnerable, and want that other person to share everything with you. Mind, body, and soul. That�s what making love to Liz would about for him. When he and Tess had consummated their relationship, they had done it for all the wrong reasons. They were too young and naive to really understand what making love was really about. Max was going to make sure that when he and Liz made love, that it was special. That it wouldn�t be some quickie in the bathroom or the hall closet. Liz Parker deserved much more than that, and Max was willing to hold back so that he and Liz could experience their first time for the beauty that it was going to be. When he opened his eyes again, Liz had put everything away and had put the cake batter in the oven. He uncurled his hands from the dish towel, coming up to stand beside Liz as she watched the oven door. He placed an innocent kiss on her shoulder, offering her a smile. �Thanks.� Liz gave him a smile that didn�t reach her eyes. She reached for his hand, a concerned look in her eyes. �Are you ok? I....I�m sorry if I�m making this any harder on you.� She gave him a pathetic laugh. �It�s just.....it�s getting harder and harder to keep my hands off of you.� �I know. I feel the same way too.� Max�s face wrinkled, before he burst out laughing. �No, that�s not what I meant. I meant you, not me. I�m having a hard time keeping my hands to myself because of you.� Liz�s musical laughter filled his ears as she buried her face in his chest. The two of them just stood in each other�s embrace, reveling in the closeness of each other. �MAX! Mom and dad are back! You and Liz better get out here. They�re walking up the front steps with Noah.� Max shook his head at the excitement in Isabel�s voice. �Come on. Time to greet the birthday boy.� Max held Liz�s hand, leading them to the living room. Isabel handed them party hats, instructing them put them on, just like everyone else in the room. Isabel handed Liz an extra party hat, smiling as she did so. �Here, this one is for Noah.� Liz knew there was a hidden meaning in the fact that Isabel had handed her the hat for Noah. The two of them shared an understanding smile, as Isabel stepped aside, letting Max and Liz stand by the door. Everyone else stood back, waiting for the door to open, noise makers in hand. The light seeped through the opening door, as voices made themselves heard. When the door was pulled back all the way, everyone blew into the noise makers, everyone yelling happy birthday. Noah looked up, his eyes lighting up at everyone around him. He let go of Diane�s hand, running into the open arms of his father. Max caught him, spinning them around in the air, finally stopping to place loud kisses on Noah�s cheeks. �Happy Birthday, little man!� Liz looked over Max�s shoulder, placing the party hat on Noah�s head. �Happy Birthday, precious!� Noah smiled at her, his small hand reaching out to trace the pictures of Winnie the Pooh on Liz�s party hat. �Pooh bear.� Laughs were heard all around as Noah crawled into Liz�s arms, his eyes growing wide as he noticed for the first time, all of the decorations. Pictures of Winnie the Pooh and his friends were plastered to the walls, as well as many other things. Jumping slightly in Liz�s arms, he pointed to the decorations. �Pooh Bear!� Part 86 ********** An hour or so after the party had started, they moved the kids outside to the back yard where they had set up the pinata. Of course they were well aware that the kids weren�t able to hit the pinata, but Isabel just couldn�t resist buying the Winnie the Pooh pinata at the store. The boys took turns hitting the pinata, but no one could crack it open. Max was in the kitchen with Liz, putting the last touches on the cake. Liz wrote Happy Birthday Noah across the cake with icing, as Max ran to the door after hearing someone knocking. "Who was it?" "Lizzie!" Liz dropped the frosting, running to greet her parents and her grandmother. "You guys made it." Jeff threw an apologetic look towards Max, as he offered him Noah�s birthday present. "We would have been here sooner, but traffic was really bad." Max took the present, smiling when he did. "It�s not a problem. We�re just glad you guys could make it." Max led them to the back where everyone had congregated. Noah had gotten bored waiting for the pinata to crack, that his eyes lit up when he caught sight of Claudia. "Gamma!" He ran to Claudia, running straight into her legs. She smiled at him, holding his little hand. "Well hello to you to, little fella." Noah tugged on her hand, pointing towards the pinata. "Come. Pooh Bear." Claudia indulged him, letting him lead her to the pack of children waiting for the candy to fall. Max introduced Liz�s parents to his own, letting the adults mingle as he caught up with Liz who was seated beside Kelly who was holding her daughter Amber. Kelly and her husband Mark had just moved into the neighborhood recently. They were the couple with the little boy who was Noah�s age. Max felt his heart thump wildly against his chest as Kelly let Liz hold Amber while leaving to go somewhere. His feet were glued to the grass as he watched Liz cradle the baby girl in her arms, cooing and smiling. It reminded him of the time when he had asked Liz to babysit for Noah, coming home to find Noah cradled in her arms just like that. A smile touched his lips as he walked forward, taking a seat beside them. "Hey, whatcha got there?" Liz smiled, turning the baby in her arms so Max could look into Amber�s smiling face. "Max, say hi to Amber. Amber, say hi to Max." Max leaned forward, touching Amber�s cheek softly, smiling when she gurgled. "Aren�t you a beauty?" Liz turned to Max with a teasing look. "You know, a girl could start to get jealous, what with you charming all of the ladies in the house." Max shook his head, tucking Liz�s hair behind her ears. "I only have eyes for one girl." He leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers. "Thanks for watching Amber." Kelly stopped mid stride when she saw Max and Liz kissing. She felt bad for intruding on their little moment. Liz looked up at her, a smile on her face. "Not a problem. The pleasure was all mine." Liz handed Amber to Kelly carefully, making room for Kelly to sit down. Kelly shook her head, her blonde hair flying around her face. "Yeah, well whenever you wanna babysit, you�re more than welcome. I tell you, it�s a real task taking care of these two." Kelly nodded towards Jacob who was on the ground digging for the candy that had finally fallen on the floor. After picking up more than he could carry, Jacob ran to Kelly, handing her the candy. "Mommy." Noah had grabbed his own handfuls of candy, running after Jacob towards Liz. He watched curiously as Jacob called Kelly mommy, his eyes turning to Liz. He smiled at her, handing her his candy. "Candy," he offered to her, running after Jacob to the other children. Liz just chuckled, glad that Noah was having a good time. ********** Max carefully stepped down the porch steps, trying to balance the cake in his hands. When people saw him, they started singing. The adults had strategically placed the kids around the table, with Noah in the middle. Liz was standing beside Noah, holding his hand as he got excited when Max came closer with the cake. As the song ended, Max held the cake out for Noah, urging him to blow. Noah huffed and puffed, but he couldn�t get the two candles to go out. "Help!" Max laughed, blowing the candles out for Noah. Diane took the cake from Max, slicing it so that everyone could have a piece. *********** Isabel and the others brought out the presents, letting Noah tear apart the wrapping. The majority of the gifts were toys that the children had played with together. But as the sun began to drift lower, the majority of children waved their goodbyes, leaving in the arms of their parents. Once they were gone, the party moved back inside where everyone lounged around the living room. Max was sitting beside Liz on the carpet, both of them just enjoying watching Noah play with his newly acquired toys. Max felt a tap on his shoulder, smiling when he saw that it was Claudia. "Here. I thought maybe the three of you would enjoy this. Mind you I�ve got lots, but this one is for little Noah." She handed him the gift, leaving a wide eyed couple. Max turned the gift in his hands, turning a questioning glance at Liz. Liz held her hands up, looking curiously at the package. "I have no idea what that is. I�m just as lost as you are." Max turned the package in his hands one more time, before tearing the gift open. "It�s a picture frame." Liz pulled it from his hands, pointing at the glass. "Look, there�s a picture inside." She pulled it closer to her face to get a better view, when her breath caught in her throat. She looked up at Max who wore the same look of shock on his face. "Max. This was... "This was from when we spent the night at your grandmother�s." He finished for her. He took the picture from Liz, tracing the outline of their huddled bodies, all curled up together. A slow smile crept up on his face as he reached for Noah, placing him on his lap. "Look, little man. Grandma Claudia gave you a present." He pointed to the picture, giving Noah�s unruly hair a kiss. "Do you know who that is?" Noah nodded, pointing to Max�s figure on the bed. "Daddy." He moved his pointer finger, landing on himself. "Me." He moved his finger again, finally coming to land on Liz�s sleeping figure. "And, momma." Liz felt the blood rush from her face after Noah�s comment. Did she just hear him right? Had he said..... She couldn�t even finish the sentence, her stomach turning into knots. Max turned Noah to face him. "What did you say?" Noah just smiled, pointing to Liz�s figure again. "Momma." He turned round eyes to Liz, smiling at her. "Lizzie, momma." Part 87 ********** �Max.....MAX!� �Huh?� Max looked up to see Isabel standing impatiently in front of him. �Everyone�s getting ready to leave. You wanna say goodbye?� Max nodded, picking Noah up as he stood. �Right, right.� He walked to the door, saying goodbye to his friends. �I wanted to say thank you, for everything. I think today would�ve been a disaster if you guys hadn�t helped out.� Maria brushed away Noah�s hair, giving him a tender kiss. She leaned up, giving Max a hug. �Pleasure was all ours, Max.� A chorus of goodbyes were heard as the rest of the group left for their cars, leaving Max standing with Isabel and Noah. �I�m just gonna walk Alex to his car.� �Sure.� Max turned to walk back into the house, but the Parkers and Valentis were headed his way. �Max, we just wanted to thank you for a wonderful party, and happy birthday, little guy.� Jim, ruffled Noah�s hair as he walked through the door. Noah smiled, waving to them. �Bye bye!� �Thanks for coming.� Jeff stood beside Max, placing his hand on her shoulder. �We�re gonna get going too, Max. We still have that long drive.� �Of course.� Nancy walked through the door, shaking Noah�s little hand. �Happy Birthday, sweetie.� Noah just grinned, turning his attention to Claudia as she stood in front of him. �You take care, little one.� Claudia, squeezed his chubby cheeks, bidding her goodbye. �Bye bye, gamma!� Before Claudia could make it down the porch steps, Max called out to her. �Grandma Claudia?� Turning around, she smiled. �Yes, Max?� �I just wanted to thank you, for the gift. I, it was the best gift anyone could�ve given Noah, and I.� Claudia walked back towards Max, giving him a firm hug. �You�re very welcome, honey.� ******** Max waved to the last of the cars, watching as their tail lights faded into the night. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the house to find Liz sitting on the couch by herself, absently fingering the fringe of the pillow on her lap. Max closed the door behind him softly, taking care not to speak so loud, so as not to startle her. �Where is everyone?� Liz looked up, surprised to see him. �Oh, well your mom and dad decided to call it a night. They already went to bed.� Max�s head bobbed up and down as he made his way into the living room. �And Isabel?� Liz pointed up the stairs. �Isabel�s on the phone with Alex.� Max chuckled. �Already?� Liz laughed with him. �Yeah.� Max decided to seize the moment. He might as well confront the issue now before he let it fester. He took a seat beside Liz, pulling Noah to sit on his lap. �Liz, about what happened before...I wanna know if you were ok with that.� Liz tucked her feet under her, her hair falling over her face as she hung her head low. �Honestly?� Max brushed back her hair, lifting her chin so that he could look into her eyes. �That�s all I ask for.� Liz swallowed a few times, as a slow smile crept across her lips. �Honestly, when I first heard Noah say it, well I thought that I was just hearing things. That I was hearing something I wanted to hear. But when he said it again.....Max, I can�t say that it didn�t make me feel good to hear him call me that. Because in those few seconds, he made me the happiest girl on earth.� Liz felt her lower lip tremble as she finally let her eyes look into Max�s. �And if you don�t want him calling me that, I�d completely understand.� Max silenced Liz with a kiss. �I would never want that, Liz.� He pulled back, smiling at her with happy tears. �Don�t you see that, Noah doesn�t want that either? He already thinks of you as his mother. Just like we do.� Liz closed her eyes, nodding her head as a few more tears escaped from her eyes. �I�m sorry if I keep freaking out on you, Max. It�s just....everything, all of this.....This is all new to me.� Max let his fingertips brush across Liz�s jaw, letting his hand drift to cup her cheek. �I know....this other stuff.....it�s all pretty new to me to. For the longest time, I was both Noah�s mother and father, and now.....Now, you�re here....... I know that some of this is pretty new and scary for both of us, but we can learn together.� �I love you so much.� Liz closed the gap between them, her lips brushing softly over his, in the most gentlest of caresses. Max placed a hand on the couch, trying to get better leverage, but the sound of Noah�s voice startled him. �Kissie!� Max and Liz pulled away, laughing at the sound of his voice. Max lifted Noah in the air, shaking him. �You think that was funny, little man?� Noah just giggled, as Liz and Max tickled him to exhaustion. As the three of them cuddled downstairs, they hadn�t realized that they had come full circle. While they had no marriage license to show, they were already a family in every sense of the word. They had won over the worst of the critics, and they were better for it. Stronger, even. Part 88 ********* Prom Night Max walked around his room in his black trousers, trying his best to get ready. He glanced at the clock, a smile tinting his face as he saw that he was making good time. Instead of finishing getting dressed, he picked up Noah from the floor, holding him against his chest. "Listen up, little man. I�m going to the prom with Liz tonight, and I won�t be home till later, so you have to be on your best behavior for grandma and grandpa while I�m gone. You�re a big boy now, so I know I shouldn�t even be telling you this stuff, right?" Noah grinned, revealing his baby teeth. "Am a big boy." Max smiled, his lips brushing the top of Noah�s head. "That�s right. You�re a big boy now." Max sighed, flipping Noah so that his stomach, laying on Max�s arms. "But you�ll always be my little boy. How about we play airplane, before I finish getting ready?" Noah turned his head, an excited gleam in his eyes. "Ohhh...." Max grinned back, twisting and turning Noah as if he were flying. "Zoom...zoom....airplane Noah coming through." Noah held out his arms, making zooming noises as Max continued to twirl him. Isabel stuck her head through the door, her hair in hot rollers as she wore a robe around her body. "Max?" Max looked up, smiling at her. He stopped twisting Noah, pulling him to rest on his hip. "Hey Iz. What�s up?" Isabel frowned at him, noting the way that he was playing with Noah. "Aren�t you supposed to be getting ready? You have to pick up Liz at the Crashdown, in like 45 minutes." Max laughed, motioning to the coat hanger that was hanging on his closet door that held the rest of his tux. "I only have to put my shirt on, put my tie and jacket on, and my shoes and I�m all set." Isabel made a face at him, finally throwing her hands up in the air. "I hate this!" Max tried to hide the smile from his face, trying to sympathize with his sister. "Hate what?" Isabel pointed a polished finger at him. "You...guys. I hate how you guys can take 15 minutes to get ready when us girls spend hours getting beautiful. You...you just jump into the shower, brush your hair, and put your clothes on, and voila....you�re ready to go." She placed her hands on her hips, standing tall. "Do you know that I�ve been getting ready for like three hours now, and I�m nowhere near ready? Alex is gonna be here in an hour to pick me up, and I won�t be ready." Her face fell as she made her way into the room. She sank heavily on Max�s bed, her eyes dancing in a wild frenzy. "Oh my god. I�ll never be ready in time. I still have to finish putting my make up on, get dressed..." She stood up and began pacing. "That�s it. I�m not going." "What?" Max put Noah on the floor, reaching for his shirt. He began buttoning it up as he walked towards Isabel. He placed his arms on her shoulders, stopping her movement. "Iz. Would you calm down and listen to yourself? We�re talking about your prom. You can�t not go just because you don�t think you�ll be ready on time." He gave her a small smile. "So what if you have to make Alex wait? I say let him wait. He�ll never know what hit him when he sees you walking down the stairs." Isabel looked up at Max, a smile creeping across her lips slowly. "You really think so?" Max nodded. "You�re gonna blow him away." Max chuckled as he continued talking. "And besides, I�ve always heard that being fashionably late is a good thing." Isabel let out a full blown smile, throwing her arms around Max as she gave him a hug. "Thank you, Max. I don�t know what I�d do without you." "Well, you�d probably missing out on your own prom is what you�d be doing." He pushed her towards the door, down the hall to her room. "Now go on and get outta here. I gotta finish getting ready." Isabel smiled walking out the door. But before she could get out all the way, she turned towards Max. "Max?" "Yeah?" "I just...the real reason I came here was to wish you good luck, for tonight. I know luck doesn�t really have a lot to do with it. And even if it did, you wouldn�t need it." Max smiled his gratitude, his palms sweating at the thought. "Thanks, Iz." He watched her close the door to her room before getting ready. ********* Max stood in front of his mirror, trying to get his tie straight, when he heard a knock on his door. "Come in." Diane stood behind him, smiling as she saw the reflection of her little boy. Her heart tightened, when she realized that he wasn�t a little boy anymore. That he hadn�t been for a long time now. "Here, let me get that for you." Max turned around, letting his mother fix his tie. "You look so handsome. And so grown up." Diane let her hand run through his ebony locks, before smoothing down his jacket lapels. Max blushed, tugging on his collar. "Thanks. Although, I could do without the whole tux. It�s a little binding." Diane laughed, once again seeing her little boy instead of the young man in front of her. "Well, I know that you�re leaving in a little bit, so I just wanted to tell you something before you go." Max nodded, waiting for his mother to continue. "I want you to have fun tonight, Max. Prom is something that you�re gonna remember for the rest of your life, and I want you to enjoy it." She smiled again, her hand grazing his cheek. "So you don�t have to worry about curfew tonight. Your dad and I won�t be waiting up." Max gave her a wide grin. "But I want you to know, that just because we�re not giving you a curfew tonight, that we don�t want you gallivanting around with Liz all night. I don�t know what arrangements she has with her parents, but I want you to honor that, alright?" "I promise." Max pulled his mother in for a hug, placing a kiss on her temple. "Thank you for everything, mom." Part 89 *************** Liz stood in front of her full length mirror, eyeing the way her prom dress fit graciously around her curves. The dress was a champagne color, that had spaghetti straps coming from the bodice. The top of the dress was a little too low cut for Liz herself, but it accentuated her firm breasts, giving them an extra lift. The bodice was fit to her body, flowing out into a ball skirt. Liz had piled her hair up in curls, with a few stray curls hanging to make it look like she hadn�t spent hours fixing her hair. She turned around, smiling as she looked at how the back of the dress crisscrossed, showing her naked back. Her heart fluttered in her chest as the phone rang. She walked towards it, cradling it softly between her ear and shoulder. "Hello?" "Hey chica. Just calling to see how things were holding up on your end." Liz smiled into the phone when she realized that it was Maria. "I�m good. How about you?" Liz felt as if she could feel Maria smiling into the phone, her voice was so excited. "I�m great. Just finished getting ready. I checked up on Kyle and he is looking pretty good. He could almost pass for a debonair spy or something." Both girls chuckled into the phone. "Yeah, well I�m sure Courtney will be stunned speechless. Or Kyle. Either way, those two will be all starry-eyed tonight." "Speaking of starry-eyed, I just got off the phone with Isabel, and it seems as though your prince charming is on his way over to pick up his princess." Liz felt her stomach flip, at the thought of Max. Her palms felt clammy, her heart beating wildly. "Liz? You still there?" "Oh...yeah. I�m still here. Sorry about that, I�m just....I�m getting a little anxious." "That�s ok hun. I�d be a wreck to, if I was gonna do what you were gonna do, but then again, if I was you, I really don�t have too much to worry about. You and Max, you guys are the real thing." Liz felt her eyes tear up at Maria�s sincere comment. It elated Liz to know that her friends could see what she and Max were about. That they understood them, and that they supported them. "About that....I wanted to say thanks for coming with me. I don�t think I would�ve had enough courage to get it for myself. I mean I know it�s meant to be, but I can�t help but feel a little too aggressive." Maria chuckled into the phone. "Chica, relax. I�m sure Max will get a kick out of it when the time comes." A loud voice could be heard screaming in the distance. "Maria Alejandra Deluca, get your butt down here. Michael�s here and Jim and I want pictures." Liz giggled, twisting the phone cord in between her fingers. "You better go. I think your mom�ll break your door down if you don�t go now." Maria threw her arms up, shaking her head with a smile. "You know, mom and Jim seem a whole lot more excited about my prom than I am." The girls shared another laugh. "I�ll see you at dinner, �Ria." "Later, babe." As soon as Liz hung up the phone, the door bell rang, making her skin turn to goose flesh. Huffing a breath, Liz smoothed down her dress as she walked to the front door. She pulled the door open, her breath hitching in her throat as she saw Max standing on the other side. His hair was brushed back, not hanging over his eyes. It brought out his amber eyes, his long eyelashes standing out more. Her gaze traveled down his tuxedo clad body, noting how nicely he cleaned up. When she had opened the door, he had been playing with the plastic container that held her corsage. His eyes flew up, his eyes dancing. Max could feel his mouth working, but nothing was coming out. Liz stood there in her champagne colored dressed, making him into a drooling fool. He wondered quietly if the dress were as smooth as her skin, but he realized that nothing would ever compare to Liz�s skin. It was the softest, smoothest skin he had ever felt. His eyes couldn�t help but stare at how her breasts were peeking from the top of her dress, tantalizing him. The champagne color complimented her olive skin, making her glow. Liz smiled, feeling her nervousness triple. She spoke, trying to ease the silence. "Is that all you�ve got to say?" Max nodded his head slowly. "Wow." He hadn�t even realized that he had said out loud. It was only when he saw a pink color tint Liz�s cheeks, that he realized what he had said. Max cleared his throat a few times, hoping to get his jangled nerves under control. "I mean.....you look beautiful." Liz�s lips curled up at the corners at Max�s honest concession. "Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself." It was Max�s turn to blush at Liz words. He tugged on his shirt collar, holding out the corsage to her. "Here. This is for you." Liz opened up the box, a gasp escaping her throat. "Thank you, this is beautiful." She twisted the container in her hands, facing it towards him. "Put it on me?" "Sure." Max carefully took out the corsage, taking care not to crush it. He held the pin in his hand, finding a place to put it on Liz. He decided on putting it below her left shoulder, making sure that he didn�t stick her. His hand had a mind of it�s own, as his pinky finger reached to graze softly over her breast. His voice was a hushed whisper in her ear as he spoke. "All done." Liz could feel her chest heaving at the touch of Max�s finger on her skin, his breath by her ear. "Th-thanks." Max pulled back, reaching out for her hand. "You ready to go?" The two of them exchanged shy smiles as Liz placed her hand delicately in his. She pulled the front door closed behind her, stepping beside Max. He gave her his special smile, pulling her hand to his lips for a kiss. "Let�s make this a night to remember." Part 90 *************** Max and Liz arrived at Chez Pierre to have dinner with their friends. Max held his hand out for Liz, making sure that she didn�t step on her gown. She smiled at him graciously, moving so that she was tucked into his side. Max grinned down at her, his hand running across her back, feeling her warm skin before coming to rest on her waist. He placed a kiss on her forehead, opening the door for them. He walked up to the hostess, smiling. �Hi, we�re supposed to be meeting our friends here. It�s under the name Evans. Party of eight.� The hostess smiled, leading them into the dining room. �Right this way.� They were led into an elegant dining room, to their friends who were seated at a round table. �Well, it�s about time you guys decided to show up. Poor Kyle over here, looks about ready to devour Courtney.� Alex grinned at his own joke, his eyes lighting up with a playfulness that only Alexander Charles Whitman could possess. Giggles were heard, as Courtney and Kyle held their heads down from the playful teasing of their friends. Max held Liz�s seat for her, helping her sit down. He unbuttoned his jacket so he could sit down, smiling as he looked around the table. The smiling faces of his friends, all decked out in their best made him feel like the eighteen years that he was, instead of the forty years he felt. He never had too many times where he could just be Max the teenager, without being a father as well. This was one of those moments, that made him feel like he was really a part of the group. That it didn�t matter that he had a two year old son, because these people around him would never think bad of him. He was just Max. And it made him happy that he could be a part of it. He looked towards Liz, slipping his hand in hers under the table. That day at the Crashdown when he had first lay eyes on her had sent butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He could feel his stomach rumbling now, at knowing that she was his, and that he was hers. That they really were meant to be. Maria held up her coke, tapping her fork against it. �Listen up, everyone. I wanna propose a toast.� Cheers echoed around the table, everyone picking up their glasses. �To friendship, love, family, and a certain two year old boy that�s brought us all closer together.� Everyone leaned forward, tapping their glasses with one another. �Cheers!� *************** As Max put the key in the ignition, Liz placed her hand on his arm. �Max?� �Yeah?� �I know that we�re supposed to go straight to the Hilton with everyone else, but do you think we could stop by your house? I kinda wanted to see Noah first. I know that he�s probably already asleep, but I just wanna give him a kiss.� Max smiled, loving how Noah was always in Liz�s thought. This was supposed to be her night, but here she was wanting to stop by at the Evans� house, wanting to give Noah a kiss. �Sure. We�ll go wherever you want.� Max made a u-turn, heading towards Mulberry Lane. He pulled up into the driveway, walking with Liz into the house. Diane and Phillip sat up, putting the bowl of popcorn down as they saw Liz walking through the front door of the house. �Max? Liz? Is something wrong?� Diane stood up, walking towards them. Liz gave her a shy smile. �No, nothing�s wrong. I just, I wanted to see Noah, before we headed off to prom. I hope that�s alright?� Diane smiled, pulling Liz towards the stairs. �Oh honey, of course that�s alright. He�s up in Max�s room. He�s sleeping but you can go ahead and see him.� Diane turned to Max, pushing him towards the stairs. She watched as the couple made their way up the stairs, walking back to the living room. �Phillip, where�d you put the camera?� ********* Liz tiptoed into the room, walking up next to the crib. Noah was sprawled on his back, wearing his jammies with the feet. He had kicked off the blanket, the plush pooh bear, tucked into his arm. Liz leaned down, touching his rosy cheek. �Nite, nite, precious.� Noah turned to his side, hugging the stuffed toy in his arms. �Nite, nite.� He was still asleep, his deep even breathing confirming it. Liz smiled, pulling the blanket over his body, placing a kiss on his cheek. �I love you, baby.� Max wrapped his arms around Liz�s waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. �You ready?� Liz nodded, linking her arms around Max�s. �Ready.� The two of them walked down the stairs, surprised to see Diane and Phillip waiting by the stairs, a camera in hand. �You guys don�t mind if we take a few pictures do you?� Max and Liz just nodded, posing happily for Diane and Phillip. After about twenty shots, Max held up his hands like he was fighting off the paparazzi. �I think that might be enough. Liz and I still have to take pictures at the prom.� He laughed. Diane put down the camera, a sheepish grin on her lips. �I�m sorry, it�s just you took look absolutely breathtaking together. Kinda hard to keep snapping pictures.� Max smiled, leading Liz out the door. �Goodnight!� Diane and Phillip stood by the door, waving off the couple. �Have a good time!� Back Next |
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