| After Effects - Part Two �Michael?� Maria asked, pulling her arms from Alex. �Yeah, I�m back,� Michael said, his eyes going from Maria to Alex and back. �Where�s your wife Michael?� Alex asked, not liking the way Michael was looking at Maria. �I�m right here Alex,� Isabel said, coming from behind Michael. She smiled as she saw her old friends. �Hey Isabel. You�re. . .uh, looking good,� Alex said when he saw her huge belly. �How far along are you Isabel?� Maria asked, amazed that she, herself, was smiling. �About six months. But since we don�t know about alien pregnancy, I just prepare everyday in case I do go into labor,� Isabel answered. �You wanna sit down?� Alex asked, offering his chair. �Yeah, thanks Alex,� Isabel said, taking her time sitting down. Alex stood up next to Michael and it was then Maria took notice of how much Alex had changed physically. He was almost as tall as Michael and he had a lot more muscle. Maria smiled as she looked at Alex. Michael saw this smile and he fought to keep his temper in control. He had Isabel and he loved her. But, even though he had admitted to himself a long time ago, he still loved Maria. He looked at Isabel and at Maria. �You have to call me when you do have the baby Isabel,� Maria said, smiling wider. �You know I will. . .� Isabel started. �Did you hear that Max and Liz are getting married?� Michael interrupted, needing a change in the subject. Isabel and Maria stared at him as she talked. �Yeah, we all know. I found out about it yesterday,� Alex answered. �Alex, honey, it�s time for your class,� Maria said, looking at her watch. Maria saw Michael cringe when she said the word �honey� to Alex. Isabel also this. �And we need to go. I need to talk to you Michael,� Isabel said, not getting out of the chair. �Okay. It was good seeing you again Isabel. And you too Michael,� Maria smiled as she and Alex went into the college. Michael watched them leave and turned to Isabel. �What do you want to talk to me about Isabel?� �I saw you Michael,� Isabel stated simply. �Saw what?� �The way you�re acting around Maria. You still care about her don�t you?� Hell yes, Michael thought. �Yeah, I do.� �Do you still love her Michael? I have to know.� �Yeah I do Isabel. But she could never replace you and the baby,� Michael said, taking her hand. �I understand that Michael. I guess I just got a little jealous. I�m sorry.� �I know. I love you Isabel,� Michael said, kissing his wife. ***Meanwhile*** �Well, it�s good to see they didn�t kill each other,� Max commented. �But Max, you don�t understand. Maria loved Michael. Loved, Max. Past tense. Sure she still cares about him but she loves Alex now,� Liz told him. �But Liz, Michael still loves Maria. . . .� Max began. �Max, you keep saying that Michael still loves Maria. Maria doesn�t love him like she used to! She loves Alex�not Michael.� �And you keep saying that Maria doesn�t love him. I saw the way Maria looked at Michael, it�s obvious that she still has feelings for him.� �Sure she does. She waited for him her entire life until now. And now that she finally has someone who treats her like a human being and cares about her like a good boyfriend should, Michael gets all jealous! She loved him through Courtney and Isabel! She never had any other boyfriends other than Michael, if you�d even call him a boyfriend, Max. Don�t you get it? Maria is a human being who deserves a man like Alex�a man who can treat her like a queen, not like something that can be thrown away and taken back with a snap of your finger.� �You�ve got a valid point Liz but Michael�s changed.� �He can save his changes for Isabel. I�m not going to let Maria go through that hell she went through before with Michael. And I mean it Max,� Liz said, walking away. Max sighed and went over to Michael and Isabel. ***Five Hours Later*** Alex checked his watch for the third time. What time is she going to be ready? he thought to himself. As if on cue, Maria came out her dorm door. �I�m ready Alex. What do you think of my new dress?� Maria asked as she twirled so Alex could see her dress. �You look really beautiful Maria,� Alex said with a smile. Maria smiled and went over and kissed Alex. Alex was taking Maria out to a fancy restaurant that had just opened a few miles off campus. �You ready to go?� Alex asked as he extended his arm for Maria to take. Maria took his arm and they walked down to Alex�s car. ***The Same Time Across Town*** �Isabel are you ready to go?� Michael called from the bathroom. �Almost,� she said from the bedroom. Michael came out of the bathroom and saw Isabel struggling to get the zipper on her dress up. Michael walked over to her and zipped her dress up. �Thanks,� Isabel smiled. �You look nice Michael,� she said as she straightened his shirt. �So do you,� Michael said, kissing her. �I always do,� Isabel said sarcastically. She sounds like Maria, Michael thought. Where the hell did that come from? he thought. �Always,� he said, kissing her again. �So what�s the name of this restaurant anyway?� �Oceanic View,� Isabel said. �You know, the one that just opened across town.� �Oh yeah, I remember that. It looks really nice.� �Okay, I�m ready,� Isabel said, putting on her perfume. �Okay, let�s go,� Michael said, taking her hand. ***Fifteen Minutes Later*** �Alex, this place is really expensive. Are you sure you want to eat here?� Maria asked as she looked at the menu. �I�m sure. You said you wanted to eat here, so why not?� Alex said. �Yeah, I wanted to eat here but Alex, this is really too expensive.� �Maria, sweetheart, it took a lot of time to get reservations in here tonight. Please, just enjoy it. For me?� Alex said with puppy dog eyes. �Okay. I can�t resist those eyes anyway,� Maria smiled as she leaned over and kissed Alex on the cheek. Alex wanted to kiss Maria some more but he had the urge to look over at the door. When he looked up, he saw the one thing he didn�t need to see tonight�Michael and Isabel walking through the door. Maria sensed Alex�s discomfort and looked over at the door. She saw Michael and Isabel walk through the door. Michael was dressed in khakis and he had on a navy blue polo shirt. Maria he didn�t know he wore anything other than black - but then again, she hadn�t seen him in four years. Isabel was wearing a beautiful lavender two piece. The skirt was cut off a little below her below her knees and the shirt was a short sleeve button down. She thought Isabel looked beautiful and she was happy and Michael and Isabel were together. �Maria!� Isabel yelled into the restaurant. �Isabel!� Maria yelled back as she smiled. Michael did an inward groan as Isabel pulled him toward Maria and Alex. �Michael, aren�t you going to say hello?� �Hey,� Michael said to Maria and Alex. �Hey Michael,� Maria and Alex said at the same time. Maria looked at Alex and laughed. Michael rolled his eyes as his mind wandered to a time where he lived for that laugh. Wait a minute, you live for Isabel now, he thought. He was getting sick of thinking of Maria more than his own wife. He loved Isabel. . . �Do you two want to sit with us?� Maria asked, interrupting Michael�s thoughts. �Yes,� Isabel answered, taking a seat beside Maria. Isabel could have sworn that she saw Michael and Alex groan softly when she answered. �Isabel, are you ready to have this baby?� Maria asked with a smile still on her face. �Yeah. You have no idea what it�s like to feel like a blimp 24-7,� Isabel said, her smile mirroring Maria�s. Yeah, I do, Maria thought, her smile fading. �Maria, what�s wrong baby?� Alex asked, a look of concern on his face. �Nothing. I was just thinking about something I forgot to do,� Maria lied. �You sure?� he asked. When she nodded her head, he continued. �You want to leave?� �After everything you went through to get reservations? No way,� Maria said, kissing him. Michael cleared his throat to get the couple apart. Isabel sensed his discomfort and she knew it was because of Maria. She suddenly grabbed Michael�s hand and squeezed it hard. �Isabel, are you alright? You�re about to break my hand,� Michael said, wincing in pain. �No, Michael, I�m not fine. I think I�m about to have the baby,� Isabel said, squeezing his hand tighter. She soon screamed as the first contraction came. TBC . . . |