KravingCandy - **Fic - Lilah

Title: Premise
Author: Lilah
Rating: PG13-there’s some pretty bad language in it, so if your sensitive to that, you’d better give it a miss
Category: Alternate Universe, M&M, CC
Summary: Maria goes on a quest to find her family, and herself
Spoilers: Uh uh
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Roswell, My Little Ponies, Maple Syrup. The song belongs to Chantal Kreviazuk…I think that’s about it!
Author's Notes: I’d like to dedicate this fic to my brilliant beta-reader, Buggs…chica, you rock the party! Thanks for your motivation.

Her heels clicked audibly on the wet concrete. Unfortunately the unseasonable rain and thunderstorms were playing havoc with her wardrobe. Instead of her usual skirt and quirky T-shirt she’d had to resort to a bulky winter coat and jeans…somewhat annoying in her line of business, an industry that relied heavily on appearances. And she had never known what to wear in winter.

Advertising. The fast pace agreed with her seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm, and she could throw all her creative urges into something both practical and profitable. The company she was with had encouraged her off-the-wall tactics, often finding that she came up with the best solutions with her wacky schemes. It had been only a month since her idea for the 'My Little Pony' revamp, taking it retro and back to the original style of the 80’s. There was even rumor of a possible TV series in the works. All in all, it was an ideal career for her.

Now, after a delicious dinner with a future client, who she might add had lapped up all her ideas like a cat with cream, she was headed home, ready for a night of TV and bubble bath. She sighed as the door to the apartment was within sight. It was going to be bliss.

The blue door, the only colored door on the street opened to an array of flowers in the hall, and she couldn’t help but steal a delicate daisy from a posy. Mrs. Kedworth from upstairs, the owner of the building, had always loved flowers, and the only condition of living in the apartments was that you weren’t allergic.

Up the small flight of stairs, she faced her own door, painted a red that would outdo any fire engine, and carefully turned the lock, aware that there might be someone asleep within, and the heavy door had a tendency to squeak.

The smell hit her first, prompting a grin before she even entered. He’d ground coffee beans, from what she could tell Venezuelan. Her favorite. That meant he’d been to the store, which meant that he was in front of the TV, probably watching a hockey game.

Sure enough, his hair could be seen over the edge of the couch, the game blaring at him. She crept up behind him slowly, avoiding alerting him to her presence. As she was about to muss his hair, he spoke loudly.

“Don’t even think about it.” She pouted before climbing over the couch into his awaiting lap.

“You never even humor me.”

“I could see your reflection in the TV, dumbass!” She slapped him lightly on the shoulder, before curling up into his arms. For some reason she couldn’t feel like the day was officially over until they hugged on the couch.

“Don’t call me a dumbass, dumbass!”

“Ohhh…big words for a little lady.” She giggled as she was enveloped into his arms, wondering all the while when she had become so comfortable with this man. When he had soaked up her tears on his sweatshirt from her first broken heart? When he escorted her to the prom because neither of them had a date? When both her and her mom had been in a car crash, and her mom hadn’t made it? Or maybe it was the first day of kindergarten, when he let her borrow the spade in the sandpit. Whenever it was, she knew that their bond would never be broken.

The hockey game continued and Maria DeLuca let herself be lulled into a dozy sleep, in the arms of her best friend, Max Evans, the smell of exotic coffee in her senses.

The diner was quiet and empty, something Maria appreciated. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with hoards of people. Max was out shopping with his sister, six months pregnant, and Maria was stuck with nothing to do, nowhere to go…and no one to do it with anyway.

A couple of quick phone calls to Kelly and Gina from work confirmed that there was no one in New York city that was available to spend time with her. Her coffee was cold, and the newspaper she had grabbed from the stand was missing two sections. Her nail had broken on her handbag that morning, and to top it all off, she was having an extraordinarily bad hair day.

At least, she mused, the weather had improved. She couldn’t stand rain or cold, and today she had woken up to a clear blue sky and not a single cloud.

Her mobile rang once, the shrill noise startling her, causing her coffee to spill over the incomplete newspaper. A choice expletive flew out of her mouth before she answered the call.

“Maria DeLuca speaking…” There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Hello? Look…I really don’t…”

“This is Maria DeLuca?” An older man’s voice tentatively asked.

“I think I just said that.”

“I’m sorry…it’s just…” She found herself tapping the table in a staccato rhythm, her fingers an outlet for her frustration. “Maria…I’m your father.”

With those three words, Maria felt herself lose all cohesion. The diner became a swirling mess in front of her, the spilt coffee dripping into her lap forgotten. Her father? She hadn’t…he hadn’t…her father? The last time she had set eyes on her dad was when she was seven and he had driven out of the driveway, leaving her mother to cope alone. There was no bitterness on her mothers behalf, but Maria had always blamed him for the hardships they’d had to face.

“I don’t have a father.” She heard herself say, instantly regretting it. The quick click of a phone being hung up was audible, and she had to brace herself against the tears that threatened to spill. Ending the beeps of the dial tone, she pressed 1 on quick dial. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Max…can you come and get me…I need…” She could feel her throat contracting, her voice squeezing itself out. He could tell.

“I’ll be there in a second…you at the diner?”

“Uh huh.”

“Sit tight, Ria.” Another click and then the dial tone. She found herself gripping the table with her free hand, trying to hold on to the consciousness she had taken for granted only moments ago. As the tears rolled down her face, she flicked through the incoming call function on her phone.

All she could see was ‘number withheld’.

Max had found her at the diner, staring at the phone in her hand with a confused look on her face. When she looked up and spotted him, a single tear made it’s way down her face before she swiped it away. Standing quickly, she motioned for them to both leave, and Max followed, his own concern and curiosity rising.

They walked the short distance back to the only blue door on the street and up the scented staircase without a word. Max’s arm snaked around her back, and he felt her lean into him as her hands shook at the lock. He grabbed the keys and pushed the door firmly, the wood protesting loudly as they entered.

Her bag was discarded on the kitchen table, and she made her way to the sofa, her feet dragging slightly before she slumped into the cushions. Max shut the door behind him and sat next to her, studied her carefully. There was something behind her eyes, something that had changed in the last two hours since he saw her last.

“Are you gonna tell me or do I have to wrestle it out of you.” The usual quick-witted reply didn’t come, and this worried him all the more. A small shrug was her only response, and he fought the urge to hold her. That would just dissolve things into tears, and he would never get the full story. “Ria…can you just tell me?”

“My phone rang in the café.” She said simply, as if that explained it all. Max raised his eyebrows quizzically.

“Ok…who rang you?” She looked up at him, her eyes the greenest he’d ever seen, and he could see her own confusion hiding in there.

“My dad. My father, the one that basically doesn’t exist…well…he called me…or maybe it was just someone pretending to be my dad…in which case that would have to be one of my sicko ex-boyfriends…but he sounded old…and kinda like a dad would…”

Max sat back in the sofa, his hands playing with a stray piece of lint clinging to his shirt. Maria had never really mentioned her dad, but Max could remember the exact day that he left. Maria had ridden her bike over to the Evan’s house, her face streaming with tears, and told him that her dad had disappeared. At seven years old, she had to deal with losing one of the single-most important people in her life…it had been almost like he’d died. And ever since, there had been this wall around her about her dad…she was the most open person Max had ever met, but when it came to her dad…it was an unspoken agreement not to talk about him. An agreement that had only strengthened when her mom had died and Maria was effectively alone at 19-Max had only suggested once that she try and find her father, and the two weeks of silence that followed had just proven this was the one subject not open for conversation.

So he knew that she wouldn’t be making it up. He could see it in her eyes that she was serious about someone calling her. The problem was, had it really been her dad? What kind of asshole would do something like that? One or two of her ex-boyfriends had been complete psychopaths, granted, but to actually try and give the girl a breakdown? Max couldn’t quite place the type of guy you’d have to be to do that.

If it was a joke, then someone was really gonna miss having a right arm. Because Max was quite adamant that he was gonna find the ‘funny guy’ and rip it off him.

“Max? Some kind of interest or something would probably be appropriate right now.” Maria stared at him with questioning eyes.

“What exactly did the conversation entail?” He asked, brought back from his reverie. Had she questioned him, asked for distinguishing features or anything? A name? Anything?

“He told me he was my father.”

“I think I got that part.”

“And I proceeded to tell him that…well…I don’t have a father.” Max rolled his eyes in a common reflex. Figures…she always had had a tendency to speak before she had a chance to think. “I know…it was a stupid thing to say…but what else could I say? Max…he’s my father…and I haven’t seen him for fifteen years…and I was shocked…”

“But you didn’t ask him anything? What about after you made the ‘official dumbass question’? Anything?” She shook her head, her eyes filling.

“He hung up…I can’t believe I just let him slip away…after everything…after mom…I just let him go again…Max…” He wrapped his arms around his best friend, the former judgement dissipated. He could hardly blame her for her reaction, no matter how stupid it had been. She had been bewildered, as anyone would be…and he had no right to be an asshole to her about it.

“Shh…we’ll sort this out.” Maria looked up at him, at his strong face, saw the care in his eyes.

She believed him.

Max had left her at home for the rest of the afternoon, at her request. He hated that this had all surfaced again, especially when she had just gotten closure on her mothers death. He hated that this was just one of those things he couldn’t protect her from.

As he drove the huge valiant they shared to his sisters house, he thought about how their relationship had developed over the past seventeen years.

The elementary years, with Maria coming to Max’s defense more than once, her spitfire personality rearing in the form of fist-fights.

Junior high, and the usual alienation from the cliques…they’d never fit in anywhere. They weren’t popular, but they weren’t dorks either. They weren’t nerds, and they weren’t stoners. They were just Max and Maria.

High school and ‘the couple syndrome’ as Maria had dubbed it. Neither of them had found anyone. There had been dates, and gropage in the back seats…all the usual…but there was no one that lit the spark they longed for. Maria’s mom died the summer after graduation, the car crash fatal. Maria herself had been lucky to survive.

Then had come the opportunity for college, and a way out of the small town they’d both been reared in. Roswell, New Mexico, had never been one in which to stretch your wings. So they left, much to his family’s horror, for New York City. A new start, a new life. Maria had majored in advertising, and Max in microbiology. They’d found the cute apartment, and all, as they say, was history. They’d both achieved jobs in their chosen professions, and were working their asses off to get somewhere in the companies.

And now this. Something that could potentially throw everything off balance, off track…completely ruin everything. But then again, Max surmised, it could help her. And wasn’t that the main thing?

He pulled up to his sister's house, a somewhat rundown villa in the ‘burbs, and shut the door carefully. Last week the handle had come off, so it was a battle of wills between the car and the driver. Be careful or lose your finger in other words.

Isabel was sitting on the porch, a drink in one hand and a tabloid in the other. She eyed her brother walking up the pathway, without saying a word. He looked tired and stressed, and she wasn’t stupid enough to think that this had nothing to do with Maria. He worried too much about her…she was a big girl, and she could take care of herself. Isabel sometimes wondered why Maria didn’t just snap and tell him to back off…but then again, it was Maria, and they had a completely different relationship to that of the siblings.

“Did the whole world come to a halt? Or did she break a nail? That would certainly be cataclysmic my dearest brother.” Max sighed and trod the stairs to his awaiting older sister. She could see the disapproval clearly etched on his face, and considered backtracking her comment. “C’mon Maxie…you know I’m joking.”

“Yeah…I know my darling sister. And I know you secretly have a soft spot for Maria too, so you’re obviously waiting to hear what dragged me away from perusing baby strollers.” He patted her belly before pushing the screen door open. “Is Alex around?” She nodded and pointed inside. Pushing herself up, she winced at the small twinge in her back, and quickly tried to hide it before Max noticed. Largely unsuccessfully. “You should take it easy Is…and don’t roll your eyes at me, I’m just worried about you.”

“Maxie…chill. Ok? I’m pregnant, not stupid. I didn’t lose all powers of cohesion at the moment of conception.” He grinned at her, and she had to resist fluffing his hair, knowing how much he hated it. Following him inside to the dark and cooler atmosphere, she could see her husband working on something in the kitchen. “Alex? You better not be playing with the waste disposal.”

“No Isabel…I’m FIXING the waste disposal.” She groaned, and Max hid a laugh. Despite Alex Whitman’s grace on computers, he had no idea with household appliances. There had already been at least three toasters in the last six months. “And I think I’ve really got it this time.”

“Please don’t turn it on…we’ve got guests, and I really would hate it if you managed to eject last nights leftovers onto my brother's shirt.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it darling.” Alex wiped his hands on his stained jeans. “Max, good to see you.”

“Alex…I saw you yesterday. At work. Remember?” Alex grinned at his wife, and rolled his eyes at his brother in law.

“Sure thing Max. How’s Maria?”

“Actually, that’s why I came here. I thought you might be able to help with a little problem she’s having.”

“Her toaster playing up?”

“Nope…and if it was, to tell you the truth, I doubt you’d be the person she’d call. It’s her dad. He called her.” Both Alex and Isabel were rendered speechless. They’d both been informed of Maria’s situation regarding her family, and this was quite a shock.

“Her dad? I thought he was long gone.” Alex remarked, and Max shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Yeah…so did she. He called her on her cell-phone this morning.”

“Oh my God, Max, what did she say?” Isabel piped up, her sincerity evident in her voice.

“She told him she didn’t have a father. I know, I know, dumb thing to say. But she said it, and he hung up.” Alex put the screwdriver he’d been holding on the bench and took a seat on the nearest chair.

“What’s the situation now then? What does she want to do? Did she check the incoming calls on her phone?” Max nodded.

“It came up number withheld, so that rules out that possibility. I can’t speak for her, but she’s gone into shock about it. Up until now she’s blamed everything on him, because he wasn’t there. He didn’t exist. And now…I think she wants to find him. Especially with Amy gone now.” Isabel grimaced at the mention of Maria’s mother, remembering the crash only too well.

“Ok…first step is to look in the phonebook. Has she done that?” Max crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“She hasn’t, but I did after she told me. Nothing. No listing for Jeffrey DeLuca. And I rang the operator as well, who gave me about five numbers. Nothing.” Isabel spoke up quietly, her voice thoughtful.

“I was watching some program last week…about Private Investigators.” The two men before her looked at each other, daring the other to say something. Alex must’ve picked the short straw because he reached for her arm and then said patiently,

“Don’t you think that’s a little extreme Is? And it would probably cost a fortune.” She shook her head.

“It’s quite common these days, thank you very much. And it’s not that expensive. So there.” She poked her tongue out at her husband, her brother looking on in amusement. He was so not mentioning this to Maria. Knowing her, she get so carried away with the idea, she’d actually believe that a hokey two-bit schlep with a fake degree in forensics would be able to find her father.

“What I came here to ask Alex was, could you have a look on the Internet? Play around with the computer and see what you come up with?” Alex’s eyes glinted with excitement. Any excuse to spend time in front of his beloved computer!

“Tell the little lady that I’m onto the case. Who needs a detective when you’ve got Alex Whitman, surfer-extraordinaire!” Max laughed and kissed his sister on the forehead. She was still thinking about the PI, he could tell, but he just hoped nothing was said to Maria-his sister was nothing if not strong-willed.

As he left, his sister called out behind him.

“Give it some thought, little brother. For Maria.”

Yeah right, Max grinned, Maria needs her own detective like she needs a hole in the head.

“A detective! How exciting!” Max sighed as he entered the apartment. Looks like Isabel had struck again. Great, now he was gonna have to try and be supportive about this whole PI thing. Mental note to self: Never trust your sister.

Avoiding the hyperactive pixie in the living room, Mac decided to clean his room. That always calmed him down. It was almost as if being organized in his life helped him organize his head at the same time. He wondered if this would have happened if Is still lived back in Roswell. He shook his head, nope…back in the Roswell days Izzy was too concerned with her cheerleading and hairstyles than what was going on in Maria and Max's lives. Not that she was selfish or anything…just a little self-involved. Alex had been good for her, and Max was thankful for the wiry young man every day. Not only had he charmed his sister off her feet, he’d balanced her, given her some perspective.

As he pulled his sock drawer out to start sorting, there was a knock on his door. Knowing exactly who it was, and what the topic of conversation was gonna be, he groaned loudly.

“Maxie? I know you’re in there…look, Isabel told me you weren’t too keen on the whole PI deal…but I think it’s worth a shot.” He stood and opened the door, to find his flat-mate jumping around outside his room, a delirious smile on her face. “Pleeeeaaaaaasssse….this’ll be fun!”

“Ria, it won’t be fun, it’ll be disappointing. He’ll be some hokey ex-cop that couldn’t handle the pace and spends most of his days looking for old ladies lost cats. I just don’t think you need this right now.” Instantly he could tell he’d said the wrong thing. His fairy-like best friend stopped her jumping-bean dance and stood with a hand on each hip, her jaw set.

“Maxwell Phillip Evans, how dare you tell me what I need. I thought you of all people would support me in this. And don’t EVEN try to defend yourself, because you’re being controlling like Izzy says…so stop it. Let me do this.”

“I just don’t want…”

“This isn’t about you. This is about me, all me, and I’d really like to know that I have your support with this.” She pulled the puppy-eyes that he’d never been able to resist.

“Ok, ok…just let me meet the guy first though…”Maria resumed her jumping while Max muttered to himself about fake diplomas and missing animals.

“Ooohhh…this is so…romantic! You know, just like a Harlequin novel!” Max groaned again. “Shutup! It IS romantic…you know, maybe if you became a detective you’d get a date occasionally.”

“We are not having this conversation again Maria.”

“C’mon Max…what was wrong with Gina from work? She really likes you.”

“She wears so much perfume I feel like I’m gonna break out into hives.” Maria poked him in the chest with her finger.

“If you weren’t so picky you’d be married and happy by now. Not still rooming with your best friend.” Her face was smiling, but Max could tell this was a sore point. Stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her, Max breathed in her scent, Cypress and Rose.

“Ria…you know I’m happiest when I’m with you. Besides, no one else would put up with my Friday night hockey AND my bad cooking.” She gave a small smile.

“SOMEONE will. Someone.”

“And aren’t we being a little hypocritical Maria Rose DeLuca? Because, correct me if I’m wrong, you haven’t graced the dating scene for…oh…would it be three months? Maria? Three months…is that right?” She ruffled his hair, the one thing he couldn’t stand.

“That is because I know how many weirdo’s are out there…I’ve dated most of them. You on the other hand need to get out. Call Gina.”

“I’m not calling Gina. I told you…I think I’m allergic.” Maria punched him in the arm. “Ow…that hurt!”

“She is a friend of mine you know.”

“And I’m your best friend, so you’re morally obligated to go with me on this one.” Another punch.

“You’re a dork. Just don’t blame me when you’re old and lonely, because all I’ll say is ‘You shoulda called Gina’. Nope, don’t come running to me buddy.”

Max sighed and retreated back to his socks. Socks were nice, stable and non-speaking…always a bonus. She was still talking in the background, babbling about her very own PI, but Max tuned out.

Was it just him, or had he just been roped into this whole thing?

The phone rang twice before a shrill voice answered,

“Parker & Associates, Liz speaking, how may I help you?” Maria cleared her throat nervously, and attempted to explain her situation.

“Hi, uh, I’m Maria DeLuca, and…um…I’m thinking about hiring an ‘investigator’.” Maria whispered the last word as if it was taboo, and the young woman on the other end laughed.

“Then you’ve called the right number. What exactly do you need investigating.” Maria looked at the piece of paper in front of her, the clear outline she had planned before dialing the number with shaky fingers. It was a blurry mess that made little more sense to her than the jumble in her head.

“Uh…I’ve got a misplaced parent.” Another laugh.

“Well, we can certainly give it our best try. How long has this parent been, erm, ‘misplaced’?”

“Fifteen years, until yesterday.” There was silence on the other end for a moment.

“I’m sorry, Miss DeLuca was it?…could you clarify that for me?”

“I haven’t seen my father for fifteen years, but for some reason he rang me yesterday and now he’s gone again…and I’ve got no way of contacting him…and I’d really like to try and find him.” Maria could hear the clicking of keys in the background of the line.

“Just a moment, Miss DeLuca, I’ll just get this typed up as we speak to keep it as simple as possible.”

“That’s fine.” Maria drummed her fingers on the floor she was sitting on.

“Ok, well, I can try and organize an appointment with one of our detectives. We’re snowed under at the moment, but I’ll see what I can do. May I have your number Miss DeLuca, and I’ll have him call you as soon as he can fit you in?”

“Uh…sure, 555-9908. Listen, is this guy good? I mean, is he gonna be able to help? Because, uh, Liz, I really don’t want this to turn into a wild goose chase.” There was a chuckle on the other end.

“He’s our best. And if your father can be found, then we’ll find him for you.” Maria felt her eyes mist over. This girl was so nice, so understanding. Someone she felt she could be friends with. “Are you still there Miss DeLuca?”

“Call me Maria, please. Thanks for your help, and tell your detective I’ll be waiting for his call.”

“I certainly will Maria. Thanks.” And with that Liz hung up, leaving Maria feeling a little empty. It wasn’t like she had a shortage of friends or anything. She had Max, and Izzy and Alex, and the girls from work. But she’d always felt like there was someone missing, someone vital, off her Christmas card list every year. And the agency girl, she had sounded so nice…

“Maria? What are you doing?” She looked up to see her flat-mate staring down at her with a quizzical expression on his face. Pushing herself up off the floor, she handed him the phone. “You didn’t?” She smiled back at him.

“You know very well that I did. He’s calling me later to confirm times and all that stuff." Max shuddered. It was a guy, a guy that was going to completely take advantage of Maria’s naivete, and leave her parentless at the end of it.

“Did he sound nice?” Max ventured a question.

“Well, I didn’t actually talk to him. There was this secretary or something, who was completely lovely, and she said that she’d sort everything out for me.”

“You didn’t even talk to him?”

“Nope, but Liz said that he call me back.”

“Wait…who’s Liz?” Max scratched the top of his head, more confused than ever. Maria had a way of jumping from one part of a story to another with the briefest stops in between. She growled at him.

“Aren’t you listening to a word I’ve just said? She’s the receptionist…but come to think of it, she could be a detective too I guess…being a detective would kick ass! You remember when I did karate at junior high? I could be a hmfph…” He placed a hand firmly over her mouth.

“Ok, so we wait now, right?” She nodded, his hand still clamping her jaws together. “Can we have dinner while we wait?” Another nod. “Ok, good. You buying?” A firm shake. “I’m buying?” A nod. “Ok then, my shout. But you owe me a dinner if this guy is middle-aged and balding.” An indignant nod, before Max removed his palm. “Did you even get his name?”

“Nope…I bet it’ll be something romantic, like…oh…Rico Talbot. Or Cruise Hunter.” Max laughed out loud.

“Ok…I bet you a night out on the town that his name is Red, or Bill, or Willy. And that he’s balding and middle-aged.” They both giggled.

“Ok, and I bet YOU Maxwell Phillip Evans that his name is Keifer, or Prince, or…Leif! And that he’s tall, dark and handsome.”

“Hey, you’ve already got tall, dark and handsome standin’ right in front of you baby!” Max went to grab Maria, but she squealed and ran to the kitchen.

“Not the sleazy act…nooooo!!!” She shrieked at she was chased around the table, knowing it was inevitable that she was going to be caught. Max made a sneaky move with the chair, toppling his roommate to the floor, leaving her in a ball of breathless blonde hair.

“Maxie?” He looked at her from his royal throne (the nearest chair). “Will you look after me if this doesn’t work out? Because I don’t want to consider that this won’t happen…but it might not. And if it doesn’t…” Max grabbed her hand closest to him, squeezed it gently.

“And if it doesn’t, life will go on, and we’ll still be bestest friends. M&M forever, remember?” She gave a small sigh at the mention of their elementary ‘club’.

“M&M forever.”

They sat in front of the TV, limbs tangled amongst the others, a blanket pitched haphazardly over their clothes. Maria had insisted on a night of sit-coms, and Max was less than happy about it. For some reason he’d always preferred sci-fi shows, anything to do with the unreal, the impossible. Maria hated the stuff, and in all their years of friendship, had never sat through an entire episode of Star Trek once.

The cordless phone beeped once, and Maria jumped a foot in the air. Throwing herself at the small object, Max ended up halfway on the floor, half interlocked with the shaking blonde girl in his lap.

“Hello?” She said timidly, a quality that was rare in Maria, one that worried Max a little. It meant she was putting too much into this.

“Hello…uh, may I please speak to Maria DeLuca?” Maria pointed at the phone in her hands and mouthed the words ‘detective guy nice voice’ at a very unimpressed Max.

“Speaking.”

“Oh…hi. I just got a message to call you…from Parker & Associates.” Maria looked at the ear-piece, her eyes narrowing.

“And your name would be?…” The man on the other end coughed.

“Er…sorry, Michael Guerin. I’m the private investigator.” Maria mouthed ‘normal name you lose’ at her suspicious friend, who promptly shook his head and mouthed back ‘no-normal name YOU lose’. “Hello? Miss DeLuca?”

“Oh…sorry…Liz said you would have an appointment time for me?” A small groan on the other end. Obviously Liz hadn’t left a detailed letter.

“My sister…she’s the most efficient person in the world, but I swear she loses something in the translation.” Maria giggled, and then stopped herself. Was she flirting with this guy? Max had an eyebrow cocked, and then mimicked Maria fluttering her eyelashes. “I can fit you in tomorrow at 2. Other than that I’m full up.”

“You must be very busy…2 is just fine. Do I bring anything?” Max pretended to barf over the side of the couch, and Maria thwapped him on the head with the phone.

“Any photos, birth certificates…anything you’ve got that seems relevant. Actually…bring everything. Even the tiniest thing can help.” His voice was lovely, noted Maria. So gruff, but with the touch of youth. She could feel her lips widening into a grin.

“Sure thing…uh, Mr. Guerin. Thanks for squeezing me in.” Max actually laughed out loud at that one.

“Not a problem, see you at 2.”

“Uh huh.” She hung up and turned her attention to the flickering screen of the television. Max poked her in the ribs, and she could feel her color rising.

“Thanks for squeezing me in Mr. Guerin. Jesus…I thought you were gonna break out into ‘When I think about you I touch myself’ or something. You’re SO hot for him, and you haven’t even met the guy.” She swatted at him, all the while concentrating intently on the ad for dishwashing liquid. “You want his middle aged, balding bod!”

“Excuse me, but he sounded our age. And he was very nice, and a little bit shy, and everything a nice guy should be.”

“Oh God, kill me now…you talk to him for all of five seconds and now he’s gonna win ‘The worlds nicest guy’ contest! And how did you expect me to pass up this mock-fest when you acted so…girly!” Maria stood and took a couple of steps backwards.

“Excuse me, I’m going to retire to my bedroom now, as I’ve had quite enough of your quick wit and jibes.” She poked her tongue out at him and turned on her heel.

Max called out before her bedroom door slammed shut,

“Sweet dreams Maria!”

Michael Guerin sat back in his swivel-chair, the fancy kind that lawyers and doctors have in their offices. The leather creaked beneath him, but he barely noticed. His eyes were drawn to the writing in front of him on his blotter. The note from his sister.

Mike Call Maria DeLuca 555-9908 Missing parent URGENT Love Lizzie PS: She sounds nice J

When he’d found the scrawled pen marks, he had immediately dismissed Liz’s matchmaking as her usual concern over him being alone, lonely…blah blah blah. But when he’d actually picked up the phone and rung the young lady, she had sounded…nice. Better than nice. Electrifying?

He shook his head. Somewhere along the line he’d lost his sanity, because he most definitely shouldn’t be having this conversation with himself over someone he’d never met. Lizzie would be delighted.

Picking up his briefcase and jacket, he switched the lights in his office off and left the room, remembering to lock the door behind him. The short walk to his car let him clear his head, the breeze soft and warm, promising a summer near. He’d always hated winter, the cold and rain keeping him enclosed in the house or the business. Call it claustrophobia, but he hated to be locked up.

It was only another ten minutes in the car before he pulled up to the sprawling old house he called home. Liz’s car was in the driveway, along with two others, signaling a full family turnout. He smirked to himself. No doubt Liz had already been regaling them with tales of the poor girl whose parent had gone missing and who sounded so nice on the phone. If he didn’t know better, he would have guessed she’d deliberately assigned him the client for her own measures…setting him up of course.

As the key turned in the door, he felt encompassed by the warmth his family projected. Just entering the house was enough to make him smile like an idiot, and he felt himself blush when he realized this.

“Mikey! Where’ve you been?” He was enveloped by his smallest sister, her blonde curls bouncing around her head like a halo. All of 17, she was the one he drew his strength from, the happiness she radiated enough for the whole family to drink up.

“Hey Tessie…just working, the usual.” Michael kissed her cheek gently, and listened to her melodic laughter. There had been a time when this child hadn’t known how to laugh…hard to believe now. But things had changed, thank God, he thought.

“Hey brother, get my message?” His older sister pushed him along into the den, her arms around his middle.

“DeLuca…sure.”

“And?” Still in front of her, Michael felt like he was being interrogated. Not wanting to give too much away, he played it cool.

“She sounded nice. Like you said.” Yeah, real cool Mike, he thought. He flipped around, his sister still in his arms. Her dark hair cascaded around her shoulders, her grin evil. Tickling her gently, he whispered in her ear. “Lizzie, mark my words, I will get you back for this.”

“Michael, you should have rung me and let me know you’d be this late.” His mother called from the kitchen, and he sashayed into the room, Liz still attached to his arms. “Put your sister down dear, you’ll make her sick.” They both giggled at her automatic reprimand despite the fact that they were both way past childhood, and into adulthood. He kissed her on the cheek as well as she stirred the pot in front of her, a warm smile playing on her lips.

“Sorry I didn’t call mom, Liz had me running some errands.”

“Oh…so you called the lovely girl…how did it go.” Michael evilled his sister and ignored his mom’s comment, preferring to grab a bread roll off the table. “Michael, your sister had a feeling about this one…”

“Mom, she has a feeling about every one. And if every female in this house doesn’t stop fixing me up with their friends, or strangers they talk to over the phone, I’ll end up dating Tessie’s friends.” Exasperated, he paced into the study, looking for his father. “Dad? You in here?”

The computer screen lit the room, illuminating his fathers face in a harsh yellow light. “Hi son, pull up a seat.” He said without looking away from the monitor. Michael did so, concentrating on the information his dad was scrolling through. Missing person files.

“You’ve really gotta learn how to leave the work at the office dad, ‘cause if mom finds you in here, you’re gonna be in the dog house.”

“Son, if you wanna hide in here, that’s fine with me, but don’t lecture me while you’re at it, or I’ll throw you back out to the wolves.” Michael put his hand on the older mans shoulder, felt the inner strength that this man had.

“Point taken dad. Who’re we looking for?”

“Missing 13 year old girl. Parents think she’s run away.” Michael sighed, knowing that those cases were the hardest. Especially for his father.

“Her name?” Like he needed to ask.

“Jennifer.”

“Dad…”

“Son, I told you not to lecture me. And I’m not actively searching for this girl…I’m just checking the files for any clues. Like a good detective.” They both turned when a silhouette appeared on the computers screen.

“You two…dinners ready.” Nancy Parker’s forehead creased when she read the title onscreen, but quickly changed back. Michael glanced at his father, hoping that this wouldn’t turn into one of his parents rare fights. Jeff Parker’s face looked somber for a moment until he patted his only sons back, and rose from the chair.

“C’mon Mike, let’s see what concoction your mother’s made for us.”

And for the second time that evening, Michael found himself thanking God for his family.

She couldn’t decide between the blue slinky top, or the more professional purple blouse. If I was a detective, what would I want a client to wear? Maria slapped her forehead in frustration. She really was gonna have to lay off the fruit loops in the mornings.

She had spent the whole morning at work fidgeting and fussing over the smallest things, her colleagues confused and curious at her behavior. Gina had commented on her new shoes, purchased on a whim that very morning. Maria had simply said that she had fallen in love with them, and simply had to have them…suffice to say, Gina didn’t buy it.

“Maria, what’s really going on? Have you got a new man? C’mon, you can tell me.” Maria had to stop herself from chiding the woman, knowing that she was just being interested in her so-called friends life.

“Nope, no new man. Just liked the shoes babe. Aren’t I allowed an impulse purchase occasionally?” Gina put her hands on her hips and pouted.

“It’s not just the shoes. You’ve been reapplying your makeup every ten minutes, staring at yourself in the windows checking your hair, ignoring everyone else…you’re not being you. But if you don’t want to tell me, I don’t want to know.” And with that, she stomped out of the office, back to her own desk. Maria smiled sarcastically at the empty doorway, resisting the urge to poke her tongue out. Remembering Max’s comment from the night before, she sniffed the air lightly, and burst into a fit of laughter. Talk about perfume lingering…she could barely smell anything else!

Checking her watch once more, she decided that there was little point in her sitting at her desk pretending to work, when she could be at that new boutique on the corner, maxing out her credit cards on a new top.

After all, neither of the ones she had was right for this kind of meeting.

He had reorganized the pencils in the cup three times already. His blotter was clean, and he’d even run a comb through his hair. Liz watched with guarded amusement as her brother proceeded to move the small photo frame he kept in one corner of his desk, to the opposite. Then, on second thought, he moved it back to its original position.

Catching her staring, Michael glared at her, his eyes narrowing. Why was he making such a big deal about this. Why was he sweating like a pig? Why did he feel like he was about to throw up?

He knew that Liz would love to analyze his nervousness, but she wouldn’t be granted the chance. She couldn’t keep her mouth shut around his family, and the very last thing he needed was for the whole tribe to be on his back about this one.

And even if something did happen, which he doubted because for all he knew she could be a transvestite in a travelling circus, he’d probably manage to screw it up. Hadn’t he done that with every other relationship he’d ended up in? There was just something…incompatible…about him and most females. And when he said most, he meant every single one he’d met so far, bar those in his family.

He checked his watch for the tenth time. 1.30. He had half an hour to prepare. He needed a strong coffee and lots of sugar.

Dunkin’ Donuts.

“Be right back Liz.”

The scarlet t-shirt she’d finally decided on was being road-tested. Maria figured if she had anyone laugh at her she’d take it off. If Max was around, he would have informed her she was at her irrational best, but she kept her eyes peeled anyway. No giggle would go unmissed.

Dunkin’ Donuts, the closest food and coffee shop to the PI’s premises, had beckoned to her, and she suddenly had a craving for a plain cinnamon doughnut with a cappuccino. Yep, that would be sure to calm her nerves.

Standing in line, she observed the people around her, mostly professionals on their lunch breaks, grabbing takeaway coffees and snacks. There were a few kids, their moms looking harried and tired. A baby screamed, and Maria steeled herself against the sound. There had always been something about the sound of a crying baby that grated her. Like nails on a blackboard.

Tapping her foot, Maria thought about the investigator she was about to conduct business with. Would he be tall, handsome? Would he be caring and compassionate, or closed off to emotions, more the professional than the nurturer. He had sounded so lovely on the phone, but Maria knew better than anyone that phone conversations betrayed little of a persons personality.

The guy behind her was whistling, another one of her pet hates. Maria tried her best to block it out, hummed to herself, but within 30 seconds she was ready to bite his head off. Didn’t this dork know how annoying whistling was? Couldn’t he just pretend to whistle or something? Could he not think about the people around him and their comfort? Unable to take it much longer, Maria spun around and glared at the offender.

Unfortunately for her, the accused was undeniably good-looking, and the glare turned into a drool-fest within seconds. Trying to grip onto the last vestige of her dignity, she gave a small ‘hmpf’ before turning back around.

“Are you ok there?” The whistler asked, obviously desperate to talk to her. Who wouldn’t be? She WAS wearing her new scarlet top.

“Just fine thank you very much.”

“Oh, I could’ve sworn you just gave me the evil eye.” Maybe the top wasn’t the issue. Maria swiveled quickly, her eyes narrowing to her ‘Medusa’ look. The whistler was unfazed however and simply stared back, daring her to speak.

“Oh…I could’ve sworn you were being the most annoying human on the planet.”

“Do you make a habit of insulting strangers? Or is this breaking out for you? Do you usually stick to making your friends children cry?” He was gonna get it for that one. Maria sucked in a deep breath and prepared to launch her missiles.

“Buster, I really don’t think that talking to me like that is a good idea. I deal with ignorant dumbasses all day at work, and I really try to avoid them in my spare time. Now, if you could just shutup and wait like all the other NORMAL people here, that would be great.” She gave him a small sarcastic smile, taking in his wonderful lips, the broad shoulders…the deep brown eyes. Tearing herself away, she returned to her previous stance in the queue.

“Lady, you really need to stop being so anal retentive.” Maria sighed and decided to leave it. She really didn’t want to be wound up going to see Mr. Guerin, and this jerkoff wasn’t worth the effort.

She ordered quickly, the coffee steaming in her grip. As she made her way out towards the glass doors, she checked her watch again. Bad move. Maria ended up with the whistlers coffee all over her front, and he modeled a fresh cinnamon donut on his shirt. She wanted to scream.

“This is a brand new top, and it’s completely ruined. Thank you for making my day.” Exiting quickly, before he could say anything regarding his recently acquired food, she spun out onto the street, and searched for the sign indicating the PI’s offices. A hundred feet away was the entrance, leaving her with nowhere to go but to the meeting. It was 1.56 anyway, and changing would take too long.

Maria looked up to the sky and swore.

Things were off to a great start.

Michael found his way back to the office, dodging grins from passerby’s on the street. He felt like yelling ‘Yes, I do realize I have donut on my shirt!’. Head down, hands in pockets, he managed to get past Liz somehow and straight into his office.

He searched for the jacket he knew he’d brought with him that morning, and found it lying in a heap on the floor. Crinkled and messy was far better than donutty and sticky he reasoned. On went the jacket. A look in the mirror confirmed that he was still his good-looking self, despite the last half-hour interlude, but he was pretty sure he could get over the whole thing. As long as he never bumped into that crazy lady ever again.

Taking a deep breath, he ran his hands through his hair, and sat down. So much for a relaxing coffee. He would have been better staying right here, listening to Liz jabber about marriage and kids. At least that conversation didn’t come armed with flying food.

He thought back to the woman in Dunkin’ Donuts, her flaming eyes, wild gestures. She sure had been a real spitfire. Those sharp insults had flown off her tongue like bullets. She’d obviously had a lot of practice.

There was a knock at the door, and Michael jumped to his feet. Down boy, down. She doesn’t need to see you all worked up, just be the cool calm guy you know you can be, and everything’ll be fine.

Liz’s smiling face poked around the door, her long hair hanging across her cheek. Winking at her brother, she opened it fully, letting him see his…

Client?

She looked as stunned as he was. There was the crazy lady from the café, her front streaked with brown coffee stains. Her mouth fell open, and he allowed himself a moment to stare at her lips. Perfect lips. Unfortunately he’d heard what could come out of them, and it wasn’t so endearing. Quickly, trying to save face, he spoke.

“Miss DeLuca I presume.” She nodded, a little flushed. He felt a surge of pride. Now she was on his turf. To make a point, he gave a small wolf-whistle. “What on earth happened to your lovely shirt?”

“Some asshole spilt coffee on it. He was whistling too. I hate whistlers. Luckily I got him with my donut though.”

“It would seem you’re pretty intolerant.”

“Only to assholes.” Liz frowned, not following the conversation.

“I’m sorry, do you two know each other?” Michael opened his jacket, revealing the sloppy mess. Maria snorted and Liz hid a giggle behind her hands. “Oh…you’re the asshole?” Maria nodded.

“That would be me.” Michael affirmed. She was really pretty. Her skirt was this amazing crinkled material that flowed over her hips in all the right places, and her calves looked strong and muscular. But her lips…he’d never seen lips like that before. Ever. Period.

“It looks like you guys got off to a bad start. I’m going to apologize for my brother, as it doesn’t look like he’s going to. He’s not usually this…”

“Annoying?” Maria finished for her.

“You could say that.” Michael cleared his throat, reminding them that he was still in the room. “Sorry Mikey. I’m gonna just type as you guys talk, it kinda helps when we look back at it later to get any specific facts.”

“Hold on, who said I want this freako to be my PI?” Maria spouted while Michael crossed his arms indignantly.

“Who said I want this nutbar as a client?” Liz sighed and played the diplomat.

“Maria, he’s the best, ok? If you want to find your dad, Mike can do it. And Michael Guerin, I thought you liked a challenge?” Another wink, this one not missed by the surly blonde that was with them. Michael shrugged non-committedly while Maria played with her hair. “C’mon. Please?” The two opposing parties nodding slightly. “Ok, good. Now start, I’ve got another appointment in an hour.”

Michael sat at his desk, and motioned for Maria to sit opposite. Liz positioned herself at the computer in the corner. Maria put her hand up to ask a question, and Michael groaned.

“I’m not interrogating you. You don’t have to do that if you want to ask something.”

“Sorry. I’m a PI virgin.” Liz laughed out loud while Michael went beet red. “I was just wondering how you guys are brother and sister. You look nothing alike.” Liz glanced at Michael, asking him if she should explain. He shrugged again.

“Can we go into that later?” Maria agreed, still confused.

She began to talk about her dad.

Maria threw her keys onto the counter, discarded her t-shirt and wandered to her bedroom. She knew Max wouldn’t be home for at least another half hour, and she needed to relax before describing her day.

Her ‘PI’ had listened to her story, what she knew of her dad’s story, and made some suggestions. He’d also spent much of the time looking into her eyes, and Maria had to excuse herself on two occasions. He was so intense…so infuriatingly…there, that she couldn’t be in the same room with him for more than fifteen minutes without feeling like her head was going to explode.

It wasn’t just the intensity, it was his continuous niggling comments, comments that would usually have her behaving like a lioness, but instead had her blushing like a schoolgirl. She had been pathetic…especially after he had seen her at full force in the donut shop.

Her normal, reasoned reaction would have been to automatically cut all ties with the PI idea, to give up completely. But something had stopped her from pulling Liz aside and telling her that she wouldn’t be back. Something had urged her to agree when Liz asked her to come out for drinks later on.

Maria knew one thing…if she was going to be stuck with that arrogant buttface, Max was coming along. And she could just see Max and Liz getting along really well.

Speaking of the devil, Max entered the room, finding his friend lying on her bed, sighing like she had the world on her shoulders. Assuming the meeting hadn’t gone well, he sat on the edge of the bed and began to rub her feet.

“Hey babe. Not good?” She tilted her head up, opened her eyes, and rolled them lazily. “Tell Maxie all about it.”

Maria relayed the story of the donut disaster, and the following shock meeting. Max could barely contain his laughter, and soon Maria began to giggle as well. It had been pretty funny after all.

“So you like this guy?” Maria sat straight up and looked right into Max’s eyes.

“I never said that…what gives you that impression? I most certainly could never like anything that…annoying. He is completely the most irritating person I’ve ever met…and his hair, I don’t know what he was thinking, but he’s got this whole hedgehog thing going…and his…” Max put a finger over her mouth, silencing the Michael-babble.

“So you like this guy?” She nodded and he removed his finger.

“So much.”

“What’re you planning on doing about it?” Maria grabbed hold of his hand and put on the puppy-dog eyes. “Oh no…how come I get the feeling that this part of the plan involves me?”

“Maxie? Liz asked me if I wanted to go out to drinks with them tonight, and I said yes without even thinking about it, and I CAN’T go by myself, so could you please, please, please come too?” Max dived under the nearest pillow, covering his ears with it. He was so not getting dragged into this.

“No…I can't hear you, la la la la la la la…”

“Maxwell Phillip Evans. How many times have I got you out of sticky situations? I think you owe me this one.” Max cocked an eyebrow.

“You’ve PUT me in more bad situations than you’ve got me out of. And I most certainly owe you nothing after the Gina debacle.”

“But Liz will be there too, and she’s so nice…you guys would look so good together!”

“Not another set up Maria. No way.”

“Please? What if he’s my soul-mate? It would be all your fault if I screw this one up because you weren’t there to kick me when I was saying something needy and dependent. I don’t think you’d ever forgive yourself.”

“You are a freak. And I suppose I can come…for a little while.” Maria squealed and did her happy dance on the bed with Max sitting there looking forlorn. How did he always manage to give in to this girl?

“Now, you’ve got to help me find something to wear…”

Max groaned.

“It just keeps getting better doesn’t it?”

Michael ran straight through the house to his room, before anyone had time to grill him on the days events. The last thing he needed was his mom and Liz and Tess on his back about Maria DeLuca. What he did need was to find some clean clothes. Or at least non-smelly ones. Hell, who was he kidding? As long as they LOOKED clean.

Liz had volunteered their services for a night out on the town. Usually he would have passed that offer up right from the outset…he’d never really been the party guy. But the way Maria had oh-so reluctantly agreed had made him warm to the idea. Who was she to almost rebuke an invite from the Guerin-Parker family?

She was going to have a good time if it killed him.

He looked in the mirror briefly, saw a tired young man staring back at him. Listening to that amazing girl talk about her dad in such a…disconnected way was awful. She didn’t know him at all, and when she’d finally gotten the chance to find out her heritage, she’d blown it.

No wonder she had decided on a PI. Michael was pretty sure he could find the guy.

After all, the fair maiden’s heart depended on it.

He shook his head, ran his fingers through his hair. Tonight was going to be weird. Especially when he didn’t know if he was coming or going with the one female that managed to make him feel…more than lukewarm?

His dad would say she made him ‘hot under the collar’. Kyle, Tess’ boyfriend would recommend he ‘show her a good time’ wink wink. And Michael would punch Kyle in a ‘you better not be showing my little sister a good wink wink time’ way.

Whatever she made him feel, it confused him, and scared him, and made him want to rip all her clothes off.

Had he just thought that?

Kyle would be proud.

Picking up his favorite shirt, he sniffed it, decided it was ok, and pulled his donutted shirt off. Slipping into the cleaner one, he reflected on what Liz was probably telling his whole family downstairs. He’d heard her slam the door behind him.

Which meant he either went downstairs and faced the music, or climbed out the window. Neither option was particularly appealing.

He found his sisters and his mom sitting around the kitchen table, laughing openly. Until they saw him of course.

Why do people not realize that when you quit laughing as soon as you spot the person you’re laughing about, they’re gonna know why you’re laughing. Duh.

“Hey Mikey…good day?” His bouncy blonde sister contained her smiles, and tried to keep a straight face.

“Fine thanks. You?”

“Kyle’s car broke down again.” Michael raised his eyes to the sky. The day that old truck didn’t break down would certainly be a surprise.

“Same old then?” She nodded, her hands clasping an apple from the fruit bowl. He took a moment to marvel at this child that he was lucky enough to call his sister. Somewhere along the line, someone had smiled on him, and given him Tessie. “Liz, are you gonna get ready?” His mom got up and wrapped him tightly in her arms.

“You look different today baby. What happened?” Liz giggled.

“Mom, I know for a fact Liz is trying to convince everyone I met the love of my life. She’s so not…that. She’s a disaster waiting to happen. She’s this mini hurricane or…something.”

“Well, maybe Michael you need a little stirring up. And don’t make that face, mothers know these things.” He nodded complacently, all the while glaring at his sister still at the table. “She sounds nice, and I’m glad you’re going on a date.” Michael almost choked.

“This is so not a date! This is a business thing…this is just drinks and dancing…this is going out with my sister and meeting a client somewhat non-coincidentally…this is…not a date!”

“Sounds like date to me Mikey.” Tess added, her curls bouncing around her face. How come all the women in his life could look angelic while they were using him as shark bait?

“It’s not. Is it Liz?” Liz shrugged.

“Mike, you didn’t see the way she was looking at you. There was this…wonder thing going on. Like she was in awe of you. I really think you got her engine racing…mom, the girl had to go to the bathroom twice in an hour.” The women exchanged knowing murmurs, leaving Michael feeling like he’d invaded some secret society and didn’t know the handshake.

“Maybe she has a bladder problem.” His suggestion was met by shaking heads. “It’s plausible…c’mon, it is!”

“Michael…baby…go out and have a wonderful time. Sweep her off her feet. Come home and tell us all about it.”

“Cause if I don’t Liz will anyway, huh?” He asked his mother, who knew him so well.

“You got it.”

“I’ve got a bad track record in this stuff, you know that.”

“I also know that none of those girls meant anything to you.”

Michael slumped at the table. When had he become so predictable? Liz jumped up and grabbed his hand.

“C’mon. You can help me choose something to wear.”

Oh happy day.

The spotlights and strobes were the only illumination in the dim club, and Max found it hard for his eyes to adjust. Despite spending numerous hours dancing with Maria in similar such clubs, his night vision had improved little. He kept a vigil at the table while his best friend fetched the first round of drinks.

The small blonde he’d entered the club with bopped her way back to the small table and perched herself on a stool. Handing over a glass of soda water to Max, Maria took a sip of her vodka and lemon before grabbing his hand. She squeezed it lightly and gave him an encouraging grin.

“Do I look nice?” Max looked her up and down, trying not to groan. They’d spent literally hours picking the outfit out, tossing numerous items onto HIS bedroom floor that were deemed unsuitable. She sparkled in a sheer gold halter top and a short denim skirt, approved by both Max and the cleaning lady next door who had been called in as a non-biased vote.

Max himself had chosen a simple pair of black dress pants, and a non-descript shirt. Unfortunately the shirt had been vetoed from the outset, and he had ended up in loud blue button-down, with a thin black tie. Anyone that knew him well would instantly see the combo had not been thrown together by an Evans.

So they sat like that, Maria watching the door with an anxious look on her face, Max gulping at his soda water eagerly, just wanting the whole ordeal to be over with already.

Then her face changed. Instead of the crease in her brow being evident, she assumed an air of indifference, and Max could tell the infamous Mr. Guerin had entered the building. Swiveling his head to the door, he saw a tall man with spiky hair narrow his eyes at the bar, a petite brunette on his arm. Max sighed. The night had officially begun.

The first thing Liz saw when she walked into the smoky haze of the bar was Maria DeLuca. She sparkled in a gold Lurex halter top, and Liz looked at her own choice of clothing for the evening. Nothing as spectacular as Miss DeLuca’s, but a favorable combination all the same-knee length purple skirt and black sleeveless top, with shiny Mary-Jane’s. It had only taken a grunt of approval from her fashion-unconscious brother to help her decide.

Maria had seen them, her eyes deliberately averted in a clear attempt to appear level-headed. Liz didn’t point it out to Michael, knowing that those would only be points on the board he didn’t need. He was nervous enough himself, and the fact that he was trying to pretend he hadn’t seen the vision in gold yet betrayed his true emotions.

“Ready for the date?” Michael swatted her arm before detouring to the bar. He needed something to drink. Liz ordered a water, waited for his usual b&c. He surprised her with a cosmopolitan.

“Hey…I watch ‘Sex in the city’. I know what’s cool.’’ Liz could hardly hold in the laughter. Her brother ordering a hip drink? He must really have it bad for the blonde.

They weaved through the already crowded bar, to the four seater round table and stools occupied by Maria and unknown male friend. Nice looking unknown male friend. Bizarrely dressed nice looking unknown male friend. Liz felt her color rising as their eyes met. He had amazing eyes. Brown…but more than brown. Deeper…

“Liz?” Michael nudged her arm for her to take a seat, and she broke away from the strangers intense gaze. Maria smiled warmly at her before sending Michael a casual glare, only to be returned by him. The dark-haired guy sat silent, observing their interaction, fingering his glass.

“Oh…silly me.” Maria smacked her head with her palm. “This is Max, my very bestest friend in the world.” Liz couldn’t help but grin at the childish expression of Maria’s feelings for…Max. Nice name for the nice looking guy. Fitted him perfectly…if he’d been called Greg, or Josh…or anything but Max, it wouldn’t have worked. He was most definitely a Max.

“Hi Max…I’m Liz Parker.” She extended her hand to him, and for a moment she could’ve sworn he was going to kiss her fingers. A tingle swept her body, and she felt the room heat up 10 degrees. “It’s nice…uh, to meet a friend of Maria’s.” His lips twitched into an enchanting grin, while still holding her fingers within his.

“It’s nice to meet you too. Maria says that you both have been extraordinarily helpful.” Shaking her hand lightly, he let go, and she missed the warmth slightly. Liz blushed again, looked to the hands that had only just been released from his gentle grip. When she looked back up to his face, he was focusing on Michael. “So…the Mr. Guerin I’ve heard so…ow!” His face creased in pain, and Maria sent a withering look Max’s way. “…much about.”

Michael ran his fingers through his hair, nervous. His shirt was freshly ironed, his pants slightly creased from a couple of weeks on the floor. His first choice in clothes had been strongly rejected by the whole female voting system at their household, mainly for the smell that Michael had claimed was non-existent. He offered his own hand to the guy, shook it brusquely.

“Yeah…” He muttered unconvincingly and Liz felt an urge of her own to kick the human being she now reluctantly called her brother. Both of the guys had finished their drinks, and Max motioned towards the bar. Michael nodded, and they both moved through the crowd, saying nothing to the females left at the table.

“Chatty pair aren’t they?” Maria observed, gaining a giggle from her comrade. Liz shrugged.

“Michael has never been much of a talker…Max seems nice.” Maria hid her smile but allowed herself a moment to bask in the knowledge that this would be a successful matchmaking effort.

“He’s Max. General good guy. Needs to get out more.” A prolonged silence in which both the girls mused for a moment followed. “Hey…you were gonna explain the whole brother-sister thingie.” Maria remembered from the afternoon. Liz shook the ice in her glass for a second.

“It’s really complicated.”

“You said that this afternoon. Explain?” Liz sighed, knowing that the conversation usually ended in numerous questions, questions she couldn’t answer. But Maria DeLuca seemed nothing if not persistent, and things would probably be easier if she understood the dynamics of the Parker & Associates family.

“Um…it’s kinda of hard to know where to start.” She glanced towards the bar, and saw that the queue would hold up the guys for at least five more minutes. Time for the basics…and Michael could connect the dots if he felt it necessary. “I had an older sister once. I don’t remember her, don’t remember anything about her except her long brown hair. She was ten years older than me and her name was Jennifer. When I was about three, she just disappeared one day. She was on the bus to school in the morning, but never came home that afternoon.” Liz told the story in a somewhat disjointed fashion, as if detached from the situation. “My mom and dad spent thousands on trying to find her, posters, television…everything. They decided to start their own private investigation company…and it turned out my dad was actually really good at it. But she still never got found.” Maria’s brow furrowed.

“But Michael?…”

“When Mikey was six, he was found on a highway, just wandering around in this daze. My parents heard about it from a friend at our local Police Station, and they decided that if they could, they’d adopt him. He was in a pretty bad state, but he came to live with us that month, and ever since he’s been my little brother.”

“Sounds great…your parents must be good people.” Liz shrugged.

“They do what they can. When Mikey and I turned 10 my parents adopted my little sister Tess as well…it was the same kind of situation that Michael had been in. She’s 17 now and she’s cool. Got a boyfriend and all that…” Liz trailed off.

“So things are good at the Parker household?”

“Parker-Guerin-Harding household. Yeah…Dad still looks for Jennifer though. Never give up hope. Family motto.” Maria sighed and thought about all the things you’d never know about people. Liz smiled tightly. “So you can see why I told you it was complicated.” Maria nodded, a million questions bobbing around her brain, but knowing it was better to leave it alone. The guys were jumping through the increasing body count on the dance floor, their drinks sloshing over the edge of their glasses.

Maria noticed that Max had stuck with water, winked at him slightly. Liz noticed the exchange, noted it for future reference. A known non-drinker. That took guts. She herself preferred to be the designated driver most of the time.

“You dance, Michael?” Maria asked, her hands shaking ever so slightly around her vodka. Liz snorted and Michael went red.

“Not if he can help it. The closest he gets to dancing is head-banging to Metallica in his room.” Maria cocked her eyebrow.

“Oh…in that case…Max?” He shook his head, his eyes pleading with her. Not tonight. Liz could see the conviction in the tiny blonde’s clenched jaw, her locked stare. “Someone is going to dance with me. Liz?” She found herself being tugged onto the dance floor, marveling at the strength from the small pixie-like creature in gold.

Oh what the hell…c'est la vie and all that right?

Michael watched as the pixie-girl dragged his sister onto the dance floor, knowing that Liz was only too happy to be out there shaking her stuff. She always protested, but when she got up there she loved it.

He turned his attention to the guy Maria had introduced as her best friend. He sure didn’t seem to be as kooky as her, quiet and unassuming. Michael had seen the way Liz had been captivated with him, with his calm presence and warm smile. Michael had been tempted to mock her publicly simply to regain some lost ground in the brother-sister teasing stakes, but thought better of it. If she liked him, she liked him. Good for her.

Max was staring at the girls, a small smile playing on his lips. Maria was jiggling herself all over the place, and Liz was swaying gently to the beat. They looked a strange pair, but they’d certainly caught the attention of most of the guys in the club. A couple of men stood by the bar, their gaze directly on the two starlets. Michael felt his temperature rise.

If only he knew how to dance. Then he could’ve been out there, looking after them, guarding them. Not that he felt protective of that Maria-girl or anything. Just so they didn’t get into any trouble. You know.

“So you like Maria?” Max spoke, his voice deep and melodic. Michael found himself caught off guard, the question personal from virtually a stranger. He had to remind himself that this stranger was also her best friend. And that off course he didn’t like that girl. How could he? She was…too…something.

“What gave you that impression?” Max shrugged.

“Oh, the general staring, drool dripping down your chin. The usual.” Michael was sure he was supposed to punch this guy in the face for that comment, but there was something in the teasing tone that pacified him. Max wasn’t being cruel or malicious. He was looking out for Maria. Michael had to give him some credit for that.

“You must be looking in the mirror. That was the exact same face you had one when my sister was talking to you.” Michael gave him a rare smile and winked.

“Touché.” Max offered his glass to Michael’s, and they clinked them together. “Cheers to an interesting evening.” They both switched back to staring at the dance floor and telepathically warding off all men within a ten meter radius of the girls. Michael felt good. He had decided in five minutes that he liked the Max-guy. Usually it took him months to make friends. Hence his lack in them. But Max…he was different. Maybe a little like Michael himself was different. He suddenly noticed Maria poking her tongue out at him, daring him to act. Michael found himself saying the very last thing anyone who knew him would have expected.

“Wanna go dance?” Max shrugged again, an action that seemed to come almost as second nature.

“I guess. Making a fool of myself publicly seems to go hand in hand with being Maria’s friend.” They left their glasses on the table and joined the girls.

After all…you can’t spend all your life on the sidelines, can you?

Maria unlocked the door carefully, almost falling through the doorway. She’d had a few drinks too many, she knew it, but the queasiness only confirmed that knowledge. She felt lightheaded and heavy all at the same time, and Max’s arm in the crook of hers was the only thing holding her upright.

“Bathroom.” She requested, and Max helped her hobble to the basin. She looked in the mirror, saw the running mascara and messy hair, couldn’t help groaning in disgust. And then she threw up.

Almost crawling to her bedroom, she heard Max call out to her from his own bedroom, “You ok?”. Maria gave another groan in reply, and laughter followed. She was waiting for the ‘I told you not to drink so much’ speech, but it never came. Thankful, she continued to drag herself into bed. Sometimes she wished she didn’t drink, like Max, but it made things so much less edgy. Like tonight, if she hadn’t been downing the vodkas, she would have been a lot tenser.

And it wasn’t like Mr. Guerin hadn’t been drinking either. He was drink for drink with her for most of the night, until Liz had insisted they leave. Overall, the night had been good. At least, what she remembered of it. She’d spent much of it play-fighting with Michael, Liz and Max involved in discussion back at the table. She hoped they’d get together or something. That would be great.

Michael had a great ass. That had been the big revelation of the evening. It would have been fine if she’d kept it to herself, but being the drunk big-mouth she was known to be, she pointed it out to the man himself. Luckily he was drunk enough to see the hilarity in the comment. She had grabbed his hand and led him to one of the mirrored walls in the club, and carefully entailed what made it a good ass.

If she didn’t die of embarrassment, she really would have to find herself a new PI. He’d humiliated himself on a few occasions throughout the night too however. Like telling her he could moonwalk. And then showing her an interesting interpretation of a moonwalk. Or screaming across the bar as he was being led away by Liz “You’ve got a great ass too!”.

She felt her eyes slip shut, the images flashing across her eyelids. And she muttered softly.

“Grade A ass. Definitely grade A.”

The curtains had been left open slightly, and the warm sun was what woke Michael to the headache that was going to plague him for the remainder of the day. He strategically placed a large hand over his face, tried to force the memories to return. He vaguely remembered being told he had a nice ass. He hoped that didn’t mean he’d stripped off or anything.

Feet hitting the floor, he glanced at the clock on his bedside table. Mickey Mouse’s hands read 11.30. Rubbing his face and eyes, he clomped out of the room and down the stairs.

Tess was curled up in an armchair reading while Kyle, her long-term boyfriend, leaned against her legs comfortably. She peeked up at her brother through a mess of blonde curls, gave him a wave. Kyle nodded his head in acknowledgement, his lips curling into a smile.

“Rough night Mikey?” Michael looked down at himself. His t-shirt was back to front and inside out, his boxers covered in pictures of Spiderman. He must’ve been out to it last night to grab stuff he hadn’t worn for at least five years. He could only imagine what his hair looked like.

“Something like that Valenti…” Michael trailed off, searching the room for his other sister.

“Liz is in the kitchen. Says you and Maria made complete fools of yourselves. Wishes she had a camera.” Tess informed him without looking up from her book. Michael sighed and moved as fast as his aching head would allow into the kitchen.

She was sitting on the kitchen bench, a glass of orange juice in one hand and a piece of toast in the other, legs crossed. Unlike her brother, she looked refreshed and raring to go. When she noticed him lingering in the doorway, she made no attempt to stifle a giggle.

“I have no sympathy for however bad you’re feeling right now. You brought it on yourself.”

“Thanks sis. Love you too.” Michael opened the fridge, the smells causing his stomach to turn. Quickly grabbing the juice carton, he fetched a glass and poured, managed to spill most of the contents on the counter. “Goddamned…” Another laugh came from his sister as he attempted to wipe up the orange mess.

“So, you remember much of the oh-so entertaining evening dear brother? Or is it lost in that drunken haze?” He winced as a sharp pain rocked through his skull. “Tylenol in the second drawer.” Michael fumbled through the drawer and found the familiar bottle. Popping two of the pills with the orange juice he had caught in the glass, he looked back to Liz.

“Thanks.” He responded. “The haze pretty much covers most of last night. Was it bad?” She shrugged.

“Not if you weren’t involved. But for you…it was pretty horrific. Maria too. Her hangover is gonna be a shocker too.” She took a sip of her juice. “Oh…and I’m calling you Michael Jackson now, instead of Michael Guerin.” Terror entered Michael’s eyes.

“I didn’t…” Liz nodded.

“Oh, you so did!” Her eyes glinted with an evil light. “It was even better than when we were ten. This time a whole heap of people got to witness your rendition of ‘Man in the mirror’ and the Guerin moondance. It was stunning. Really.” He cringed and decided right then and there to move far, far away.

“I’m never drinking a Cosmopolitan again.” Michael vowed.

“One Cosmo would’ve been fine bro, two even. But when you got into double digits, that’s when we get into ‘Thriller’ territory.” Liz glanced down at his current choice of clothing. “Hey…didn’t Mom throw those boxers out five years ago? Mikey…”

He hightailed it out of the kitchen, trying to run from the inevitability of the mocking, and ended up barreling straight into his mother carrying a load of washing.

“Michael, would you please look where…oh goodness, you’re in a sorry state aren’t you? And didn’t I throw those out?…” Rolling his eyes, he tried to escape her quick-fire questioning.

“Gotta go Mom…uh, study to do…” Watching her son virtually bounce up the stairs, Nancy Parker shook her head and called out to him.

“You don’t go to school anymore. And that response wouldn’t have gotten you anywhere back then either…you NEVER studied!” His door slammed and she ‘tsked’ under her breath. “Liz, is he alright?” She queried to her daughter.

“Just going through the usual morning-after humiliation.”

“He didn’t…”

“Oh but he did…”

“The moonwalk?”

“Uh huh.”

The mother and daughter had a laugh at Michael Guerin’s expense. After all, they knew what the moonwalk meant.

Michael Guerin had finally met someone.

Max found Maria knee-deep in a pile of photos that she’d evidently pulled out of her closet. There were tears streaming down her face, and he quelled the witty comment that was on his tongue regarding last nights outing. Instead he got down on the floor with her and gave her a hug.

“Memories?” She wiped a palm across her cheeks, sniffed a little and rested her head on his steady shoulder.

“Yup.” She was holding a picture of her and her mom, taken at a Christmas party a few years ago. Max remembered the party, the joy and happiness that had surrounded them all. Maria had a set of reindeer antlers on, and her mom was wearing a beautiful red and green suit, purchased especially for the occasion. It couldn’t have been taken more than a month before the accident. “Uh…Michael told me to have a look through my old photos, to see if there are any of my dad…and I just got stuck on these ones…” A fresh set of tears cascaded down her cheeks.

“Hey…c’mon…don’t cry sweetie. You’ve still got me…” Max whispered in her ear, and she nodded slightly, the tears still flowing. He only wished that he was enough, that he could make up for her mom and dad. That he could wash away her pain for the things that were missing in her life. “It’s probably not the best time for you to be thinking about all of this…you must have a hell of a hangover.” Another nod, and a small laugh.

“Yep…downed a couple of aspirin before.” She wiped her face again, trying to still the tears. “Guess I made a fool out of myself again?” Max rubbed her back, wondering how he should break the news of last nights escapades.

“Uh…well, you weren’t alone, if that’s any consolation.” Her brow furrowed quizzically, and Max continued. “Michael was pretty trashed too. Did a superb rendition of Michael Jackson.”

“I actually think I remember that! And the moonwalk?…” Max affirmed that.

“Yep, the moonwalk was particularly stunning. Although you did reveal your penchant for his quote ‘Outstanding Ass’ unquote.” Maria groaned and hid her face in her hands.

“I didn’t…”

“Oh but you did. I’d say the humiliation was pretty evenly split.” Max smiled at her warmly, took both of her hands in his. “You think you could manage a frozen yogurt on that stomach? I’ve heard they’re excellent hangover cures…”

“What if I bump into someone that saw me last night…I should just barricade myself up here for the rest of eternity…probably safer.” Max nodded.

“Yep, probably. Unfortunately for you though, it’s my policy not to be friends with hermits or other such recluses. So you’d better just come now, or I’ll have to renege all the friendship rights you currently have.”

“Ok, ok…I’m coming. Just let me get presentable.”

“Uh uh…that could take all day. Just get up off your sorry-for-yourself-butt, and move it.” Maria slowly got up off her knees, casting one last look at the photo she had been holding. They both looked so happy. Shouldn’t she be glad that there was so much happiness for them before her mom had passed away?

“You coming?” Max asked, lingering in the doorway. Maria felt torn somehow, between her old life, and the one she could see rising in front of her.

Maybe Max was right…old pain couldn’t last forever.

“I’m coming.”

The yogurt shop was quiet for a Saturday afternoon, and Michael was silently grateful. Liz had dragged him along, proclaiming that frozen yogurt was some kind of miracle cure for hangovers. He didn’t believe her, not really anyway…but he felt so sick he would have given anything a go.

Liz was already ordering her low-fat double berry delight, and he perused the selection available. Most of the combos on offer made his stomach squelch in protest, so the decision on a simple vanilla yogurt wasn’t so hard. As the yogurt-girl played with the machine thingie, he scanned the shop floor. Just a couple of families wiping up after their kids, three teenagers licking on choco-dips, and an elderly lady fishing every last 5 cent coin out of her purse to pay for her dessert.

“You coming?” Liz asked as she pointed at a table. His head was still giving him hell, so a simple nod was his only reply. It was then that he noticed who was walking through the door.

The Maria-girl. The Maria-girl that had witnessed his atrocious drunk behavior the night before. The Maria-girl that told him he had a nice ass. The Maria-girl that was SUPPOSED to be just a client. The Maria-girl, who even though it was pretty obvious she was feeling like shit, still looked radiant.

Liz was waving the guy that accompanied Maria over to their table, and Michael remembered him as Max. Good guy. He watched Maria’s face as realization dawned on her.

“This was a set-up. It was a fucking set-up.” She thwapped Max on the head with her wallet, and gave Liz a glare that Michael could only describe as chilling. The two schemers weren’t phased by her reaction however, as they simply grinned and started chatting.

Maria spun her way towards Michael, her face a cloudy show of anger. He could tell that she wasn’t really upset about the situation, just trying to cover up her embarrassment. He tried to think of a witty quip, but nothing fell off his tongue, and she ‘hmpfed’ as she flew past him to order.

He took a seat opposite Max and Liz, who were in deep discussion over something to do with computers. Michael yawned pointedly, and Liz poked her tongue out at him.

“You do realize this is a mortal sin, setting me up when I’m still horrifically hung over.” He directed his comment at the two collaborators. They looked at each other and laughed.

“Sorry Michael, but we organized it last night, before you made a spectacle of yourself. And then it was just too funny to let us pass it up.” Max explained while Michael blushed. What was it about this guy that wouldn’t let him hold a grudge against him.

Maria returned to the table and stared at the empty seat next to Michael before sitting down grumpily. Her plain yogurt matched Michael’s, which set Max and Liz off again. The ‘I told you so’s that Michael thought he’d almost missed out on started, and he did his best to ignore them.

“So…not feeling so great?” She gave him a withering glare.

“Well duh Monkey-boy.” He looked confused at the comment, so Maria clarified. “You know, Michael Jackson and his monkey ‘Bubbles’? For such a big fan, you really don’t know your basic MJ facts.”

“I’m not a Michael Jackson freak. I don’t like his music. I don’t like him. Period.” She raised her eyebrows.

“No? Because your performance last night…well, that really didn’t look like an anti-MJ dance. That looked like a dedicated, polished performance, often practiced in the comfort of your bedroom…”

“Oh, you can talk little Miss ‘You’ve got a great ass and here’s why…’. And don’t you dare forget that you actually went through the 10 steps of a great ass. You told me I scored a 9.5.” Maria went red and became unnaturally interested in the texture of her yogurt. “Remember?”

She got a funny look on her face, like she wanted to either laugh or cry, and Michael suddenly felt bad for his ridicule. But she had called him Monkey-boy. “Actually…I don’t remember. I barely remember your moonwalk, and I certainly don’t remember you singing.” She burst out laughing at the silliness of it. “I’m only really repeating what Max told me.”

Michael grinned shyly. “To tell you the truth, it’s pretty much a blackout for me too. Liz filled me in.” They both began laughing, while Max and Liz watched on, looks of satisfaction on their faces. When the giggles finally abated, Michael looked back at Maria, only to burst out laughing again.

“What?” She asked, worried.

“You’ve got…yogurt…all over your face.” Rolling her eyes, she wiped her face with a napkin, trying to keep cool. “I think the vanilla really matches your complexion.”

“Shutup Monkey-boy.”

“Ohh…big words from Butt-girl.”

Monkey-boy and Butt-girl ate their yogurt, the remnants of too much alcohol the night before still hanging over them. And when Butt-girl flung a spoon of Very Vanilla at Monkey-boy, he had no choice but to dump his cup on her head.

After all, isn’t that what Monkey-boys are supposed to do?

Max parked the car easily outside the Whitman house. Maria had suggested that they pay the soon-to-be parents a house call, since she hadn’t seen them for a month. Max knew all she really wanted was to have a girly-talk with Isabel, but he followed along nonetheless.

They’d farewelled Liz and Michael after being kicked out of the yogurt shop, leaving Michael covered in gloopy white splotches. Maria had rushed home to change, while Max waited patiently for her. Another reason he was only too happy to visit his sister and brother-in-law…he needed some advice. His head was spinning, all thanks to his wily best friend and her matchmaking.

Liz. She was like this divine beauty that had just wandered into his life through Maria. She was kind and gentle and thoughtful…and everything else he looked for in a girl. When she had offered her hand to him the previous night, there had been an electrifying moment where he had to catch himself before he bent down and kissed her hand. Her eyes sparkled with so much vibrancy, so much hope…that it had filled him at the same time. He felt her.

“You gonna just sit there all day?” Maria asked, waking him from his Liz-induced stupor. God, he’d only known her for less than 24 hours. He couldn’t just fall head over heels in love with her. Max Evans didn’t just fall into love. It wasn’t part of the game plan.

“Uh…sorry. Lead on.” They locked up the car and ambled up the path to the porch. Music could be heard wafting through the open door, and they wandered inside. “Is? Alex?” A dark head poked its way around the bedroom door.

“Hey!” Alex exclaimed, waving at them. “C’mon in…Belle’s just lying down…” Maria and Max exchanged worried looks, but Alex calmed their concern. “We went out last night…she’s just tired.”

They followed him into the large double bedroom, where Max’s sister was lying regally on the bed. She looked up briefly from her book, and smiled at them.

“Hey brother.” He hugged her warily, still a little worried. “Don’t do that face, I’m fine. Maria, what have you got in your hair?” Maria quickly ran her fingers through her hair, giggling when she found a glob of yogurt.

“Very Vanilla. Don’t ask.” Isabel rolled her eyes at her eccentric friend.

“Sit down, sit down.” Alex motioned at the couch by the bed, but both Maria and Max looked uncomfortable. “Or don’t.”

“I was just wondering if I could, uh, talk to Izzy for a second?” Maria asked.

“And I was wondering if I could talk to you Alex…” Max followed. Both Isabel and Alex looked at each other, questioning their strange behavior.

“Sure…Max-kitchen…I need to ask you a question about the waste disposal.” Max trailed after the wiry young man, leaving his sister and Maria on the double bed to discuss the not-so-secret topic of Michael Guerin. Alex led Max into the kitchen, where he could see the waste disposal in almost exactly the same state it was in the last time he had visited. There was miniscule pieces of machinery littered around the counter, and Max grimaced. He could only imagine what Isabel would have to say on the topic of Alex and his ‘magic’ hands. Alex caught the look on his face and sighed dramatically.

“She wants me to call someone. Can you believe it? She has no faith in me…and I’m really getting it, I swear, it’ll be two days at the most. But she says tomorrow she’s calling a plumber.” Alex swept his hand over the mess. “It’s as if she’s insulting my masculinity or something. I mean, call someone? I CAN do this.” Max patted his despondent brother-in-law on the back.

“Maybe this should be left for the professionals.” Alex looked slightly betrayed at Max’s comment, but Max smiled at him gently. “We can’t be good at everything Alex. And you suck at fixing things.” Alex nodded.

“I know, I know. I’ll call them tomorrow morning. Surprise her with a working waste disposal.” Alex wiped his hands on a spare rag and focused his attention on Max. “You wanted to talk?”

Max rubbed his ear, a habit he had whenever he was nervous or stressed. What was he gonna tell Alex? What could Alex possibly say to make the whole thing less confusing. Forget about her? That would be the most logical suggestion. He didn’t need a whirlwind romance right now. Did he?

“Uh…there’s a…”

“Girl?” Alex guessed, a grin plastered on his face. He knew there was something off as soon as those two had walked through the door. Max was particularly jumpy, and Maria looked even dreamier than usual. If he didn’t know them so well, he would have surmised that they’d finally fallen in love with one another, but he knew the circumstances. They were friends. Best friends…but that was as far as it went. So the impossible had happened…they’d met people.

“Yeah…a girl.” Max’s hands danced over the counter, fidgeting with everything within reach.

“She a nice looking girl?” Alex asked, his tone slightly teasing.

“She’s…magical. I can’t even explain her.”

“Bring a photo next time. So this girl…you’ve talked to her?”

“Yeah…she’s a, uh, friend, sortof, of Maria’s.” Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise. A set-up of Maria’s actually working? This was certainly a precedent. “She’s part of the PI agency thing…” Max trailed off.

“You talked to her properly. More than one syllable words?” Max nodded.

“She’s so easy to talk to…I feel like I’ve known her my whole life.” Alex sighed. The old falling in love at first sight routine. Not a good sign. People always got hurt.

“How long have you known her?” Max looked away and mumbled something under his breath. “Excuse me? I couldn’t hear you.”

“Since nine last night.” Alex let a breath out in a rush. That was fast, especially for Max, the most relationship cautious person Alex knew.

“That’s not long. What are you trying to tell me? You love her?” Max looked awkward, his foot tapping a staccato beat on the floor. “Max?”

“I don’t know. I can’t love her, can I? I’ve only known her for a few hours…but she feels…she feels like home Alex. I feel like she knows me inside and out.”

“Does she have a clue how you feel?”

“Who knows? It’s not like I told her I think she’s my soul mate or anything. But I think she likes me.” Alex smiled once more, the humor in the situation evident.

“Well, if she’s your soul mate, liking you would definitely be a plus.” He thought for a moment. “Have you asked her out or anything?”

“We met again this morning. Unfortunately Maria behaved like the circus was in town and she was the main act.” Alex smirked. That sounded like the DeLuca he knew and loved. “As for the future…I know where she works.” Alex nodded.

“Good start. Ring her…Tuesday. Ask her to the movies. Without the sideshow in tow.”

“You think? I don’t want to screw this up…”

“Take it slow. Don’t propose on the first date. Don’t even get fresh on the first date. If she’s worth your future, she’s worth the wait.”

“Alex, I wasn’t planning on groping her in the back row.” Max insisted, while Alex closed his eyes dreamily. “Isabel holding out on you?”

“Yep…not that you can blame her or anything. She’s hot, she’s tired, and she’s six months pregnant. I love her to bits. But a little bit of…”

“She’s my sister. I don’t need details.” Alex went slightly red.

“Sorry. You sorted with the girl thing?” Max nodded, shook Alex’s hand.

“Yeah…thanks. You know how I get with these things.” Alex shrugged.

“Aw, it was nothing. Tell me one thing though.” Max frowned.

“What?”

“The wonderful lady’s name?” Max smiled.

“Liz. Liz Parker.”

“Good name.”

“Very good name.”

“Indeed.”

And with that, the deep and meaningful conversation was over.

Isabel watched Maria fidget with everything within reach. There was obviously something up with her and Max, and for some reason, Maria was trying to delay talking about it.

“So…spill.” Maria looked up at Isabel, her eyes large and round at the prospect of actually voicing her problems. Problems that she evidently couldn’t share with her best friend.

“Uh…you know how you got me to call the PI?” Izzy nodded. “Well…he’s this infuriating, irritating guy that already knows how to wind me up and can make me blush without saying a word.” She smiled at a random memory.

“So you like him?” Maria crossed her eyes in a mock act of frustration.

“That’s exactly what Max asked when I told him that.”

“So you like him?” Isabel pushed.

“Yeah.” Maria twirled a piece of her hair absently. “He makes me feel sparkly and radiant…and ‘beautiful’.” She whispered the last word, and Isabel felt a shiver come over her. This guy really had gotten to her.

“So what’s the problem then…because he sounds like he’s wonderful.” Maria patted Isabel’s large belly and frowned, trying to file her thoughts.

“He’s…kooky. And he makes me feel *too* much, which is dangerous. I can’t risk getting hurt right now.” Isabel understood. With everything going on in Maria’s life at the moment, she couldn’t afford to fall in love and have that crash while she was looking for her family.

“Maybe you should slow it down. That’s an awful lot of emotions for someone you’ve know a couple of days-don’t get too carried away with the whole thing.” Maria rolled her eyes.

“Easy for you to say. He got these lips…”

“Stop right there. Not needing to know about his lips.” Isabel held up her hand to halt the descriptive babble. “Just don’t jump into anything with him. Ok?”

“Yeah…I just like him a lot. But I can’t do that right now can I?”

“You can like him babe. Like him from afar or something though, because warming his bed would certainly be a bad idea. You’ve got too much baggage at the moment.”

“I wasn’t planning on jumping his bones Is.”

“The way you were talking about his lips…”

“I come to you for advice, and all I get is cruel comments thrown back at me…” Maria pretended to be offended, while Isabel looked amused.

“Bring him home for dinner sometime…then I can see the lips for myself.”

“Oh, well, I’ll be too busy ‘warming his bed’ to bring him over. And you stop thinking about his lips…he’s mine!”

“Hey, I’m a married woman…and pregnant. I’m not looking at ANYONES lips right now.”

“Poor Alex…having to put up with such an evil wench.” They both laughed until Isabel burped loudly. “Eww…Izzy!”

“Sorry, must’ve been the pickle and jam sandwich I had for lunch.”

“Gross.” Maria grabbed her friends hand. “Hey, thanks for listening to me. I know that most of the time I don’t make any sense…so thanks.” Isabel grinned broadly.

“Not a problem. Just one thing…”

“What?”

“This wonder-boys name?”

“Monkey boy.”

“Nice…parents obviously had a sense of humor.” Maria poked her tongue out. “Real name?”

“Michael Guerin.”

“Good name.”

“I know.”

And with a few giggles, the girly chat concluded.

Jeff Parker found his middle daughter sitting on the steps outside their home, writing in her journal. His face creased around the mouth in a smile, a tell-tale sign of years of laughter and happiness. It didn’t tell the story of the heartache and terror-filled nights, but he didn’t mind that much. People didn’t like grief shoved in their faces, especially not grief worth almost twenty years.

But Liz…back to Liz. A couple of strands of hair hung in front of her eyes, and she pushed at it absently. Her pen was scrawling words quickly, and Jeff could tell she had a lot on her mind. Her eyes were narrowed in thought and concentration, and her mouth was set with determination. She always had been determined, ever since she was a little girl.

He searched for a memory of her, of his little Liz, and came up blank. He could almost taste his pride from her report cards in elementary, straight A’s way back then. But how early was that? Six or seven? What about when she was three, four? Kindergarten? There was nothing. He couldn’t even picture her back then, apart from the supplied images prominently displayed around the home.

He knew why it had happened. Jennifer. His first-born. Liz had looked a lot like Jenny, and when Liz turned thirteen it had been hard for him to even let her leave the house. He had been so scared history would repeat itself. That Jennifer would come back through Liz, and disappear again. But she hadn’t, and life had continued in the same fashion it had begun. There were problems, there always are, but they overcame them.

Liz had finished high school and then taken a micro-biology course at college before deciding to work in the family business for a couple of years. Jeff didn’t need to be asked twice…he was ecstatic to have two of his children in the family fold. It gave him a sense of community that had been hard to find for a long time.

She looked up to find him watching her, and shut the book quickly. He laughed, remembering an incident with her brother and one of her journals, back when they were 16. She’d threatened to creep in at night and shave all his prided hair off if he didn’t give it back. Privacy was at a premium in the Parker household, especially with a 16 year old brother intrigued at what girls actually thought. At least that had been the reason given. Jeff suspected Michael had wanted little more than blackmail material. The journal was returned in one piece, leaving both Michael and Liz sleeping soundly again.

“Don’t worry sweetie, I don’t want to know your secrets.” She wrinkled her nose up.

“Dad…” He sat on the stoop next to her, his bones finding it a little harder than five years ago. He was getting old.

“I know, I know. How about a penny for just ONE thought?” She gave him a small smile and pushed her hair back again, a habit Liz had always had. It was hard to believe she was going to be 23 next fall. Hell, it was hard to believe she was an adult.

“I was wondering how clouds got to look like real things.” Jeff leaned back on the highest step and gazed up to the clouds passing through the sky. This was a game they had played every summer since she was…well, since he could remember.

“I think there’s a special cloud machine in Peru that pumps them out.” Jeff surmised, his daughter’s laughter music to his ears.

“Mmmm…maybe. Or there could be a giant that moulds them in shapes that people wish for.” She guessed, playing with a button on her shirt.

“What kind of cloud would you wish for Lizzie-bear?” He caught her glancing back at her journal for a moment before answering.

“Dad, I’d wish for a big heart-shaped cloud. So everyone that saw it would know that someone out there loved them.” Jeff looked sideways at his daughter, noted the dreamy expression on her face.

“Did the ‘date’ go well last night?” Liz looked surprised, before composing herself quickly.

“Uh, Dad, that’s not part of the game.” He sighed before looking back up to the clouds. The one thing he wished for Liz was that she could open up to him. Nancy had even more trouble getting any personal information from her. Not that they wanted to know every last detail about her, they didn’t expect that…just something. Anything. She closed herself off to them, almost as a kind of punishment for something they were unaware of doing.

At least that’s what Nancy guessed. Jeff thought it went a little deeper than that. Back to Jenny and the time they had spent looking for their missing daughter, the time that Liz had been forgotten. It wasn’t until they found Michael that they had felt like a family once more, and the space in between was empty, for both him and Liz. There was a silent resentment that he felt Liz had towards her mother and father, and even stronger to Jennifer, as if she had lost her childhood when the family lost a daughter.

“You’re right baby. Sorry.” She looked sad for a moment, her brown eyes filling with tears, and Jeff had to restrain himself from holding her. There was so much inside her that was a mystery to him, to Nancy. He had a feeling Michael was the only one that had a real knowledge of Liz Parker. “I just…”

“I know Dad. You just want to make sure I’m ok, and that my life is everything I want it to be, and all that stuff.” He murmured in agreement. “I’m fine. I’m happy. Everything’s perfect. Ok?” Jeff winced at her tone, knowing that without meaning to, he’d probed too far.

“Ok Lizzie-bear. Ok.” She smiled at him then, still somewhat melancholy, but an improvement.

“I hear Tessie and Kyle are cooking tonight.” She changed the subject.

“We’d better say grace then. Just in case.” They both laughed, and Jeff watched his daughter carefully. She was ok. Really. He could tell if she wasn’t, right?

Can’t fathers always tell when their kids aren’t ok? Can't fathers always tell when their kids aren't ok? He would be able to tell. His kids were ok. He was sure of it.

"C'mon Dad, race you to the kitchen." She climbed up off the step and offered her hand to help him up. He took it, before knocking her slightly off balance and running towards the front door.

Right then he had a race to win.

Kyle Valenti found his girlfriends older brother playing on the family Playstation, a look of concentration etched on the young mans face. Kyle had ventured out of the kitchen in an attempt to avoid spending more time than was absolutely necessary in the confines of the kitchen, lest he start to turn all womanly or something. That sort of stuff did strange things to a guys masculinity, he was sure of it.

Anyhow, Michael was about to get the top score in Grand Theft Auto, when he sat himself down on the sofa, both males’ eyes trained on the flickering images. As Michael finished the round, he looked up and almost jumped a mile.

“Geez…Kyle, don’t do that! It’s freaky.”

“Sorry bro. Didn’t mean to scare ya.” Michael offered the control to Kyle, but he declined. He sucked at that game, and the last thing he needed was to lose valuable points with Tessie's big brother. He had this whole pent-up aggression thing going that was kinda intimidating and awe-inspiring at the same time.

Michael Guerin was Kyle Valenti’s role model.

Except if Kyle could be Michael, he’d date more chicks.

“You and Tess making dinner huh?” Kyle nodded, and the older man groaned. “Should I just go and drink toilet cleaner now, or wait till after the feast to puke my guts out?” Kyle felt slightly hurt for a moment, before he realized that Michael was actually joking and referring to the last time Tess had made dinner for the clan. Everyone had come down with food poisoning, but in an effort to save face on Tess’ part they’d insisted it was the milk they’d used in the coffee. Until now she’d kept her distance from the kitchen. In an effort to change the topic from his girlfriends culinary skills (or lack thereof), Kyle mentioned the one thing Michael didn’t want to talk about.

“So…how was the big date last night? Was a score made? Did you get to home base? C’mon man…” Michael groaned again and turned the TV off. “What? I’m a virile young man…”

“And if you care to stay that way, stop talking about my date.” Kyle’s face dropped and Michael felt instantly bad for his comment. “Hey, I didn’t mean it Valenti.” Kyle found himself looking into Michael’s eyes and seeing sincerity lying there.

“So…”

“It was ok. Made a fool of myself, as I’m sure you’ve heard. She did too, so it’s not that humiliating.” Michael said, Kyle not believing a word of it. It was humiliating, he’d heard the whole story. Michael Jackson was so not cool. It did little to tarnish his view of Michael though, because getting drunk was kinda cool, and the fact that the girl had been trashed as well made it even cooler.

“Is this chick a hottie? Give me a mental picture.” Kyle requested, and Michael had to stop the laughter that was threatening.

“Does Tessie know you’re so sleazy?” Michael re-thought his question. “Tell me Tessie DOESN’T know you’re so sleazy…because so help me God, if you give anyone ‘mental pictures’ of my little sister…”

“Hey, Mikey G, it’s not like that!” Kyle squeaked. “Just a question man!” Michael thought for a moment, trying to explain the female in question.

“She’s…little. Maybe smaller than Liz. And she flits around everywhere like she should have wings or something. Awesome blonde hair that’s all long and curly, but not Tess curly…but more than wavy. Big green eyes. A mouth that talks non-stop about anything she thinks about, before she actually thinks it.” Michael paused and pictured her as she had been that morning. “She has this way of coming up with insults out of nowhere. She’s fiery and fragile all at the same time. She’s…kinda glittery. Sparkly. I dunno…she’s just a girl I guess.”

Kyle listened with a smile on his face. Sounded like a babe. Nothing like his Tess of course, but a babe nonetheless. A babe that Mikey, his idol, had fallen for, which automatically qualified her for Playboy status. Playboy…

“Kyle? Are you gonna help me with dinner.” Tess poked her head around the door, waving at Michael as she called her reluctant boyfriend back to the kitchen and it’s feminine qualities.

“Er…coming.”

Maria walked to the office briskly, slightly late for a semi-important meeting. She was pitching her ideas on the new ad campaign for a maple syrup company to her boss, who was generally receptive to her tactics. It didn’t look good if she kept him waiting though, and the fact that she had a lot on her mind didn’t help matters.

She passed Gina on her way in to her office, gave the girl a small wave and received little more than a tight smile in return. She obviously still had something up her butt about their ‘fight’ last Friday. Entering her office, she smiled broadly at her rotund, balding boss, who was sipping on coffee.

“Hey Pete. Sorry I’m late…” He held up a hand to quell the apology.

“It don’t matter Maria…I’m enjoying my coffee. Gives me a chance to sit down for a while.” She picked up a couple of files and handed them to him, let him sort through them as she shuffled papers on her desk. Waiting for his verdict, she rang through to the office secretary.

“Kell? Maria here.”

“Hey babe! Good weekend?” The exuberant voice came through the speaker phone.

“Not too bad. Any messages for me?” She could hear paper rustling on the other end while Kelly looked for her small phone pad.

“Uh…one message. Call Parker & Associates as soon as you can. The guy said you know the number.” Maria’s heart missed a beat. Michael had called her this morning. He had called her at her place of work. That had to mean something…didn’t it?

“Thanks Kell.” Maria hung up and noticed Pete was finished with her proposal, and had a look of amusement on his face.

“Hot date with Parker?” She laughed.

“Uh…something like that. How’s the syrup?” He motioned to the folder in his lap.

“Very good, very professional as always. I especially like this one.” He pointed to Maria’s favorite design. “Can we get some further development on that for the Thursday meeting with the owners?”

“I can do that. Thanks Pete.” He stood and patted her on the head.

“Tell Parker that he’s a lucky guy.” Maria rolled her eyes.

“Sure thing Pete.” As he left the room, Maria glanced at her phone. Should she call? Wasn’t it too early to call? What if it wasn’t personal, if it was something to do with her dad? She had to call. Didn’t she?

Maria flicked through her wallet to find the card Liz had handed her after their Friday meeting. Dialing the number slowly, she felt her heart pound.

If he could do this to her after three days, what would she be like after a month? Isabel was right…there was too much of her on the line right now for Maria to get involved.

“Good morning Parker & Associates, Liz speaking, how can I help.” Maria took a deep breath.

“Hi Liz, its Maria here.”

“Maria! Hi…what can I do for you?” Maria twisted the phone cord around each one of her fingers.

“Uh…Michael rang my office this morning and left a message for me to call him back.” Liz murmured with approval down the line and Maria had to grin.

“Just a second, I’ll put you through.”

“Thanks Liz…” Maria said but realized she was talking to the cheesy hold music so many companies used. As she hummed to the elevator version of Scarborough Fair, she doodled on her desk pad. Looking down, she realized she’d just written ‘Maria DeLuca-Guerin’ without even thinking. She scribbled it out, swearing at herself. “Get a fucking grip DeLuca.”

“Excuse me?” Michael’s voice penetrated the handset she was holding, and Maria felt as if he was in the room with her.

“Oh…nothing. It’s Maria here Monkey-boy.” She heard a snort before he spoke.

“I was, uh, just checking the files I’ve managed to find that could be useful…was he ever in the Army?” Maria frowned.

“Not that I can remember. There were no pictures or anything like that.” Silence on the other end. “Why?”

‘”Oh…just a thought. What about prison?”

“What? My father?” She could imagine his face. ‘Well duh’. “Er…no. At least I never got told about it if he was.”

“Ok…well, I’ll keep looking. Thanks.”

“Is that it?”

“Uh huh. That’s all I need at the moment. I might call you later if I come up with anything.” Maria, a little more than slightly confused, tried to unwind her fingers from the phone cord with little success. She dropped the whole phone on the floor, and accidentally fell with it.

“Shit…”

“Maria? You ok? Maria?” Grabbing the headset, she spoke into it, still half on the floor, half back in her chair.

“Uh…I’ve gotta go Michael. Talk to you later.”

“Sure…are you sure you’re ok?” She laughed.

“I’m fine. Thanks.” She hung up, and burst into a fit of laughter.

Yeah, she had played it cool. Real cool. Not.

Liz watched through the small gap in the door as her bumbling brother talked to his ‘client’ on the phone. She knew she shouldn’t be doing it, but something told her that he might need help with this one. And that all things being as they were, he would rather fall off a cliff than ask for help regarding matters of the heart.

As he hung up, she knocked softly on the frosted glass pane, and he grunted at her to enter. He was sitting in his swivel chair, a dreamy expression on his face.

“How’s Maria?” He shrugged.

“It wasn’t a personal phone call. Just needed to know some stuff to do with the case.” She raised an eyebrow.

“Oh…like what?” Michael frowned at her.

“Just…stuff.”

“What stuff?” Liz persisted.

“Army or Prison time.” She laughed.

“You’re kidding me? That information is irrelevant and you know it! The files are generally too difficult to obtain, and too lengthy to dissect if you can get hold of it…aside from the fact that it would tell you absolutely nothing about where her dad is NOW. Michael…”

“Liz, I don’t need a lecture. I’m just doing my job.” Trying to block her out, he refocused on the information in front of him. A photo of a young Maria DeLuca in the bath, her dad squirting her with a water pistol. One of the only photos she had of him, one she had been reluctant to leave in the possession of the firm. Michael understood why-it was the last thing she had to hold on to of her father.

“Why don’t you just ask her out already? She’ll say yes. You know it.” Liz stood across the doorway, her hands on her hips, trying to look like she meant business.

“I’m not interested in her.” Liz gave him a look that clearly said ‘bullshit’.

“Are we just gonna go round and round in circles on this one? Because I know you like her, Kyle told me that it’s obvious you like her…hell, even she knows you like her. So just stop kidding yourself and ask her out.”

“I can’t just ring her and ask her out. I can’t do that.”

“Why? Have you forgotten how to use the phone? Lost the power of speech?”

“Stop being a bitch Liz.” She leant against the doorframe, unimpressed.

“Stop being a whiny chicken-shit jerk Michael. Stop pretending that you don’t want what she could be to you…stop pretending that you don’t need that. Maybe then you’ll find out how to remove your head from its position up your ass.” She left the room, slamming the door behind her.

He was so frustrating, but she knew there was no way she could interfere any further in this one.

He had to do it on his own.

Maria jumped every time the phone rang all morning, until she decided to chill. He wasn’t going to call back. And if he did, she was playing it cool. Right? So no biggie. Sit back and do the work you’re paid to do.

Why am I talking to myself? I have definitely gone crazy. Max always said it was only a matter of time. Mmm…Michael…Dammit! No. No Michael. No little PI fantasies (not that I’ve had any or anything). No sitting on the phone. No, No, No!

“Maria?” Kelly’s voice came through the door, and Maria smiled. This was one chica that would be able to take her mind off Michael the wonder-monkey.

“C’mon in babe.” The door creaked open, and the willowy redhead peeped her head through. Maria motioned for her to sit down in the spare chair. “Lunch?” The redhead smiled, held up two cartons of sushi. “Have I told you I loved you lately!” They both laughed and grabbed chopsticks.

“So…Gina told me you’ve got a new boy! How come you’re not spilling all the gory details?” Maria made a mental note to telepathically throw knives into Gina’s back after lunch. So much for not talking about Michael.

“Uh…it’s not like the usual girl-meets-boy, boy-falls-for-girl, boy-turns-out-to-be-a-psycho, girl-changes-her-phone-number kinda scenario.”

“So it’s not like any of your past relationships?” Kelly questioned, a smile on her face.

“No. Definitely not like any of them.” Maria took a bite of her sushi and mused for a moment. “Very…different.”

“I’m intrigued. He know how you feel?”

“I told him he had a great ass.” Kelly almost choked on her mouthful.

“Nice…playing it cool I see.”

“Just call me the ice-maiden baby.” Maria’s phone rang and they both looked at each other.

“That him?” Kelly pointed at the phone with her chopstick.

“Could very well be.” She could tell Maria was trying to hold back from answering the machine.

“You want me to do the honors?” Maria nodded, her face turning pink with shame. She felt like she’d been transported back to high school, sitting by the phone, waiting for her crush to call. Kelly picked up the phone with a grace that belied her occupation. “Good afternoon, Maria DeLuca’s office, Kelly speaking, how can I help you?” Maria’s grip tightened on her thin chopstick, and it broke in her hands, causing Kelly to giggle slightly.

“No, she’s unavailable at the moment. Can I take a message?” Kelly sent a questioning face at Maria and mouthed ‘Michael Guerin’, causing Maria to jump up and down. “Actually, she’s just walked back into the office, I’ll put you right through.” The phone was passed to the excitable blonde.

“Hello?” She breathed.

“Hi. It’s Michael.” As if she didn’t know. Sound surprised.

“Oh! I didn’t expect you to call back.” Good.

“I told you I would.” Dumbass.

“Oh…right.” Stay cool.

“Uh…I was wondering…” Oh God.

“Yeah?” Good, keep him guessing.

“If you, would, uh…” Oh dear God.

“Are we getting to a point?” Did she just say that?

“Can you just shut your yapping for one minute?” Did he just say that?

“Yapping is now shut.” Good save.

“Ok…uh, do you wanna go on a date?” What was it Isabel said about this? God, mind blank. Um…oh right, no dating Michael Guerin.

“With you?” Could she sound more stupid?

“Uh…preferably. I don’t have any friends to set you up with.” He could be humorous. What would her one good girl friend say about this? Stay clear. She would most definitely tell her to stay away. So Maria should most probably do that.

“When?” Real cool.

“Wednesday night?” Wednesday night…free.

“Uh, I’ll just check my planner.” Yeah right. “Ok, Wednesday’s good.”

“At that Italian place by my offices?” Italian. Spaghetti. Messy.

“8-ish?” God, she shouldn’t be doing this.

“Ok…I’ll bring along the case so we can discuss any progress.” Good…disguise it as a business dinner.

“Ok. I’ve gotta go.” Get of the phone before you ask him what he’s wearing.

“Ok. See you then.” Most certainly Mr. Guerin.

“Bye.” She hung up and glanced back up at Kelly who had an enchanted smile etched on her pretty face.

“Ice Maiden huh?”

“Sure. Teflon even.”

Nancy Parker watched her youngest child work on algebra homework at the kitchen counter. Tess was having trouble with the subject, but struggled on nonetheless, never giving up. Kyle was little help, preferring to practice his wrestling than algebra.

Wrestling? Why hadn’t she seen that parallel before?

“Ma, quit staring at me, I can’t concentrate.” Tess took a bite out of an apple she had carefully placed beside her books, and opened her mouth so her mother could see the contents. “Ahhh.”

“Tess that’s disgusting on so many levels. You’ve been spending far too much time with Kyle.” Her daughter rolled her eyes and shook her mane of blonde curls.

“I’m not having this conversation with you again mom.” The blonde tried to keep etching answers in her exercise book. “Go bother someone else.”

Nancy sighed. When had her children grown up so fast. She felt completely out of control with them. Liz and Michael were living their own lives, sure to move out soon (or so they kept promising), a day she wasn’t looking forward to. The house would feel so empty without her big clumsy son running up and down the stairs, sounding like an elephants stampede. Without Liz’s quiet determination filling the rooms.

And it would only be a matter of time after that until Tessie would leave too. Her baby would fly away from her, and the house would be so quiet. Her pouting and pretend tantrums would cease. It would be just her and Jeff creeping around, creating a different kind of noise.

It scared her more than a little.

“Mom, you ok?” She looked up from the sponge she was rubbing the counter with. “You’re almost through to the floor.” Nancy smiled and played with Tessie’s hair.

“I’m fine baby.”

“You’re weird.” Nancy gave a laugh.

“Maybe. But so are you my darling.”

“Kyle says it’s a family thing.” Kyle, Kyle, Kyle. Nancy swore she talked of nothing else these days. How long had they been together for? Two years, it must be almost. Such a serious relationship for teenagers. Weren’t they really just babies?

The last time she had tried to broach the subject of…intimacy…with her wayward youngest daughter, she’d been told off, much the same reaction Liz had had to the conversation. They didn’t want to talk about it with their mother, the mother that would have no idea about high school, boys and birth control. She just hoped that they talked about it with someone, if not their mother. She knew that Liz and Tessie had a special kind of bond, and was pretty sure her older daughter had placed the hard word on Tess about the whole subject. And Michael was intimidating enough to keep Kyle on his toes.

They were really just babies playing at being adults.

“Tess…you would tell me if you and Kyle were, uh, sleeping together…wouldn’t you?” Tess almost choked on her mouthful of apple, and went bright red.

“Geez mom…do we have to talk about this?”

“Well, I think we do Tessie. It’s important.” Tess placed her pencil on the counter and ran her fingers through her tangled hair.

“Ma, I’m not sleeping with Kyle.” Nancy found herself giving a suspicious look. “I’m NOT!”

“Have you at least talked to someone about it? Liz…or Michael?” Tess mock laughed and rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, ‘cause Michael’s such an expert on relationships.” She chilled at the reproachful look her mother sent her. “Me and Liz talk, ok?”

“Talk about what?” Both females turned at the deep voice behind them. Michael had entered the kitchen, a briefcase in one hand, a can of coke in the other.

“Thank God you’re here Mikey.” Tess said, relieved. She patted the stool next to her, and he sat down, looking slightly scared at what the possible topic of conversation could be.

“What’s going on?” Nancy found herself grinning at her clueless son.

“Ma’s trying to give me the sex talk.” His eyebrows almost hit his hairline.

“Whoah…I think that’s my cue to exit.” Michael got up to leave, before looking carefully back at his little sister. “Why the hell do you need the sex talk?” His gaze flickered back to his mom, who shrugged in response.

“Don’t ask me. She won’t tell me anything.” Nancy said, exasperated.

“I TOLD YOU…I’M NOT SLEEPING WITH KYLE!!!” Tess almost shouted, leaving both her mother and brother stunned. “Jesus. What does a person have to do to get some privacy in this house?” She packed up her exercise book and pencil-case before fleeing the room.

“Touchy subject?” Michael asked.

“Seems to be. Just like Liz.” She sighed, concern for her daughter written on her face.

“Lucky you got me then.”

“How’s that Michael?” Nancy asked, a little confused.

“Well, I was such an angel. No trouble like these feisty females of yours.” She frowned.

“Yeah, right. Shall I mention Junior Prom? Or does the name Katrina ring a bell?” He ducked his head as if to avoid the reminders of his infamous escapades throughout high school.

“Ok, ok. Not an angel. Maybe more a reformed rebel?” Nancy laughed before remembering something.

“Oh…did you call Maria?” His head hit the counter. Obviously Liz had been on the phone home soon after their confrontation. The temperature in the office had gotten so chilly he’d taken the afternoon off, trying to dodge the imaginary spears she kept on throwing into his room.

“Liz call?” He mumbled, his face still on the cold marble.

“Well?” She persisted.

“Yeah mom, I called her.” Nancy rubbed her hands together. The way Liz had talked about this girl…she sounded perfect for their Michael. Fiery and delicate and full of life. Perfect.

“And?”

“20 questions? Or just jeopardy?”

“Answer the question.”

“Wednesday, 8-ish, Italian restaurant.” Nancy rounded the counter and put her arms around the son she spent so many sleepless nights over.

“Good baby. I’m real proud of you.” She placed a kiss atop his messy brown hair. “Real proud.”

“Ma, it’s not like I got accepted to Harvard.”

“It’s better Michael.” He raised his eyes to the ceiling. If his mom was one thing, it was a hopeless romantic. No doubt tonight she’d dream of his wedding. She’d probably have their kids names picked out before dinner.

“Ma, can you let me go…I can’t breathe properly.” She let him out of her embrace, a tear in her eye. “God, don’t cry. It’s only a date!”

“I know baby.” Nancy found herself wiping carefully around her eyes. She hoped this worked out. He needed something more than the family they’d built for him. He needed to get out and build one of his own.

“Can we have steak for dinner?” She laughed. Talk about love and they think of steak. Typical.

“Sure hon. Steak it is.”

Max found the doorway open when he arrived, key in hand. His first reaction was to panic, but then he heard singing coming from inside. Either they had a very cheerful burglar, or Maria was home and she’d forgotten to close the door.

He entered to find the kitchen table decorated with a spray of flowers and candles. Something was definitely going on.

“Maria?” She danced out of the lounge into the kitchen, her arms in the air.

“Hi Maxie! Work good?”

“It was ok. What’s happening?” She spun into one of the chairs at the table.

“What? I’m not allowed to spoil my best friend with a candlelit dinner?” He put his satchel on the floor and looked straight into her eyes.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s going on?” Looking slightly guilty, she played with the flower arrangement. “Maria? What have you done?”

“I, uh, said yes to a date with Michael.” He smiled at her.

“Well, that’s great.” Still confused he had to ask, “What’s the connection with that and this…” he waved his hand at the carefully set table.

“Oh…well…Michael kinda lives at home…and so if, and I do mean if, like I’m only looking at the very tiniest possibilities, we want to go somewhere…say after the date…you know, not that I would probably do that, because I hardly know the guy, but just…if. Then…” Maria began to pull petals off a delicate rose.

“Just say it Ria…” Max sighed, his head spinning from all her babble.

“Could you go somewhere else on Wednesday night, just in case we decide to come back here?” She looked ashamed at what she was asking, and Max sat down at the table.

“I’ll be over at Izzy’s. Ok?” She gave him a broad grin and pulled him into her arms.

“Thank you so much Maxie-boy! You’re the best.”

“I know.” She stood and moved to the oven, where she pulled out a large roast dinner. “Wow. You went all out with this one. Did you really think I would say no?”

“I knew you’d say yes. But I wanted you to say yes because you were happy for me, and not because you felt like you had to.”

“I am happy for you. Thinking of asking him to spend the night huh?” She poked her tongue out at her best friend.

“No. Just in case I get the balls to ask him…and if I still feel like ripping all his clothes off at the end of the night. I might decide I never want to see him again.”

“Any progress on your dad?” She got a wistful look on her face.

“I don’t know. I think he will find him though. Somehow.” Max began to carve the roast. “Enough about me…what about Liz?” He went red right to the tips of his ears.

“Uh…I’m gonna call her tomorrow.” Maria nodded in approval.

“Good. No more double dates though. Too messy.” He agreed quickly, remembering Alex’s advice regarding the three-ringed circus.

“No, definitely no more double dates.” They began to eat, a silence falling over the apartment. Silence eventually broken by Maria speaking.

“I might actually get to see his Grade A ass.”

Max had to fetch a glass of water to stop the coughing fit caused by a piece of potato lodging itself in his windpipe.

"That imagery might be a little more than I need."

The day passed in a blur for Liz, meetings and phone calls keeping her tied up for most of the day. Her dad was in the office, keeping up with the ‘housework’ as he liked to call it. He spent most of his time working with the authorities and the local adoption agency these days, but still popped in at least twice a week to make sure his kids were running the business efficiently. Liz always found that when Jeff Parker visited, things seemed to get busier.

She finally found a spare moment to make herself a coffee and read the latest tabloid magazine. Putting her stockinged feet up on the table and leaning back, she sighed and began to absorb an article entitled ‘I’m having my alien lovers baby’. Shaking her head in disbelief, she barely noticed the phone ringing until her father barked at her.

“Liz! Get the phone!” Quickly flipping the chair back into sitting position, she assumed her secretary voice and picked up the phone.

“Good afternoon, Parker & Associates, Liz speaking, how can I help?” She couldn’t help sounding a little bored, considering it was at least the hundredth call she’d picked up since walking through the door that morning.

“Uh, hi.” Liz recognized the voice instantly. It was Max. Max Evans. He’d called her. Finally. It had been two whole days since she’d last spoken to him. Well, one and a half. “It’s…

“Max. Hi.” She heard him laugh on the other end. She pulled her hair back to the nape of her neck and waited for him to speak.

“Yeah…how are you?” He sounded nervous, and Liz found herself grinning like an idiot.

“I’m ok.” Oh God, she sounded like a ditz. Mention work. “Busy at work.”

“Oh…if you have to go…” No! No!

“Oh, not that busy! Just, uh…steady. You know.” Did he know? She didn’t even know what he did. They’d talked for hours, and she didn’t even know what he did for a living.

“Sure. It’s busy in the lab right now.” He was a scientist? God, she was a science dork from way back. She had done micro-biology at college. How weird… “Liz?”

“Oh…I just didn’t know you worked in a lab.”

“Didn’t I tell you? Yeah, I’m a micro-biologist.” Liz felt like her heart had caught fire.

“Can you just hold a minute?” She asked.

“Sure…” She pressed the mute button and clasped the receiver to her chest before squealing like a schoolgirl. Michael poked his head around the door to check no one was being murdered, only to see his sister stomping her feet and laughing, saying ‘Yes’ over and over. Shrugging, he shut his door. Kooky ran in his family. Jeff looked up briefly, catching the tail-end of her outburst. Smiling, he knew it must be ‘the boy’ on the phone. Good. Very good.

Clearing her throat, she took the mute off. “Hello?”

“Hi.” His voice was deep and gentle. A micro-biologist!

“Sorry, just, uh, had another call on the line.” She lied, a hand covering her forehead. “So, micro-biology. That’s, uh, strange…I majored in that at college.” The line went quiet until Max collected himself.

“Wow…that’s kinda…unusual, huh? That we both studied science and all that.”

“You a science dork too?” She heard him laugh, the phone cradled in the nook of her shoulder blade and chin.

“Oh yeah. Got teased so bad at school. Lucky I had ‘Hurricane DeLuca’ to beat them up for me.” Liz took a moment to realize who he was talking about.

“OH! Maria…right! I can imagine. I had ‘Mad Mikey Guerin’ for a brother so people didn’t really bother me.” They laughed, Liz wondering what it would have been like it they’d been at school together. Would they have found each other through a love for science, hung out at the local diner. Done the usual teenage stuff? Knowing her luck, he wouldn’t have noticed her sitting in the corner quietly taking down everything the teacher was saying. Or if he did, he would have been too shy to say anything. But maybe fate would have brought them together eventually. Maybe.

“Uh…the reason I kinda rang, was to…ask you if…”

“Yes.” She interrupted.

“What?” He queried, the wobble in his voice betrayed his nervousness.

“Yes, I want to go on a date with you. Where, what time and what should I wear.” What was happening to her? This wasn’t the Liz Parker she thought she knew.

“Uh…” She could tell he was taken aback by her up front attitude. “Cinemax, 8.20 tomorrow, jeans and a tee?”

“Perfect. I’ve got to go…but I’ll, uh…see you there.” She said quietly.

“Ok…bye Liz.”

“Bye Max.” She whispered before hanging up.

Two science dorks finding each other. Kinda like atoms. And all that.

“So…you ready for tonight?” Max asked his jumpy flat mate as she attempted to slather a face mask on and make toast. She had spent much of the previous night asking him whether or not he thought THIS outfit was ok…or THAT outfit…did THOSE shoes go…what about THAT handbag? After scouring through her sizable closet, she came to the conclusion that there was absolutely nothing she could wear.

“Mmm…kinda.” Sitting down at the table, she arranged the proposal due in the next day. Having spent hours on it the day before in an attempt to have it finished early, she was pleased with the results. She could only hope the owners approved. “Do you think this layout’s ok?” Max squinted at the brightly colored design and gave her the thumbs up.

“It’s good. They’ll love it.” She carefully put it into her briefcase and chomped into a piece of her toast. “Shopping in your lunch break?” She shook her head at the question.

“Nah…I’ve been taking too much time off at the moment…I’ll have to go after work.” Brushing crumbs off her suit, she got up to leave.

“Uh…Maria? Your face mask…” She looked in the mirror carefully placed by the front door.

“Shit!!! Thanks Maxie-boy!” She rushed to wash it off, while Max sat at the table and laughed. The cordless phone that was sitting on the newspaper rang once, and Max answered lazily.

“’Ello?” He could’ve sworn he had hardly slept an hour the night before. He’d spent much of it tossing and turning, trying to keep awful date scenarios from replaying in his head. He yawned with his hand covering the receiver.

“Max?” A woman’s voice came barreling down the line at him, and he grinned.

“Hi mom.”

“Why haven’t you called me?” He looked at his watch and realized it was Wednesday. His family had struck a deal when he left for the city, that he would call home every Tuesday night. He hardly ever missed it. Sighing, he tried to explain.

“I’ve been really busy…I’m sorry…” Knowing she was only concerned for her children that she hardly ever saw anymore, he didn’t feel pressured. He liked that she worried about him, about Izzy. She always had a chat to Maria as well, keeping an eye on the general state of things.

“Your father and I were worried. Is everything ok?” He grinned, knowing it had nothing to do with his dad. Phillip Evans was pretty easy-going, and as long as his kids were ok, he was fine with it. Dianne…was another story. She was slightly irrational in her view of New York City, and Max knew for a fact that she imagined they were all going to be shot or mugged.

“Everything’s fine. Has Izzy called?” He heard a ‘hmpf’ on the other end.

“Not for a week. Is she alright? How’s Alex?”

“They’re doing good. Izzy’s bored, but I guess that’s to be expected.”

“I can just imagine. I’m trying to convince her to come home when the baby comes.” Max suddenly saw what this was about. He was going to convince Izzy to go home. He hated being in the middle of things. And although Isabel and their mother had a wonderful relationship, always had, she wouldn’t go home. Not if it meant uprooting everything.

Besides, she’d only just got the nursery finished.

“Mom…she’s happy here. Why don’t you come for a visit?”

“To New York? Well…it’s a long way.” He smiled, knowing exactly how excited she was about her first grandchild. If you can’t bring Mohammed to the mountain, bring the mountain to Mohammed. Was that right? But wouldn’t Izzy be the mountain? She was certainly getting large enough…

“It’d be fun. We could take you out on the town. Maria would love it if you came.” He could just see her mentally weighing up the decision.

“I’ll talk to your father about it. Anyway, how are YOU?”

“I’m good.”

“Are you happy.” Was he happy? He was content at least. And he was going on a date with the most wonderful woman in the world.

“Yeah ma, I’m happy.”

“Well that’s one thing at least. I’d better go…give Maria my love and tell your brat of a sister to call me.”

“Ok Ma…love you.”

“Love you too Max.” The phone clicked just as Maria bustled out of the bathroom, a whirlwind of perfume and flying blonde hair.

“I’m late!!! Bye Max!” He waved as she shut the door. The apartment was silent, and he felt a little relieved. Some days he felt like he was going slow motion in a world on fast forward. Today was going to be one of those days.

Putting the plates and cutlery from the rushed breakfast in the sink, he looked out the small kitchen window. There was a beautiful tree out by the sidewalk, and it was beginning to blossom. Through the three years that they’d been in the apartment, he’d seen that tree grow a foot, recover from a car smashing into the side of it, weather frosts and heat waves.

Maybe I’m like the tree, he surmised. Then he slapped a hand to his forehead, an action very much like the one Maria had perfected.

A tree? You are definitely spending far too much time with the fruit loop queen.

Pete had fallen in love with her proposal, and as far as she was concerned, she was off the hook for work deadlines. So, after sitting at her desk for most of the afternoon, twiddling her thumbs and trying to hold back from biting her fingernails, she grabbed her bag and raced out of the office.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Kelly queried as Maria did her best to look inconspicuous. “Oh…the date’s tonight.” Maria nodded, grabbing her mobile off the secretary’s desk. “Let me guess, nothing to wear?”

“Exactly. I’m off to the mall to become my banker’s no. 1 favorite person. Can you forward my calls?” She backed out the door with a wave, and heard Kelly agreeing. She really couldn’t afford to buy anything more, at least not until the end of the month. But circumstances definitely called for a new dress. And maybe a pair of shoes…but only if they were on sale.

An hour later, she emerged from the mall three bags heavier, and $300 lighter. Spending always made her feel good, at least until her statement arrived in the mail, so the clothing-induced high made her feel like floating. Maria stopped to check her watch, 5.08, and decided to head home for a couple of hours of primping and preening.

She really didn’t know why she was making such a fuss. After all, it was just a date wasn’t it?

Michael didn’t know why he was going to this much effort. It was just a date, and she was just some dumb girl. Yeah right Michael…some dumb girl that gives you sparks every time you think about her.

If it was possible to glare at yourself, Michael would be doing just that.

He had let Liz talk him into spending an hour at the men’s wear shop two blocks away, which really meant ‘Michael you have no clothes and you can’t go out looking like that’. She hadn’t said it, but the subtleties were there. Dragging his feet behind him, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been shopping, let alone without his mother, or at least one of his sisters. Usually it took the whole family to get him to enter a clothes store. So this was definitely a first.

When the salesman, a good-looking black guy about Michael’s age asker him if he could help with anything, Michael automatically said no. He didn’t need help shopping. How hard could it be? He was perfectly capable of dressing himself. That was until he actually stepped inside the doorway, which he’d been standing in for five minutes, and saw the racks and racks of clothing. It looked like that scene in the Matrix with the rows of guns, except with khaki’s and knits. Cautiously stepping to the counter, he asked the black guy, who’s nametag read ‘Luke’, if he could possibly assist in choosing something appropriate for a date.

Well…that was what he had meant to say. It came out more like:

“Can…uh, you help…me, with…clothes…I…have a…date?” Luke laughed and gently walked him towards the rack closest to them. He explained the benefits of chinos over cargoes…blue over black…blends over wool.

Michael found himself picking things off the shelves, holding them up to himself. This shopping thing wasn’t really too bad. Damn he looked good in blue. Oh baby…

“Uh, Michael? How about this one…PVC’s kinda last year.”

After half an hour, Michael re-emerged from the shop with a new outlook on life, and a new outfit to go with it. He had realized one important thing, thanks to the help of Luke.

Clothes were his friends.

With that thought in mind, he rushed home to get ready. Would he wear the blue with the black…or the cream…

Liz stood outside the cinema complex, scanning the crowd for Max’s dark brown hair. It seemed like tonight was the night every tall, dark, handsome twenty-something young man was out, but it didn’t stop her heart racing every time one walked past.

“Liz?” His soft voice asked, and she spun on her heel. None of the other TDH’s compared to this, at all. He was wearing a leather jacket loosely slung around his shoulders, and a gray short-sleeved shirt. Black pants and dress shoes completed the look. She realized that she had expected some bizarre combo because of the loud shirt he’d worn that weekend, and then guessed that he probably hadn’t dressed himself. It would have been Maria’s handiwork.

“Hi.” She said slightly nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Pulling on her skirt slightly, aware that it was a little shorter than what she would usually wear, she smiled at him tentatively.

“You look wonderful.” Max whispered into her ear, as if it was a secret. She smiled shyly and wondered what gave him the capacity to make her knees buckle with a simple compliment.

“You look very nice too. Did you dress yourself tonight?” Max laughed deeply, ran a hand down his shirt.

“Yeah. This outfit lacks the DeLuca touch.” Offering his arm, he asked, “Shall we Miss. Parker?”

Looping her arm through his, her skin tingling at his touch, she replied, “Certainly Mr. Evans. Lead on.”

As Max purchased the tickets he had insisted on paying for, Liz watched him. The booth attendant was just as captivated with him as Liz was. He had something…something that made females feel as though their heart was going to explode with every smile. And while most males would use that ability to their advantage, Max Evans seemed completely oblivious to it.

He returned to her, snaking his arm comfortably around her shoulders, a questioning look to make sure she was ok with it. Ok? She was burning up. He’d taken off his jacket when they entered the complex, so it was skin-to-skin touch…which meant her temperature had just risen ten degrees.

They found the theater the movie they’d not-so-carefully selected was showing in, and found seats about halfway down. Liz thought to herself ‘What? Not the back row?’ and burst out in a fit of giggles, until Max gave her a strange look and she composed herself. She really didn’t want to have to explain that one.

As the images flickered on the screen, she wondered if Max was taking in as little of the movie as she was. The only thing she could possibly concentrate on was the feeling of their knees touching one another. Thank God for cramped seats in movie complexes. Silently hoping he’d notice, she laid her arm on the arm rest, all the while staring at the huge screen, faking intrigue. Before she knew what was happening, Max’s hand was in hers, holding it tight. She squeezed slightly, and he returned her pressure.

She was in heaven.

She grinned when she recognized that all they were doing was holding hands. The stuff that thirteen year old girls dream about. And she was about to have an orgasm over it.

Life was pretty good for Liz Parker, hand-holder specialist.

Yep, life was good.

Maria had managed to spill spaghetti down the front of her three times without Michael even noticing. Lucky she’d gone with the black dress after all. Michael was having a lot less trouble with his ravioli, but seemed to be concentrating very hard on saying the right thing. It was as if he’d written out a list of things to say, and was crossing them off in his head as he went along.

“So…” Reaching the end of his ‘list’ he’d obviously drawn a blank and Maria grinned at him.

“So.” She really should help him out, but it was just far too much fun watching him squirm. He’d managed to dress himself pretty well for the night, and the way he’d strutted into the restaurant he knew it. Mom obviously hadn’t picked this one for him.

“Uh…”

“Michael, you don’t have to think of things to say. Conversation is supposed to flow, not follow an order. It’s ok if you don’t have anything to say…just eat.” He grinned at her observation and shoveled in a forkful of beef ravioli, ending up with tomato sauce covering his mouth. She covered her laughter and motioned to his napkin. Misunderstanding her request, he passed the napkin to her, which only served to make her giggles louder. Confused, he continued to chew, a suspicious look on his face.

“Michael…you’ve got sauce all over your face.” His eyebrows shot up his forehead in a look of shock, and Maria felt a little bad for him. A little. “And I know your mom probably wipes your face for you, it’s not customary for your date to. Thanks for the offer though.” He grabbed his napkin back from across the table, scrubbing his chin for every last drop of the tomato mixture. She guessed that this would be the last time he took a date out for Italian.

“Uh…so…I’ve got some good connections for your dad.” Maria’s heart jumped. Did he just say that? “I think it’s really only a matter of time until we find him.” Maria felt her eyes prick with tears, and she willed herself not to let it show how much this meant.

“That’s great…I’m getting my moneys worth then.” He smiled at her softly, something she hadn’t realized he was capable of.

“It means a lot, doesn’t it?” Those damn tears…

“Yeah…kinda.” Change the topic… “How did you decide to become an investigator? Must be really interesting?” He nodded, and she felt relieved that she was no longer the subject of conversation.

“My dad has done it ever since I can remember…and I didn’t do so well at school…my own fault…so I went into the family business.”

“That’s really nice…was your dad proud?”

“Yeah…but he didn’t push us or anything. I mean, Liz had grades that she could’ve gone to med. school with, but she still stayed. So it’s a choice…and I like that we help people.” Maria nodded. The rough-around-the-edges guy really might have a heart of gold.

“Is it your passion?” He looked a little confused and scared by her question. “Do you look forward to it every morning? You want to do it for the rest of your life?”

“Uh…I guess.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, before retracting his answer. “Actually, no. There’s this other thing…” She was surprised. He had depth.

“And that is?”

“Art. I paint.” Whoah…an artist. She wouldn’t have picked that one.

“Wow…do you paint just for yourself, or exhibition?” He focused his attention on the plate in front of him, and mumbled something. “What? Sorry…I couldn’t hear you…”

“I’ve got an exhibition next month…my first.” She smiled at him in encouragement.

“That’s…wonderful. You know, that you can, uh, do that as well.” He looked up at her, his eyes deep and mysterious, and she realized even if she spent a lifetime with this man, she’d never even get to know the half of him. He was so contradicting and worked on so many different levels. She always picked the complicated ones.

“I guess…is advertising your passion?” She shrugged.

“It is until I find something else. I love it at the moment…but who knows about next year, or in ten years.” She pushed her hair off her forehead and admitted defeat with the pasta in front of her. “We shoulda gone with pizza.” Michael shook his head, as if trying to concentrate fully, and she noticed that he had been staring intently at her as she talked. “Wanna get the bill and go for a walk?”

“Sure Butt-girl…whatever you want.” He hailed the harried waitress for the tab, and they stood to leave. Maria grabbed her coat just as her mobile began to ring.

“Do you mind if I answer it? I know it’s against date etiquette…” He waved it off.

“Go ahead.” She pressed answer and placed the phone up to her ear.

“Maria?” It was Alex.

“Hey Alex…”

“Maria, it’s Izzy…and I can’t get hold of Max…” He sounded panicked, and Maria automatically thought ‘the baby’.

“What’s happened?!” Michael put his hand on her shoulder, and she remembered that she was still in the restaurant and virtually shouting into the phone. “Alex?!! What’s going on?” Michael led her out the door, concern written on his face.

“She…she was bleeding…and the ambulance came…can you come…I don’t know if she’s ok…please?!” She could hear her friend crying on the other end, and her heart went out to him.

“Ok babe, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Are you at emergency?”

“Yeah…can you…let Max know?” Max? He was at the movies…damn it. His phone would be switched off.

“I’ll try. Just don’t stress, and I’ll be there.” She hung up, and noticed that she had tears rolling down her cheeks. Izzy and the baby…oh God, this couldn’t be happening. Michael was holding her coat, looking worried.

“What’s going on?” Maria wiped her face and tried to explain.

“Izzy, Max’s sister, is pregnant…she’s just been rushed to hospital. I’ve gotta go and stay with Alex, her husband.” He nodded, accepting the information.

“Ok, I’ll grab my car and drive you.”

“What? I can get a taxi…” He shook his head.

“Sorry Butt-girl, I’m not letting you get a taxi. Just wait here.” He stalked off to get the car, and she allowed herself to cry a little. This shouldn’t happen…

Michael arrived back quickly, his car revving like crazy. She hopped in and lay her head back on the head-rest. Suddenly, she felt a warm hand encompassing hers. Michael was staring at her, probably looking at her streaked makeup, her anxious face.

“I’m so sorry about this…” He reached over and brushed a tear away.

“No problem.” She leant towards him, his hand still over her own.

“Thank you.” Planting a kiss on his lips, tasting her tears on her lips mingling with his. She felt like they…connected. In the midst of chaos, they connected, and she saw him laid open. He placed a hand on the back of her head, stroked her hair gently as the kiss deepened, their thoughts mixing into a whirl-pool of confusion and hope. As they broke away, Michael touched his forehead to hers.

“My pleasure Maria…my pleasure.”

And with that, the car raced off into the black night.

Alex was seeing the world through a blur. His wife was in one of those rooms, and nobody would tell him anything. There were white coats and special non-squeaking shoes flying past his plastic chair, none able to comment on the situation of Isabel Whitman.

He hadn’t been able to call Max, the voice-mail service starting up as soon as the number was dialed. Next person to call was Maria, who had promised she’d only be a little while.

Only a little while.

Plenty could happen in a little while. A few minutes could mean the difference between, say, your wife bleeding to death on the kitchen tiles or being rushed to hospital in time. A little while was how long the doctors said it would take before they would tell him if he would lose both his wife and unborn child.

A little while could take a lifetime.

So he kept his eyes fastened to the door directly in front of him, unsure over whether or not she was even in that room fighting for two lives on her own. He had tried, numerous times, to stop the tears that ran rivers down his cheeks, to stop the only admission his body would make that things might not be ok.

The only thing that tore his gaze from that door was the noise his distressed friend was making as she made her way down the hallway. Her heels clacked on the lino, the indentations left behind a testament to the need for special non-squeaking shoes. Her handbag swung against her leg, banging with a whip.

But it was her voice that pulled him away from the door.

“Fucking bitch. Couldn’t even tell me what room my…sister, almost, is in. Incompetent bitch.” Their eyes interlocked, and Alex felt himself dissolve. There was something in her eyes, a sympathy he’d never needed before was in those green cat eyes, and it scared him.

It scared him to death.

Suddenly he was enveloped in her arms, in her tears…almost straight into her heart. He let himself cry openly, his body shaking as his fear let itself be known. Her hands tangled in his hair. Her mouth whispered soothing words into his ears, words he’d never remember, but would never forget. She held him like one might hold a child, rocking gently, her palm rubbing his back. It reminded him of his own mother, of how she used to kiss his tears away.

Who would kiss his tears away if something happened to Isabel?

“Shhhh…Alex, it’s ok.” He looked up and wiped his cheeks furiously. He had to be strong from now on, Isabel needed him to be the strong one. If only he’d had a little practice… “Michael’s going to find a nurse that knows what’s going on.”

“Who’s Michael?” Alex asked, his confusion only compounded by the chaos surrounding them.

“The dream date. I’ll tell you some other time.” He nodded, his face feeling tight and blank. “Here he comes. Wait here.”

Alex watched as she strode towards a tall man with spiky brown hair, a concerned look on his face. They spoke briefly before Maria touched his arm and he turned to leave. As he turned, he looked back and acknowledged Alex’s presence, a small wave. It was enough, Alex thought, just enough. He must’ve known that the last thing he needed was to be introduced to the new boyfriend. As he left, Maria watched the door swing shut behind him, and Alex allowed himself to be a little happy for her.

Not happy happy joy joy, but a little happy.

She pulled off her shoes and put them into her bag, the heels sticking out over the edge like talons. She jogged up the hallway, pulling her hair up into a pony-tail with her hands. She bent down in front of him, her hands on his knees, and looked him in the eye.

If she was gonna give it to him straight, and he knew she would, then he could take it straight.

“They told Michael that she’s being examined right now, but that she’s not critical anymore.” Alex let himself breathe a sigh of relief. “The examination will tell them more about the baby.”

“Ok…that’s good right? That’s she’s not critical?” Maria nodded.

“Uh huh. It’s great.” She touched his arm gently. “Do you want a coffee? It’s gonna be a long night.”

“Oh…sure. Can I stay here?” Maria looked at the door and smiled.

“Sure thing babe. Sit tight and I’ll be back.” She began her trek to the coffee machine, only stopping when she heard Alex call out.

“Is this her room? Isabel…is she in there?” Maria nodded, a little confounded at the question. Why would he be sitting outside some strangers room?

“I knew it. I knew.” Maria shrugged and kept walking, leaving Alex to watch the coats and shoes once more, using any ESP powers he could have to try and connect with his wife.

He wasn’t sure if he connected, but the concentration made him fart.

But that might have meant something…right?

Michael’s driving left a lot to be desired. He was on a mission to find Liz and Max, since neither of them had their mobiles on. His late model Dodge flew through the streets, his mind not on the road in front of him.

Maria had looked so beautiful that night, the tears streaming down her face. He’d never found tears sexy, probably because they’d always been accompanied with ‘Michael…what have you done to your sister?”. The way she’d comforted her friend, Alex, was just…heart-warming.

She had a lot of heart, he could see that.

The complex was in his sights, and he pulled the car swiftly into a spare space. It would really just be luck if he found them…they could be seeing anything, and it might have already finished by now. But he had to try. He knew if anything…anything, happened to either of his sisters, he would want to be there, holding their hand. So he had to find them.

As fate would have it, Max and Liz were exiting the complex just as Michael ran to the entrance. They saw him immediately, and rushed to his side.

“What’s going on? Where’s Maria?” Max asked, his face contorting a little.

“She’s fine…it’s your sister.” Liz grasped Max’s hand, squeezed it gently. “Isabel?” Max nodded, his face blank.

“What happened?” He asked quietly, his eyes flickering to Liz for a moment, an expression of concern on her face.

Michael took a deep breath and tried to explain. “Alex found her…she had hemorrhaged and was rushed to hospital. She’s not critical anymore, but they don’t know about the baby.” Max’s eyes filled with tears, but he held them back. He had to be strong. Liz’s hand was rubbing his back softly, and he tried to sort through his emotions.

“Michael, can you drive me there. I’d really appreciate it…” Michael held up a hand.

“Don’t even mention it. Liz, you gonna come?” She passed her eyes over her distressed date and nodded.

“If that’s ok.” Max smiled at her lightly, squeezed her hand back.

“Looks like you’re gonna meet the family a little earlier than you thought.” He whispered as they walked to Michael’s car. “Although the circumstances could be better.”

“It’s ok Max. I don’t mind. I just hope that she’s ok…” Liz gazed at her brother. “There wouldn’t be anything holding me together if something happened to Michael or Tess.”

The trio jumped into the car, and for the second time that night, Michael followed the route to the hospital.

Maria sat and watched the door, no movement going unnoticed. Alex had been summoned inside, his face white and peaked. The fact that he was even allowed to visit was a positive, she knew that…but the whole situation made her so depressed. It just shouldn’t happen.

There was a flash of blue in the corner of her eye, and she turned in the chair. Max, Michael and Liz were jogging down the hall, Max’s face a picture of worry. Liz looked slightly nervous, and Michael was watching his sister carefully.

When Max reached her, she swept him into her famous ‘DeLuca huggle special’. Rocking him like she had Alex, he whispered in her ear.

“Is she gonna be ok Ria?” Maria rubbed his back and spoke softly into his hair.

“I think so babe. Al’s in there now, and she’s not critical…she’s tough you know.” He stood up straight and wiped his eyes, using the façade of something being stuck in them.

“I know she’s tough. She used to beat ME up remember!?…” Maria grinned at him reassuringly.

“Sure babe. Take a seat.” He shook his head.

“I’m gonna walk it off. If I sit down I’ll be a wreck.” He continued down the hall, leaving Maria with a concerned Liz and Michael. She turned to watch him walk the corridor, saw his hand raise to his face, brushing away the tears he was trying to hide. God, in a way she was glad he’d walked away. If he’d burst into tears there was no way she’d have been able to hold it together.

Turning her attention to the siblings sitting alongside her, she motioned down the brightly-lit hall.

“He’s just gonna compose himself. He’ll be fine in a sec.” Michael nodded, focusing on the floor by his feet. Maria could tell he felt a little uncomfortable about the situation…well, who wouldn’t? Liz was playing with a strand of her hair…attacking it would probably be a better description. Nervous adrenaline. “You guys don’t have to hang around. Max and I’ll drive Alex home when we know Izzy’s ok.” Because there was no way she wouldn’t be ok. Right?

Liz twirled her hair between her fingers thoughtfully. “I guess it’s better if we go. I’ll just go say bye to Max…ok Mike?” The tall man nodded and she followed her date’s invisible tracks.

Michael looked at his hands, unwilling to search Maria’s eyes for whatever lay there. She didn’t know herself where this left them. It had been a bummer ending to a great date, but that meant nothing. Not really.

“So…” She began, willing him to talk.

“Yeah…so.” Maria heard herself sigh, loud enough for him to glance at her. “I hope everything’s ok with Max’s sister…and the baby.”

“Me too.” She tucked her bangs behind her ears.

“Listen…” They both said in unison. She held her hand out for him to continue. “I had a great time…you know, before…and it was…” He trailed off.

“I feel a ‘but’ coming on.” He looked at her in a sidelong glance.

“No ‘buts’. It was good. Great.” She felt herself blushing. Why was she blushing? Guys had said far more romantic things to her than that…that wasn’t even a personal compliment…geez she was a sap. “Can I call you…you know, if you want…and if I have time…”

“Uh, sure…whenever…you’ve got my number.” He stood, brushing the creases out of his new pants, Maria mimicking his actions. “Thank you…for everything tonight. You were wonderful.” He smiled gently.

“Not a problem. Wish Isabel and her husband all the best from me.”

“Will do.” Maria scuffed her foot on the linoleum, her heels raking the soft flooring. It was only when she made contact that the swinging stopped. She realized she’d just kicked her date relatively hard in the shin. “Oh God…I’m so sorry…”

“It’s ok…just a small dent in the bone. And I’m already in the hospital…” He joked. She noticed the way his hands expressed all the things he hid in his face. Those hands…

She reached for one, her small counterpart cradling his palm in hers. She traced his love-line, felt the shiver that ran through his body at her touch. Maria ran her fingers over his crinkled skin softly, almost lovingly.

Was it just her, or were there sparks of electricity running between them?

Michael raised his other hand to cup her chin, a small smile on his lips…those lips…oh God. They leaned into each other, lips touching slightly. The kiss lingered, and Maria thought her heart might just beat right through her chest and end up all over his shirt. As he pulled away, he murmured something she didn’t catch.

“What?” She asked, her breathing still fast. Would her heart ever beat normally again?

“Thank you.”

“What for?” She breathed.

“Showing me…uh, that some things are still…uh, don’t worry.” He turned to go, but Maria still held his hand, and used it to pull him back.

“Uh uh…no way are you leaving that one hanging Monkey-boy.” At the use of his new nick-name he faced her again.

“For showing me that there’s still magic.” Maria was speechless, her jaw open almost hitting her chest. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t…” She placed a finger over his lips…

“Don’t you dare take that comment back pally…that is the single-most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.” She gave him a quick peck on the check, seeing that Liz and Max were walking towards them, hands entwined. “Call me.”

“Maybe.”

“Don’t and you die.”

“Very intimidating. Bet they had to keep you away from the scissors at kindergarten.” A swift kick on his newly forming bruise was enough for him to regret the comment. “I’m gonna have a blood clot or something from those heels.”

“Think of it as a first-date scar. Kinda like a hickey without the lip contact.”

“Is that a promise for…” She gave him her ‘medusa’ look, and he paled. “Never mind.”

Maria grinned to herself.

She was going out with a doofus. If the hospital wasn’t such an inappropriate place, she would have done her little happy dance.

Oh, what the hell…maybe they’d give her some medication or something…

Max watched as his date and her brother left the building, the door slamming shut behind them. Liz looked back just before the bang, her eyes filled with something Max couldn’t define…maybe didn’t want to just yet.

She had been so wonderful all night…the movie had passed in a haze of palm to palm touches. And she hadn’t even thought about whether or not to accompany him to the hospital.

The last words she had said to him rang in his ears.

“I think I like you a lot. So can you call me?” No dancing around the subject, no games. She was straight up, a little like Maria. Liz obviously didn’t want to spend the remainder of the week wondering whether or not he would call, should she call him…

He liked that.

In fact, he liked HER a lot.

But right now his sister was sick, and he had to get to her side.

Maria was still in her position outside the door, her face slack. He would have been concerned if all his attention wasn’t focused on Izzy. God, he hoped she would be ok. That the baby would be ok.

That things would be balanced again.

Just as he was about to voice his thoughts to his semi-conscious best friend, Alex burst through the swinging doors, followed by a nervous looking doctor. Either something had gone very wrong or Izzy had woken up in one of her tempers. Max prayed for the foul mood.

“She’s gonna be ok!” Alex exclaimed, not even noticing that Max had arrived. Everyone in the hospital was gonna know that his wife was ok. “She’s awake now…” Maria burst into tears, the relief overwhelming her. Max sat back in one of the ungodly plastic chairs, his breath coming out in a rush.

She was ok. Izzy was ok.

“Thank God for that.” Maria spoke through her barrage of tears. “That girl has some explaining to do…I swear she took ten years off my life tonight.” Alex realized that Max had joined them, and virtually threw himself at his wife’s brother.

“I’m sorry I was so late…”

“It’s ok…you got here.” Alex let go of Max, his eyes glistening slightly. “She wants to see you guys…but visits are only allowed for ten minutes…”

Max pushed through the doors, his breath catching in his throat when he saw her in the hospital bed. His sister, usually so full of life and vibrant, looked like a ghostly version of herself. Her face was gray, and her hair splayed on the thin hospital grade pillow.

Isabel saw him immediately, the doors movement catching her attention. She waved him over, the IV line in her wrist mimicking her movement.

“Hey little brother.” She croaked, her voice hoarse. Max felt his heart swell. He had never known fear like he had felt tonight. The thought that something could happen so suddenly, so swiftly…to someone he loved so much…it was all-consuming.

“Hey big sister.” He whispered back as he reached the bed, grasped her hand as tightly as he thought her pain threshold would allow. “You do realize this means I’m not letting you out of my sight from now on?” She attempted a laugh.

“Don’t get all over-protective on me Maxie.” She rolled her eyes, an expression that she used so much Max felt a hundred times better with its familiarity. “I’m sure when mom gets up here tomorrow I’m going to be coddled for all she’s worth.”

“Alex called her?” She nodded, wincing a little at the movement. “She staying with you?”

“Doesn’t that go without saying? She couldn’t spend every moment watching me if she was at your place.” Isabel complained, but Max knew how much it meant to her for her mom to be there.

“So what happened exactly? And is everything ok…” He meant the baby, but wasn’t sure how to ask. What if something was wrong? Alex came up behind him, Maria in tow, and brushed a strand of hair off his wife’s face.

“Hey chica…” Isabel smiled at Maria. “You gave us a hell of a scare.”

“Sorry. I’ll try to keep the rest of the pregnancy as uneventful as possible.” She focused back on her brother. “The doctors tried to explain it to me…but I’m still kinda high on all the stuff they’ve been feeding me.” She glared at the drip in her arm. Alex did the honors.

“Apparently she hemorrhaged, they’re not sure why…and when I found her she was blacked out. The last thing she remembers is making coffee for me.”

“Typical…slaving over my tyrannical husband.” Isabel pointed at a pitcher of water beside the bed, and Max filled her a cup, passed it to her. “Thanks…uh, now here’s the best part…I’ve been sentenced to complete bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy.”

“Bed rest?” Max asked, the term alien to him. He was pretty sure he’d heard it once on ER, but what it was referring to escaped him.

“Lying flat on her back. As little walking as possible. No strenuous movement. In other words…”

“A prison sentence.” Isabel finished, obviously unimpressed.

“But the baby’s fine?” Maria ventured.

“Kicking like a soccer player.” Isabel moaned, before resting her palm over her belly. “But as long as it’s ok, I’m ok…I’m going to whine the whole time of course…”

“Of course.” Max added.

“But it’s all for the good of the baby…so it’s worth it.” Isabel finished. Max noted that a little of her color had returned, and he was sure that with the arrival of their mother in the morning, she would be pampered back to full health in no time.

“Well big sister, since you insist on always being the center of attention, I’ve had absolutely no sleep.” Maria felt herself yawning at Max’s comment, her own fatigue remembered. “So I’m going to escort my beautiful best friend home now, and I’ll visit in the morning.”

“We’ll visit.” Maria corrected, her arm slipping around Max’s waist. “And I’ll bring some magazines for you…”

“Thanks guys.” Isabel and Alex said unanimously. “It means a lot.” Isabel concluded.

They both kissed the pregnant woman, her pledges of feeling fine, much better, 100% all falling on deaf ears. There was plenty more concern for her to come, she could tell. Not that she wouldn’t enjoy it while it lasted. She had always enjoyed being doted on…and seeing as she would be the one having sleepless nights and busy days in the near future…why shouldn’t she make the most of it?

Max and Maria left the building, the sky lightening with dawn.

Neither one knew it, but they were both thinking the same thing.

Life is ok.

Michael watched his kid sister spoon cereal into her mouth as quickly as she could. Tess had woken late, and therefore everything had been done at double pace, including shoveling the sugar-coated grains down her throat.

“Could you try not to drool all over the table?” Michael asked, his own toast looking a lot less appealing after watching her eat. She shot him a glare and gave him the finger. “Ok…I know when I’m not wanted.”

He grabbed his piece of toast and left the room, wondering what was her problem. Probably PMS. It seemed like he struck PMS at least once a week in his house, and the only reason he hadn’t gone insane was the fact that his father let him hide in the study with him.

It was amazing how pretending to do work placated the females in his family.

He had a full day of work, including some field work to try and find Jeff DeLuca. He’d gotten various leads to follow up, and usually he’d back off for a week, give himself some time on other cases. This one was personal now though, and he was determined to find the man his ‘girlfriend’ called her father.

“Mikey?” Tess’ voice filled the hall where he was standing, toast in mouth, hands rifling through his briefcase. He glanced up at her.

“Look, if you’re gonna get all bitchy at me, you can save it.” Tess looked mildly surprised, her hands playing with a stray curl from her bun.

“I…no, I’m not going to bitch…sorry about that…uh, can I talk to you?” Michael looked at the clock and remembered he wasn’t starting off in the office today, so it didn’t really matter what time he left. And he was kinda worried about Tess. She didn’t often ask for help, or even for advice.

“Sure Tessie…your room?” She nodded and ascended the staircase to her second-floor bedroom. Michael followed her through the threshold into her room, sat on her green bed cover. He had always loved her room. There were posters all over the walls, covering nearly every inch of cream paint. Photos of family and friends were pinned to a cork-board on the back of her door, a couple goofy ones of him.

The whole thing was colorful and bright and exactly his sister. A big jumble of color.

“So…what’s going on?” Tess climbed to the top of her bed, hugged a pillow to her chest. Her worn jeans had holes all over the knees, her t-shirt the latest brand. She looked reluctant to speak, so Michael thought maybe he was supposed to begin the ‘talk’. Whatever the ‘talk’ was about. “Everything ok with Kyle?” She nodded, her chin pressed into the pillow.

“Kyle’s fine…worried but fine.” Michael’s ‘over-protective-brother-instinct’ kicked in and he was instantly alert.

“Worried about what? What’s the matter?” Oh God, she’s pregnant…his 17 year old sister was…

“Don’t stress, I’m not pregnant or anything.” Phew. Close call. “I can’t sleep anymore.”

“Do you mean like insomnia? Because I’m sure the doctor…”

“Not insomnia. I keep on having dreams…bad dreams.” Michael sighed, not knowing how to deal with this. He thought back to when Tess had first come to live with them, how scared and timid she was. It had taken so long for her to forget, and the dreams that had kept the whole house awake because of the five year olds screams were what he remembered the most. He had been ten at the time, and to hear such utter terror coming out of the mouth of just a baby…it had disturbed him, disturbed them all. “And…I was wondering if you could tell me…about when I first came.” He scooted back to the headboard, to where his sister was sitting, where she looked so little and fragile, put an arm around her shoulders.

“You sure?” He asked, the memories of their parents trying to calm her from her dreams, the sweat pouring off her tiny body, her whole frame shaking in fear.

“I don’t remember anything…and the dreams are so real…they scare me Mikey.” He nodded.

“Ok…but I only know a little bit, just what mom and dad told us when you first came here.” She leant her head on his shoulder, and he wondered where to begin. “You were found out by the old highway…you know, the deserted bit of road that seems to go on forever?” A small nod. “A lady drove past you, taking the long way because she used to live out there. And she saw you sitting on the side of the road…” He decided to leave out the bits about Tess being covered black and blue with bruises. “You didn’t look so good, and who would leave a little girl out there by herself anyway? So she picked you up and brought you back to New York. And the rest, as they say, is history.”

Tess’ eyes narrowed. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“That’s all I know.” He hoped the lie would work, that she wouldn’t see the way he couldn’t look her in the eyes.

“Tell me Mikey. Please? It’s my life…it happened to ME! And the dreams…someone’s there with me…” He shivered, remembering the news reports. It was just lucky they’d been able to keep her face off the papers, her identity secret. He couldn’t tell her who left her out there, what she might have seen before she was found…he only knew himself because him and Liz had listened to their parents talking from the stairs one night. How could he tell her?

“Look…I don’t even know the details…you’re better off asking mom or dad about it…”

“Michael, mom wont even answer me when I ask her about it, and dad pretends like nothing even happened, like I’ve been here forever…but I haven’t, I had another life, and I can’t sleep because it fucking keeps recurring in my dreams every night…” A tear rolled down her cheek, and he felt compelled to brush it away. “Please Mikey?”

So he told her. He told her about the murders that happened all along the East Coast that summer, the twelve people that died at the hands of Edward Harding. How the murderer was her father, and that her mom had committed suicide when Tess was two. How she had most probably either been locked in the car while he performed his atrocities, or been forced to watch. How when Tess first came to live with the Parker’s, she had howled every night, until she began to forget. How she wouldn’t go near Jeff Parker for months, any older man, because she was terrified.

Then he told her how much it had meant to everyone when she first laughed, at a Donald Duck cartoon on TV. How proud they were when she decided to play Little League even though she was the only girl on the team. How cute they had thought it was when little Kyle Valenti beat up one of the other guys for saying she couldn’t play because she was ‘a stupid cootie girl’.

When he finished, she was crying softly, the tears flowing down her cheeks gently. For a moment he felt guilty for telling her, for letting out the secret people had been stepping around for the last twelve years. And then he realized that it was her life, her heritage. She deserved to know, no matter how much it hurt. The guy had been a maniac, a complete psycho, but she had been there…seen it probably…and if it was hurting her because she didn’t know, then maybe it would hurt less if she did.

“You ok?” She eyes were a little glazed with the tears, and he wrapped her up into a bear hug.

“I think I will be. I kinda knew most of it anyway…I went to the library when I was twelve and read the newspapers. It would’ve been a little too big of a coincidence if there had been another five year old Harding girl adopted in the New York area in September, huh?” He gave her a small smile and nodded. “I just needed to hear it from someone I trust.”

“What’re the nightmares about?” She shrugged.

“I don’t remember much…just someone standing over me, yelling. I can’t see a face or anything.” She sniffed. “I thought that’s what it might be though. That it might be him.”

“He’s in jail hon. He’ll never get out in this lifetime.”

“I know.” He lay down on her pillows, stroking her hair.

“Well I’ve had an emotionally draining 24 hours.” Tess looked at him questionably and he explained, “I had to go shopping-by myself…and then I had the date, which of course was rather stressful…and then Liz’s date, Max, his sister got rushed into hospital and we had to find them.”

“Is she gonna be ok?”

“I don’t know. I’m calling Maria today.” He pulled a curl and she poked her tongue out at him. “Are you ok? I mean really?”

“Not yet. But I will be. I was kinda hoping I was wrong, that the whole newspaper thing was a coincidence.” She poked him in the arm. “But I’m kinda glad that it’s out in the open. I’m sick of this family stepping around so much…stuff.”

“If you ever want to talk about it…about anything…you can talk to me.” Michael said, feeling like a teenage therapist or something. “Or if you want anyone beaten up. Tell Kyle to watch his back if he’s mean to you.” He thought for a moment. “IF you keep having the nightmares, tell me, ok? We’ll get something done about it.”

“Thanks big brother.”

“Not a problem Tessie-rabbit.”

“Michael, even though we bonded, there is no way in hell you can call me that.”

Max sat on the stoop of his sisters house, waiting for his mom to turn up. She had insisted on catching a taxi back to the house, despite his best efforts to persuade her that it wasn’t out of his way. Nothing had changed…

Izzy was due to be released the next morning, all going well. She was already complaining, as promised, but it was pretty obvious she was more than a little relieved that everything was ok. Alex had cleaned the house from top to bottom that morning in preparation for his mother-in-law’s visit.

Max saw the yellow taxi pull up to the gate, his mother still lively and sprite jumping out, carrying her own bags much to the drivers confusion. She made her way up the path, waving the taxi off without looking around. Her focus was on her son, had he been eating right? Was he thin?

“Hi mom…” He was enveloped in an all-consuming hug, succumbing easily to his mothers warmth. “It’s good to see you too.”

“I missed you baby!” She let him go, held him at an arms length. “You need a couple of good home-cooked meals in you.” He laughed, her concern welcomed. It went too long between visits.

“Maria cooks for me mom…”

“It’s not the same as your mothers cooking though.”

“No…” There was no point arguing, so he relented by taking her bag and opening the door for her. “C’mon in…Alex cleaned…”

“Was the room this color last time I was here? I’m sure it used to be cream.” She passed her eyes over her daughters choice in décor, approval lurking behind the shock that her children really had grown up. “But I haven’t seen it for so long…”

Max shook his head at the obvious play on the lack of actual visits they paid their family. With work and everything else…it was just too much to trek home to Roswell every holiday as their mom would like. “Ma…can we not get into this conversation…”

“Ok…sorry. I just miss my babies.”

“I’m 23, Izzy’s 25. Newsflash…we’re past being toddlers.” He spoke the jibe good-naturedly, and she reached up and ruffled his hair. Definitely the only person on earth that could get away with that without a wrestling match. “Visiting time at the hospital isn’t ‘til three…so what do you want to do.”

“Can I call my baby and make sure she’s ok?” Max shrugged.

“Sure, I guess. The phones on the charger over there…” He vaguely pointed in the direction of the kitchen, and Dianne followed his arm. Finding the phone and the number to the hospital scrawled on a note next to it, she dialed while reading the note. Max moved from his position at the table to the breakfast bar and perched on a stool, reading the note over his mom’s shoulder.

“Hi Dianne Will be home before 3 Then will visit Belle Hospital number: 589-9009 Call her-she’s bored! Love Alex PS: Saw her this morning- She’s doing fine J”

As she asked for her daughter, Max watched Dianne Evans. Little had changed physically-she was still the vibrant, athletic woman she always had been. Max could remember telling her when he was four that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She had laughed, her cheeks turning red at the observation…but he had been convinced of it. And still, when he looked at her, she had something that made her…special. Different.

She had always been more than his mom. Sure, there were times when the communication barrier called the ‘generation gap’ had gotten in the way, especially when he was a teenager, but for the most part, they had gotten along famously. His mom had been stricter than Amy DeLuca, Maria’s mom, but he had respected her for that. Amy hadn’t been home a lot, meaning Maria was left to her own devices-something Max wasn’t sure had been good for her. Even back then he hadn’t liked it, asking Maria to spend the time Amy was away over at the Evan’s house.

Maria usually said yes.

And when Dianne’s children were in trouble, like the time he and Maria had been hauled up to the principals office for being caught in the ‘eraser room’ together, she stuck by them to the end. She didn’t once question the reason they had been in there-a major crisis regarding Maria and Doug, her eighth-grade boyfriend. It went without saying that her children…and her ‘extra baby’ as she sometimes called Maria…wouldn’t lie to her.

They knew only too well that the wrath of Dianne Evans, although not released often, wasn’t pleasant.

She spoke quickly into the phone, her eyes slightly wet with tears at hearing her daughters voice.

“I’ll be there at three Belly.” Max grinned at his sisters childhood nickname. He hadn’t heard that one for years. “Ok…uh huh. I bought four boxes of them. I know you do…uh huh. Max is here right now. Oh, this morning…Maria too? Did she take time off…oh. That was good of her.” His mom flicked her hair off her forehead, so like Isabel did. “Yep…three. Ok, love you Belle. Bye.” She hung up, rubbing her forehead a little.

“She ok?”

“Sounds fine. I think she’s still really worried about the baby…understandably.” Dianne automatically began to rinse the few dishes that sat in the sink. “Your father was upset he couldn’t come…he has a big trial this weekend…but he said he’d be up this summer.” Max nodded, removing the scrubber from her hands.

“Don’t clean. You’re supposed to be on holiday.”

“I don’t want Isabel to come home and feel like she has to do everything.”

“Isabel never feels like she has to do everything.”

“Be nice.” Pulling the plug, Dianne dried her hands on the tea-towel hanging by the sink, the dishes stacked neatly on the counter. “So…how are you?” Max sank into the easy-chair Alex and himself had maneuvered into the dining room for his sister to sit in when she got home.

“What you really mean is, have you got a girlfriend, and will you be getting married any time soon.”

“I don’t mean that at all. But since you brought it up…” She winked at him, her eyes sparkling much like Izzy’s did when she was teasing her brother.

“I am dating someone. I’m not planning on getting married for at least three years. Children aren’t on the agenda right now. Happy?”

“Who? A lot can happen in three years. You’re good with kids.” She smiled at him cheekily.

“Wonderful girl called Liz. Marriage is expensive. Maybe I should be a baby-sitter then, if I’ve got a natural talent.”

His mom sighed and brushed his hair off his forehead. “I worry about you the most Max…”

“Don’t worry about me ma…I do ok.” His stood and picked up his coat. “How about we go for a walk to the ice-cream shop?”

“Change the subject much?” He ignored her, so she followed. “We are going to talk about this later…I want to know all about Liz.”

“Yeah yeah, get a move on old woman.” She swatted him on the butt.

“I could take you any day sweetheart. And don’t you forget it.”

Max sighed.

She was right.

Maria sipped her coffee slowly, savoring the caffeine she had missed that morning. The visit to the hospital had meant everything else was neglected, including the indulgence of her usual triple-mocha-latte. Or whatever it was that she had…she wasn’t sure what it was since the guy in the café she frequented just made it for her one morning…and that had become her regular. Whatever it was…it was good and it kept her awake for the rest of the day.

She had missed the presentation with the big syrup company, but the circumstances were enough for Pete to be sympathetic. The company had gone for the design, the benefit of which Maria reaped. It meant a nationwide campaign, and her design would be plastered over everything. Recognition meant everything in this business, and Maria might have hit the big time.

Despite all the excitement, Maria was feeling subdued. Izzy was out of hospital tomorrow, and one her very favorite people in the world, Dianne Evans, was in New York…all this added with the signing should have had her deliriously happy…

Instead she felt an odd feeling of absence. Like all the family bonding that was going on was just proving how alone she really was. She missed her mom. She missed the way she used to laugh, smile, and joke around. She missed the bad cooking, the cheesy sitcoms…everything. She missed being someone’s daughter.

And it wasn’t like she could count her dad as family. She could remember his face, the way he used to call her ‘Ria-kitten’ and pull her curls when she told him not to. She remembered her dad’s deep laughter, his whole face smiling with the low rumbling. She still saw the way he used to hoist her over his shoulder, her legs kicking, and unceremoniously dump her on her bed…a sure-fire way to get his daughter to go to sleep. But none of that meant anything…the past fifteen years had ensured that.

Just as she felt a tear slip down her cheek, her phone rang, Kelly calling out from the other room “Michael on the line for you.” She wiped the tear away, wishing that she could just be a normal person and get over it. Didn’t, like, one in four kids not have a dad. Or something like that? She grabbed the receiver, her hands shaking a little.

“Hello?” She said softly, her voice shaking slightly.

“Hi…it’s me.” His voice was so nice…so…uh! What was she doing? Analyzing the depth and pitch of his voice?!! Loony woman!

“Hi me.” Had it only been hours since she last saw him? It felt like days…

“You ok?” She must sound pretty bad for a member of the least-observant species to notice she wasn’t feeling that great.

“Yeah…just, you know. Having a bummed day.” She heard a door closing on the other end, and sighed. He thought this was about him, them… “I was just missing my mom…that’s all.”

“Oh…right.” He sounded uncomfortable. Jesus, she shouldn’t have brought it up…it was too early.

“Anyway…Izzy’s ok. The baby’s fine too.”

“That’s great.” He took a moment, and Maria picked at a fingernail. “I just rang because…well, I think I’ve found your dad.”

Maria stared into space. He had really done it. Michael had promised that by the end of this, she would have a father. He had found him!

“Holy shit…no way! Where…is he still Jeff DeLuca?”

“He’s right here in New York…kinda under your nose the whole time. He lives a couple of blocks away from your apartment.” Maria took it all in. Her dad was almost a neighbor? God… “And he’s Geoffrey Deluca now. With a G.”

“Wow…that’s…mind-blowing.” She leant back in her chair, the leather squeaking under the movement. “I, uh, don’t know what to say…”

“Do you want to meet for a late lunch…unless you’ve had lunch…” She rubbed her temple gently. So much information to process. “If you don’t want to…that’s cool.”

“No! Uh…Johnny’s Deli in fifteen minutes?”

“Ok…see you then.”

“Ok, bye.”

“Oh! Maria…”

“Yeah?”

“You look great.” She swiveled in her chair, expecting him to be standing behind her or something. There was only a filing cabinet.

“What?!” He laughed on the other end.

“I read somewhere that girls like compliments…”

“But you don’t know what I look like today…”

“You look superb in my head.”

“You are a head-case. See you soon Monkey-boy.”

“Ok Loser-girl.”

And as Maria hung up, she felt her mood lift. Her ‘boyfriend’ just told her she looked nice.

Awww…

Michael walked the short distance to the deli, his hands grasping a manila envelope. In it were surveillance photos he had taken just that morning, of the man he believed to be Maria’s father. The third floor apartment he lived in was up-market, his car almost brand new. Mr. Deluca was doing well for himself.

He had even seen the other residents of the Deluca household-a pretty woman of about 35, and a small blonde ten year old. The kid looked just like Maria in the photo she had leant him. He had a blurry photo of them as well.

She was waiting outside, her foot tapping in anxiousness. She looked nice, her black suit and bright blue shirt underneath making her stand out from the other professionals in the street. But then again, she could have worn a boring dress or something and she would have been like a lighthouse to him. She saw him almost immediately, her worried expression wiped in a sparkling smile.

He could do that to her?

“Hey.” She said, her lips parting ever so slightly. He felt himself reach for her, his hands taking on a life of their own. He found her hair, her luxurious golden hair, and tugged on it slightly.

“Hey Blondie.” She wriggled her nose at the comment, obviously not partial to the nickname. Were his hands still clasping her hair? Oh God…take them away! Michael!!!…

He yanked his fingers out of her curls, Maria’s hands feeling her hair where his had been.

“Ow! Dork-brain…that hurt!” She glared at him and rubbed her head. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, Michael took her lead and followed quickly. God, what was he thinking…couldn’t he just keep his hands to himself for five minutes?

They found a vacant table, Maria purchasing a coffee before sitting down in the plastic chairs. She removed her jacket gracefully, and Michael found himself captivated with her every move. He placed the manila enveloped on the table, the label on the front giving everything away.

‘DeLuca file’

Maria’s eyes flicked from him, to the brown package and back to him. She tentatively reached for the paper but her hands suddenly skipped back to her lap, as if scorched.

“It’s ok…you can look at it.” She pulled a curl off her face. Michael pushed it towards her, seeing her own reluctance to take the first step. “I promise, it won’t bite.” She smiled crookedly, biting her lip softly.

“I know I’m being silly…its just…fifteen years of my life is in that envelope.” Michael nodded, understanding. Except if he ever had the chance to meet his real father, he wouldn’t take it. “I guess I should just…open it.” Her eyes questioned him, pleaded for him to just take the file back, put it in his bag and pretend it never existed. FBI-like.

“If you don’t want to…” She looked frightened when he said it, as if he really might take it away from her.

“No! I do…” Grabbing the file, she ripped open the seal he’d only just rubbed his tongue along before leaving the office. Why he’d bothered to seal it, when he knew she’d want to see it was beyond him. It looked more official…more professional. “Is this…”

“Yeah.” He saw her blink away the tears that had rapidly gathered in her lashes. She smoothed her hand over the black and white photo, touching the mans face gently. “Maria…do you want to go somewhere else?…” She didn’t hear him, as she flicked onto the next photo, carefully keeping her coffee away from the prints. “Who are these people?” She held the photo up to Michael and pointed at the somewhat blurry woman and child. “And why would you take a photo of them…”

“That’s Geoffrey Deluca’s wife…and child.” Maria’s eyebrows raised to her hairline. She quickly pushed the photos back into their holder, handed them back to Michael. “What? Maria…” She began to gather her bag and coat, her flustered appearance a mystery to Michael.

“I’ve got to go…sorry.” She mumbled the words at him, and he could see she was near to tears. He’d done something wrong. Dumbass!

“What is it? What did I do…Maria?” She turned to leave, the tears finally spilling over. “Maria?”

“It’s not what you did Michael…you did your job perfectly. It’s my son of a bitch father that’s the problem. Don’t bother with the investigation…wipe it or whatever you do with closed files.”

“So that’s it?” She frantically wiped at her face, trying to regain some control.

“Yeah…it doesn’t look like there’s enough room in my dad’s life for another daughter…” Michael rose from his seat, embraced his girlfriend quickly. Was she his girlfriend? If the case was over…were they over too?

“I’m sure there’s plenty of room for you…” He murmured in her ear. “Give him a chance Maria. Let him know that you’re here.” She removed her tear-stained face from his shoulder.

“I wish I knew you were right. But I don’t. He hurt me once…and for all I know he needs an organ donor or something…” Michael nodded again.

“Sure, that could be right. But he might just regret what happened back then, and want to make it right.” He pulled her hair back to the nape of her neck and planted a kiss on her forehead. There was no way she could be convinced in the space of five minutes. If she wanted to see him, then she had to make that decision on her own. “But for now, how about taking the rest of the day off. I’ve had a hell of a morning.”

“I shouldn’t…”

“But you want to.” He pursued the matter. He really doubted if she’d make it the whole day at work, and he had nothing else booked for the afternoon…

“Yeah…can we just go somewhere and talk?” Michael’s arm circled her and held Maria tight. “There’s heaps of stuff I want to know about you.”

“That sounds dangerous. Maybe you’d be better off talking to my mom.”

“Maybe I would…I’ll bet she’s great.” Maria guessed.

“Yeah…when she’s not trying to fix me up with Lizzie's friends.” Maria laughed.

“I didn’t know mothers actually did that! I thought it was just in movies.”

“Uh uh. She’s the real McCoy.”

“I’d really like to meet her…your whole family.”

“You could come for dinner…” Michael gulped. He hadn’t asked that…had he?

“Wow! That would be…would that be ok? Would she mind?” There was no way he could retract that question.

“Uh, no, not at all.” As Maria continued out the door, still not great…but not so bad…Michael sighed.

Looks like he’d better ring his mom and tell her to put an extra place at the table.

Let the circus begin.

Max heard the door slam shut from his position on the couch, the popcorn he’d just taken out of the microwave still hot and rolling around in the bowl with butter.

“You home?” Came the familiar call, and Max turned himself slightly so he could see his best friend from his seat. Waving his hand in the air, he replied.

“Here.” She was in a state, he could see, but ever since she’d met Michael Guerin that had been nothing new. Her jacket was on inside out, and her hair was a birds nest, but Maria was oblivious. “What’s up?” He asked, sure it had little to do with anything outside the realms of ‘Guerin Paradise’.

Maria sat, smoothing her hair with one hand, pulling her suit jacket off with the other. She attempted a grin at Max, but it came off looking crooked and fake, which made Max’s worry jump up a notch. Maria must’ve noticed the change in his attitude, because she placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t stress. I just got some news today, that’s all.” She tried to focus on the TV screen, the hockey game that was blaring held her attention for a suspiciously long time. Either she’d watched the ‘Mighty Ducks’ recently, or she was avoiding talking about things.

“News? Are you gonna spill?” He nudged her gently with his shoulder, and she faced him once more.

“Am I a good person Max?” Maria asked without tearing her eyes away. He frowned slightly, the context of the question unclear. Maria seemed to understand this, and clarified. “Do you think I would have been a good daughter?”

Max patted the cushion next to him, and Maria scooted over to be cuddled in his safe arms. The news was her dad. Michael had found him. Maria’s dad was no longer the mystery hanging over her. He was now a real person, with a face and a social security number. And all the other attachments real people have.

“Hey…you were a great daughter. Remember? You proved that with your mom.” She smiled slightly, remembering their stupid fights and special moments. Like whenever her mom made a pie, she had to lick the spoon. It wasn’t even questioned. If Maria wasn’t home when the pie was made, then the spoon was put in the fridge to wait for her. Mother-daughter tradition. They’d had traditions. “You had it down to a fine art.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Maria leant against her friends strong arms, felt his warmth surround her. “Michael found my dad.” She revealed, knowing that Max had already guessed.

“And what does that mean?”

“I don’t know yet. Maybe it means I have a dad. Maybe it means I have no more than I had yesterday.” Max nodded, seeing her point.

“Sure. I means whatever you want it to.” Maria sighed, the weight of the decision heavy on her shoulders. “But you don’t have to make that call right now. Or tomorrow. Or next week. You can make it whenever it feels right.”

“I know. It just feels…urgent.”

“It’s not…”

“But it FEELS like it is.” She exaggerated. “I think the only way I’m gonna be able to deal with it…is to deal with it.” Max kissed her gently atop her golden curls and smiled.

“Atta girl. Go in there fighting.” He faked a Brooklyn accent, which made her giggle a little. “You’ve got nothing to lose.” Maria looked up to him and then at the clock on the wall. Seeing the time, she sat bolt upright.

“Holy shit! Tell me that clock is fast?!” Max checked his own watch, and then referred to the one on the wall.

“Uh uh. Perfectly in sync.” Maria put a hand over her mouth and looked like she might scream. “Why pray tell?”

“Dinner. With the Parker family. At six.” Max looked at his watch again and then back to his friend.

“But it’s…”

“I know. 5.50.” Max sprung into action, pushing Maria off the couch and onto the floor.

“What are you waiting for? Dark blue jeans and pink bunny t-shirt. White sneakers.” She sprinted down the hall to her room, while Max tidied the cushions she’d just messed up.

“How’s your mom?” Maria called from down the hall, her voice muffled, and Max surmised she had the t-shirt half-way over her head.

“Good. Coming over tomorrow night after dinner.” He heard a loud bump and guessed that she’d fallen over.

“FUCK!” Max couldn’t help but smile. That was his Maria. She came running out of her room, a hairbrush being wielded in one hand, a make-up sponge in the other. “Brush!” She threw the dangerous looking spiky-thing at Max, who rolled it over in his hand for a moment. “It’s a goddamn hairbrush you idiot! For my hair!”

“Maria…this so goes outside the bounds of normal friendship…”

“Just pretend you’re a ten-year old girl playing dress-ups with your best friend. Brush!” Max sighed and gave in. He was sure there was something written in the best friend rule book that you DID NOT brush their hair, but if circumstances insisted…

Maria quickly ran the sponge over her face, covering imperfections that only she could see. Max handed her back the brush, glad to be rid of the evil-looking tool. She spun in a circle, asking for Max’s opinion.

“Do I pass?”

“You look like you took at least five minutes getting ready. Not the mere two and a half you actually spent.”

“Bastard.” Maria gave him a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing her bag. “If you talk to Iz, tell her I’ll call tomorrow. And give my love to your mom.”

“Have fun running the gauntlet.” Max sang to his room-mate. Receiving little more than a rude gesture, he smiled and turned to the TV.

The game was still on. And he had a visitor coming tonight.

There was a God.

Kyle carefully laid out the placemats on the huge wooden table, his one assigned job for the evening. Mrs. Parker was stirring away at the stove, in a frazzle because Michael was bringing his girlfriend home for dinner. Maria. The one he’d been hearing about for the last week through Tess. The miraculous Maria.

Tess was in a strange mood he had noted, not quite grumpy, but definitely not her silly-self. Probably PMS or something. Not that he would ever dare say that to her face, because he’d end up with another black eye that he’d only have to explain to the guys in the team. But there was no way Kyle was missing out on this evening’s festivities. Besides, his dad wouldn’t even be home until after his patrol was over, which would be after midnight.

“Kyle, can you come and help me for a second?” Nancy asked him softly. She motioned to the large pantry, the highest shelf.

“What were you after Mrs. Parker?”

“That jar of pickle thank you Kyle.” He obliged, earning himself a kiss on the cheek from his future-mother-in-law. At least, in his dreams. Sometimes he would imagine Tess all dressed up in an amazing white gown, her hair loose and flowing in the wind his mind conjured up for the occasion. She was always giving him that cheeky grin of hers, the one that always made him tickle her. Not that tickling was the only thing he wanted to do when she…

“Hey Kyle…looks like it’s going to be a big spread for dinner, huh?” Kyle jumped when he realized that Mr. Parker had entered the room. He nodded, surveying the food before him. There was enough to feed a small African tribe for a year.

“Plenty to go around by the looks of it.” Kyle responded, feeling at ease with Tess’ parents. He sure spent enough time with them. “Meeting the girlfriend tonight Mr. Parker?” The older man smiled briefly.

“Yessiree. I just hope Michael doesn’t do that spiky thing with his hair…I’m sure that’s what scared all the other ones off.” Nancy snorted, pulling a dish out of the oven.

“Don’t start on him. Just because Maria’s coming over doesn’t mean you can tease him silly all night. Just behave.” Jeff smacked his own hand and tsked under his breath.

“I’ll go easy on him, don’t worry Nance. What time is she coming?” Kyle answered quickly, glancing at the clock.

“She’s late. S’posed to be here ten minutes ago.”

“She’ll be here!” Came Michael’s bellowed reply from the hall, before he barreled into the kitchen. His father eyed the spikes on his sons hair carefully, rolled his eyes at Kyle. “I’m not changing the hair dad.”

“I didn’t say a thing.” Jeff held up his hands in innocence. “Not a thing.”

“Hey Kyle.” Michael nodded his head in recognition, and Kyle felt his chest swell a little.

“Hey Mike.” He ran his fingers through his own somewhat flat hair, trying to give it a little more volume. “Big night tonight.”

“Not really. She’ll be fine.” As soon as Michael finished speaking, the doorbell went. He looked pointedly at his father and said authoritatively, “Be NICE!”

“I’m always nice.” Jeff replied, while Kyle followed Michael into the hall. He could hear her voice, melodic and musical. She would probably be a pretty good singer. His mom used to sing to him. She had been in a band, and when she left, he used to imagine that she was touring the country, singing to kids and making them as happy as she’d made him. That was, until his dad told him that she was probably only singing to the drummer she’d run away with.

Not that he cared or anything.

“You look nice.” Michael complemented her, and Kyle rounded the corner, making himself visible.

Nice wasn’t the word he would have used. Angelic maybe, nice, no. She had this awesome long golden hair, falling over her shoulders in waves. And her face…

“Hi! Nice to meet you.” Her hand was suddenly thrust into his personal space, and Kyle took a moment to stare at her fingernails. Good fingernails.

“This is Kyle, Tessie's boyfriend.” She smiled, her teeth glittering in his eyes.

“Hi.” He managed, before being swiftly poked in the back by familiar claws.

“I’m Tess. Mute-boy here’s girlfriend, Monkey-boy’s sister.” The girl laughed, high-pitched and sweet.

“Maria. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m not just saying that either…I actually have heard stuff…” Tess rolled her eyes.

“Anything to get out of talking about himself.”

“You know about the monkey-boy thing?” Maria asked, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

“Oh, I’ve heard a couple of his renditions of Man in the Mirror. Not pretty.” Kyle gawked at the two beautiful girls in front of him. He had a thing for blondes. And when was his girlfriend suddenly in such a good mood…before when he’d wanted to fool around she’d practically thrown him out of her room.

Females.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Liz came jumping down the stairs, her hair flying behind her shoulders. She had a bag in her hands, and Kyle noticed Michael eyeing it carefully.

“Where you going?” He asked, his arm protectively around his girlfriend. Maria just smiled and gave Liz a little wave.

“Hi Maria…uh, I’m goin’…out. Good luck chica, seeya guys.” The brunette closed the front door behind her, leaving the others to glance around at one another.

“What’s going on with her?” Tess asked to no one in particular.

“Michael? What’s going on?” Came Nancy’s voice from the kitchen. “Bring Maria in here.” Kyle didn’t miss the anxious look Maria shot at Michael, and remembered his own eventful introduction to the Parker house. It had consisted of lectures from both Mr. Parker and Michael, plus 20 questions from Liz and Mrs. Parker.

“Enter into the lions den.” Tess said to Maria, earning a small smile. Kyle linked arms with his re-energized girlfriend and followed the new couple through the archway into the fire.

Nancy was busying herself with the cutlery in an effort to make herself look unconcerned with the evenings visitor. Jeff was pouring himself a glass of wine, the bottle fresh from the substantial wine rack above the cupboards. Michael coughed slightly, and both parents looked up instantly. Kyle had to stop himself from laughing at the looks on their faces.

Nancy looked like she might cry, and her hands played with the apron carefully tied around her waist. Jeff’s eyebrows raised, causing his forehead to wrinkle in half a dozen places.

“You didn’t tell us she was so pretty Michael.” Maria laughed politely, and Kyle snorted at the predictability of the comment. It wasn’t as if they were going to tell her she was the butt ugliest person they’d ever seen or anything. Not that she was. Far from it.

Ow!

He rubbed the shin that was smarting from the kick Tess had rewarded his stares with.

“Hey! Don’t…” He whispered at his angered angelic counterpart.

“Don’t leer at her breasts then…” She hissed back. His cheeks colored, which resulted in a swift repeat performance of her punishment.

“Maria…it’s really lovely to meet you…” Nancy had covered the space between them in the kitchen and was now holding the girls small hands in her own, examining her face with some kind of ferocity. “Really…”

“It’s great to meet you too Mrs. Parker.” The older woman smiled and shook her head.

“Call me Nancy…” There was a moment of silence while they absorbed each others presence. “I hope you’re hungry dear…there’s food for an army.”

“Mom always overcooks…” Michael explained.

“Better too much than not enough.” Maria pointed out, her cheeks rosy. “My mom used to say that.” Both Nancy and Jeff glanced at one another, Jeff winking slightly.

“A glass of wine Maria?” Jeff asked. Michael and Maria both snorted a little, remembering the last time alcohol had been consumed by the both of them.

“Uh…no thanks. A diet coke if you have it?”

“I’m sure there’s some in here.”

The whole family sat down, Maria next to Michael, Tess next to Kyle and the Parker parents at either end of the table. Nancy noticed that her other daughter was not joining them, staring pointedly at her usual spot at the table, the setting untouched, but Jeff shook his head lightly, warning her not to mention it.

Kyle noticed everything. He liked to watch how families interacted, considering that there was so little of it at home. He had enough friends to fill a school bus, but at home, he always felt lonely. Which explained his attachment to the ever-bustling Parker house and Tess herself.

“So Maria, Michael tells me that you’re in advertising?” Jeff spoke while dishing himself up potato and passing it across to Kyle. “That must be interesting.” Maria looked up from the beans she was holding, a little like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, but quickly regained her composure.

“Oh…yeah. It’s great. I just won the new Goldies Maple syrup campaign this morning, which I think could be the big time for me.” Michael looked surprised.

“You didn’t tell me that.” Maria cocked an eyebrow at him thoughtfully.

“Well, there has been kind of a lot going on today.” He nodded, returning to shoveling his food down his throat.

“Wow…that’s wonderful. So I’m guessing you’re a designer then?” Maria nodded, passing the beans across to Nancy.

“Uh huh. I love it.” She sent a bright smile to Jeff, who looked stunned. Kyle wasn’t quite sure if it was the fact that she was one of the most beautiful girls in the world smiling at ol’ Mr. Parker, or that she was so open with people she hardly knew. Either way, Kyle could tell that Jeff was taken with her.

Nancy cleared her throat and spoke quickly. “Mikey told us you met through the investigation…” Maria threw a look at Michael, but Kyle missed exactly what it was saying.

“Uh, yeah…” Michael looked at his mother and father and shook his head briskly. Kyle could see the tension coming off the girl, obviously not wanting to discuss the subject freely at the dinner table.

His chance to make a save. Win the heart of the girl and the respect of idol in one sentence.

“So, Mikey, how about those Knicks?” Michael gave him a gratified look, while Maria sighed, relieved.

“I think basketball sucks.” Tess pointed out, picking one of her stupid fights. Kyle fought the urge to explain the logistics behind the game, and from pointing out that she spent three afternoons a week practicing cheers for a team that played the ‘sucky’ game. God, she was in a mood. Hot one minute, cold fish the other. Would he ever figure her out?

Just as he thought the conversation would stop to a dead halt, Maria spoke up, her voice loud in the veritable silence. “I like hockey better. I watch every Friday night.” Everyone looked a little shocked. Hockey?

“Me too. At least they get to wear ice-skates and stuff.” Maria nodded at Tess.

“Sure. And they can just beat each other up, but no one gets really hurt because they’re wearing those pads.”

And so ensued the topic of conversation-basketball, game of the Gods VS hockey. Girls in favor of hockey, guys for b-ball. When dinner was finished, Maria offered to help with the cleaning up, which was always left up to those that hadn’t cooked. Jeff slunk out of the room, insisting that he’d telepathically helped the chicken along in the oven, leaving Kyle, Tess, Michael and Maria with the dishes.

“So, Kyle, how long have you and Tess been together.” Maria asked him, and he was surprised to notice that she was completely interested in his answer.

“Feels like forever.” He mumbled, stacking the plates by the sink.

“I hope you think that’s a good thing!” Tess pointed out from the sink. “We’ve been together for two years now. Since I told him he had bad hair.” Kyle immediately smoothed his mop down over his forehead, the style changed little from those days.

“Wow…that is like forever.” Maria agreed, pouring half the bottle of dishwashing soap into the water. “Ow!!!” Michael was holding one of the dish rags in his hands, ready to give her another slap on her butt. “You wouldn’t dare do that again, would you Monkey-boy?” She threatened back, a handful of soap suds at the ready.

Tess and Kyle looked on as if they were the adults in the room. I mean, hello. Kyle hadn’t been in a bubble fight since…since his mom had left.

Michael thwapped her again on the ass, her jeans slightly wet where the fabric had touched for a micro-second. True to her threat, she threw the suds at his face, creating a rainbow of bubbles in the air between them. A few were skewered on Michael’s spikes, popping immediately, the rest dancing through the air to the floor.

“Oh…you wanna play it that way huh?” Michael asked, throwing the balled up rag at Kyle. “Ok…we can play it that way.” Growling deep in his throat, he jumped at the shrieking petite blonde, arming herself with another shot of bubbles for ammo. The bubbles seemed to jump out of the sink and fall directly over the two tousling on the floor, covering them in a thin film of soap and water.

Kyle could see Tess looking out of the corner of her eye at him, her eyebrow raised just so. She was daring him. Double dare Tess. Take that!

Physical challenge? You wouldn’t?

Oh but I would Kyle, my boy. I would.

Kyle shrugged as he dunked the rag in the sink, leaning forward to give his girlfriend a hug. She obliged, only to give a high-pitched squeal as he squeezed the rag down her back.

What was it they said?

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?

Max watched as his girlfriend fluffed up one of the couch pillows behind her back, her shining hair swinging in a broad arc. They’d just finished the last piece of pizza, and were settling down to watch some crappy TV movie.

When she’d called that afternoon Max had been mildly surprised. She’d asked about Isabel and the baby, not only to keep up appearances, but genuinely concerned for his sister. When she mentioned that she was ready to do anything to get out the family dinner planned for the evening, Max had been only too happy to give her an open invitation for a meal Chez Evans style.

He didn’t really know what the deal was with her parents, but he could tell there was some tension there. She didn’t talk about them much, her mom especially, and when she did it was usually in reference as to how much she couldn’t wait to move out of home…

Max found it strange considering how close she seemed with her siblings, but who was he to analyze the situation. He barely knew the girl and had never met the parents. And besides…he had left home, hadn’t he? The first opportunity he’d had. But that had been more to do with the confines of small town living than issues with his parents.

“What’re you thinking about?” Liz asked, obviously noticing his thoughtful expression. He reached across and stroked her arm, an action he was both unsure of, but needed to make.

“Just thinking about how Maria’s going over at your house.” He lied, not wanting to get into a deep and meaningful so soon. Liz rolled her eyes lazily.

“She’ll be fine. Mom was just so happy Mikey had a girlfriend that she would probably kiss her feet or something.” Max caught the tone of distance she spoke with. To mention it, or not to mention it. It was obviously bugging her…

“What’s the deal with you and your mom?” He ventured, hoping she wouldn’t clam up. Her eyes stayed on the images washing across the TV screen, and she answered quietly.

“I don’t know.” She unconsciously pushed that strand of hair behind her ear, a habit Max had already begun to associate with her. “I guess we get along ok.”

“It sounds like you don’t have much time for her.” A casual shrug from Liz.

“I have the time. She doesn’t. It really doesn’t bother me anymore.”

“What about your dad?” Max asked, persisting because he could tell there was more behind it.

“Dad…he’s really great. I just…” She took a moment to choose her words. “I just blame them for a lot. I shouldn’t, but I do.”

Max touched her cheek lightly, wanting to be closer to her. There was this inexplicable pull between them, like chemistry to extreme or something. “What for? I mean, what do you blame them for?”

“For…” Liz glanced at him, the beginnings of tears sparkling like diamonds in her eyes. “For giving too much of their love to other people…”

Max stopped the questions. The last thing he wanted was to have her crying, the evening was meant to be an escape. Change the subject you big doofus.

“So…how about those Knicks?” He asked, making Liz laugh.

“Yeah…how about them?” She countered, her eyes unmoving from his.

“They’re…pretty great.” Max said, his face inching forward a little.

“Uh huh…definitely great.” Liz replied, her fingers finding his shoulder blade, pulling him towards her. “In fact…I think…”

“They’re the best?” Max finished for her, their noses making contact gently.

“Uh huh.” She breathed, touching her lips to his in an almost air kiss. As she pulled away slightly, grinning at his stunned expression, she ran a finger along his jaw bone. “Are we gonna watch this movie Mr. Evans?” She pointed with the same finger at the TV.

He sighed and pulled his eyes away from her. “I guess…if you want.” He sounded like a spoilt child, and Liz giggled.

“Because, I mean…if we’re not, then we should turn it off.” His gaze flickered back to her. “Wasting power and all that…” Without even looking at the screen, Max aimed the remote control and pressed the off button.

“Very wise Miss Parker. We couldn’t run up the electricity bill now could we?”

“Most certainly not.”

And as they sunk into the couch, Max had his last coherent thought for the evening.

Popcorn, hockey, pizza, girl…heaven.

Maria stared up at the ceiling of Michael’s room, watching the star mobile above his bed turn in the breeze coming through an open window. His room was largely undecorated, a couple of Metallica posters on one wall, a few photos taped to the back of the door. But the mobile had caught her attention.

“Why stars?” She asked the man lying next to her, his fingers linked through her own. The bed creaked a little as he turned to face her, his breathing hot on her cheek.

“It’s been here since the day I came to stay. Mom put it up and told me a story about my real mom being up in the stars…and that whenever I looked up at the sky she’d be watching over me. And so I didn’t get scared at night, I had my own set of stars over my bed, so my mom could watch me as I slept.”

“Do you miss her?” Maria asked, her voice a little husky.

“Sometimes. I don’t remember much about her. She was…” He stopped for a moment, his eyes diverting to the mobile. “Real pretty. I remember that.” Maria squeezed his hand gently, words escaping her. “What about you. What do you remember the most about your mom?”

She cleared her throat and tried to pick one thing out from the stores of memories. “She used to laugh a lot. All the time. Even when we fought, she’d end up laughing at how stupid we were being.”

“You laugh heaps too.” Michael observed. Maria rolled her head so she was facing him.

“I do?”

“Plenty.”

“Thank you. It means a lot.” He nodded, understanding on some level. “I’ve decided about my dad.” Maria said quietly.

“Oh…” Michael was reluctant to push her, since he’d seen how the issue had affected her that afternoon.

“I’m going to call him tomorrow.”

“That’s…great.” Michael said, not knowing how to react. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” She nodded vehemently.

“I just have this feeling about the whole thing. I was trying to explain it to Max, but I couldn’t really…it’s like I have to call him. As soon as I can.” Michael returned her supportive hand squeeze.

“Go for it then Butt-girl.” She giggled at her new nickname.

“I really wish you wouldn’t call me that.” Maria pointed out, earning herself a small tickle on her side.

“Which is the exact reason I do it.” She rolled her eyes. “Hey, are you trying to tell me you call me Monkey-boy because you think I like it?”

“No…but…” Throwing her hands in the air in frustration, Maria sat up. “This feels wrong. Being up here.” She motioned at the room. “It’s like your parents are sitting downstairs talking about how you’re not supposed to have the door closed with a girl up here.” Michael sat up as well, pulling his bulky sweatshirt over his head. The action revealed a torso covered in abs that he had kept well hidden from his new found girlfriend. “Boy, do you work out…because HELLO!”

Michael turned an interesting shade of red, and quickly pulled his t-shirt over his body. Maria giggled.

“My parents don’t care that you’re up here…they adore you. Couldn’t you tell?”

“Well, I did do pretty well down there. But I feel like I’m fifteen again being up here.”

“I know…I need to get a place of my own. It’s just too convenient right now.” Michael realized what Maria had just said after he finished his sentence. “Of course, if you were a frisky fifteen year old, then…that could be a good thing.”

“I’ll bet you were a frisky fifteen.” Maria commented, her arms firmly crossed in front of her chest.

“I’m still frisky.” Michael whispered into her ear, biting her lobe gently.

“Michael! Your parents are just downstairs!” Maria exclaimed, pushing him away ever so slightly, her color rising.

“I know. Kinda risky huh?” They both laughed, and Maria flung her arms around his neck, their lips finding one another.

“I always did enjoy high school.” Maria sighed as she lay down again. “Michael…could we take your car out later?”

Max woke to the sound of a buzz-saw outside his bedroom window, the opposite side of the bed empty. He quickly scanned the room for evidence that the last night had even occurred, and found it in the small toiletry bag Liz had brought with her from home, resting on his bedside table.

“Liz?” He called, in somewhat unfamiliar territory. He never slept with people this early in relationships. Never. It was something in his moral code, and he just didn’t do it. But with Liz Parker…it felt like he’d known her all his life. Like every one of the 23 years without her had never existed. As if she had been his high school sweetheart, sitting next to him in biology, sharing her notes that she marked with little smilies and hearts meant for him.

It felt fated.

“Liz?” He called again, before he heard the chattering in the kitchen. Maria was home. In the kitchen. With Liz. “Liz honey?” This was dangerous. There were many…many utterly humiliating stories that Maria could be regaling Liz with right at that very second. He hated to think which one she would start with. Probably that time in high school…the frog incident. God, she always brought that one out for a laugh. And that would only be the beginning.

Throwing on the nearest pair of jeans he glanced at the clock. 6.35. It was early. Very early. He didn’t usually function this early. And Maria was normally still snoring like a lumberjack right about now.

The balance had been interfered with.

He strode into the kitchen, putting on a brave face. He had plenty of stories he could swap with Maria’s. Call it blackmail if you will, but if you’re playing with the big boys, you need to pull out all the stops. He found his girlfriend, clad in one of his t-shirts, her long legs stretching on into infinity from underneath it. Her hair was pulled into a loose bun that let pieces fall from it to frame her face. When she saw him, she smiled in that easy way she had, a little shy but happy and wonderful and beautiful.

“Hi.” Was all she said, causing Maria to turn from her seat on the table. She had a grin on her face the size of Nevada.

“Hello.” Max ventured, wondering what part of the story Maria was up to. If he was lucky he’d caught her early, before she got on a roll. “Whatcha talking about?”

“Nothing.” Maria said quickly, stifling a giggle.

“Oh…ok.” Max said, calming a little. If he stayed in the room she probably wouldn’t continue.

“And so I said to him…what have you got in your backpack? And he’s like…”

“Don’t you dare.” Max threatened, knowing that nothing would stop her now. She was almost at the punch line. Maria poked her tongue out at him, and continued.

“He’s like…I had to rescue the frogs…and he opened his pack and there were like, swear to God, fifty frogs sitting in there croaking. I almost peed my pants laughing.” Liz was trying to hide her amusement, but Max sighed and gave in. There was no use fighting it.

“I saved those frogs. They’d have been gassed that day in biology otherwise.”

“You’re a biologist Max.” Liz pointed out. He shrugged, feeling no need to explain his reasons. He moved about, making himself a strong cup of coffee. Each of the girls had one in front of them, the steam still rising off both cups.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have an important call to make.” Maria said, jumping off the table. Max noticed the shake in her hands as she pulled a scrap of paper out of her pocket and grabbed the portable phone.

“I’ll be back in a sec.” Max said to Liz, following his best friend down the hall to her room. She was sitting on her bed, the phone in one hand and the paper on the other. He didn’t have to read the paper to know what number was on it. She probably already had it memorized, the loose-leaf an unnecessary prop. “It’s too early. He’ll be asleep.”

“So I wake him up. It’s the least I can do.” She said, her shoulders squared and defensive.

“Don’t get on the phone and be all bitter. What will that achieve?” Max asked, trying to reason with her. He didn’t want her to blow it after everything she’d gone through to get the number.

“I’m not bitter.” Maria stated. “I’m NOT!” She insisted. Picking up the phone, she dialed the number with shaky finger, Max unmoved from his position at the door. The room was so silent he could hear the ringing on the other end.

“Could I please speak with Geoffrey Deluca please?” Maria asked, her own voice shaking. Max wanted to hold her, to encourage her through the conversation but knew that it wouldn’t help. She needed to find her own strength for this.

“It’s his daughter. Maria.”

“Thank you.”

“Hi.”

“Good.”

“I know. I…looked you up.”

“I know that too. I’ve seen her…them…”

“I hired someone. Yeah…I know.” Max could see the tears running down her face, the pain so close to the surface he could hardly bear to watch. She was being so brave, so courageous.

“Jamie? That’s…nice.”

“Tomorrow…ok. I guess that would be…

“Ok.”

“Bye.”

As she held on to the phone, the tone beeping in her ear, Max sat down next to her, wrapped his arms around her.

It didn’t matter what had been said. It never did. Just that she’d made that step, that one irreversible step. She’d crossed the great divide.

So he held her while she cried, the tears of cleansing and regret and loss. The tears she’d cry many more times before she would begin to heal. For her mother, her father…and finally herself.

He couldn’t have been anymore proud of her if he’d tried.

Hurricane DeLuca. Always.

Maria watched as the tornado, commonly referred to as Diane Evans swept through her kitchen. She’d made no plans as to what she would serve Max’s mom, knowing that Diane would insist on ‘helping’ and end up doing the majority of the work anyway. Better for that work to be towards something she’d actually enjoy eating.

She had forced herself to go to work, despite the pounding in her temple, the clammy hands. She had stuff to do, a design to draft ideas on, and phone calls to make. Besides, if she didn’t put in an appearance the staff might have thought she’d gone MIA. Doodling on her copy-pad for most of the day, stopping only to refill her cup of coffee, she left at five without saying a word to anyone. Kelly had stared in amazement as her farewell was ignored.

She didn’t mean to be a bitch. Really.

It was just more than she could handle to be fake polite to everyone. She never kept up pretenses, and if she felt like shit, then she wasn’t going to pretend that she didn’t. Maria DeLuca didn’t put up walls.

At least she tried not to.

There were always a few bricks being mortared up, usually on the ‘abandonment’ wall, and the ‘hate all men’ wall (this one usually after being the dumpee)…just the standard kinda walls every girl has. Well, every girl abandoned by her father and dumped by every male in the tri-state area.

Nope…no walls at all.

“You ok sweetie?” Dianne asked, her face concerned. Maria shook her head as if trying to jump back into reality. She gave a vague kind of smile, her head spinning a little.

“Fine, thanks…” Diane placed the wooden spoon she was holding on to the counter and sat across from her sons best friend.

“Max filled me in about your dad…that must be really hard, huh?” Maria nodded, fidgeting with the cutlery already laid out. “But I’m really proud of you, and Amy would’ve been too.” At her mothers name Maria had to blink away tears.

“Thanks.” Maria reached over the table and grasped the older woman’s hand. “I’m glad you came out right now.”

“Me too.” Diane said quietly, her compassion for the girl that had spent as many nights curled up next to her son as she had in her own bed. “Oh God! My soufflé!”

Maria laughed as she watched Diane Evans dart around the kitchen, pulling things out of cupboards, slamming doors and rifling through the fridge.

“How’s Izzy?” Maria asked, making a mental note to ring her tonight after dinner. Diane smiled briefly at the mention of her domineering daughter.

“Giving directions to Alex from the Lazy-boy. That poor man…he must be going crazy.” They both laughed, knowing full well how much Isabel hated being out of control. “But she’s good. Reading voraciously on pregnancy and babies…”

“So she’s scared shitless really.” Maria added. Diane raised an eyebrow at her choice of language, but nodded all the same.

“Seems that way. Once she’s popped this one out, the next one will be easy sailing.”

“Oh sure…just like a day at the beach.” Maria teased. “It’s been so long since you had yours you probably can’t even remember the pain.” Max’s mom turned around and bent down in front of Maria.

“Honey, that sort of pain…you never forget.” She winked and stood back up, stirring one of the pots viciously. “Never.”

Maria shuddered. “I’m glad it’s a few years before I’m gonna have any.”

“Amen to that…you’re gonna need all the mental preparation you can get.”

“Have you given any of this advice to Isabel?” Maria asked, knowing the answer.

“Have you ever known my darling daughter to listen to advice?” They both laughed once more, and Maria thought again of how glad she was that this woman was in her life. Especially now.

“So, are you gonna be a nana, or a grandma, or a granny?”

“I’m far too young to be anything of the sort. But if I had to choose, I’ll be nana Diane.”

“Very dignified. Did Max say when he was getting home?” Diane looked at her watch.

“Soon. He had a meeting this afternoon, something important.”

“Probably Liz-important.” Maria mumbled loud enough for his mother to catch it.

“What’s this Liz like? Is she…” The motherly concern that Maria had come to expect from Mrs. Evans was rearing.

“She’s wonderful. She’s like this amazing mix of shy and funny and intelligent…and she’s really pretty.” Diane nodded, forming a mental picture. “She likes Maxie a lot, which is the best bit.”

“Good. It’s about time that boy found someone.”

“My sentiments exactly.” Maria poured herself a glass of wine, offering a glass to Diane, who gladly accepted.

“I hear you’ve found yourself a man as well…” Diane gave Maria a patented look. One of her looks that could have meant any one of a thousand things, but Maria usually took them to mean ‘be careful and don’t let yourself get hurt’. Michael…she hadn’t been particularly careful, and she liked him a lot…so the chances of getting hurt were high. But for some reason she couldn’t pull away. Chemical imbalance in the brain most likely, she told herself.

“Yeah…he’s, uh, strange.”

“Strange?”

“Um…I don’t know how to explain him. He makes me feel tingly and warm and everything I want to feel with guys, but never have before. And he’s cute.” Diane looked her kindof-daughter in the eye, trying to decide whether or not to expel her words of wisdom.

“Maria…don’t hold back from him then. I’ve listened to you after so many relationships have broken up…and you always say ‘maybe if I’d loved him more’. Don’t let that happen if he’s wonderful. There’s a quote-let me think for a moment.” She stood still for a minute, Maria somewhat wary about what she was trying to say. “David Grayson-‘my only regret is that too often when I have loved, I did not say so’…don’t let yourself regret a thing baby.”

“Thanks Diane…I know what you mean.” Maria brushed away a tear that was beginning to form. “I love that I can talk to you like this.” Diane herself teared up a little.

“Me too honey, me too.” There was a loud “hm, hmmm” at the door, and they turned around to see Max standing there, briefcase in hand, looking unimpressed.

“Every time I come into this room lately there’s been an estrogen overload or something. I’m going to turn into a woman.”

“Pity, I don’t think Liz is a lesbian.” Maria surmised.

“Mmm…Liz and another chick.” Max muttered, much to the horror of both his mother and best friend.

“MAX!!”

Liz was lounging quite comfortably on the sofa, watching reruns of ‘I love Lucy’. She had always loved Saturday mornings, when there were no obligations to do the housework, or the leftover paperwork from the office. It was when she could just chill out, everyone in the house doing their own thing.

“Liz, can you come and take this washing upstairs?” Her mom called from the hall, looking through the doorway at her daughter on the couch.

“Can you leave it there, I’ll get it soon.” Liz answered, turning the sound down slightly so her mom would hear her.

“Liz, you’re not doing anything! Just take it upstairs.” Nancy stood in the doorway, hands on hips. “Don’t be so lazy.”

“I’m not being lazy…I’m in the middle of watching this. I’ll get it when this is finished…” She glanced at her watch. “In seven minutes exactly. That’s how long the pile will be sitting there.” She heard her moms sigh, the exaggerated letting out of breath that signaled a confrontation was in the air. “What?! Seven minutes?!!”

“What’s put you in such a mood lately? You can hardly stand being around us.” Nancy asked, stepping further into the room. Liz saw at that moment exactly how much she looked like her mother when she was angry. The flaming eyes, hands flying in the air. Genes were a bitch.

“Where did you get that impression?” She questioned, knowing where this was heading. God, there’d been so many fights just like this one. And every time her mom would end up crying, she’d feel like a monster, and then they’d pretend it had never happened. Always. Nothing got fixed, because they were too busy pretending it hadn’t happened. “And if you say the other night when Maria was here, I’m sorry, but I thought she had quite enough to contend with, without having to listen to us bitch at one another.”

Nancy rolled her eyes. “What did I ever do to make you dislike me so much Elizabeth? Your father…what did he do? Tell me…don’t just sit there and pretend this is about washing.”

Liz stood, her legs feeling like jelly. Her mom wanted the truth? Maybe, for once, she’d actually tell her the truth. Why there was so much hate, so much distrust. See how she would pretend this fight never happened after that.

Just as there was about to be a face off, Michael came banging through the front door, his heavy steps easily identifiable. He looked into the room, realizing what was happening.

“Hey-everything ok?” Liz gave him a look, ‘yeah, things are peachy bro’.

“Liz was just about to tell me just why she hates me so much.” Nancy said, her voice dripping with something Liz couldn’t define. A mixture of fear and loss. Exactly what was pulsing through her own veins right then. Michael’s eyes widened, and he checked the hall for other family members.

“Uh…” Liz smiled, some kind of anger taking over her body.

“Just go Michael.” She spoke, the words sounding like they were coming from someone else. He listened, hightailing it up the stairs, probably to hide in the study with his father. “So…you want to know?”

“Yes Liz, I want to know why for the last ten years you’ve been untrusting and cold.”

“Cold? I was cold?” Liz threw her hands in the air, her frustration peaking. “You…you were never here…for years, you and dad were off crusading after Jennifer…”

“Liz, don’t be so goddamn selfish…she was your sister.”

“That’s right. I lost a sister. But all I ever heard about was how you’d lost a daughter.” Liz spat the words at her mother, causing the older woman to suddenly look frail. “It was never about me. Never. I didn’t have a fucking childhood because some asshole stole my big sister, and my parents were so blind that they couldn’t see they were losing me as well.”

“Liz, I can’t believe that you’re saying this…”

“Well believe it mom, because I’ve spent years wishing things were different, only to come back to the same conclusions.”

Nancy sat on the edge of the sofa, her fingers rubbing her temples slowly. Liz felt a pang of guilt, her stomach contorting in that way it had whenever she said too much. But usually it was just one little comment. This time she’d let it all fly.

“We gave you everything.” Her mom said softly, almost to herself rather than her daughter. “Everything you wanted.”

Suddenly Liz felt all her former strength dissipate. She sunk to the carpet, her wobbly legs giving way. Was there any way she could make her see what was the matter. It wasn’t the clothes, the shoes…any of that.

“You gave me a roof over my head. Food to eat. A wonderful brother and beautiful sister to keep me company.” Liz whispered, her voice barely audible. “But you never gave me time. I never got to be me. Just Liz Parker. Not Jennifer Parker’s little sister.”

“What do you need?” Nancy asked, turning her face slightly to look at her daughter on the floor. “What more can I give you?”

“I don’t know mom. I really don’t.” Liz rubbed her own forehead, mimicking her mothers action. When she realized, she halted immediately. Glancing at her mothers forlorn face, she felt that stab of guilt once more. Why couldn’t she just let sleeping dogs lie?

“Can I fix this?” Nancy questioned, her voice rough. “Can I make this better?” Liz tilted her head, her hair sweeping across her forehead with the movement.

“I need some space. I think it’s time I left home.” The words were simple enough, but Liz saw them hit her mom like a tonne of bricks. She knew it would be a shock, but it was something she had been thinking about for a while now. And it was the only possible remedy she could see for the situation. “I’m gonna stay in the city mom…it’s not like I’m moving to New Mexico or anything.”

“I know…I guess it’s to be expected.” Nancy wiped her forehead and rubbed her hands on her knees. “When?” Liz shrugged.

“As soon as I can find a place.” She didn’t mention that she’d been viewing apartments in her lunch hour. That would go over like a steamroller. “Soon.”

“I see.” Liz stood up, pushing herself off the floor with her hands. She knew that she should console her mother, say something kind to soften the impact her decision would have. But for some reason none came to mind.

“I’m sorry.” It was the only appropriate sentiment she could come up with. She watched as her mother stood from the couch, her movements unsteady. They stood face to face, the similarities between them obvious once more.

“No, honey. I’m sorry. I’m gonna miss you.” Nancy spoke, her words a kind of buffer between them. Liz sighed, the words falling on her shoulders like a dead weight.

“Me too mom.” Liz gave a small smile, a consolatory gesture. “I guess I’ve got to break the news to dad now, huh?”

“Looks like it.” As the two women, almost identical in height and build, walked out of the living room, the younger one linked arms with the elder.

Maybe things had a way of healing when you least expected them to.

Maria must’ve walked the circuit of the park three times before she felt calm enough to sit on a park bench and just wait. She’d hardly slept the night before, in between listening to Michael’s moaning about things on the home front and Max’s worries about Liz. Seemed she’d been bottling a few things up and let them loose at her mom. Just goes to show that no family’s perfect.

Maria pulled out her makeup compact again, dabbing at the spots only she could see. She adjusted her skirt, pulled the laces tighter on her trainers and ran her hands through her flying hair.

And then she saw him.

The photos had given her an image to work with. He was still her dad, still had the DeLuca nose. But he’d changed. He was going gray at his temples, the hair thinning slightly with age. His athletic body was still mostly taught and trim, but there was a hint of middle-aged spread around his belly.

But it was him.

She wondered if she should call out, if her voice would be the only thing alerting him to her presence. He wouldn’t recognize her. Would he? Her mouth wouldn’t work anyhow. So she sat, frozen on the seat, her hands clasped in her lap, watching this familiar stranger pass her.

He didn’t know it was her. He just kept walking. Didn’t know his own daughter. She stared at the figure retreating until her vision blurred with tears.

Goddamn it, this shouldn’t hurt. Teflon for Christsakes, Teflon.

“Maria?” Her head snapped in the direction of the voice that brought back memories of childhood, and she swiped at the salty tears clouding her eyes. He had halted some fifty meters away, his face turned to the small figure on the bench. “Maria DeLuca?” She felt her neck tilt into a nod. Yeah…what about it?

The man hurried back the distance between them, every second feeling like an eternity to Maria. She stood, in some kind of anticipation. When he reached her, his face ruddy from the quick pace of his steps, there was an awkward moment of silence. To hug or not to hug.

Maria thought the moment would swallow her whole. She tried to remember the last time she had seen this face, the face in the photo she had given Michael for investigation. He had said goodbye to her, in that fatherly way that really meant ‘I’ll be back tomorrow darling’.

Only he hadn’t been.

“Hi.” Maria managed to get her mouth working, forcing the words through her reluctant teeth. There was no touching, no tears of remorse, no words of regret. Just the bizarre silence for a moment more.

Until he spoke. “You look…beautiful.” She smiled, those frustrating tears threatening once more. “Just like Amy.”

“You look just like my dad.” She heard the words, but they barely registered. His weathered face broke into a grin, the one she remembered from sunny afternoons at their old wooden house in the back streets of Roswell. He played with a cord on his jacket, his hands never motionless. Maria saw herself in that compulsion.

“I’m sorry…” He started, before realizing it was useless. Fifteen years had been and gone without even a postcard…a humble apology would do little to fill that gap. “It’s been a long time.”

“It has.” Maria agreed, wanting to tell him everything and nothing. Too many words for too much time. “I’m glad I found you.” He nodded, his hair bouncing a little in the action.

“I’m glad too. But I found you first.” He reminded her of their first phone call, in the diner down the road from the only blue door on the street.

“Yeah…I’m sorry about that…” He held up a hand.

“No…don’t be. It’s understandable.”

“Why did you…you know, call?” She asked, knowing there was so much else to be said, but not knowing where to start. He motioned to the bench she had been sitting on before, and they both made themselves comfortable. And he began.

“I told you on the phone yesterday that I have another daughter. She’s ten.” Maria nodded, trying to pique the jealousy that reared automatically. “Her name is Jamie and she’s great.”

“That’s…good.” Maria was unsure of what to say. What could she say? Oh, I’m so happy you abandoned me and my mom so you could have great kids with someone else?

“I’m sorry…this is leading somewhere.” Geoffrey Deluca rubbed an eye casually, as if trying to find some inspiration before continuing. “Jamie is very sick right now. She has leukemia.” Maria heard her own quick intake of breath.

“That’s awful.” She noticed the bags under his eyes, the evidence of sleepless nights. “I’m…sorry.” God, how many apologies could be made in five minutes?

“I feel like an ass even talking about this. Really.” Maria cocked an eyebrow, wondering where this was going. “Jamie’s only real chance at surviving the cancer is with a bone marrow transplant.” Maria couldn’t help her mouth falling open, or the words that were floating through her head. It was just lucky that she didn’t voice them…

“So you want what?” She asked, her voice twisting with a deep bitterness that she didn’t know she harbored. Her fathers face became gentle, and she suddenly feared that he would touch her. That his fingers would come in contact with her elbow, or her knee.

“None of my wife’s family match. I almost do. But there was too much of a risk of her body rejecting the marrow.” He stopped, trying to gauge her reaction. “You’re the only person we have left Maria.” The last sentence was a plea of some sort, and Maria leant back into the bench, trying to take in all the information she’d just been handed. And before she could stop herself, she started talking.

“You didn’t even ask about me. I have a boyfriend right now, who is great. I have the job of my dreams, and I’m going to be very successful. Max Evans is still my best friend, remember him? He looked after me whenever I needed someone. And mom…Amy…she died. Three years ago.” Maria stopped to take a breath, not even glancing at her fathers face. “You didn’t even call on my birthday. Every fucking birthday I waited by the phone that you installed in my room, praying for you to call.”

“Maria…”

“Don’t. I learnt to live without you, and I’ll be damned if I start to depend on you now. It’s kind of ironic that I could never find you when I needed you…and when you need me, it’s as easy as looking up my mobile number.” She stood to leave, grabbing her bag from the ground by her feet. As she straightened, she caught the look on his features, a mixture of sadness and great loss. Funny, she thought, that’s probably what I looked like the day you drove out of my life.

As Maria took a step away, he called her name. As much as she tried to fight the urge, she turned and faced him, waited for his inevitable plea of innocence.

It never came. Just a small sentence.

“Call me when you decide. About Jamie.” And as quickly as he had entered her day, he departed, not looking back once. Maria couldn’t even cry. She didn’t have the energy.

“Bastard. I was going to walk away from you.” Was the only retort she could muster. Feeling deflated and alone, Maria began the short walk home, knowing that she now had a girls life in her hands. Her sister’s life.

When did everything become so complicated?

Or had it always been that way and she’d never stopped long enough to notice?

Max was hardly surprised to find Maria sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front of her when he arrived home. He’d spent the day looking at apartments with an emotional Liz, after her revelations to her mother yesterday. Add to this knowing that his best friend was very possibly having a breakdown after meeting her father, it hadn’t been a Sunday of rest and relaxation.

She hadn’t been crying, he could see that. The telltale rings under her eyes weren’t there, and she looked pretty composed. Just kinda lost. When he put his coat around a chair at the table, she looked up, as if she had only just noticed his entrance.

Without speaking, Max leant over her shoulder and kissed her cheek gently. He had no idea how the meeting had gone, whether her father had greeted her with open arms, but it didn’t matter. She looked like she needed a good dose of rocky-road and peppermint crunch ice-cream.

Lucky he’d thought ahead and stocked up. What else were best friends for?

As he grabbed spoons and both tubs from the freezer, Maria gave a half-hearted grin at his automatic response. Stealing one of the spoons out of his hands, she pried the rocky-road lid off and scooped out a spoonful.

“He’s a bastard. Nothing’s changed except I feel stupid and gullible.” Maria spurted without even needing a prompt. Max pulled a chair over, and planted himself next to her, digging in to the ice-cream Maria was carefully guarding in her lap. Taking a mouthful, he spoke at the same time.

“Why dish he cawll you lasht week?” Maria raised an eyebrow and replied.

“Could you not talk with your mouth full?” He poked his tongue out and displayed the food in his mouth. Rewarded with a giggle from his somewhat depressed best friend, he felt satisfied.

“I live but to serve you. Answer the question.” She sighed and pushed the ice-cream around the tub, turning it into ice-cream soup.

“His daughter…my sister…Jamie…she’s sick.” Max groaned.

“Not an organ donor? Oh God, that’s so textbook.” Maria nodded.

“I know. She needs bone marrow and no one matches, and they want me to have tests. Can you believe it? And he tells me all this without even inquiring on how my life has been for the past however long…” She pushed the ice-cream mess away from her and looked disgusted. “Bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard…” She banged her spoon on the table in time with her chanting.

“Sorry to interrupt your ranting…which by the way is completely called for…” Maria halted and looked at her friend. “But have you decided what you’re going to do about the kid?” Maria ran her hands through her hair and then leant forward so her head was resting on the table.

“No. I mean, I can’t exactly blame her for our father being an asshole. And I can’t just let her die. So I’m basically backed into a corner.” She lolled her head to one side and looked at Max with one eye peeking out through her hair. “How dare he put me in this situation!”

Max rubbed her back comfortingly, all the while thinking of horrible things that could happen to Geoffrey Deluca. It wasn’t fair that she’d pinned so much on the meeting, just to have it crushed by his insensitive request. Not that Max could blame the guy for wanting to save his daughter…but at what cost?

“So I guess you’re going to go for it then?” Max asked, watching her reaction carefully. She rolled her eyes.

“What choice do I have? It’s not her fault.” She grabbed the ice-cream once more and started jabbing at it viciously. “I just don’t want anything to do with him. Not if I mean that little to him.” She glanced at Max, tears beginning to show. “He didn’t even flinch when I told him mom had died. Not a word about it. Bas…”

“Tard.” Max finished. Maria smiled a little and wiped at her eyes.

“I’ve had enough of crying. I feel like I’ve been doing it non-stop for the past week.”

“You’ve got a good excuse.” There was a loud knock at the door, and Maria immediately pulled her hair into a tidy pony-tail. “I’m guessing Michael?” Maria took her turn at poking her tongue out.

“Come in.” The door opened, and Michael rushed in, slamming it behind him. A nod of hello to Max, a slight grin for Maria.

“How goes it?” Max asked, knowing the extent to which the Parker family had been divided on the Liz-moving-out issue. He felt a kind of guilt about it, as if he’d pressured her to make the decision, knowing full well that he had nothing to do with it.

“I’m glad to be out of the house.” Michael replied candidly, something which surprised Max. He’d always taken Michael to be quite private, and an admission of his discomfort at home was more open than their conversation usually allowed. “Tess is still locked up her room.”

“Poor thing. She probably feels like she’s losing Liz.” Maria observed, standing to give Michael a warm hug. He returned it, Max catching the kiss on the top of Maria’s head. Nice move Casanova.

“How are you doing?” Michael asked, his girlfriend pulling out a chair for him. She shrugged, and he pulled on her ponytail gently. “C’mon. You gotta tell me how it went Butt-girl.”

“He’s a number one, grade A, certified asshole.” Was her reply, causing Michael to crumple his forehead in confusion. Not the happy family reunion story you’d expected, huh?

“Oh…that’s pretty shitty.” Michael looked puzzled. “Explain?”

Max took it upon himself to recall the sordid details when he saw the weariness on his friends face. “He asked her to take tests to see if she matched bone marrow with the ten year old daughter”

Michael’s face was expressionless. “You’re kidding?” Max shook his head.

“Didn’t even ask how Maria was.”

“That…”

“Bastard.” Both Max and Maria echoed, causing Michael to smirk.

“Yeah.” Michael turned to Maria. “I’m so sorry…I thought everything would have…”

“Worked out? Me too.” She smiled at her boyfriend, and Max took another spoonful of peppermint crunch. “But I’m going to do it. For her, not for him.”

“He didn’t leave you with much of a choice.” Michael pointed out, dipping his finger into Maria’s sloppy ice-cream mess.

“I know. But she’s my sister.” Max patted her on the back and dropped a dollop of green ice-cream on Maria’s head.

“You’re a good person.” As he walked out the door, he swore he heard Maria squeal as if Michael had thrown something at her. Something cold and squishy like ice-cream.

What was it with those two and food fights?

Some people just never got past elementary.

Liz watched as Maria made out that she was actually reading the magazine in her hands. The fact that she’d been staring at the same page for the last fifteen minutes had kinda given her away, but Liz didn’t mention it.

When she’d offered to drop Maria off at the hospital, Liz hadn’t figured on even entering the building. It was just a favor she was doing for Max, since he needed the car to get to the lab that morning, rather than taking his usual trip on the subway. And it would delay her own entrance into work by at least a half hour, which was a considerable time less she had to sit there while Michael made small talk, or said nothing at all.

It wasn’t that he was taking sides. He wasn’t. There weren’t even sides. It was mainly that he’d never been fond of change, and the stability the Parker house gave him was a kind of security he’d never had as a kid. But now, for Liz, that security was stifling, even if Michael didn’t see it that way. In his eyes, she was causing an earthquake, changing the landscape in some irreversible way.

Not that he’d even admit it or anything. He was too macho to admit that.

Tess had been a little more vocal. When everyone had been informed at dinner Tess had called Liz a deserter. From what, Liz wasn’t sure. The ‘Ya-Ya sisterhood’ or something. And when Liz had pointed out that she was going on 23, and it was about time she considered moving out, Tess had simply gaped at her, before running upstairs and slamming her door.

Behind which she’d been sitting for the last two days.

Her dad had been none too surprised by the revelation. He informed Liz that he agreed it was time she spread her wings, as long as she didn’t forget her lowly parents and their house in the ‘burbs. She had teared up as he reached across the table and grasped her hand in his own, pride in his eyes.

He had given her the strength to actually act on her instinct.

And her mom, she had been the biggest surprise of all. Instead of making the scene Liz had so expected, she had been cool, calm and collected. It was as if the outburst had cleared the air between them to a degree, and Liz was glad. She didn’t want to alienate herself from the most important people in her life.

She just didn’t want to live with them anymore.

“Maria DeLuca?” A young nurse called from the foyer, her white shoes squeaking as she turned in a fluid motion, going back in the direction she had come from. Liz realized that she was supposed to be following Maria down the hallway, towards the third door on the left.

When they’d arrived at the hospital, Maria had looked out the window and physically shuddered. Liz had heard enough of the situation from both Max and Michael to understand what was going on. Maria was up against the wall with this thing. So instead of driving away, Liz had offered to come with her, to be some kind of moral support while the procedure went ahead.

Maria had looked terribly relieved the whole time she insisted Liz didn’t have to. And when Liz had stood her ground, she’d been enveloped into a DeLuca hug.

It felt good. It felt like they were truly friends.

Liz didn’t have enough friends in the world. Not enough like Maria, anyway.

So here she was, following the nervous blonde girl down the artificially bright corridor, to the room with it’s small bed, two chairs and a desk covered in all sorts of doctors accessories that made them look so important.

Maria automatically planted herself on the bed, her legs swinging over the edge in some kind of bizarre motion that left Liz feeling sea-sick. She helped herself to the jar of lollipops that sat next to the bed, and offered one to Liz, who obliged gladly.

“Hi there, I’m Doctor Kline.” They both turned to see an attractive male doctor of about 35 standing in the doorway. Maria raised her eyebrows, obviously approving of him, and winked.

“Hello Doctor. I thought since I’ve been a good girl I’d help myself to the candy. Hope you don’t mind.” Liz snorted and then tried to pretend she’d never made a noise.

“That’s fine Maria. A blood test huh?” He asked, checking the file in front of him. “For…bone marrow donation. That’s really wonderful of you.” She gave him a beaming smile, one which Liz could barely see the anxiousness she knew Maria was feeling.

“Yep. Bone marrow is my forte. When I was born the doctor said ‘this child is going to have great marrow when she’s older’.” Liz stifled a giggle as the doctor looked confused.

“Ok then…” He arranged his tools on a stainless steel tray, and Liz felt her familiar pang of envy. She could have been doing this right now. Well, not this, ‘cause she’d still be in med. school. But in ten years, she could be doing this. “Let’s get these blood tests over and done with.”

As the needle was taken out of its sterilized packet, Liz watched Maria’s eyes turn into saucers. She gripped the girls hand without even thinking twice about it, and received a thank you squeeze in return.

“This isn’t going to hurt is it? Because I’m sure I didn’t sign up for the painful injection.” Doctor Kline grinned charmingly, and slapped the inside of her arm lightly, feeling for a vein.

“You didn’t put down on the form that you were needle phobic Miss DeLuca.”

“I’m not adverse to needles in particular…I’ve just never been a big fan of pain…you know, S&M and all that never really…OW!” Liz rubbed her hand softly, encouraging the howling woman beside her.

“Don’t be a big baby Maria.” She teased, earning a glare from the half-paralyzed patient.

“I don’t see you volunteering your blood Parker.” Was the hissed reply, causing the Doctor to laugh briefly, which only incensed Maria more. “Oh, this is hilarious is it? I’m having a great time being the comedy act here!”

“Sorry Maria. You’re the liveliest patient I’ve had all day, that’s all.”

“Lively my ass.” Maria muttered none too quietly. “I’ll show you lively.”

“All done!” The Doc announced brightly, expelling the last of the red liquid into separate vials for testing. Maria deliberately kept her line of vision away from the blood, while Liz watched, fixated. She’d always loved medicine. “Just sit there for a few minutes and then you’re free to go…we’ll call you either this afternoon or tomorrow with the results.” He answered Maria’s unspoken question before he dashed out of the room, blood in hand.

“You ok?” Liz inquired, noting the paleness of her friends skin.

“Yeah. I think I’m regenerating or something.” Liz laughed, quelling the urge to inform Maria that it took approximately two weeks for the body to replace the blood lost in a standard donation.

“Not just about the blood…about the results.” Liz asked, knowing the thoughts that would be going through her own head if in a similar situation. Maria shrugged, wincing a little at the twinge in her tender elbow.

“I guess. A part of me wants the results to come back negative, you know? So I can just forget about the whole thing and pretend Mr. Deluca never waltzed back into my life.” Liz nodded, coming to the same conclusion in her own hypothetical situation. “But then I felt awful for thinking that, and hope that it’s positive so I can help Jamie. ‘Cause she’s my little sister, and I want her to be ok.”

“I get it.” Liz said.

“I never had a sister. Sure, there was Max, but he wouldn’t dress up with me, and Isabel was too involved in her designer labels to just be a ten year old…so I feel like I owe it to her…” She ended her spiel with a shrug, much the same as when she started it. “I don’t know. It’s a strange position to be in.”

Liz looked at the large clock on the wall and saw that their time was up. “Let’s go and get a coffee to help you regenerate.” She offered her hand to Maria, who took it gladly and slid off the bed, candy still in mouth.

“’K”. As they walked back down the corridor, Maria slung an arm around Liz, the one without the bright pink bandage around it. “Thanks Lizzie.” Was all that needed to be said.

The blonde and the brunette left the building much the same as they had come in.

Except now they were friends.

Which made all the difference.

Michael was writing a report for a client when his sister poked her head around the door. He looked up in shock, considering she had barely spoken to him for the past couple of days. It was as if she was avoiding him.

It wasn’t like he hated her for moving out. If anything, he understood completely. He knew how cramped she felt in the house, how stifled by her own family.

He didn’t understand why, but he understood that she did.

Not that he could tell her that.

He didn’t know the words.

“Has Maria called?” She asked, her hair swaying in her face. God, she should tie it up or something…didn’t it bug her?

“Uh uh.” Michael grunted, feeling an urge to hug his sister.

Not that he would act on it or anything.

“Oh…” She looked a little lost as she proceeded to chew on her lower lip. “Mikey…”

“Liz…” They both spoke at the same time. Michael motioned for her to continue, as he placed the pen in his hand back on the blotter.

“I’m sorry if you think I’ve put you in the middle of everything.” She spoke softly, tangling her fingers in her dark locks. “I didn’t want that to happen.”

“I know. I don’t feel like that.” He heard himself say, his voice husking up a little. “It’s just going to be weird without you around the house.”

“Yeah…it’ll be strange not being there.”

There was a contemplative silence as the siblings both stared at the other. Liz tapped a foot nervously, before holding out her arms.

“Can I get a hug little brother?” She asked, her eyes misting.

How could he refuse that?

As they met in a hug, Michael allowed himself to be wrapped up in his sister’s scent. Her smell had always been a great source of comfort to him as a child, even more so than his mother’s, whose perfume changed whenever someone gifted her a scent she approved of. Liz was citrusy and sweet and clean. He didn’t know what perfume she wore, or if it was just, in fact, the way she smelt naturally, but it made him feel at home in her embrace.

It had been a long time since they’d hugged.

As they broke apart, Michael’s phone rang, causing them both to startle. He jumped for it, the reaction well practiced as he hung over half his desk to pick up the receiver.

“Hello?” He answered, knowing exactly who it would be.

“Hey Monkey-boy.” Came the half-hearted reply. He was instantly alert. “What’s up?”

“Not much. You ok?” Of course she’s not ok. Would she sound like her cat had died if she was howdy-doody ok?

“I just got the test results.”

“And?” Tell me, tell me…

“Positive. Out of a less than four percent chance, they came back positive.” She sounded defeated. What to say…

“Ok then…have you called Jamie’s doctor?” Michael remembered back to Max’s suggestion of contacting the supervising doctor instead of talking to her father directly. Cutting out the middle man.

“Yeah…I, uh…” She halted, and Michael could distinctly hear her sigh. “I’m booked in for tomorrow. As long as I pass the physical.” She sounded hopeful for a moment, and Michael tapped his fingers on the desk.

“You want me to come with?” Not that he liked the thought of watching his girlfriend getting prodded and needled. Hell no.

“You don’t have to…”

“Ok then, I won’t.” He teased, an amused smile on his face. Looking over at Liz, waiting expectantly, he mouthed at her ‘positive’.

“Of course…if you want to come…”

“Do you want me to come Maria?”

“Yeah.”

“How long is this thing gonna take?” He asked, checking his appointments for the following day.

“The op is seventy minutes. I’ll be in there overnight.” Wow. He hadn’t realized that this was a proper operation. With a hospital stay.

“So I come over to your place…”

“Eightish?” She suggested, and Michael ticked of the whole day.

“Ok. I’ll see you then.” She coughed slightly, and sniffed. “Maria?”

“Bye Michael.” As he was about to farewell her, he remembered Liz’s magazines advice.

“You’re a good person Maria. And you look great today.” He was rewarded with a giggle on the other end. Reward enough.

“Thanks lover boy.”

“Bye.” The phone clicked and Michael was left staring at it beeping in his hands. He glanced up to see his sister standing over his desk, hands on hips.

“She ok?” Liz queried. Michael nodded, and then shrugged.

“She said she was, but she probably isn’t.”

“Tomorrow?” Another nod. “Give her my love. I’ll buy her some flowers or something.”

Michael was already on another planet.

Love.

It was a funny thing.

Funny indeed.

Not that he was in love.

Or anything.

It was just funny.

Isabel reached across her snoring husband to pick up the phone. It had barely gone nine, but her mother had excused herself soon after dinner to work on the knitting for the impending arrival. So she’d reluctantly followed him to bed, were she’d already spent much of the day. It wasn’t her fault Alex had been up half the night before talking about baby names.

Isabel would not have any child of hers being called Pentium.

Even if it did mean she was old fashioned.

Personally, her favorites were Laura and Hannah for a girl, Fraser and Cody for a boy. All of which Alex had dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Boring, he said.

Not that he had much choice in the matter.

“Hello, Isabel speaking.” She answered, pushing the covers off her belly, the heat almost unbearable. Alex murmured through his thick sleep, and she poked him in the side playfully.

“Hey sis…how’re you?” Her brother questioned, ever the protector. She smiled and pulled her long hair up into a messy bun.

“Bored out of my mind. Sick of the sight of my bed. Ready to kill our mother. Other than that, I’m great.” She joked, knowing Max would take anything she said with a grain of salt.

“Good. Baby ok?” She rubbed her stretched stomach lightly, smiling at the responding kicks.

“It’ll be fine as long as I get to name it.” Max groaned.

“You’re not fighting over names? Oh…here we go…”

“He wants to name my firstborn after a computer. Max, that just isn’t right. Pentium is not a name…” Alex snored in response, earning another jab to his ribs.

Isabel swore her husband could sleep through an alien abduction.

“And before you even think about mentioning it, I’m not calling it William either. Don’t you think I don’t know it’ll get shortened to Bill. I’m not stupid.” She ranted, flipping quickly through an ante-natal hand book.

“I know Belle. If anyone knows that, I do.” He replied, his grin evident in his voice. “I actually rang about Maria.”

Isabel sat up carefully, using her pillows to prop herself up. She’d been getting frequent updates from Alex, through Max at work, and had spent time discussing it at length with her mom. She couldn’t even imagine what she herself would do if she were in that situation, but Maria had never been an average girl.

Never.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, remembering the small bar of chocolate she’d put in the fridge last week. God, she could devour that candy right now. Stupid confinement.

“She’s really upset. The op is tomorrow morning.”

“Scared?” Isabel knew she would be.

“I think it’s just her dad. She’ll be out for the procedure, and we’ll all be there. But she’s worried her dad will find out and turn up.”

“How would he know?”

“It’s the same hospital that her sister is in. The doctor was reluctant to keep the family in the dark about the operation. Chances are he already does know.” Isabel opened the bedside drawer and checked it for leftover food. Nothing.

“She doesn’t want to see him? At all?” Max sighed through the phone.

“I don’t know. She says she doesn’t want anything to do with him, but I can tell a part of her is holding back from making it clear to him.” Isabel reached under the bed, her hand moving from left to right before she hit the jackpot.

“Yes!” She exclaimed, holding her loot high. The wrapped caramel had fallen from the packet she’d downed that afternoon.

“Is? You and Alex aren’t…” There was an uncomfortable pause, before Isabel burst out laughing.

“Max! God…ew! You think I’d be talking to you…and doing that to…Max!” The laughter overtook her for a moment, until she realized that she’d been hanging out for the sugar rush that candy would hold for the last three hours. Tearing the caramel out of the paper, she threw it into her mouth with delight. “I found a candy on the floor.”

“Mom told you not to eat things off the floor.” Max teased.

“You were the one with a penchant for beetles, remember?” Isabel chewed noisily for a minute. “So…she wants to see him, but she doesn’t want to see him?”

“I think she wants to see Jamie.” Max revealed.

“Oh. That’s kinda…big, huh?”

“Yeah. I dunno if he’ll let her. I mean, she’s only a kid. She might not even know she has a big sister…and if she’s sick too…” He trailed off.

“You think it’s too big for her to ask Maxie?” Isabel waited for a response, but only got silence. “She’s going through a lot for this kid.” Another sigh.

“I know…it just feels like airing the family secrets isn’t something that should happen in the middle of a hospital in front of a sick child.”

“It’s gotta happen sometime. She tried it the nice way.” She reminded her brother.

“Uh…I’m just as confused as she is about the whole thing. How can I support her through this?” Max wasn’t even asking her for advice, just voicing his own self-doubt.

Of course he was getting pearls of wisdom whether he liked it or not.

“Just look after her Maxie. You always knew how to best.” There was breathing on the line, and Isabel smiled. Sometimes her brother took too much weight on his own shoulders. “Give her a big hug from me and Alex.”

“Ok Is.”

“Is mom going?”

“I think so. Maria asked her to.”

“Gonna be quite the gathering then. Wish I could come to the party.” She said quietly.

“We’ll have one after the op. In your bedroom. Promise.”

“Thanks Maxie. Love you.”

“Love you too Belle.”

The dial tone signaled the end of the conversation. Isabel hung up the receiver and sat back into the pillows.

It was only a minute before she was rooting around under the bed again.

Maybe she’d dropped another candy somewhere under there.

Max sat quietly beside his best friend as a doctor stood silently in front of them, checking his chart and ticking things with his professional pen. Michael was grabbing coffees for everyone except the patient, and Diane was fetching the cookies she’d baked early that morning from Max and Maria’s car.

Looking up from his paperwork, the doctor smiled at Maria, who was grasping Max’s hand ferociously. “I thought I’d explain to you about bone marrow, and about the procedure. Then you’ll understand what you’re in for and see why Jamie is sick.” Maria nodded, continuing her virtual muteness of the morning. “Bone marrow is the spongy tissue that fills up cavities of the bone. It releases blood cells into the blood stream when they are mature and when the body has a special need for them. Normally the bone marrow produces all three of the blood cells-red cells, white cells and platelets.”

“And Jamie’s body doesn’t do this anymore, right?” Maria questioned softly, her hand clammy in Max’s.

“Kind of. Leukaemia occurs when someone’s body begins to accumulate apparently abnormal white blood cells. In the process, the army of mature white blood cells decreases drastically in number and ability. Numbers of mature platelets and red blood cells also are reduced. Cells are 'abnormal' because they cannot mature properly. This inability to mature is the fundamental defect in leukaemia. These 'baby' cells build in the body because they do not die and cannot be used up.” Max squeezed her hand gently, the flow of information both helpful and overwhelming. Seeing this exchange Doctor Gill sat down opposite the chairs they were perched on, and placed his documents on the desk. “It’s quite complicated. I don’t mean to frighten you, but I’ve always found that the informed patients are the happiest in the end.”

“It’s ok. I want to know.” Maria insisted.

“Ok Maria…eventually the leukaemia cells accumulate in the bone marrow until all the normal white and red blood cells and platelets are crowded out or not replaced. The healthy bone marrow is replaced by useless ‘baby’ cells which consequently spill into the blood and are carried throughout the body.” He halted the explanation, seeing that they were being joined by another friend. “Come on in…Michael?” The doctor had been briefly introduced to the family members when they arrived, and his memory was rewarded with a quick smirk from Michael.

“Hey.” He stood behind Maria, his hands on her shoulders lightly.

“I’m just letting Maria know what we’re trying to accomplish today. The operation lasts 70 minutes on average, and we call it a bone marrow harvest. We’re going to make some small incisions on your lower back, and then with a large needle remove the bone marrow from your pelvic bone.” Maria shuddered at the thought of the needle, and Max squeezed her hand once more. He felt quite queasy himself at the thought of the procedure. “Sometimes we let the donors go home straight away, but with your small frame, combined with the recent stress you have informed us of, I’ve recommended an overnight stay.”

“Will she be ok?” Michael asked, causing Max to jump at the loudness of his voice. It seemed they were both worried about the consequences.”

“As I said, generally we let patients go home the same day. Maria, you’ll have a sore backside for a couple of days, but you’ll be fine other than that.” He referred back to his paperwork. “I’m going to go and check that everything is in order, and provided that we’re on schedule, we’ll have you in pre-op in a half hour.”

“Thank you.” Maria mumbled, as the doctor left her with Max, Michael, and a worried Mrs. Evans.

“I’m sorry, the cookies fell all over the back seat of the car…they’re ruined.” Maria looked up at Max’s mom, her eyes filling with tears.

“Thanks Diane, you didn’t have to make the effort.”

“Oh, sweetheart, of course I did. You’ll be fine.” She swept the small girl up in a hug. “And with Michael and Max here, I’m sure you’ll sleep well afterwards.” Max rolled his eyes, knowing that his mom had immediately approved of Michael, despite his somewhat gruff appearance that morning.

There was a loud knock at the door, making all four of the rooms occupants turn. Maria gasped in shock, and Max instantly recognized the man from visits to her house when he was younger. Before he could say anything, Michael had Geoffrey Deluca bailed up outside the room, the door swinging shut behind him.

“Stay…from her…asshole…” Michael’s muffled words could be heard through the thin walls, and Max watched as Maria’s eyes filled.

“Do you want to see him?” He asked carefully, not wanting her to have to deal with this right then and there, but unwilling to make the decision for her.

“I have to talk to him about Jamie.” Maria whispered, her frame looking tiny as she sat in the uncomfortable chair. “I have to know…”

Max nodded and opened the door, ready to find a dead Deluca outside. Michael was still giving him a significantly large piece of his mind, but as soon as Max coughed, the tirade halted.

“Maria would like to talk to you.” He spoke with no emotion to the man that had the capacity to break his best friend. Michael’s jaw went slack, and he began to protest it. “Michael, she asked. She wants to.” The ruffled boyfriend leant against the wall and shrugged his shoulders.

“Better not get her upset.” He threatened softly. Max held the door open for the older man, who looked a little rough around the edges himself. Diane excused herself from the room, but not before she gave Maria’s father a good hard stare.

“You don’t know what you’ve missed out on, leaving her. She’s a delight.”

As Max went to follow his mother, he heard Maria call his name.

“Can you stay?” She asked, and he quickly shut the door behind him.

“Maria, I’m so thankful that you’re doing this…it means so much.” She raised a finger, which stopped her father in his tracks.

“If you think I’m doing this for you, you’re wrong. This isn’t about you, not for one minute.” She took a breath and launched into her bargaining plan, the one she’d told Max about that very morning. “I do want to make a deal with you though.”

Geoff raised his eyebrows, obviously not expecting a bargain plea. “I’m not sure if I understand…”

“I want to see Jamie.” She threw it out there, surprising herself and her father. “I figure if I’m doing all this…I’d like to meet her.”

“I don’t think that would be appropriate…she doesn’t…” His sentence tarried off, and Maria concluded it for him.

“Know about me. She doesn’t know about me.” She had planned for that, and Max smiled at the older man, all the while congratulating Maria for planning ahead. “See, I thought that might be the case. But I have a way to get around that.”

“Maria…I don’t think you understand…”

“No, you don’t understand. I’ve spent the last three years of my life thinking I had no family. And then, miraculously I thought, you came back into my life. Hurray!” She shook her head. “How could I have been so stupid? But you can’t take everything away for me. I’m doing this for Jamie. Tell her I’m a long lost friend, a daughter of a friend…whatever. But I want to see her. Once a month.”

“This isn’t a custody battle Maria.”

“No. You never wanted me enough to fight for me.” Max caught himself, holding back the comment that was on the tip of his tongue. “But I want to spend time with my sister. Would you truly take what little family I have away from me again?”

“I’d have to talk it over with my wife.” Geoffrey Deluca sounded resolved to the fact that his daughter had turned out much like her mother. Feisty. “I’m not promising anything.”

“I wouldn’t believe a promise from you.” Max smiled and stood from his chair.

“Can I see you out Mr. Deluca? Maria here has an operation shortly, and afterwards she’d like to discuss the details of the little arrangement you’ve just made.”

“Er…”

“Thank you Mr. Deluca. Your warm wishes to your firstborn daughter are much appreciated, as are the gifts you brought.” Max motioned at the mans empty arms. “Get out of here.”

As her father left her room, Maria called out to the guests waiting outside. “Come back in…”

“The doctor is coming down the corridor now, you were supposed to be in that…thingie…by now.” Michael hurriedly spoke, while waving at the flimsy piece of paper regarded as a hospital gown.

“Out! Everyone out!” Maria cried, tearing her clothes off quickly. Both Diane and Max hightailed it, while Michael stood in the same spot for a moment. “Michael Monkey-boy Guerin, get out of here or I’ll scream the place down.”

Max chuckled from outside the door. How she did it he’d never know.

She’d be ok.

He knew it.

His best friend was a survivor.

Dear Journal,

This is my brand new journal that Liz bought for me last week after I shocked her with my revelation that I’d never had one. She said that every girl needs somewhere to write her thoughts, and since most of the time she seems so composed and organized, I thought I’d better write something in it. God knows, right now is hectic enough for me to need some composure.

The last three months have gone by like the wind.

I have a family again.

I think I always had one, but never knew it.

I have a sister. Jamie Deluca. She’s about to turn eleven. I bought her a pair of roller-blades for her birthday. She’s spent a lot of time in hospital, but she’s in remission right now. I helped make her better. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. She doesn’t know I’m her sister, but she tells everyone I am anyway. I like her a lot. She’s kooky and laughs at everything.

I have a boyfriend. Michael Monkey-boy Guerin. Remember that name. He’s just quit working for his dad’s investigation firm to become an artist. Well, he always was an artist, but now he does it full time. He had a show and people bought the place out. He was in the New York Times last week. He’s gonna be big. It mostly makes him feel like a rock-star, but he hasn’t changed much. He still likes to go for rides in his car and pretend that we’re in high school. I think I love him very much. I haven’t said it yet…but maybe one day I’ll find the guts. Or he’ll find this journal and read it for himself.

I KNOW YOU’RE READING THIS, GUERIN! PUT THE JOURNAL DOWN!

I have a niece. Imogene Bridy Maria Whitman. The initials of her given names are I.B.M. Isabel and Alex reached a compromise on the issue. She’s three weeks old, and she blows bubbles at me all the time. Isabel has loosened up considerably, and even let me hold her once. After I made a verbal contract that I wouldn’t drop her. Hey, you can’t stop progress. Alex is in love all over again. He’s lost all power to speak the English language. Baby talk is it for him.

I have two best friends. Max Evans and Elizabeth Parker. They have just moved into their new apartment, six blocks from mine. And even though they’re all mushy and adoring and disgusting (everything Michael and I aren’t) they still listen to me rant about everything. And Liz is getting used to me calling up in the middle of the night for my chats to Max. I wouldn’t say she likes answering the phone at three in the morning, but she’s getting used to it. It’s getting a little lonely in the apartment by myself, but I’m waiting a bit before I ask Monkey-boy to move it. Wouldn’t want to freak him now would I?

GUERIN, PUT THE BOOK DOWN! I WON’T SAY IT AGAIN!

I have a surrogate mother. Diane Evans. Who rings me three times a week to make sure I’m still eating without Max being there to cook for me. Geez! I was the one cooking for him. She puts flowers on my moms grave for me every week, and makes sure it’s tidy. And she sends me cards sometimes too. Classic Hallmark stuff, but it’s nice.

I have adopted teenagers raiding my fridge. Tess Harding and Kyle Valenti. They won’t be coming over anymore soon though, seeing as they’re both going to college in California. Tess and I talk about makeup and hair and sometimes sex. Kyle and Mikey just talk about sex. They say it’s cars, but I can see through the motoring innuendoes. I’m going to miss them when they’re gone. I think we all will.

I don’t have a father. AKA Geoffrey Deluca. Things are strictly about Jamie in our relationship. I pick her up on the last Saturday of each month and we do our own thing. A couple of times I met her after school, but it’s about us, and not him. Sometimes it hurts that she talks about him as a dad, but I have to deal with that. He is her dad, and he’s a good dad to her. He sucked at being mine, but I guess you’ve got to have a special finesse to deal with the DeLuca women.

All in all, things are pretty great. I’m busier than ever at work, and George promoted me. I now have a corner office and a bigger desk. My phone has more buttons. I feel fulfilled. Kelly is getting married to a guy she met a month ago. I’m bridesmaid. I hope I don’t have to wear a pink meringue.

I like where I am. I like who I’m with.

I like me.

Maria Rose DeLuca. Ria. Hurricane DeLuca. Butt-girl.

I made it. And it feels like I’m finally home.

Something in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms
There's something in your voice makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life
If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've been so alone
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you've done

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

A window breaks down a long dark street
and a siren wails in the night
But I'm all right 'cause I have you here with me
And I can almost see through the dark there is light
If you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I've waited for your touch
And if you knew how happy you are making me
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much

It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

…I’d just like to take a moment to thank www.leukaemia.com, where I gleaned so much of my research information…

The End

Fic