1 Starting Over-5
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Few years after college. This is an AU.
Authors' note: This story is told from each of the characters' points of view. This may start out weird. But never fear, I'm a dreamer all the way (
1.1 Isabel
I watched the interaction between Max and Liz. They do still love each other deeply. There was a look of envy on Liz's face when Max talked of my nieces. Was there something missing in Liz's family that she wanted. Or was it just Max.
I would have to talk to Maria about that. As for now, I'll just go back into my room and act like I was there all along. I know they still love each other, even if they don't yet
1.2 Max
Whatever just happened out there was not good. I just kissed a married woman. Did I kiss her or did she kiss me? It seemed like it could be either one of us. God, what am I going to do?
She's sleeping in the next room with Daniel. Ethan won't be home till Sunday. Does that mean that she will stay till then? That's a lot of evenings. Hopefully, Daniel will have gotten better and would hang around with them. But whatever happens I cannot allow us to be that close again.
1.3 Next Afternoon
1.4 Maria
This had better be good. I cancelled a date with Michael so I could talk to Isabel. She sounded urgent so I, of course, agreed to meet her. I haven't seen her for six years. I had never been to their apartment; I had no reason to. So, evidently, I never saw Isabel.
As I look around now you would never have guessed who lived here. There were pictures of two small girls everywhere. I wonder who they are? I have no idea why Isabel wanted to meet here.
"Hi." I say enthusiastically. We hug and giggle. Comments about each other, you know, girl stuff.
"So where are Max and Liz?" I just had to ask.
"They took Daniel out to dinner." She told me. I perked an eyebrow at her. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Maria."
She did not just call me over here to talk about my best friend's love life.
"Well, if you want to know why don't you ask them?" I say hotly.
"Because, I can't." She slipped into her ice-bitch mode.
"And why not." I couldn't resist even though I already knew the answer. We never got on tremendously well. We both clunked heads. And everyone knew we could both be bitches when we needed to.
"Because they're not ready to admit what is happening between the two of them." She said. Then proceeded to tell me about the evening before. I was startled about what I had heard. But not really, I didn't like Ethan, ever. I decided to tell Isabel the truth.
"Look, Isabel, I'm going to give you some information but we can't get too involved in this relationship development. Liz has to figure this one out on her own because if not, she'll be torn." I looked at her and dove in headfirst. "I don't like Ethan. I never did. At first Liz refused to even look at another guy. She was planning on going back for Max after her first year of college. She just wanted to get her feet wet." I saw anger flash in Isabel's eyes. I braced myself for what I was about to hear.
"Did she really think that he would just wait around for her until she 'got her feet wet'? She couldn't have called, told Max to wait for her. That she was coming for him. God, Maria he was crushed. He went into deep depression. He came to terms with Tess, got married to her, and had two kids. Maria, he would never have done that if he would have known." She was furious.
"I understand that." I said with a deathly calm. She didn't realize how difficult it was for Liz. "Things just got under hand, and she met Ethan. She married him a few months later. After the marriage, everything changed Ethan was gone a lot. More than even traveling husbands are. I didn't trust him, I still don't. As of now, I think he's using her. Just for his position. You know, big business man, with a wife and kid tucked away in their little New Jersey Suburb home. You know what I mean. Don't you?" I asked.
"Yes, I understand perfectly. Does Liz?" She said.
"She does, in her own way. I don't think she'd willingly admit it. You obviously know why. She's afraid that she won't find someone, she's afraid of the divorce. For herself, for Daniel, she's terrified for Daniel." I explained. Some of the things were just dawning on me now.
"I understand. But with Max here, so willing to take her back as a friend, I think she has that extra boost that she needs to leave. To find someone who is willing to take care of her, love her, and Daniel." She was getting to a point as well.
"We just have to make her see. Quietly, and easily we'll make them both see." I said happily.
"But, um, you said Liz married him a few months later? Wouldn't she wait longer?"
"Yes, a few months, she met him in January, married him in April, and had Daniel in September. You do the math." I say.
"Oh."
1.5 Max
I walked into the apartment not expecting anyone there. I had Daniel in my arms since he preferred to be carried. I didn't want Liz to carry him because of so much weight. So as I walked into the apartment I almost dropped him. I was not expecting Isabel and Maria to be here.
I stopped in the doorway Liz ran into my back with a loud "umf."
"Sorry, Hey Is, Maria." I say putting Daniel down. "Isabel, don't you have a meeting?" I say casually.
"No." She gives me a look. What is that supposed to mean? I've spent my day trying to decode Daniel's speech, how was I supposed to figure out her looks?
"We were just leaving, I have a date with Michael." Maria says flashing Liz a smile.
"I was too, I was going to go shopping anyway." Isabel stands up.
"Hey, Isabel mind if I tag along? Ethan has some clothes at the tailor's and I need to pick them up before tomorrow." Liz said. I tried not to flinch when I heard Ethan's name.
"Sure, what about Daniel?" Isabel asked looking at me. I took my cue.
"I'll look after him. I don't have anything else to do. We'll have a guys hang out. No chicks. How does that sound little man?" I ask turning to Daniel.
"Bye Mommy." He says and walks towards the "pumputer."
"There you go. We'll be fine. Have fun." I say and shut the door before they could protest and make the poor guy go on a shopping trip from hell. I had gone with both in high school. Not fun.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Few years after college. This is an AU.
Authors' note: This story is told from each of the characters' points of view. This may start out weird. But never fear, I'm a dreamer all the way (
1.1 Isabel
I watched the interaction between Max and Liz. They do still love each other deeply. There was a look of envy on Liz's face when Max talked of my nieces. Was there something missing in Liz's family that she wanted. Or was it just Max.
I would have to talk to Maria about that. As for now, I'll just go back into my room and act like I was there all along. I know they still love each other, even if they don't yet
1.2 Max
Whatever just happened out there was not good. I just kissed a married woman. Did I kiss her or did she kiss me? It seemed like it could be either one of us. God, what am I going to do?
She's sleeping in the next room with Daniel. Ethan won't be home till Sunday. Does that mean that she will stay till then? That's a lot of evenings. Hopefully, Daniel will have gotten better and would hang around with them. But whatever happens I cannot allow us to be that close again.
1.3 Next Afternoon
1.4 Maria
This had better be good. I cancelled a date with Michael so I could talk to Isabel. She sounded urgent so I, of course, agreed to meet her. I haven't seen her for six years. I had never been to their apartment; I had no reason to. So, evidently, I never saw Isabel.
As I look around now you would never have guessed who lived here. There were pictures of two small girls everywhere. I wonder who they are? I have no idea why Isabel wanted to meet here.
"Hi." I say enthusiastically. We hug and giggle. Comments about each other, you know, girl stuff.
"So where are Max and Liz?" I just had to ask.
"They took Daniel out to dinner." She told me. I perked an eyebrow at her. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Maria."
She did not just call me over here to talk about my best friend's love life.
"Well, if you want to know why don't you ask them?" I say hotly.
"Because, I can't." She slipped into her ice-bitch mode.
"And why not." I couldn't resist even though I already knew the answer. We never got on tremendously well. We both clunked heads. And everyone knew we could both be bitches when we needed to.
"Because they're not ready to admit what is happening between the two of them." She said. Then proceeded to tell me about the evening before. I was startled about what I had heard. But not really, I didn't like Ethan, ever. I decided to tell Isabel the truth.
"Look, Isabel, I'm going to give you some information but we can't get too involved in this relationship development. Liz has to figure this one out on her own because if not, she'll be torn." I looked at her and dove in headfirst. "I don't like Ethan. I never did. At first Liz refused to even look at another guy. She was planning on going back for Max after her first year of college. She just wanted to get her feet wet." I saw anger flash in Isabel's eyes. I braced myself for what I was about to hear.
"Did she really think that he would just wait around for her until she 'got her feet wet'? She couldn't have called, told Max to wait for her. That she was coming for him. God, Maria he was crushed. He went into deep depression. He came to terms with Tess, got married to her, and had two kids. Maria, he would never have done that if he would have known." She was furious.
"I understand that." I said with a deathly calm. She didn't realize how difficult it was for Liz. "Things just got under hand, and she met Ethan. She married him a few months later. After the marriage, everything changed Ethan was gone a lot. More than even traveling husbands are. I didn't trust him, I still don't. As of now, I think he's using her. Just for his position. You know, big business man, with a wife and kid tucked away in their little New Jersey Suburb home. You know what I mean. Don't you?" I asked.
"Yes, I understand perfectly. Does Liz?" She said.
"She does, in her own way. I don't think she'd willingly admit it. You obviously know why. She's afraid that she won't find someone, she's afraid of the divorce. For herself, for Daniel, she's terrified for Daniel." I explained. Some of the things were just dawning on me now.
"I understand. But with Max here, so willing to take her back as a friend, I think she has that extra boost that she needs to leave. To find someone who is willing to take care of her, love her, and Daniel." She was getting to a point as well.
"We just have to make her see. Quietly, and easily we'll make them both see." I said happily.
"But, um, you said Liz married him a few months later? Wouldn't she wait longer?"
"Yes, a few months, she met him in January, married him in April, and had Daniel in September. You do the math." I say.
"Oh."
1.5 Max
I walked into the apartment not expecting anyone there. I had Daniel in my arms since he preferred to be carried. I didn't want Liz to carry him because of so much weight. So as I walked into the apartment I almost dropped him. I was not expecting Isabel and Maria to be here.
I stopped in the doorway Liz ran into my back with a loud "umf."
"Sorry, Hey Is, Maria." I say putting Daniel down. "Isabel, don't you have a meeting?" I say casually.
"No." She gives me a look. What is that supposed to mean? I've spent my day trying to decode Daniel's speech, how was I supposed to figure out her looks?
"We were just leaving, I have a date with Michael." Maria says flashing Liz a smile.
"I was too, I was going to go shopping anyway." Isabel stands up.
"Hey, Isabel mind if I tag along? Ethan has some clothes at the tailor's and I need to pick them up before tomorrow." Liz said. I tried not to flinch when I heard Ethan's name.
"Sure, what about Daniel?" Isabel asked looking at me. I took my cue.
"I'll look after him. I don't have anything else to do. We'll have a guys hang out. No chicks. How does that sound little man?" I ask turning to Daniel.
"Bye Mommy." He says and walks towards the "pumputer."
"There you go. We'll be fine. Have fun." I say and shut the door before they could protest and make the poor guy go on a shopping trip from hell. I had gone with both in high school. Not fun.