Part Seven
Alex was worried. She was two days late with her phone call and with this Maria was always on time. Like clockwork. Every Wednesday at 9pm.
On Wednesday night he thought it unusual. On Thursday he worried slightly. He accidentally, deliberately ran into Mrs Deluca who hadn't seen in two months and subtlety enquired after her. She hadn't phoned Amy either however Mrs Deluca wasn't concerned. She assumed Maria was having fun and forgot.
Maria never forgot.
Still he felt slightly better for a while. After all if her own mother didn't think was unusual, he was just being paranoid.
'I've been hanging around Michael too long,' Alex thought wryly to himself.
By Thursday night- he decided 'Paranoia be damned.' Mrs Deluca , although a cool mum and a great person, was slightly flaky. Maria was more a mother to her than she was to Maria.
It was too late to phone Florida so he spent the night debating with himself various possibilities and imagining reasons for the lack of a call. Stuck in the desert didn't occur to him.
On Friday morning he dialled Florida. Liz answered,
"Alex, its great to hear from you."
"Liz, you okay?"
"I'm better. How is everyone?"
"They're okay," normally Alex would chat to Liz but after the night he had just had, "Can I speak to Maria?" He got straight to the point.
"Alex," he could hear puzzlement in her voice. "You realise I am in Florida, right."
"Of course you are. You and Maria."
"Alex, are you alright. Why would Maria be her. She's in Roswell with you. I spoke to her last week."
"What do you mean she is in Roswell?" Alex's voice rose in his surprise and panic.
"Alex, what's going on?" Liz was starting to get worried.
"Oh my God, she lied." He was almost talking to himself.
"Alex!" He didn't answer.
"Alex!" She yelled louder. He jumped on the other end.
"Liz, don't yell"
"You're ignoring me. Tell me what the hell is going on. Now!"
"Maria – she's missing."
"What do you mean she is missing. She's in Roswell with you. She's been there all summer." Liz was panicking as well now.
"No, she hasn't. She told us she was in Florida with you. And since you weren't talking to anyone, no one knew any better."
"Are you saying that Maria disappeared for two months and no one knew?"
"She phoned every week. You said yourself you spoke to her. This is bad – really bad.
What are we going to do?"
"Okay, let's not panic," Liz sounded more like Liz now. Analysing and thinking. "Why do you think something has happened to her. She seems fine when we speak to her."
"That's why I am worried," Alex answered.
"Because she is fine?" Liz questioned.
"Liz, no. because she didn't phone. Every week she phones. At the same time. And she didn't. You know Maria…"
"Never forgets."
"What are we going to do?"
"This is bad, Alex."
"I know."
"I'm coming home." Alex didn't try to stop her. He was now more scared than worried. Two months she'd been lying to them. The realisation was just settling in.
"Okay."
"Don't do anything till I get there. Don't call them." He didn't ask who them was.
"We might need them."
"Wait till I get there, okay"
"Alright."
"Okay, I'll phone you in 5 minutes with my flight and time."
"I'll be at the airport." They both hung up, a hundred thoughts running through their minds, fear for their best friend prominent.
'She lied to us,' Alex thought again in shock. Just then the doorbell rang. Almost automatically Alex headed towards the door and opened it.
"Kyle," Alex said in surprise.
"Hey man how's it going?" He walked past Alex into the house. Alex followed him almost blindly.
"I just got back from basketball camp. I stopped by the Crashdown. Guess Liz and Ria aren't back from Florida yet," Kyle continued.
At the mention of Maria's name Alex became alert again.
"You okay, Alex?" Kyle asked noting Alex's distraction.
"No," he answered. He didn't question Kyle's appearance. Things had changed for all of them in the last week of school with Pierce and then Kyle getting shot. Sharing a secret made them all closer. Alex didn't have to decide if he was going to tell Kyle what was going on or not. He just did. Alex explained everything to him.
In between explanations Liz called with details of her flight. Both Kyle and Alex left immediately for the airport.
Three hours later, three worried friends driving home from the airport were debating whether or not to call 'them'.
"We need their help," Alex said.
"How can they help. We don't know anything. Why would they know?" Kyle questioned.
"Isabel can dreamwalk," Alex answered. Liz had been silently observing the conversation until now.
"Michael needs to know." She finally stated. No one said anything. They all knew that whatever happened between Michael and Maria, Michael would die for her. For something never stated aloud and by two people who in their own way were strangely private about their feelings, it was a well known fact.
"I'll call Max," Alex finally said.
Liz smiled wryly. Going to Florida didn't appear to have helped much with the staying away from Max.
Alex phoned Max on the cell and told him to get everyone and meet at Michael's apartment. Max didn't ask questions, hearing the tone of Alex's voice which reflected all his worry and fear for Maria.
Kyle who was driving pulled up in front of Michael's place and the three of them got out slowly. Kyle had been there only once after he had been shot. For the others it brought back memories of happier times.
Everyone was there already when Liz, Alex and Kyle arrived. For the first few minutes no one said anything , just looking at each other. Max looked shocked to see Liz and the two of them did their usual stare-into-each-other's-eyes thing.
"Where's Maria?" Michael's voice broke the silence. Her absence was noticeable.
That snapped everyone out of it. Liz and Alex exchanged a look
"We don't know," Kyle answered.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Isabel asked quickly before Michael did or said anything. He and Kyle were not the best of friends.
"She's supposed to be in Florida with you," Michael stated looking at Liz.
"Liz thought she was in Roswell," Alex said when it didn't appear that Liz was going to answer. She was still recovering from seeing Max again.
"Damn. I knew it," Michael said and got up, grabbing his jacket. Max stopped him at the door.
"Knew what, Michael? And where are you going?"
"Knew she was nearby," he answered. "I'm going to find her," he continued.
"Wait. Stop. Nearby? Someone explain what's going on and start from the beginning?" Tess said.
Everyone else was still taking in Michael's statement.
"Alex?" Tess asked again. And so Alex explained for the third time all that had happened. They all looked shocked.
"She lied to you, to us?" Isabel asked finally. "That can't be right. Maria wouldn't lie."
"Two months," Max said, "two months. She could be anywhere."
"Not anywhere," Michael spoke up.
"You'd better explain, Michael," Alex said.
"Yes, explain, please," Liz added.
They all looked at him expectantly. He looked uncomfortable.
"I think she is close. Near Roswell – well she has been for the last 10 days."
"You can feel her, Michael?" Max asked. "You never said anything."
"And why didn't you say anything. Ten days and you didn't tell us," Kyle added.
"Yeah, I can sense when she is near. I think she can sense me too," Michael answered Max's question first. Then he explained, "It's not an exact science, you know. I felt her getting closer about two weeks ago. And I didn't say anything because I convinced myself…" he paused. Everyone waited expectantly.
"Michael!" Isabel went impatiently when he didn't appear to be finishing his sentence.
A blank look came upon his face before Michael softly answered, "I missed her so I thought I was feeling her because I wanted her to come home, and she was supposed to be in Florida." No one knew what to say. Michael rarely admitted his feelings, and usually went out of his way to deny that they even existed or he ignored them by focusing all out and obsessing about his past, his origins.
"I'll dreamwalk," Isabel suggested. Alex smiled at her in relief. She smiled back. It felt good even in these circumstances to be together again. Things were simpler when everyone was together.
"There's one more thing," Michael said again.
"Michael?" Isabel prompted again when he stopped speaking.
"She's okay now but the last three days… she was scared, I think."
"You think?" Kyle asked.
"I told you it was not an exact science."
"If she was scared why didn't you…?" Alex trailed of, not sure what he was asking.
"I don't know. It was strange, you know. She was scared but she wasn't asking for help." Michael looked confused.
"You said she is okay now?" Liz asked.
"Yeah."
End part 7
Alex was worried. She was two days late with her phone call and with this Maria was always on time. Like clockwork. Every Wednesday at 9pm.
On Wednesday night he thought it unusual. On Thursday he worried slightly. He accidentally, deliberately ran into Mrs Deluca who hadn't seen in two months and subtlety enquired after her. She hadn't phoned Amy either however Mrs Deluca wasn't concerned. She assumed Maria was having fun and forgot.
Maria never forgot.
Still he felt slightly better for a while. After all if her own mother didn't think was unusual, he was just being paranoid.
'I've been hanging around Michael too long,' Alex thought wryly to himself.
By Thursday night- he decided 'Paranoia be damned.' Mrs Deluca , although a cool mum and a great person, was slightly flaky. Maria was more a mother to her than she was to Maria.
It was too late to phone Florida so he spent the night debating with himself various possibilities and imagining reasons for the lack of a call. Stuck in the desert didn't occur to him.
On Friday morning he dialled Florida. Liz answered,
"Alex, its great to hear from you."
"Liz, you okay?"
"I'm better. How is everyone?"
"They're okay," normally Alex would chat to Liz but after the night he had just had, "Can I speak to Maria?" He got straight to the point.
"Alex," he could hear puzzlement in her voice. "You realise I am in Florida, right."
"Of course you are. You and Maria."
"Alex, are you alright. Why would Maria be her. She's in Roswell with you. I spoke to her last week."
"What do you mean she is in Roswell?" Alex's voice rose in his surprise and panic.
"Alex, what's going on?" Liz was starting to get worried.
"Oh my God, she lied." He was almost talking to himself.
"Alex!" He didn't answer.
"Alex!" She yelled louder. He jumped on the other end.
"Liz, don't yell"
"You're ignoring me. Tell me what the hell is going on. Now!"
"Maria – she's missing."
"What do you mean she is missing. She's in Roswell with you. She's been there all summer." Liz was panicking as well now.
"No, she hasn't. She told us she was in Florida with you. And since you weren't talking to anyone, no one knew any better."
"Are you saying that Maria disappeared for two months and no one knew?"
"She phoned every week. You said yourself you spoke to her. This is bad – really bad.
What are we going to do?"
"Okay, let's not panic," Liz sounded more like Liz now. Analysing and thinking. "Why do you think something has happened to her. She seems fine when we speak to her."
"That's why I am worried," Alex answered.
"Because she is fine?" Liz questioned.
"Liz, no. because she didn't phone. Every week she phones. At the same time. And she didn't. You know Maria…"
"Never forgets."
"What are we going to do?"
"This is bad, Alex."
"I know."
"I'm coming home." Alex didn't try to stop her. He was now more scared than worried. Two months she'd been lying to them. The realisation was just settling in.
"Okay."
"Don't do anything till I get there. Don't call them." He didn't ask who them was.
"We might need them."
"Wait till I get there, okay"
"Alright."
"Okay, I'll phone you in 5 minutes with my flight and time."
"I'll be at the airport." They both hung up, a hundred thoughts running through their minds, fear for their best friend prominent.
'She lied to us,' Alex thought again in shock. Just then the doorbell rang. Almost automatically Alex headed towards the door and opened it.
"Kyle," Alex said in surprise.
"Hey man how's it going?" He walked past Alex into the house. Alex followed him almost blindly.
"I just got back from basketball camp. I stopped by the Crashdown. Guess Liz and Ria aren't back from Florida yet," Kyle continued.
At the mention of Maria's name Alex became alert again.
"You okay, Alex?" Kyle asked noting Alex's distraction.
"No," he answered. He didn't question Kyle's appearance. Things had changed for all of them in the last week of school with Pierce and then Kyle getting shot. Sharing a secret made them all closer. Alex didn't have to decide if he was going to tell Kyle what was going on or not. He just did. Alex explained everything to him.
In between explanations Liz called with details of her flight. Both Kyle and Alex left immediately for the airport.
Three hours later, three worried friends driving home from the airport were debating whether or not to call 'them'.
"We need their help," Alex said.
"How can they help. We don't know anything. Why would they know?" Kyle questioned.
"Isabel can dreamwalk," Alex answered. Liz had been silently observing the conversation until now.
"Michael needs to know." She finally stated. No one said anything. They all knew that whatever happened between Michael and Maria, Michael would die for her. For something never stated aloud and by two people who in their own way were strangely private about their feelings, it was a well known fact.
"I'll call Max," Alex finally said.
Liz smiled wryly. Going to Florida didn't appear to have helped much with the staying away from Max.
Alex phoned Max on the cell and told him to get everyone and meet at Michael's apartment. Max didn't ask questions, hearing the tone of Alex's voice which reflected all his worry and fear for Maria.
Kyle who was driving pulled up in front of Michael's place and the three of them got out slowly. Kyle had been there only once after he had been shot. For the others it brought back memories of happier times.
Everyone was there already when Liz, Alex and Kyle arrived. For the first few minutes no one said anything , just looking at each other. Max looked shocked to see Liz and the two of them did their usual stare-into-each-other's-eyes thing.
"Where's Maria?" Michael's voice broke the silence. Her absence was noticeable.
That snapped everyone out of it. Liz and Alex exchanged a look
"We don't know," Kyle answered.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Isabel asked quickly before Michael did or said anything. He and Kyle were not the best of friends.
"She's supposed to be in Florida with you," Michael stated looking at Liz.
"Liz thought she was in Roswell," Alex said when it didn't appear that Liz was going to answer. She was still recovering from seeing Max again.
"Damn. I knew it," Michael said and got up, grabbing his jacket. Max stopped him at the door.
"Knew what, Michael? And where are you going?"
"Knew she was nearby," he answered. "I'm going to find her," he continued.
"Wait. Stop. Nearby? Someone explain what's going on and start from the beginning?" Tess said.
Everyone else was still taking in Michael's statement.
"Alex?" Tess asked again. And so Alex explained for the third time all that had happened. They all looked shocked.
"She lied to you, to us?" Isabel asked finally. "That can't be right. Maria wouldn't lie."
"Two months," Max said, "two months. She could be anywhere."
"Not anywhere," Michael spoke up.
"You'd better explain, Michael," Alex said.
"Yes, explain, please," Liz added.
They all looked at him expectantly. He looked uncomfortable.
"I think she is close. Near Roswell – well she has been for the last 10 days."
"You can feel her, Michael?" Max asked. "You never said anything."
"And why didn't you say anything. Ten days and you didn't tell us," Kyle added.
"Yeah, I can sense when she is near. I think she can sense me too," Michael answered Max's question first. Then he explained, "It's not an exact science, you know. I felt her getting closer about two weeks ago. And I didn't say anything because I convinced myself…" he paused. Everyone waited expectantly.
"Michael!" Isabel went impatiently when he didn't appear to be finishing his sentence.
A blank look came upon his face before Michael softly answered, "I missed her so I thought I was feeling her because I wanted her to come home, and she was supposed to be in Florida." No one knew what to say. Michael rarely admitted his feelings, and usually went out of his way to deny that they even existed or he ignored them by focusing all out and obsessing about his past, his origins.
"I'll dreamwalk," Isabel suggested. Alex smiled at her in relief. She smiled back. It felt good even in these circumstances to be together again. Things were simpler when everyone was together.
"There's one more thing," Michael said again.
"Michael?" Isabel prompted again when he stopped speaking.
"She's okay now but the last three days… she was scared, I think."
"You think?" Kyle asked.
"I told you it was not an exact science."
"If she was scared why didn't you…?" Alex trailed of, not sure what he was asking.
"I don't know. It was strange, you know. She was scared but she wasn't asking for help." Michael looked confused.
"You said she is okay now?" Liz asked.
"Yeah."
End part 7