Part Eleven
The teens were back in holding pattern – waiting for what would happen next. Under the circumstances no one should have been surprised at what followed. This was Michael and Maria after all. Two more volatile and unpredictable people were not likely to exist.
"What the hell were you thinking. Two months, Maria. You scared the hell out of everyone. Liz came home because of you," Michael began yelling.
The others jumped in surprise when he began. Maria didn't. she knew him best after all. She just yelled back.
It was a few minutes before there was a second of silence – a breather. Alex took full advantage and jumped right in.
"One second, Michael," Alex interrupted, "As much as I want to yell at Maria right now, can I at least hug her hello? You got to greet her." Alex smiled at Michael's expression. He had added the last sentence just for that. Maria was the only button of Michael's that he knew how to push, and it sure was fun.
"Alex!" Maria cried. He wondered if she had even seen them standing there till now. Alex wrapped his arms around her tightly as she flew into them and breathed a soft prayer she was alright.
Liz came running up and hugged her next and before Liz and Maria could get into girl-talk catch up, Max, Isabel and Kyle took their turns. Michael stood slightly to the side of this, separate but not far. He was reluctant to let her out of touching distance. An indulgent expression touched his face, visible for only a second as he watched her greet her friends. He observed silently as Liz and Isabel surrounded Maria and how Tess stood slightly back, afraid of her welcome. Michael smiled. When he saw Maria drag Tess into the group, accepting and forgiving her. His Maria.
Michael notice the other guys bore the same smile he wore. Max. Alex. And Kyle.
'We're all complete saps. We all turned into Max," the wry thought passed through his mind. But still he stood and watched. The grateful look Tess wore at Maria's welcome, the reluctant one Liz wore at first which changed at Maria's encouraging one and Isabel's happy one that all her friends were together. All of this because of Maria. She was back and the group was complete now.
Of course they had a few things still to deal with. They had to yell at Maria some more, find out where she was the last two months, how she sensed Isabel, how….Okay lots of questions for Maria. Michael knew that wasn't going to be easy. While Maria was the most honest person he knew, she was also the most stubborn person he knew. And because of this Michael was aware that Maria wasn't going to tell them anything without a fight, not if she didn't want them to know. And since she had kept it from them for so long she would probably continue to do so. He could wait. She was back and that was all that mattered.
End Part eleven.
The teens were back in holding pattern – waiting for what would happen next. Under the circumstances no one should have been surprised at what followed. This was Michael and Maria after all. Two more volatile and unpredictable people were not likely to exist.
"What the hell were you thinking. Two months, Maria. You scared the hell out of everyone. Liz came home because of you," Michael began yelling.
The others jumped in surprise when he began. Maria didn't. she knew him best after all. She just yelled back.
It was a few minutes before there was a second of silence – a breather. Alex took full advantage and jumped right in.
"One second, Michael," Alex interrupted, "As much as I want to yell at Maria right now, can I at least hug her hello? You got to greet her." Alex smiled at Michael's expression. He had added the last sentence just for that. Maria was the only button of Michael's that he knew how to push, and it sure was fun.
"Alex!" Maria cried. He wondered if she had even seen them standing there till now. Alex wrapped his arms around her tightly as she flew into them and breathed a soft prayer she was alright.
Liz came running up and hugged her next and before Liz and Maria could get into girl-talk catch up, Max, Isabel and Kyle took their turns. Michael stood slightly to the side of this, separate but not far. He was reluctant to let her out of touching distance. An indulgent expression touched his face, visible for only a second as he watched her greet her friends. He observed silently as Liz and Isabel surrounded Maria and how Tess stood slightly back, afraid of her welcome. Michael smiled. When he saw Maria drag Tess into the group, accepting and forgiving her. His Maria.
Michael notice the other guys bore the same smile he wore. Max. Alex. And Kyle.
'We're all complete saps. We all turned into Max," the wry thought passed through his mind. But still he stood and watched. The grateful look Tess wore at Maria's welcome, the reluctant one Liz wore at first which changed at Maria's encouraging one and Isabel's happy one that all her friends were together. All of this because of Maria. She was back and the group was complete now.
Of course they had a few things still to deal with. They had to yell at Maria some more, find out where she was the last two months, how she sensed Isabel, how….Okay lots of questions for Maria. Michael knew that wasn't going to be easy. While Maria was the most honest person he knew, she was also the most stubborn person he knew. And because of this Michael was aware that Maria wasn't going to tell them anything without a fight, not if she didn't want them to know. And since she had kept it from them for so long she would probably continue to do so. He could wait. She was back and that was all that mattered.
End Part eleven.