Liz didn't know what to do. After Max had told them all what had happened, she had taken up his offer for the jeep and driven straight to Michael's. She had stood in the doorway for a few moments, trying to collect herself before actually going in to share her grief. Finally summoning her courage, she had knocked on the door.
She was startled when Michael opened the door almost immediately but got over it as Michael lead her to the apartment's single bedroom. Sadly she shook her head at the figure curled up towards the foot of the bed. Although she was making no noise, Liz could easily tell Maria was crying.
Her shoulders shook from the long, wracking sobs she seemed to force from her body.
Liz turned back to Michael.
"Michael, what do I do?" she said desperately.
He looked puzzled but spoke. "I don't know. Just support her, be her friend. That's what she needs. Someone with a shoulder to lean on."
"You know her so well. Michael, for what it's worth, if you and Maria did…uh… go further…well…as long as you're both happy, I'm happy for you. Just don't," her voice got very serious, "don't hurt her okay? Ever again."
"Liz, you're a good friend. I love Maria. I've stopped holding back, and letting things flow around me…she's all that matters now."
Liz nodded her head decisively. "Okay…good…that's good."
Maria heard her best friend's voice and stirred from her protective position. "Liz, what are you doing here?"
"Oh babe, I heard about your mom. How are you doing?"
"Hey, I haven't killed myself yet, so I guess I'm doing better than usual, right?"
"Oh, Maria." Concern for her friend brought Liz to the bed.
With Michael looking on, the two friends threw themselves into each other's arms. Both of them were crying now, one for the loss of a vital part of her, and another for her best friend, who seemed inconsolable. Pain, loss, and helplessness filled the room until Michael couldn't take it any more. Crawling up onto the bed, he pulled Maria into his lap and wrapped his arms abound her entire body. Taking Liz's hand, he held Maria while she was being comforted.
For a split second, Liz looked on with awe. She had never seen Michael act that way with anyone before. Realizing it was all for the best, she took Michael's outstretched hand and joined the huddle.
For hours they stayed like that, alternately weeping, sleeping, or just comforting. When it was about time for school to let out, people began to knock on his door hoping to console the lost girl who was always so vibrant and full of life. Naturally, Michael ignored all of the calls knowing that the important ones would simple come in.
Just as he predicted, exactly at four o'clock Max, Isabel, and Alex showed up. After knocking a few times, Isabel simply unlocked the door and came inside. It was ghostly. Not a sound was heard and nothing moved. Looking around in bewilderment, Isabel left the main room and ventures back into the rear of the apartment.
Glancing into the bedroom, she stared in shock at the image before her. Michael, "Mr. Stone-Wall" himself, was sitting on the bed wrapped in Maria's arms. He seemed oblivious to the world around him, as though his body and soul functioned for the sole purpose of being there when Maria needed him the most. He had taken her head and tucked it into the crook of his neck, gently stroking her hair the whole time. Her body was wedged against his with arms caressing her spine and soothing her sobs.
Liz appeared from around the doorway, "It's amazing isn't it, the way he changes for her. He loves her so much."
Yeah, who'da thought," Isabel sighed. "Where did you come from anyway? We saw the jeep but no you."
"I went to the little girls room. Sitting there was getting a little uncomfortable after two cappuccinos this morning." She smiled wryly.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Liz."
Max cut in, "How long have they been like this?"
"About three hours. That's when I got here."
Max considered it; "Something's going on with them, something strange. This morning he was at her house even before I was. I think he slept there and now they're all like this. He's changed," Max said with finality.
Liz spoke softly, "I think she's changed him."
"How is Maria anyway?" Alex questioned.
"She'll be fine, she just needs someone to hold onto right now." Her voice got serious; "Michael will take care of her."
Alex was puzzled," Are you sure he's the best thing for her as of this moment? I mean, they've been avoiding each other for months and after one night, they're a couple again."
Isabel broke him off before he said something offensive that they could hear," Guys, it's not really our business. They're both our friends and I, personally, am happy for them. Now I think we need to focus on Maria and not on her and Michael's relationship."
"Thank you, Isabel." Four heads whipped around at the sound of Michael's voice. He stood lounging on the doorframe, but nothing about his tone of his expression showed relaxation. "She needs all you guys right now. Don't bicker and worry over us. That's our concern."
"How is she, Michael?" asked Liz.
"She's asleep again. Where did you go?"
"To the bathroom."
Max was astonished. "You were with them the whole time?"
"Yeah. Why?" Liz challenged.
"Just asking."
Alex rolled his eyes. "Okay, you two. Please just go find somewhere to make-out or something. Just stop being jealous and defensive!"
Michael opened his mouth, "Alex…"
"No, they need to stop acting like babies. Jeez. Max, Liz loves you and would never leave you. Liz, Max is insecure and would die for you. Now stop it!"
Liz looked at Max directly with a quirky smile pasted to her mouth. "I guess you were just put our place, huh?"
"Oh yeah. Liz, I'm sorry."
"It's okay. We just need to concentrate on Maria and we're all a little stressed."
Michael cut in; fearing it could go on forever, forcing them to watch some googly love fest. "I don't know what to do, guys. All she does is cry and I can't make her stop and I can't make it better…. I just feel useless, you know?"
"Dude, we all do. We love Maria, too. It's so unreal, though. She's just here one day and gone the next." Alex thought about Ms. DeLuca, whom he had known all his life but never really knew.
"Yeah." Liz added.
They had all moved to the couch and were sitting complacently, thinking of the past. Max and Liz were together on one end while Isabel and Alex cuddled on the other. Michael just stood close and leaned against a nearby wall before slowly sinking to his knees.
Liz broke the silence. "I remember one time when we were fourteen and we got to go with Maria and her mom to San Francisco to visit her aunts. Do you remember that, Alex?"
"Yeah, and we got pulled over the cops and Ms. DeLuca got out of a ticket…"
"By flashing the guy." Liz finished.
"No way!" Isabel exclaimed.
"Way." Alex returned.
"The rest of the trip was great." Liz continued. "We got to stay at that huge house…"
"Manor, Lizzie, it was to big to be a house. They called it 'The Manor'."
"Whatever."
"Remember that club they owned? That was so bitchin'! And they had the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing. It so ruled. Her mom was the coolest."
"All I remembered was us all having hangovers the next day from that ongoing tab we were given."
Max was dumbfounded. "They let you drink? But you were under aged! That's illegal!"
Alex rolled his eyes again. "Come on Max, her aunts owned the club. We could do whatever we wanted."
"So what happened?" Isabel wanted to know.
"Well I don't remember too much…" Liz started.
"Maria got Liz drunk," Alex picked up. "It was soooo sunny. Lizzie doesn't handle alcohol very well."
"Shut UP, Alex! It wasn't funny!"
"God yes it was!"
Max thought of a question, "What did she do?"
"NOTHING!"
"I'll bet." Isabel said snidely.
"I'm kidding." Alex laughed. "Miss Elizabeth Parker did nothing but hit on older men and giggle."
Isabel scoffed, "Liz hit on older men? How much older?"
"See, Lizzie here is an ambitious girl, so naturally we're talking sugar daddy age…"
"ALEX…!"
"She went for the eighty year olds!"
"Alex you are soooo dead for that!"
Isabel was rolling on the ground. "Way to go! I never thought you had it in you."
"Just be glad nothing happened." Max scolded.
Finally, out of the blue, Michael looked up and focused on their conversation, blank interest in his eyes. "What happened with Maria?"
Alex responded. "Don't worry, man. Maria can handle her liquor. To a certain point anyway."
Max replied worriedly. "What happened?"
"It was beautiful. It was the first time I'd ever heard her sing."
"Sing?" Michael questioned.
"Yeah. She got tipsy enough to open for Red Hot Chile Peppers. It was great. DeLuca can really sing."
"The most ironic thing out of the whole episode, though, is that Ms. DeLuca can't. Not at all." Liz commented.
"She must get it from her father." Max suggested.
That shut everyone up. No one had thought about Maria's father. What if the state tried to find him and take Maria away? Would they force her to live with a father who had abandoned her fourteen years ago?
"Oh God, what if they take her away?" Michael croaked out.
"They can't take me anywhere, Michael. Not away from you. Any of you."