Part Fourteen
Outside 7 teens ran in time to see Maria climbing into a red car. They hopped into the jeep and Kyle's mustang, pulling out the driveway and heading after the headlights of Mark's car. They were not happy when they pulled up at the restaurant 'Enterprise' to see his car sitting outside.
"Why is he bringing her here," Michael asked.
"We have another problem," Liz interrupted, "This place has a dress code. And its expensive."
"Easily fixed. Amazing – a problem I can solve. How unique," Michael mused, sarcasm evident in his tone. With one wave of his hand, his rather grungy look transformed into a suit.
The others stared in surprise.
"I didn't know you could do that," Tess said.
"Nacedo taught me. And Maria made me practise," he replied.
"Maybe then you'd care to explain that pathetic dress sense you exhibit, if you can do that," Isabel asked.
"What's wrong with the way I dress?" Michael glared at her.
"No time for this," Alex interrupted what was sure to be a big argument.
"Do me next," Kyle said. And Michael did.
He changed all of them, giving the girls beautiful evening dresses. Their expressions grew more shocked.
"What? I like art."
"Yeah, but…" Isabel started.
"Okay, fine. I use to practise on Maria. And she wouldn't let me do bikinis. She likes evening gowns, so…" he trailed off.
The guys nodded in understanding and the girls smiled.
"Okay, you distract the Maitre-D and I'll change the reservation book, Iz," Max said.
"And if that doesn't work, Tess you mind warp him, okay," Michael added. With those last words the 7 walked in.
It wasn't exactly what they expected. Understandably – they did live in Roswell and the restaurant did have a somewhat alien name to it. Still, with the exception of Isabel who had been there before, they were all rather surprised at how upscale the restaurant was.
The got in easily. A little alien magic and a few smiles can work wonders. They even managed to get seats at the back of the restaurant, in the shadows. Then again most of the restaurant was shadowed, mainly candlelit with a few lamps at intervals giving it a romantic atmosphere. All of them worked hard at remaining inconspicuous and at the same time searched the dim room, for Maria, as they walked to their seats. They didn't see her.
"What if she isn't here? What if we are in the wrong place?" Liz said worriedly.
"I don't remember Maria ever mentioning this place before or coming here." Alex added.
"Well obviously not," Isabel put in, "Why would she come here? She was dating Michael."
"Hey. I might have brought her here. Maybe. Someday…" Michael trailed of at their incredulous looks, "Besides, Maria doesn't care about stuff like that," he added a little louder.
"True. At least she didn't before," Kyle said.
"Where is she? This is the only place open here. She must be here somewhere."
At that moment Maria was in the back. She had just changed into her favourite black evening gown and was saying hello to the Galinas before starting her set. Mama Galina – everyone called her that – took one look at her and enveloped her in a hug. She issued the boys out the kitchen and sat down with Maria, holding out a bowl of today's dessert. Comfort food was Mama Galina's field of expertise after all. The comforting presence and dessert work and Maria felt ready to face the world again. After another hug from Mama Galina, and one from Papa Galina who was standing outside the kitchen doors waiting for permission to come back in, and Maria was ready to face the world again, or at least sing for them.
She walked out. Marc was already sitting down, playing a light tune on the piano and took her place next to the piano, in front of the microphone. It was a totally old fashioned set-up, one designed to be and look like a the setting for a lounge singer from the 1950's. Even the songs were soft, melodious, and written years ago with the occasional modern slow love tune.
"I say we grab her and run," Michael said, "As soon as we see her." Kyle, Alex and Max nodded in agreement while the girls stared at them incredulously.
"That's your plan. Are you nuts? This is the Enterprise," Isabel yelled at Michael in a loud whisper.
"She's already mad us. At this rate she'll never forgive us," Liz said.
"You follow our lead. Don't do anything until we tell you," Tess said in a voice that booked no argument and the other girls nodded this time, giving the guys certain you-do-as-I-say-or-I'll-kill-you looks they couldn't possibly misinterpret. Kyle and Alex gulped and in a calming gesture took their respective girlfriends hands just before they reached the table. And in move design to placate but almost natural for Max and Alex, the guys held out the girls seats, before they sat.
The seven still occupied in searching the restaurant didn't notice Maria as she walked out, but her voice caught their attention immediately. Their attention and the rest of the diners, whose conversation ceased as they turned to look. In the short time that Maria had been working at the Enterprise her singing abilities had grown, and with it her reputation and that of the restaurant. People started coming to hear her sing. It was more than her voice – it was the emotion one could hear in her songs. Emotions that told the listener that whatever she sang about she experienced. And to her it was her way of being sad without releasing her mask.
This was totally different from the cheerleading performance – that was fast, quick, and energetic. This was slow, sad and in melodic way lulling. When she sang the atmosphere in the room changed and it was like being transported back in time – to another world, a different era.
The waiter arrived to take their order but they were too involved in staring at her to give it. He left and returned, interrupting their rapt attendance to the lightly lit stage in the front. Michael didn't even blink despite their attempts to talk to him so Max ordered for him. He appeared to have forgotten all about his plan, or even that the world around him existed.
The food arrived and they ate almost absently and their plates were taken away with the quick service one could expect from such a restaurant. Still they didn't move.
The time passed. The waiter stopped coming to ask if they wanted anything and ignored them for the most part. And Maria sang. Today was difficult. She had a lot to sing about, a lot to decide and as always placed herself totally into the music. In the back of neck, she felt a tingling feeling like someone was watching her, but she ignored it. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling – it was a familiar one, one that was almost a part of her by now.
It was time for her last song. It was late and the restaurant was about to close. As the words died away, she heard light applause. The atmosphere in the Enterprise was a soft one and so was the applause, so different from the screaming acceptance she had received for her earlier performance but at the same time no less in its obvious approvement.
She disappeared into the back and immediately Michael stood up, followed by the rest of the guys. Max, Alex and Kyle looked at the girls requesting permission and they nodded, before also moving out their seats. The 7 of them walked into the back after Maria. They found her standing next to Marc hugging him goodbye and without a thought Max and Kyle grabbed Michael's arms on either side, preventing him from moving.
It was the strangest thing. Isabel, for one, could have sworn she heard Michael release a low growl. It did however get Maria's attention, and the other rather amused people also in the room – the Galinas. Marc on the other hand wasn't amused – he barely concealed his fear. Michael was by this point glaring rather ferociously at Maria and Marc.
"What exactly is going on?" Michael asked, his voice dangerously calm. Marc felt a shiver of fear. There was no mistaking the threat and the territory claiming. He opened his mouth to reassure the guy, whose name he still wasn't aware of but before he could say anything, Maria cut in.
"That is none of your business, Michael. You forfeited all rights – all of you did – to know what is going on in my life," Maria reacted to Michael's anger.
'So that's his name,' Marc thought to himself, as he inconspicuously tried to move away from standing too close to Maria.
"At least listen to us. Maria, let us explain. Let us apologise," Michael said pleadingly, changing tactics.
Now that he was a safe enough distance away, Marc felt brave enough to talk, "She doesn't want to talk to you."
"You stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you." Michael resumed glaring at Marc
"Leave Marc alone," Maria retorted.
"Marc can take care of himself," Kyle put in.
"Come on, Maria. We are going to talk. Now," Michael grabbed Maria's arm and pulled her away.
"Hey," Marc yelled.
" I don't want to talk to you," Maria said at the same time
"Well, that's just to bad. ''Cos you are going to."
"Damn. I just knew he was going to go all Neatherthal on her," Isabel said aside to Tess.
"I'm wont come with you," Maria voice went up a few decibels.
Michael stopped suddenly and turned to face her, "You sang beautifully," he said, changing the subject completely again.
Maria was totally disarmed. She smiled a small smile at him, "Really?"
"Really." He began walking again and Maria remembered she wasn't going with him again.
"Let go of me, Michael."
"No way, Maria. You told me once that whenever I did something stupid or ran, I could always come back because you were not going anywhere. Were you lying?"
"Oh – I think you went beyond stupid this time, Michael. Stupid was when you dumped me the first time. The only person that's stupid here is me for letting you always come back."
"Were you lying?"
"You have a nerve. You're throwing my words back at me. And I am still not coming with you.
"I am not giving you a choice," Michael said to her and in a move that shocked all of them picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Maria began to yell loudly.
Marc gave an uneasy glance to Michael before moving to rescue his friend. Immediately Max, Alex and Kyle stepped in front of him and assumed identical postures, legs shoulder width and arms folded. Marc wasn't scared of them but the same wasn't true for the girls. Liz, Isabel and Tess joined the guys. They may not have approved of the plan but no one could argue with its effectiveness. And since it was too late to do things a little more diplomatically, they decided to give their full support. Together they took a step forward, forcing Marc to move backwards, rather awkwardly. He gave a furious Maria an apologetic look and a shrug, causing her to scream louder.
"That's it, Michael Guerin. You are dead man. I am going to make sure you die a slow and painful death. Slow, you hear me, Michael."
"The whole bloody town heard you, Maria. I got it. Slow and painful. You're still coming with me."
"Aaaah. I hate you. Do you know that." To emphasis her point she gave his shirt a hard yank.
"That's okay, princess. I hate you too."
"Don't call me princess."
"Aren't they cute," Liz said aside to Alex.
"I heard that." Maria shouted from her perch from Michael's shoulders.
"I don't know how, with the amount of noise you are making," Michael said dryly, trying to keep a firm hold on Maria who was doing her best to squirm around as much as possible.
"Mama Galina, make him put me down. Now," Maria suddenly remembered the cooks in the room. She sent another disgusted look via Marc's way.
The Galinas were watching unobtrusively from the corner of the room. They looked liked they were barely holding their laughter in, or else they were about to cry.
"Baby, did I ever tell you how Papa Galina and I got married?"
Maria looked confused but would never be rude to these people. Neither would Michael. He stopped so they could hear the story.
"Yes, you said that you were supposed to marry someone else – an arranged marriage and you eloped with him instead," she replied to the question.
"I may have left out a few details. It wasn't quite as simple as that."
"It wasn't?" Maria's tone asked the question, politely but everyone wondered at the same time the relevance to the current situation.
"Non, I loved my Estafano but I loved my family too, and I would never go against their wishes. I was in the carriage to the wedding when out of nowhere my Estafano arrived. He threw me over his shoulder and…"
"You eloped. How romantic," Liz said dreamily.
"Excuse me. I am only seventeen years old. I am not marrying anyone," Maria said. She tapped Michael on the shoulder, "You tell them, Michael."
"Oh now – its okay for us to agree, huh. Have you ever thought that maybe someday I may want to marry you?"
Maria's mouth dropped open. So did the jaws of the other 8 people in the room.
Maria shook her head, as if to clear it. Maybe she heard wrong. Michael dispelled that notion.
"You heard me. Not now, of course but someday."
Then she snapped out of it. "I am not even talking to you. How exactly are you planning on doing this wedding. Or was another abduction in order," she said sarcastically, "Of course, we still have finish this one."
"You are so right. We do have to complete this abduction. Guess abductions are just part of our relationship." With those words Michael began to walk again.
Maria looked slightly resignedly at the Galinas, "Guess you are not going to help me."
"No. Sorry, honey. But this is for your own good. You need to talk to your friends," Mama Galina said firmly and Papa Galina always a man of few words nodded in support.
"Thanks a lot, traitor," Maria shouted to Marc on the way out the empty restaurant.
End Part Fourteen.
Outside 7 teens ran in time to see Maria climbing into a red car. They hopped into the jeep and Kyle's mustang, pulling out the driveway and heading after the headlights of Mark's car. They were not happy when they pulled up at the restaurant 'Enterprise' to see his car sitting outside.
"Why is he bringing her here," Michael asked.
"We have another problem," Liz interrupted, "This place has a dress code. And its expensive."
"Easily fixed. Amazing – a problem I can solve. How unique," Michael mused, sarcasm evident in his tone. With one wave of his hand, his rather grungy look transformed into a suit.
The others stared in surprise.
"I didn't know you could do that," Tess said.
"Nacedo taught me. And Maria made me practise," he replied.
"Maybe then you'd care to explain that pathetic dress sense you exhibit, if you can do that," Isabel asked.
"What's wrong with the way I dress?" Michael glared at her.
"No time for this," Alex interrupted what was sure to be a big argument.
"Do me next," Kyle said. And Michael did.
He changed all of them, giving the girls beautiful evening dresses. Their expressions grew more shocked.
"What? I like art."
"Yeah, but…" Isabel started.
"Okay, fine. I use to practise on Maria. And she wouldn't let me do bikinis. She likes evening gowns, so…" he trailed off.
The guys nodded in understanding and the girls smiled.
"Okay, you distract the Maitre-D and I'll change the reservation book, Iz," Max said.
"And if that doesn't work, Tess you mind warp him, okay," Michael added. With those last words the 7 walked in.
It wasn't exactly what they expected. Understandably – they did live in Roswell and the restaurant did have a somewhat alien name to it. Still, with the exception of Isabel who had been there before, they were all rather surprised at how upscale the restaurant was.
The got in easily. A little alien magic and a few smiles can work wonders. They even managed to get seats at the back of the restaurant, in the shadows. Then again most of the restaurant was shadowed, mainly candlelit with a few lamps at intervals giving it a romantic atmosphere. All of them worked hard at remaining inconspicuous and at the same time searched the dim room, for Maria, as they walked to their seats. They didn't see her.
"What if she isn't here? What if we are in the wrong place?" Liz said worriedly.
"I don't remember Maria ever mentioning this place before or coming here." Alex added.
"Well obviously not," Isabel put in, "Why would she come here? She was dating Michael."
"Hey. I might have brought her here. Maybe. Someday…" Michael trailed of at their incredulous looks, "Besides, Maria doesn't care about stuff like that," he added a little louder.
"True. At least she didn't before," Kyle said.
"Where is she? This is the only place open here. She must be here somewhere."
At that moment Maria was in the back. She had just changed into her favourite black evening gown and was saying hello to the Galinas before starting her set. Mama Galina – everyone called her that – took one look at her and enveloped her in a hug. She issued the boys out the kitchen and sat down with Maria, holding out a bowl of today's dessert. Comfort food was Mama Galina's field of expertise after all. The comforting presence and dessert work and Maria felt ready to face the world again. After another hug from Mama Galina, and one from Papa Galina who was standing outside the kitchen doors waiting for permission to come back in, and Maria was ready to face the world again, or at least sing for them.
She walked out. Marc was already sitting down, playing a light tune on the piano and took her place next to the piano, in front of the microphone. It was a totally old fashioned set-up, one designed to be and look like a the setting for a lounge singer from the 1950's. Even the songs were soft, melodious, and written years ago with the occasional modern slow love tune.
"I say we grab her and run," Michael said, "As soon as we see her." Kyle, Alex and Max nodded in agreement while the girls stared at them incredulously.
"That's your plan. Are you nuts? This is the Enterprise," Isabel yelled at Michael in a loud whisper.
"She's already mad us. At this rate she'll never forgive us," Liz said.
"You follow our lead. Don't do anything until we tell you," Tess said in a voice that booked no argument and the other girls nodded this time, giving the guys certain you-do-as-I-say-or-I'll-kill-you looks they couldn't possibly misinterpret. Kyle and Alex gulped and in a calming gesture took their respective girlfriends hands just before they reached the table. And in move design to placate but almost natural for Max and Alex, the guys held out the girls seats, before they sat.
The seven still occupied in searching the restaurant didn't notice Maria as she walked out, but her voice caught their attention immediately. Their attention and the rest of the diners, whose conversation ceased as they turned to look. In the short time that Maria had been working at the Enterprise her singing abilities had grown, and with it her reputation and that of the restaurant. People started coming to hear her sing. It was more than her voice – it was the emotion one could hear in her songs. Emotions that told the listener that whatever she sang about she experienced. And to her it was her way of being sad without releasing her mask.
This was totally different from the cheerleading performance – that was fast, quick, and energetic. This was slow, sad and in melodic way lulling. When she sang the atmosphere in the room changed and it was like being transported back in time – to another world, a different era.
The waiter arrived to take their order but they were too involved in staring at her to give it. He left and returned, interrupting their rapt attendance to the lightly lit stage in the front. Michael didn't even blink despite their attempts to talk to him so Max ordered for him. He appeared to have forgotten all about his plan, or even that the world around him existed.
The food arrived and they ate almost absently and their plates were taken away with the quick service one could expect from such a restaurant. Still they didn't move.
The time passed. The waiter stopped coming to ask if they wanted anything and ignored them for the most part. And Maria sang. Today was difficult. She had a lot to sing about, a lot to decide and as always placed herself totally into the music. In the back of neck, she felt a tingling feeling like someone was watching her, but she ignored it. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling – it was a familiar one, one that was almost a part of her by now.
It was time for her last song. It was late and the restaurant was about to close. As the words died away, she heard light applause. The atmosphere in the Enterprise was a soft one and so was the applause, so different from the screaming acceptance she had received for her earlier performance but at the same time no less in its obvious approvement.
She disappeared into the back and immediately Michael stood up, followed by the rest of the guys. Max, Alex and Kyle looked at the girls requesting permission and they nodded, before also moving out their seats. The 7 of them walked into the back after Maria. They found her standing next to Marc hugging him goodbye and without a thought Max and Kyle grabbed Michael's arms on either side, preventing him from moving.
It was the strangest thing. Isabel, for one, could have sworn she heard Michael release a low growl. It did however get Maria's attention, and the other rather amused people also in the room – the Galinas. Marc on the other hand wasn't amused – he barely concealed his fear. Michael was by this point glaring rather ferociously at Maria and Marc.
"What exactly is going on?" Michael asked, his voice dangerously calm. Marc felt a shiver of fear. There was no mistaking the threat and the territory claiming. He opened his mouth to reassure the guy, whose name he still wasn't aware of but before he could say anything, Maria cut in.
"That is none of your business, Michael. You forfeited all rights – all of you did – to know what is going on in my life," Maria reacted to Michael's anger.
'So that's his name,' Marc thought to himself, as he inconspicuously tried to move away from standing too close to Maria.
"At least listen to us. Maria, let us explain. Let us apologise," Michael said pleadingly, changing tactics.
Now that he was a safe enough distance away, Marc felt brave enough to talk, "She doesn't want to talk to you."
"You stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you." Michael resumed glaring at Marc
"Leave Marc alone," Maria retorted.
"Marc can take care of himself," Kyle put in.
"Come on, Maria. We are going to talk. Now," Michael grabbed Maria's arm and pulled her away.
"Hey," Marc yelled.
" I don't want to talk to you," Maria said at the same time
"Well, that's just to bad. ''Cos you are going to."
"Damn. I just knew he was going to go all Neatherthal on her," Isabel said aside to Tess.
"I'm wont come with you," Maria voice went up a few decibels.
Michael stopped suddenly and turned to face her, "You sang beautifully," he said, changing the subject completely again.
Maria was totally disarmed. She smiled a small smile at him, "Really?"
"Really." He began walking again and Maria remembered she wasn't going with him again.
"Let go of me, Michael."
"No way, Maria. You told me once that whenever I did something stupid or ran, I could always come back because you were not going anywhere. Were you lying?"
"Oh – I think you went beyond stupid this time, Michael. Stupid was when you dumped me the first time. The only person that's stupid here is me for letting you always come back."
"Were you lying?"
"You have a nerve. You're throwing my words back at me. And I am still not coming with you.
"I am not giving you a choice," Michael said to her and in a move that shocked all of them picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Maria began to yell loudly.
Marc gave an uneasy glance to Michael before moving to rescue his friend. Immediately Max, Alex and Kyle stepped in front of him and assumed identical postures, legs shoulder width and arms folded. Marc wasn't scared of them but the same wasn't true for the girls. Liz, Isabel and Tess joined the guys. They may not have approved of the plan but no one could argue with its effectiveness. And since it was too late to do things a little more diplomatically, they decided to give their full support. Together they took a step forward, forcing Marc to move backwards, rather awkwardly. He gave a furious Maria an apologetic look and a shrug, causing her to scream louder.
"That's it, Michael Guerin. You are dead man. I am going to make sure you die a slow and painful death. Slow, you hear me, Michael."
"The whole bloody town heard you, Maria. I got it. Slow and painful. You're still coming with me."
"Aaaah. I hate you. Do you know that." To emphasis her point she gave his shirt a hard yank.
"That's okay, princess. I hate you too."
"Don't call me princess."
"Aren't they cute," Liz said aside to Alex.
"I heard that." Maria shouted from her perch from Michael's shoulders.
"I don't know how, with the amount of noise you are making," Michael said dryly, trying to keep a firm hold on Maria who was doing her best to squirm around as much as possible.
"Mama Galina, make him put me down. Now," Maria suddenly remembered the cooks in the room. She sent another disgusted look via Marc's way.
The Galinas were watching unobtrusively from the corner of the room. They looked liked they were barely holding their laughter in, or else they were about to cry.
"Baby, did I ever tell you how Papa Galina and I got married?"
Maria looked confused but would never be rude to these people. Neither would Michael. He stopped so they could hear the story.
"Yes, you said that you were supposed to marry someone else – an arranged marriage and you eloped with him instead," she replied to the question.
"I may have left out a few details. It wasn't quite as simple as that."
"It wasn't?" Maria's tone asked the question, politely but everyone wondered at the same time the relevance to the current situation.
"Non, I loved my Estafano but I loved my family too, and I would never go against their wishes. I was in the carriage to the wedding when out of nowhere my Estafano arrived. He threw me over his shoulder and…"
"You eloped. How romantic," Liz said dreamily.
"Excuse me. I am only seventeen years old. I am not marrying anyone," Maria said. She tapped Michael on the shoulder, "You tell them, Michael."
"Oh now – its okay for us to agree, huh. Have you ever thought that maybe someday I may want to marry you?"
Maria's mouth dropped open. So did the jaws of the other 8 people in the room.
Maria shook her head, as if to clear it. Maybe she heard wrong. Michael dispelled that notion.
"You heard me. Not now, of course but someday."
Then she snapped out of it. "I am not even talking to you. How exactly are you planning on doing this wedding. Or was another abduction in order," she said sarcastically, "Of course, we still have finish this one."
"You are so right. We do have to complete this abduction. Guess abductions are just part of our relationship." With those words Michael began to walk again.
Maria looked slightly resignedly at the Galinas, "Guess you are not going to help me."
"No. Sorry, honey. But this is for your own good. You need to talk to your friends," Mama Galina said firmly and Papa Galina always a man of few words nodded in support.
"Thanks a lot, traitor," Maria shouted to Marc on the way out the empty restaurant.
End Part Fourteen.