"Don't worry, I won't try to kiss you."
The words were out of his mouth before he hand a chance to think about them. Michael mentally slapped himself for it. Now she knew for sure how pathetic he was, still stuck on her after three months. He stood and turned quickly, before she could see the color rise to his cheeks out of anger and humiliation. Taking long strides towards the back room, half of him was hoping that she'd leave him alone and not follow. His stupid half, on the other hand, was hoping that she would come after him.
She didn't.
*********
Friend. Possibly the worst word on any world, thought Michael as he angrily prepared a salad. He had been so proud of it before, knowing he wasn't just Maria's boyfriend but her friend as well. He loved knowing that he mattered to her and she needed him. Being needed was something he would always associate with Maria, because nobody had needed him before her. Not even Max and Isabel.
Now, Maria told him he was her friend, but it was a lie and both of them knew it. They were too scared to break all ties, so they had to avoid each other and the awkward silences, which were harsh reminders that 'friend' was only a title. Even so, Michael was glad. Better this strained, false, almost nonexistant connection to Maria than none at all.
*********
Amy De Luca walked into the Crashdown and sat at the counter, across from a very stressed out Liz.
'Hey, Ms. De Luca! What can I get for you today?'
'Oh, I'm just stopping by to get a drink. Jim's meeting me here and we're going to Colorado for the weekend. So tell me, what has you looking so worn out?'
Liz laughed weakly. 'Let's just say Michael's not in a good mood. I just need to last the two and a half hours until his shift is done, and I'll be fine. There's no talking to him when he's like this.'
Amy thought about that. She had been meaning to have a little chat with Michael for a while now, since she had no idea what was going on between him and her daughter. There was no talking to him? 'Well, we'll just see about that. Liz, Jim's supposed to meet me here, tell him I'll be back in a few minutes.' Amy had disappeared into the back room before Liz could say anything to stop her.
'Better you than me,' she called after the woman. She meant it. If anyone could handle Michael in this kind of mood, it was a De Luca.
Michael turned to put the finished burger on a plate, and found himself face to face with a pissed off Amy. 'Jesus!'
'No, it's Amy. Ms. De Luca to you, Michael. I have some things I want to talk to you about.' Michael nodded, too shocked for his brain to figure out exactly what things she had in mind.
'What's going on between you and my daughter? For months Maria talked about nothing but you and how much you two loved each other. Like you two reached this perfect point in your relationship.' Here she paused and looked suspiciously at Michael. He swallowed nervously, remembering exactly how 'perfect' that summer had been. Had Amy found out and come to kill him for sleeping with her daughter? Michael took a step backward, trying to find the quickest exit and put himself between Amy and any sharp objects, all while trying not to look too guilty. To his relief, Amy picked up her speech. 'Then, in October, Maria started worrying about the strain two jobs was putting on you. Everything stopped all of a sudden, and she hasn't mentioned you since. Something has changed my baby girl, Michael. She's unhappy, and I swear to God if you hurt her, if you broke her heart again, I can't be held responsible for my actions.'
Michael sighed. 'Look, Ms. De Luca, I didn't do anything, okay? I'm not the one who fell out of love. Why don't you take this up with Maria?' Silently, he turned back to the grill, and Amy knew she wouldn't get another answer out of him. Feeling guilty for the accusations, Amy turned to go, but stopped at the door.
'Michael, I know we've never been on very good terms with each other, so I'm not really sure how to say this...You're a bigger idiot than I thought if you seriously believe that maria could ever stop loving you.' When Michael turned to answer her, she was gone.
He tried not to think too much about what she said. He tried to think about Isabel's problems with Jesse, or the fact that his couch-crashing friend's lack of income was the reason he had to work two jobs. Still, his mind kept drifting back to Amy's belief that Maria still loved him. When she told him, it almost sounded like she was asking Michael to take the initiative. He couldn't do it though, no matter how much he wanted to. If Maria gave up singing, she might regret it years frm now, and he didn't want to be the one who stood in her way. Maria had to come back on her own.
*********
Two hours later, Michael walked out of the Crashdown. He barely noticed Liz sighing in relief as he exited the building
The words were out of his mouth before he hand a chance to think about them. Michael mentally slapped himself for it. Now she knew for sure how pathetic he was, still stuck on her after three months. He stood and turned quickly, before she could see the color rise to his cheeks out of anger and humiliation. Taking long strides towards the back room, half of him was hoping that she'd leave him alone and not follow. His stupid half, on the other hand, was hoping that she would come after him.
She didn't.
*********
Friend. Possibly the worst word on any world, thought Michael as he angrily prepared a salad. He had been so proud of it before, knowing he wasn't just Maria's boyfriend but her friend as well. He loved knowing that he mattered to her and she needed him. Being needed was something he would always associate with Maria, because nobody had needed him before her. Not even Max and Isabel.
Now, Maria told him he was her friend, but it was a lie and both of them knew it. They were too scared to break all ties, so they had to avoid each other and the awkward silences, which were harsh reminders that 'friend' was only a title. Even so, Michael was glad. Better this strained, false, almost nonexistant connection to Maria than none at all.
*********
Amy De Luca walked into the Crashdown and sat at the counter, across from a very stressed out Liz.
'Hey, Ms. De Luca! What can I get for you today?'
'Oh, I'm just stopping by to get a drink. Jim's meeting me here and we're going to Colorado for the weekend. So tell me, what has you looking so worn out?'
Liz laughed weakly. 'Let's just say Michael's not in a good mood. I just need to last the two and a half hours until his shift is done, and I'll be fine. There's no talking to him when he's like this.'
Amy thought about that. She had been meaning to have a little chat with Michael for a while now, since she had no idea what was going on between him and her daughter. There was no talking to him? 'Well, we'll just see about that. Liz, Jim's supposed to meet me here, tell him I'll be back in a few minutes.' Amy had disappeared into the back room before Liz could say anything to stop her.
'Better you than me,' she called after the woman. She meant it. If anyone could handle Michael in this kind of mood, it was a De Luca.
Michael turned to put the finished burger on a plate, and found himself face to face with a pissed off Amy. 'Jesus!'
'No, it's Amy. Ms. De Luca to you, Michael. I have some things I want to talk to you about.' Michael nodded, too shocked for his brain to figure out exactly what things she had in mind.
'What's going on between you and my daughter? For months Maria talked about nothing but you and how much you two loved each other. Like you two reached this perfect point in your relationship.' Here she paused and looked suspiciously at Michael. He swallowed nervously, remembering exactly how 'perfect' that summer had been. Had Amy found out and come to kill him for sleeping with her daughter? Michael took a step backward, trying to find the quickest exit and put himself between Amy and any sharp objects, all while trying not to look too guilty. To his relief, Amy picked up her speech. 'Then, in October, Maria started worrying about the strain two jobs was putting on you. Everything stopped all of a sudden, and she hasn't mentioned you since. Something has changed my baby girl, Michael. She's unhappy, and I swear to God if you hurt her, if you broke her heart again, I can't be held responsible for my actions.'
Michael sighed. 'Look, Ms. De Luca, I didn't do anything, okay? I'm not the one who fell out of love. Why don't you take this up with Maria?' Silently, he turned back to the grill, and Amy knew she wouldn't get another answer out of him. Feeling guilty for the accusations, Amy turned to go, but stopped at the door.
'Michael, I know we've never been on very good terms with each other, so I'm not really sure how to say this...You're a bigger idiot than I thought if you seriously believe that maria could ever stop loving you.' When Michael turned to answer her, she was gone.
He tried not to think too much about what she said. He tried to think about Isabel's problems with Jesse, or the fact that his couch-crashing friend's lack of income was the reason he had to work two jobs. Still, his mind kept drifting back to Amy's belief that Maria still loved him. When she told him, it almost sounded like she was asking Michael to take the initiative. He couldn't do it though, no matter how much he wanted to. If Maria gave up singing, she might regret it years frm now, and he didn't want to be the one who stood in her way. Maria had to come back on her own.
*********
Two hours later, Michael walked out of the Crashdown. He barely noticed Liz sighing in relief as he exited the building