Steve, Monk, and Fly looked at each other worriedly as Michael stormed into the security center. He was in a bad mood, which meant no goofing off or anything resembling fun today. Steve might have been their supervisor, but Michael was the boss. When pissed off, Guerin was a force to be reckoned with.
The three friends started busying themselves, having accepted that this shift wasn't going to be one of the best. George, unfortunately, never got the message. He strode in ten minutes after Michael, oblivious of the frantic attempts the guys were making to show him Michael's mood.
'How you doing, chico?' He hit Michael's shoulder lightly before sitting down next to him.
'You're late.'
'Sorry chico, my wife's friend Maria just got here and I had to pick her up at the airport---' Monk, observing from a safe distance, winced as he saw Michael stiffen. George was in for it now, Michael seldom had problems that weren't Maria-related. If Monk hadn't met the girl, he would've thought Michael was a fool, unable to pick up and move on. But after only three meetings, Monk knew that Maria De Luca wasn't someone you forgot in a hurry.
George seemed to have realized his mistake by now. 'Hey, Mike...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up.'
Michael laughed weakly. 'Don't worry about it. You shouldn't have to avoid the name just because I had my heart broken by one Maria.'
George, who must not have been thinking straight that day, pressed the subject further. 'What's going on with you guys? You both seemed so...happy. Like it was perfect. What went wrong?'
Monk blinked in surprise. Now this was uncharted territory. Did George have a death wish? He had to, he was aggravating an angry Michael.
But apparently Michael felt like talking. 'I have no idea. You're right, it was perfect. Then her friend Billy comes to town,' he said, clenching his fists, 'and she breaks up with me. We didn't fight, and she didn't leave me for him, but since then, we've been "just friends." You know, she left me so she could pursue her music, and she hasn't done a damn think with it, nothing at all! I can't stand being around her, whenever I see her I just want to grab her and kiss her until she comes to her senses and comes back to me. But I can't do that, because then I'd be standing in the way of her dreams. It's so damn hard!'
Everyone was silent for a while, their attention turned back to their work. Finally, George spoke up. 'You're doing the right thing. Be strong, and let her some back to you. It sucks, but you have to do it.' The others nodded their agreement.
'I know that, but it's driving me crazy. I don't know how much longer I can stand this, I only have so much control where Maria's concerned.' This caused the guys to shift uncomfortably, they had experienced firsthand exactly how much control Michael and Maria had around each other.
Finally, Steve spoke up. 'Take a break. Do whatever you need to, take a week off and we'll cover for you. I'm in charge now that Karl's gone, it's not like you'll get in trouble. And the guy at the Crashdown, I'm sure he'll understand. Just get out of Roswell for a few days, see if it takes your mind off of things.'
Michael grinned. 'That's the smartest thing I've heard all day. Are you guys sure you don't mind? This is just what I need to get over the situation. I'll call Max and tell him, I can leave right after my shift.'
George, Monk, and Steve all seemed to think it was a great idea, but Monk wasn't so sure. Michael couldn't want to get over it. He wanted Maria back, not out of his life. What the hell was he trying to pull? He'd have to talk to Michael before he left...
*********
'Hey, Monk, I'm planning on hitching a ride with somebody. Max'll kill me if I take his baby along for the ride. You're a car freak, will you get the Chevelle home safely?'
'Sure thing, Michael. Are you leaving now? I want to ask you something.' Monk walked out into the hallway, and Michael followed. 'What exactly are you planning on doing? I'm not believing that you want to get over the situation.'
Michael smiled. 'I'm starting over, Monk. The whole thing, I want to relive the memories, just in case we don't make any more.' And with that, Michael left.
Okay, that made sense. Michael had told him about a bunch of road trips he and Maria had taken...he was going to retrace their path. Kind of sad though, he was doing it because he didn't think he'd ever get to do it with Maria.
*********
Monk was driving the Chevelle out of the parking lot, when a red Jetta pulled up beside him. He stopped, and the next thing he knew, Maria De Luca was outside the window, waving a pair of red sneakers in his face and talking a mile a minute. She got a good look at him when she stopped to take a breath, though, and she stepped back in surprise.
'Monk?! What are you doing in the Chevelle? And where the hell is Michael?'
The three friends started busying themselves, having accepted that this shift wasn't going to be one of the best. George, unfortunately, never got the message. He strode in ten minutes after Michael, oblivious of the frantic attempts the guys were making to show him Michael's mood.
'How you doing, chico?' He hit Michael's shoulder lightly before sitting down next to him.
'You're late.'
'Sorry chico, my wife's friend Maria just got here and I had to pick her up at the airport---' Monk, observing from a safe distance, winced as he saw Michael stiffen. George was in for it now, Michael seldom had problems that weren't Maria-related. If Monk hadn't met the girl, he would've thought Michael was a fool, unable to pick up and move on. But after only three meetings, Monk knew that Maria De Luca wasn't someone you forgot in a hurry.
George seemed to have realized his mistake by now. 'Hey, Mike...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up.'
Michael laughed weakly. 'Don't worry about it. You shouldn't have to avoid the name just because I had my heart broken by one Maria.'
George, who must not have been thinking straight that day, pressed the subject further. 'What's going on with you guys? You both seemed so...happy. Like it was perfect. What went wrong?'
Monk blinked in surprise. Now this was uncharted territory. Did George have a death wish? He had to, he was aggravating an angry Michael.
But apparently Michael felt like talking. 'I have no idea. You're right, it was perfect. Then her friend Billy comes to town,' he said, clenching his fists, 'and she breaks up with me. We didn't fight, and she didn't leave me for him, but since then, we've been "just friends." You know, she left me so she could pursue her music, and she hasn't done a damn think with it, nothing at all! I can't stand being around her, whenever I see her I just want to grab her and kiss her until she comes to her senses and comes back to me. But I can't do that, because then I'd be standing in the way of her dreams. It's so damn hard!'
Everyone was silent for a while, their attention turned back to their work. Finally, George spoke up. 'You're doing the right thing. Be strong, and let her some back to you. It sucks, but you have to do it.' The others nodded their agreement.
'I know that, but it's driving me crazy. I don't know how much longer I can stand this, I only have so much control where Maria's concerned.' This caused the guys to shift uncomfortably, they had experienced firsthand exactly how much control Michael and Maria had around each other.
Finally, Steve spoke up. 'Take a break. Do whatever you need to, take a week off and we'll cover for you. I'm in charge now that Karl's gone, it's not like you'll get in trouble. And the guy at the Crashdown, I'm sure he'll understand. Just get out of Roswell for a few days, see if it takes your mind off of things.'
Michael grinned. 'That's the smartest thing I've heard all day. Are you guys sure you don't mind? This is just what I need to get over the situation. I'll call Max and tell him, I can leave right after my shift.'
George, Monk, and Steve all seemed to think it was a great idea, but Monk wasn't so sure. Michael couldn't want to get over it. He wanted Maria back, not out of his life. What the hell was he trying to pull? He'd have to talk to Michael before he left...
*********
'Hey, Monk, I'm planning on hitching a ride with somebody. Max'll kill me if I take his baby along for the ride. You're a car freak, will you get the Chevelle home safely?'
'Sure thing, Michael. Are you leaving now? I want to ask you something.' Monk walked out into the hallway, and Michael followed. 'What exactly are you planning on doing? I'm not believing that you want to get over the situation.'
Michael smiled. 'I'm starting over, Monk. The whole thing, I want to relive the memories, just in case we don't make any more.' And with that, Michael left.
Okay, that made sense. Michael had told him about a bunch of road trips he and Maria had taken...he was going to retrace their path. Kind of sad though, he was doing it because he didn't think he'd ever get to do it with Maria.
*********
Monk was driving the Chevelle out of the parking lot, when a red Jetta pulled up beside him. He stopped, and the next thing he knew, Maria De Luca was outside the window, waving a pair of red sneakers in his face and talking a mile a minute. She got a good look at him when she stopped to take a breath, though, and she stepped back in surprise.
'Monk?! What are you doing in the Chevelle? And where the hell is Michael?'