Three days before Spring Break was over was always hectic at West Roswell
High. Gil Forrester walked into his office wondering what awaited him
today. His secretary, Susanne, stood up and gave him his messages.
"Ready for the last three months of school?" she asked.
"Unfortunately, but I hate to see some of our seniors go." He said glancing at his messages; he had to call the coaches about the dance in three weeks.
"I know, but there is good news in that department, Max Evens is waiting in your office with his wife." She said with a smile.
"His what?" Mr. Forrester sputtered, "Max got married? To who?"
"Who do you think? She's back." She said grinning at the principal's shock.
"You mean Liz Parker?"
"Who else. They're waiting to get her re-enrolled."
"Of course. Well, if you need me, I'll be in a meeting." He said walking to his office door. Behind him Susanne giggled, it was beginning to look like a wonderful day.
"Max, Liz. So good to see the two of you." Mr. Forrester said entering his office. "Stay seated." He said with a smile as Max started to rise. The boy was so polite, he thought mentally shaking his head.
"Hello Mr. Forrester." Liz said as he sat down. "Is it okay if I come back?" she teased.
"Of course, now I'll have both my favorite students back, but don't tell anyone I said that." He added smiling.
"Of course. We would never dream of telling anyone your secret." She said with a laugh.
"So, Vermont didn't work out?" he asked leaning back.
"No, there was more waiting for me here." She told him looking out of the corner of her eyes at Max.
"I know, I just heard the good news, congratulations. What are your plans?"
"We're staying with Max's parents until we get some money saved to get a small apartment. Other than that, we just plan on finishing high school and seeing what happens from there." Liz explained.
"That's good, so your parents took it well?"
"Mine did, Mr. Parker wasn't quite as happy with everything." Max told him
"Oh, I'm sorry. Give him time; hopefully he'll come around. I take it your mom is following his lead." Mr. Forrester said knowingly
"Yes. Well, she never could cross him." Liz said shrugging her shoulders slightly. Poor girl, he thought, Jeff doesn't realize what he's losing. "So, I'm assuming very few people know about your marriage."
"Yes, only Isabel and a few others. We've only been here a couple of days." Max told him.
"Yes. Well, would the two of you mind a congratulatory announcement, that way you wouldn't have to explain all the time?" he asked thinking ahead.
Max looked at Liz who shook her head, then replied, "No sir, that might be a good idea."
"Yes, well, I'm assuming you would like to get back in all your previous classes?"
"Yes Mr. Forrester. And I'll even be your T.A. again." She said with a smile.
"Liz you just made my day. That other girl is just lost without you." He said waving his hand in mock exasperation. "So if we did an announcement, you would probably prefer it during your science class together, am I right?"
"Yes Mr. Forrester, science would be perfect." Liz told him.
"Anything you want me to say or not say?" he asked
"Whatever you feel is right, we trust your judgment." Max said.
"You two are far too trusting, but I'll keep it non-embarrassing." He said with a slight laugh, knowing full well that they knew he would never do anything embarrassing to them.
"Of course Mr. Forrester, we wouldn't expect anything less." Liz said with a laugh.
"Alright then, well, I'll get Mrs. Phillips started on your classes and we'll expect to see you Monday. You can just go to class and get your stuff; I think that would be a good surprise for your teachers and give them a pick-up for the day. You know how crazy it is the first day back."
"Of course. All right then. Thank you Mr. Forrester, and I'll see you on Monday." Liz said standing up, while Max went to open the door.
"Your welcome Miss Parker, I mean Mrs. Evens. By Monday I'll have that straight," he said with a laugh, while standing up.
"That's ok. See you in a few days." Liz said walking out the door; leaving Max, who turned towards the Principal.
"Thanks Mr. Forrester, for everything. It means a lot." He said before glancing out to see Liz talking with Mrs. Phillips.
"Your welcome Max. I hope the Jeff Parker realizes what he's losing before its too late. I hate to see that girl hurting. She's has such a joyful spirit."
"I know. See you in a few days" Max said before walking out to join Liz. Mr. Forrester watched them for a few minutes as they finished talking to Susanne, and left the building. It was good to have Liz back; she looked happier than she had when she left. Max was good for her, and she for him. But he had seen the slight pain in her eyes, almost the same pain that had been there when Alex Whitman had died. He prayed that the Parkers would realize that they had to let their daughter grow up and forgive Max. Maybe he would even mention that to Jeff the next time they went golfing, he thought as he turned back to his office.
"Ready for the last three months of school?" she asked.
"Unfortunately, but I hate to see some of our seniors go." He said glancing at his messages; he had to call the coaches about the dance in three weeks.
"I know, but there is good news in that department, Max Evens is waiting in your office with his wife." She said with a smile.
"His what?" Mr. Forrester sputtered, "Max got married? To who?"
"Who do you think? She's back." She said grinning at the principal's shock.
"You mean Liz Parker?"
"Who else. They're waiting to get her re-enrolled."
"Of course. Well, if you need me, I'll be in a meeting." He said walking to his office door. Behind him Susanne giggled, it was beginning to look like a wonderful day.
"Max, Liz. So good to see the two of you." Mr. Forrester said entering his office. "Stay seated." He said with a smile as Max started to rise. The boy was so polite, he thought mentally shaking his head.
"Hello Mr. Forrester." Liz said as he sat down. "Is it okay if I come back?" she teased.
"Of course, now I'll have both my favorite students back, but don't tell anyone I said that." He added smiling.
"Of course. We would never dream of telling anyone your secret." She said with a laugh.
"So, Vermont didn't work out?" he asked leaning back.
"No, there was more waiting for me here." She told him looking out of the corner of her eyes at Max.
"I know, I just heard the good news, congratulations. What are your plans?"
"We're staying with Max's parents until we get some money saved to get a small apartment. Other than that, we just plan on finishing high school and seeing what happens from there." Liz explained.
"That's good, so your parents took it well?"
"Mine did, Mr. Parker wasn't quite as happy with everything." Max told him
"Oh, I'm sorry. Give him time; hopefully he'll come around. I take it your mom is following his lead." Mr. Forrester said knowingly
"Yes. Well, she never could cross him." Liz said shrugging her shoulders slightly. Poor girl, he thought, Jeff doesn't realize what he's losing. "So, I'm assuming very few people know about your marriage."
"Yes, only Isabel and a few others. We've only been here a couple of days." Max told him.
"Yes. Well, would the two of you mind a congratulatory announcement, that way you wouldn't have to explain all the time?" he asked thinking ahead.
Max looked at Liz who shook her head, then replied, "No sir, that might be a good idea."
"Yes, well, I'm assuming you would like to get back in all your previous classes?"
"Yes Mr. Forrester. And I'll even be your T.A. again." She said with a smile.
"Liz you just made my day. That other girl is just lost without you." He said waving his hand in mock exasperation. "So if we did an announcement, you would probably prefer it during your science class together, am I right?"
"Yes Mr. Forrester, science would be perfect." Liz told him.
"Anything you want me to say or not say?" he asked
"Whatever you feel is right, we trust your judgment." Max said.
"You two are far too trusting, but I'll keep it non-embarrassing." He said with a slight laugh, knowing full well that they knew he would never do anything embarrassing to them.
"Of course Mr. Forrester, we wouldn't expect anything less." Liz said with a laugh.
"Alright then, well, I'll get Mrs. Phillips started on your classes and we'll expect to see you Monday. You can just go to class and get your stuff; I think that would be a good surprise for your teachers and give them a pick-up for the day. You know how crazy it is the first day back."
"Of course. All right then. Thank you Mr. Forrester, and I'll see you on Monday." Liz said standing up, while Max went to open the door.
"Your welcome Miss Parker, I mean Mrs. Evens. By Monday I'll have that straight," he said with a laugh, while standing up.
"That's ok. See you in a few days." Liz said walking out the door; leaving Max, who turned towards the Principal.
"Thanks Mr. Forrester, for everything. It means a lot." He said before glancing out to see Liz talking with Mrs. Phillips.
"Your welcome Max. I hope the Jeff Parker realizes what he's losing before its too late. I hate to see that girl hurting. She's has such a joyful spirit."
"I know. See you in a few days" Max said before walking out to join Liz. Mr. Forrester watched them for a few minutes as they finished talking to Susanne, and left the building. It was good to have Liz back; she looked happier than she had when she left. Max was good for her, and she for him. But he had seen the slight pain in her eyes, almost the same pain that had been there when Alex Whitman had died. He prayed that the Parkers would realize that they had to let their daughter grow up and forgive Max. Maybe he would even mention that to Jeff the next time they went golfing, he thought as he turned back to his office.