Mending Pieces
A Roswell Alternate Universe Story
By Andrea Sinisterra
Romance/Drama
Standard Disclaimers Apply
* * *
Fell into a dream again, wish the dream would never ever end.
Met an angel with eyes the deepest blue I've ever seen,
Just wish it wasn't a dream.
"Katie"
- LaRue
* * *
Part 3
"Okay, Aaron. You have to make a choice here, okay. You can't do all of them."
"But Dad, I want to do them all!"
"Stop whining. You can choose three."
"Okay," Aaron perused the paper Max held, "soccer, swimming and... Hockey!"
"Hockey? Don't you think that's a little too rough for your age?"
"I want to try it, Dad."
"Okay. Let's see, you can have swimming on Mondays and Thursdays; hockey on Wednesdays and Saturdays and soccer on Tuesdays and Fridays. That okay?"
"Yeah!"
"God, you're a busy little guy." Max sighed, "I'll just have you know that I won't be able to pick you up everyday, because I have work. When I can't pick you up, I'll send your grandmother or Michael or Isabel, okay?"
"Okay."
"You are not to leave the building alone or with anyone besides the ones I mentioned. I don't care if the person claims to be the president of Jupiter; you are not to leave the building. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"I'm glad. So, we have three hours before I have to return to the hospital, what do you want to do?"
"I don't know..."
"How about we go visit your Aunt Isabel, and then I take you to Burger King."
"McDonald's!"
"McDonald's. Okay, go get your coat."
* * *
"Oh, my little guy!"
"Izzy!"
Isabel kissed her nephew on the cheek, and whispered in his ear, "Kansas' in the back."
Isabel laughed as Aaron rushed to the back yard. "He's grown so fast! I can't believe how tall he is."
"Yeah, and I'm getting older."
"Maybe, maybe not. You're as handsome as ever. Can I offer you something, tea, soda, umm, water?"
"Water, please."
Max followed her to the beautifully fitted kitchen, claiming a stool at the island in the center. "How are you?"
"I'm okay. Business great, expanding by the minute." Isabel said, handing him a glass of water and ice.
"Thank you. That's great. How's Mark?"
"We broke up." It was clipped, like she wanted it said and over with as quickly as possible.
"Sorry to hear that. I thought you were doing great. I mean, last I heard you were pretty serious-"
"Things change."
Max's eyes narrowed at his sister's cold appearance, "did he hurt you? Because I swear, if that asshole did something to you I'll--"
"Max, shut up. As much as I appreciate your rather annoyingly overwhelming protectiveness, I'm okay. Really. He cheated on me. But it's okay, we had a very modern relationship, and it's not like we were going to tie the knot, or anything, right?"
The way she asked made it sound like she wasn't so sure of herself, "Right."
"And anyways, I'm okay. I have Kansas to keep me company and a very large nosey family at my aid, whenever I need it."
"Sure." Then, changing the subject, since he noticed Isabel was starting to get a little uncomfortable, "I heard Dad is thinking about leaving the company and retire once and for all."
"About time. I mean, he's done a great job and everything, but I think it's time he gave Michael the opportunity to reign alone, at last."
"Yeah, although I'm not so sure. You can never be positive with Dad and business. Especially with the Company.... I can't believe Michael's getting married. Who would've thought?"
"Yeah. When he told us I was so stunned. I mean, wasn't he the one we had to fish a date for the prom. To imagine that he was the one who always believed he to be a loner. You get too close, you get burned."
"Yeah, that's what he always said. Look at him now. Head over heals for Maria DeLuca. And imagine the shock when grandfather found out he was dating her. She's a Parker after all."
"She's a Parker?"
"Umm hmm. Her mother is Amy Parker, Jeff's sister. She married some guy what's his name DeLuca."
"Ooh, I didn't know that. Haven't you heard that gossip is only for girls, Max."
"Yeah, but when 'girls' don't do their job, someone's got to do it."
Isabel laughed. "Max? I have something to tell you, and you may not like it."
Max looked at her wearily, "What is it?"
"I ran into Tess the other day."
He froze at the name, "really?"
"Is that all you have to say?"
"What do you want me to say? How thrilled I am that you ran into her; how pleased I am that you talked to her? Wrong, honey."
"She said she had been trying your number, that she couldn't reach you. She wanted to know how was her son... How you were."
"I changed my number, you know that."
"Yeah, but I wasn't going to tell her that. Anyways--"
"I can't believe she had the nerve to look us up after all these years! When she abandoned her son, I assure you, the last thing she had in mind was his welfare."
"Max-"
"No, I mean, really, Isabel, she ran away in the middle of the night with some lover she had for God only knows how long. And you tell me that, now, after seven years, she returns and wants things to go back to normal. Well, she's got another thing coming!"
"Max, you are divorced--"
"Isabel, I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about Aaron. You don't divorce your son! She walked out on him. Do you know how many times I held that little boy in my arms as he cried why his mother didn't love him anymore!? No! You have no idea. That kid has suffered too much!"
Max stood by the window, watching Aaron playing with the black cocker spaniel, "he's a great kid, Isabel."
Isabel always had the feeling that all Tess wanted, was money. Was it only a coincidence Tess left almost at the same time Max turned down the company? She had voiced her concerns once to Max, but he had refused to talk about the issue. She embraced her brother, "and you raised him well. I'm very proud of you, Max."
To be continued...
Chapter 4: So we meet again...