Mending Pieces
A Roswell Alternate Universe Story
By Andrea Sinisterra
Romance/Drama
Standard Disclaimers Apply
* * *
I was wasted in the afternoon
Waiting on a train
I woke up in pieces and Elisabeth had disappeared again
"Goodnight Elisabeth"
- Counting Crows
* * *
Part 4
His cell phone rang, "Evans."
"Honey, it's mom."
"Hi, mom. So rare to receive a phone call from you."
"Well, what can a mother do when her son doesn't call or visit her?"
"Oh, mother, please, not again. I visited the other day, and you weren't there."
"How convenient."
"It's true!"
"Where are you right now?"
"In my car, I'm late for picking up Aaron."
"Oh! When are you going to bring me that precious grandson of mine-- Oh! This reminds me. Remember tomorrow is the Company's picnic."
"Yeah, I know Mom. Mom, I have to go."
"Okay, but remember Max, if--"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You'll ground my ass for the next thirty years!"
His mother laughed, "Got that one right. Bye, sweetie."
"Bye."
Max closed the door to his black X5 BMW, and rushed to the building. Max's eyes searched the crowds of parents and children but he couldn't seem to find his son's blonde head. Max neared the coach.
"Hi, I'm Max Evans, I'm looking for Aaron?"
"Oh, yeah, I saw him over there with a lady. 'Thought she was his mother."
Max froze. His mother? Max turned where the coach had pointed, and indeed, there was Aaron. "Aaron!"
Aaron saw his dad approach, and immediately ran to his arms, "Dad!"
"God, didn't I tell you not to go with strangers!"
"But I didn't leave. I'm still in the building."
The kid's got a point. "Well, I was scared when I didn't find you."
"I was with the coach, but then I saw Liz, and came to say hello."
"Liz?"
"Yeah, she's over there!"
Max looked up, and saw the same beautiful lady from the other day, fixing a scarf around the neck of a girl. She hasn't seen him.
"And that's her daughter, her name's Paige. She's very funny! Can I ask her if she wants to join us for dinner tonight?"
"Son, I don't know if she remembers me."
"Sure she does. We were talking about you just now!"
"You were?"
"Umm hmm. Come." And with that, Aaron dragged Max to where Liz was sitting with her daughter.
"Hi there."
Liz looked up at the new arrival. And almost gasped, "Hi!"
Max felt nervous, "Well, Aaron here--"
"Would you like to come and join us for dinner?" Aaron rushed.
"Thank you, son."
Liz laughed.
Max smiled, too. "Yeah, so... what do you say?"
"Please mom!" Paige whispered.
Liz laughed again, "okay."
"There is a nice--"
"Dad, you promised me yesterday we would go to McDonald's, and we didn't go!"
"Aaron." The stern tone in Max's voice settled Aaron.
"Sorry, Dad."
"Okay." Aaron looked up surprised and Max a little speechless at Liz, "McDonald's sounds great. Right, Paige?"
"Yeah!" Both kids yelled at the same time as they hugged Liz.
* * *
"Not what I had in mind..." Max muttered as he saw the Ronald clown statue standing at one side of the entrance.
"Me either." Liz whispered beside him.
Max smiled. "Two happy meals..."
* * *
Thirty minutes later...
"I take hockey, swimming AND soccer."
"I take ballet, tennis, soccer AND hockey. My grandfather taught me how to play pool." Paige smiled triumphantly.
"Hockey is for men."
"Says who?"
"Says-- Everyone!"
"Liar! Your nose is going to grow and grow and grow until you can scratch your foot while standing!"
Max and Liz laughed.
"Dad!" Aaron complained.
"Aaron, son, I'm sorry, but you have to admit it, you lost."
Aaron soon joined the other three laughing.
* * *
"I think they are getting along." Max said as they walked back to the school where they parked their cars. They had walked to the McDonald's since it was only a few blocks away.
Liz looked at where her daughter and Aaron raced to the school front, "Yeah. Aaron is a nice kid."
"So is Paige." They stopped in front of the building, "where's your car?"
"Over there."
Max followed Liz to her car. Liz let Paige slip into the front seat. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Oh, I have a family thing to attend to, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, me, too." Max retrieved his cell phone from his pocket, "give me your number, and I'll give you a call. See if we get together and do something some other day."
"Okay." Liz gave him her number, "bye, then, I had fun tonight."
"Yeah, me, too. Bye." And Max closed her door after she buckled her seat belt.
Aaron waved.
"Let's go son, it's getting late."
To be continued...
Chapter 5: Surprises