Mending Pieces

A Roswell Alternate Universe Story

By Andrea Sinisterra

Romance/Drama

Standard Disclaimers Apply

* * *

Now I've tried to talk to you and make you understand

All you have to do is close your eyes

And just reach out your hands and touch me

Hold me close, don't ever let me go

More than words, is all I ever needed you to show

Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me

'Cause I'd already know

"More Than Words"

- Extreme

* * *

Part 6

Max and Liz were in the beautiful wooden gazebo, near the lake.

"This was a surprise."

"Tell me about it." Liz replied, "It never occurred to me to link your name to the company."

Max laughed, "Yeah, well."

"It's so nice to see someone other than my cousin." She sighed, "Although it's been awhile since the last time I came to one of these things."

"Yeah, me, too."

"Since my husband died awhile back, I've been in some sort of sleep, you could say." Her smile was wistful, "I was pregnant, you know, when he died."

"I sorry." Max said, holding her hand in his, "must have been hard on you."

"Oh, but Paige has been everything... my lifeline. And Maria...." She paused, "Maria was the one who shook some sense into me. Saved my life and my daughter's."

Max smiled reassuringly, "you've been strong. Not just anybody can survive something like that and still live like nothing happened."

Liz smiled, also, "it's weird, I've never, ever, talked about this with anyone, not even Maria." Liz averted her gaze from Max's penetrating one, uncomfortable, "with you I feel... safe." She laughed a little, "weird, huh?"

"No, it's not. It's healthy to share your feelings with someone. It lights your life a little... I'm glad you shared them with me."

Liz squeezed his hand in gratitude, "what about you? How come you're not with Aaron's mother?"

"Aaron was only three when she left." Max began. "Apparently she had some lover while we were married. So one night, I came home late from the hospital, urgent surgery call, and she was gone. Just like that. No note, no phone call, nothing. She just picked up and left."

"How can a mother leave her son?" Liz uttered horrified.

"Imagine my shock when I found all her things missing. Our relationship wasn't going so well, we had argued a couple of times, but we always solved our problems, you know, for the sake of our son... I guess, by then, she just wanted out." He sighed, "She never wanted to get pregnant in the beginning. She claimed Aaron was a mistake. She had said that just a few days before her disappearance."

"Oh, God, how can she so inhuman?" Liz whispered, running her fingers through his hair in a soothing caress. "Did Aaron know?"

"I just told him what he needed to know. Why she left, when she left, that she was not coming back... and that we were filing for divorce."

"How did he take it?"

Max's eyes watered slightly, "that kid cried himself to sleep for nearly a month. We spent time together, he went to therapy, Isabel lived with us for a couple of months to make him company while I was at work.... It's been rough on him."

"I can imagine."

He felt at complete peace with her like this. It was like they were bonded in some sort of way that made them comfortable with each other, despite the fact that they barely knew each other. Perhaps it was because of their backgrounds? Or their marriages and the similarity of their cases?

Max could only stare at her profile as she looked at the lake. The serene look on her face made him realize that she was as comfortable with him as he was with her.

I just told her my entire life, he thought surprised.

 * * *

"What the fucks are you doing here?" Michael growled as he neared Tess, "you have some nerve, lady."

Tess recoiled from the coldness in his voice, "Michael. It's been a long time--"

"Yeah, yeah, long time, no see. What do you want?"

"I came to see my son... and Max."

Maria put her hand on Michael's shoulder as if to hold him back, just in case. "Michael, who is she?"

Michael laughed in sarcastic amusement, "now? After what? Six, seven years of absence you intend to return as if nothing ever happened?" Michael advanced on Tess, and grabbed her arm roughly, leading her to the house, "you've got to be kidding me!"

Tess snatched her arm free of Michael's tight grasp, "you can't deny me the right to see my son!"

"What's going on in here? And what the hell are YOU doing here?" Phillip Evans demanded as he glared down at Tess.

"Phillip, I have the right to see--"

"You have the right to what?" Max yelled, as he and Liz returned to the picnic area. Because people were starting to gather in a circle around them, curious to see what was the commotion all about, Max grabbed Tess and hauled her inside the house, slamming the glass doors shut behind him.

Liz stared, dumbfounded, at Max's rage. God, what happened? She thought, who was she?

"Michael, why are you ignoring me?" Maria demanded as she rounded on Michael.

"Who is that?" Liz also asked.

"That's Tess Harding... Evans." At both women's gasp, "Max's ex-wife."

* * *

Isabel stared worriedly at the glass doors. What was going on? She felt guilt wash over her as she remembered how Max's face had constricted in anger when he saw Tess.

Tess had phoned her two days before, asking relevant things about Max and Aaron. Isabel had been careful not to say things that would compromise her relationship with Max. Though, she had accidentally told Tess that they were going to be at their parents' house, on a picnic, on Saturday. It had slipped out, as Isabel had stared at the phone as if it had suddenly grown arms and legs.

Isabel didn't like how things had ended between Max and Tess, though she wasn't about to go against her brother. She knew the whole story since Max had told her. They had talked for endless hours about anything that came to their minds, during the time she lived in his home. It had been hard to live with Max, especially the first weeks into the divorce. Max had been impossible. He came late from work, and had practically abandoned Aaron. Though they still were tight, he wasn't as much with him as before.

But Isabel didn't hate Tess. How many times had she refused any relationship she thought was going too quick or too serious?  Countless times before. She just wasn't the type of women for marriage. She was too afraid of having a child of her own. To have the life of someone in your hands, to have someone depend on you so completely...

Though, sometimes she yearned. She wasn't ready for marriage, least of all ready to start a family. She was too scared of screwing up... just like Tess.

People had started to spread out again. Though her parents, her grandfather, Liz, Maria and Michael were still near. Out of the corner of her eye, a movement caught her attention... Aaron.

 * * *

Max couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe the nerve this woman had to come to his parents house, no less, assist to a family reunion, where obviously she wasn't wanted and demand rights she had resigned the moment she had stepped out of their house years ago!

He was fuming. He had to take a few deep breaths to remain calm--

"You can't deny me the right to--"

"Honey, in case you haven't noticed, you're not wanted. The second you walked out, you lost all privileges pertaining MY son. Okay? You expect to come back after seven years and pretend we are one big, happy family." Max asked, incredulous, "wrong. You lost any rights you might have had."

"I just want a second chance." Tess began, hesitating, "I've been wanting to come back since so long, but every time I was about to pick up the phone and call, I chickened out." Tears formed in her eyes, "I've wanted to see my son since so long. I've missed him... I've missed you."

"Is that supposed to make me happy? Am I supposed to be excited?"

Tess wasn't put off by his sarcasm, "I know I screwed up, damn it, I know it! Don't you think I know that?" She took a deep breath, "I just wasn't ready to start a family and raise a child. We married young, Max. I wasn't ready for that."

"Then why the hell did you say 'yes'!?!" Max yelled at her, "and anyway, what kind of person are you? How can a mother abandon her child? HER THREE YEAR OLD CHILD!?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!!" Tess was crying now, "I just want to come back, Max. Let me make it up to you."

Max let out a cold, empty laughter, "you can't. There's nothing you can say or do, that will erase that memory of Aaron crying when he found you gone. Do you have the slightest idea of how long it took that boy to realize that you weren't coming back? Years! Years, Tess." Max's eyes grew solid, like slits of cold granite; "I won't let you do this to him, Tess. We don't want you."

"But Max--"

"If you wanted a divorce, why didn't you tell me? Why?!" Max asked, frustration edging his voice, "Why did you go to those extremes to get rid of me? Did you stop loving me? Did you ever love me at all? Or did you love my money? Did you leave because I turned down the company?"

Tess' eyes grew wide in panic. "I--"

"Dad?"

To be continued...

Chapter 7: Fear