Authors note: First I want to tell you thanks for your reviews they really mean a alot. They
were just what i was hoping for. Second, sorry for the long delay, and third, I'll try getting
more chapters out at a time. thanks again
Chapter three: morning shift
He wanted to hold her. To tell her things would be as they once were. But he knew he couldn't.
It was the impossible. Things have changed. He could tell she had been crying. It pained him just to think about it. Literally. Watching as she worked her way jumbling orders he was amazed of how graceful she still was when knowing deep down inside she was a wreck. The emptiness in her eyes was noticeable, but only if you really looked deep into them. Max saw this. He saw as she desperately tried to hide her feelings when it was clear how she felt. He knew what was left of the strength Liz had was dissolving.
Max looked away. The sight too painful to look at. If it were up to him he would have ate somewhere else, but for some reason his sister wouldn't have anything else. Guilt soon crept up on him. He couldn't stop thinking about Liz when he felt he should be thinking about his son.
She'll get through, he tried to convince himself. But he knew it was hopeless. He turned towards his sister feeling her hand on his.
"I'm worried about her too Max," she said looking at Liz. "She looks so... sad."
"I know Isobel, you don't need to tell me."
Isobel looked at her brother. "Don't get mad Max, I mean its like we're all stuck in the past.
We're lucky if we experience one ounce of happiness. From what I can see, Liz is taking it the hardest You should talk to her-"
Max held his head in frustration. He didn't want to hear this. "Isobel, I have a son to think about. A son that I don't even know that's alive or dead. Besides Liz won't talk to me. It's been months and you know that."
Isobel decided to change the subject. "Where's Maria? I'm starving," she said scanning the place. Liz didn't take any orders with Max around.
"Where the hell is she?" Liz searched frantically around hoping for any sign of Maria. She needed her to take down their orders, something she couldn't do anymore. With Max around at least.
She froze. From the corner of her eye she could see Isobel nudging Max with her shoulder motioning in her direction. "Great, she thought, again caught in the moment of my pathetic weakness. I probably look like a lunatic."
She stopped herself from continuing her search telling herself, "No Liz, you have to do this yourself. Today you move on." Taking a deep breath she turned towards Max and Isobel.
Her body felt stiff as a board and her feet felt nailed to the ground. But she kept telling herself she could do this and she managed to move to the other end of the room eventually making her way towards their usual table. Max eyes were filled with hope. Liz caught a glimpse of this and quickly looked down. Focused on the pad of paper in her hand and her pencil in the other.
"Hey Liz, Isobel shot out, breaking the overwhelming silence.
Still avoiding eye contact, she replied,
"Ok, I guess I'll have the saturn waffles and the... orange juice. Sorry... I don't know what you guys call it," Isobel said trying to be polite.
Managing a small smile Liz slowly wrote down the order, dreading the moment she always avoided.
"And you M-max?" she choked out.
"How've you been Liz?" Max blurted out.
For the first time Liz raised her head. She knew where this was going. "Fine Max. Now, what can I get you?"
"Liz what's-"
"Max, I need to take take your order, pl-"
"I'm not hungry anymore.-"
"Fine. Isobel, Maria will bring you your order."
She turned to leave, but Max stood up catching hold of her hand. Chills ran through her body as a rush of images flashed through her mind. It was a mini movie of the bad from the very beginning. She could feel every moment that tore at her in a second. She ripped her hand out of his and yelped.
For a while she just looked at him in pain. Than in anger. He realized what he'd done, but before he could say anything Liz interrupted him. Her expression was dead serious.
"Max, just stay away from me." She left the crashdown not saying another word.
Chapter three: morning shift
He wanted to hold her. To tell her things would be as they once were. But he knew he couldn't.
It was the impossible. Things have changed. He could tell she had been crying. It pained him just to think about it. Literally. Watching as she worked her way jumbling orders he was amazed of how graceful she still was when knowing deep down inside she was a wreck. The emptiness in her eyes was noticeable, but only if you really looked deep into them. Max saw this. He saw as she desperately tried to hide her feelings when it was clear how she felt. He knew what was left of the strength Liz had was dissolving.
Max looked away. The sight too painful to look at. If it were up to him he would have ate somewhere else, but for some reason his sister wouldn't have anything else. Guilt soon crept up on him. He couldn't stop thinking about Liz when he felt he should be thinking about his son.
She'll get through, he tried to convince himself. But he knew it was hopeless. He turned towards his sister feeling her hand on his.
"I'm worried about her too Max," she said looking at Liz. "She looks so... sad."
"I know Isobel, you don't need to tell me."
Isobel looked at her brother. "Don't get mad Max, I mean its like we're all stuck in the past.
We're lucky if we experience one ounce of happiness. From what I can see, Liz is taking it the hardest You should talk to her-"
Max held his head in frustration. He didn't want to hear this. "Isobel, I have a son to think about. A son that I don't even know that's alive or dead. Besides Liz won't talk to me. It's been months and you know that."
Isobel decided to change the subject. "Where's Maria? I'm starving," she said scanning the place. Liz didn't take any orders with Max around.
"Where the hell is she?" Liz searched frantically around hoping for any sign of Maria. She needed her to take down their orders, something she couldn't do anymore. With Max around at least.
She froze. From the corner of her eye she could see Isobel nudging Max with her shoulder motioning in her direction. "Great, she thought, again caught in the moment of my pathetic weakness. I probably look like a lunatic."
She stopped herself from continuing her search telling herself, "No Liz, you have to do this yourself. Today you move on." Taking a deep breath she turned towards Max and Isobel.
Her body felt stiff as a board and her feet felt nailed to the ground. But she kept telling herself she could do this and she managed to move to the other end of the room eventually making her way towards their usual table. Max eyes were filled with hope. Liz caught a glimpse of this and quickly looked down. Focused on the pad of paper in her hand and her pencil in the other.
"Hey Liz, Isobel shot out, breaking the overwhelming silence.
Still avoiding eye contact, she replied,
"Ok, I guess I'll have the saturn waffles and the... orange juice. Sorry... I don't know what you guys call it," Isobel said trying to be polite.
Managing a small smile Liz slowly wrote down the order, dreading the moment she always avoided.
"And you M-max?" she choked out.
"How've you been Liz?" Max blurted out.
For the first time Liz raised her head. She knew where this was going. "Fine Max. Now, what can I get you?"
"Liz what's-"
"Max, I need to take take your order, pl-"
"I'm not hungry anymore.-"
"Fine. Isobel, Maria will bring you your order."
She turned to leave, but Max stood up catching hold of her hand. Chills ran through her body as a rush of images flashed through her mind. It was a mini movie of the bad from the very beginning. She could feel every moment that tore at her in a second. She ripped her hand out of his and yelped.
For a while she just looked at him in pain. Than in anger. He realized what he'd done, but before he could say anything Liz interrupted him. Her expression was dead serious.
"Max, just stay away from me." She left the crashdown not saying another word.