A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed. This being my first fanfic, i was kinda nervous but you guys are the best. Mwah!!!
Chapter 7.
Michael woke suddenly and turned to his right. He slammed his fist down hard on the radio. The music had gone and the only sound was Maria's breathing on his left. The light peered through the window, and he looked at the clock; 9.30.
"Aw geez," he muttered
He went to sit up, but his head started spinning so he lay down again. Colours swirled in front of his eyes and he waited until the dizziness had gone and tried to sit up again. He sat on the edge of the bed for a couple of minutes and held his head in his hands. The empty bottle of gin on the floor brought back a flood of memories and he stood up to gather his clothes and get dressed. He tried to put to put his leg in his jeans and started hopping as his leg got stuck, but he tripped and fell over. The sound made Maria sit up. She looked at him, puzzled. Her face started to take on an awful shade of green. She jumped out of bed and opened the door and ran down the hall. He could hear her open the bathroom door and slam it shut again. He was still trying to get the jeans on, while rolling around on the floor. On his way out the door, he grabbed his shirt. He walked out to the kitchen and saw Alex sitting on one of the barstools at the counter. Michael walked straight to the fridge and pulled out a carton of juice. He drank straight from the carton and put it back in the fridge.
"What up Al?"
Alex looked at him.
"Are you ok? You were pretty put out of it last night."
"I'm as fresh as a daisy Alex. I've found that, as I get older, I can hold my drink a lot better. It's great, uh; Big M ain't feeling so well though."
Alex sniggered, a couple of weeks back, the girls had gone on a night out, apparently the guy at the bar they had gone to started to call her Big M, because some guy had tried to come on to her, it ended up, she'd broken his nose. Michael had started to boast that he'd shown her that move. He sighed, a smile still playing about his lips; he really did have a great family, even if they were on the run. Alex took a deep breath and opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it again.
"Spit it out man, I ain't got all day."
Alex smirked, Max and Michael had become like brothers to him.
"Michael, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, ask away."
"What d'you think Max would say if I asked if I could get an engagement ring for Is?"
Michael stared at him, 'Shit, he was serious.'
"The truth?"
"The truth Michael."
"I think he'd say no, man."
Alex sighed; he'd been expecting that answer.
"Look, Alex, you know my views on marriage, it's a load o' horsecrap, but maybe you should ask him anyway, I mean if you really love her, then I wouldn't have a problem. I don't think Maria would either. But to be honest, who needs a piece of paper?"
"I do. But what if you're right? What if he says no?"
"Then take the cash anyway."
He said it as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
"I knew you'd say that."
Michael turned to him with his sarcastic face.
"You know me so well."
Alex still looked downhearted.
"And you know, it wouldn't even be all of it, just something small, so she could ...I don't know."
"Don't worry man, we'll figure something out."
They sat for a couple of minutes in silence. Max walked past them. Michael elbowed Alex and whispered.
"Go ask him now."
Michael practically pushed him off of his seat. As Alex was walking toward the door that led onto the back porch, he could see Maria from the corner of his eye, stumble out of the bathroom down the hall, put her hand to her mouth and stumble back in again. He turned round to Michael, who was standing in front of the open door of the fridge.
"Uh, Michael?"
Michael looked up at him, one eyebrow raised.
"You sure she's gonna be ok?"
He smirked.
"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be fine."
He turned is attention back to the fridge. Alex left him inside with the sound of Maria's retching in the background. As he closed the door behind him, Alex could see Max at the side of the house. Isabelle had been giving out non-stop about the state of the roses at the side of the house, so Max decided to fix them with his powers.
"Hey Max."
Max looked up, and quickly changed the look of surprise on his face, to that of warmth.
"Mornin'"
Alex dug his hands deep into his pockets.
"Something botherin' ya?"
"Um, no, no, not at all....well, yeah actually, you see....."
Max turned toward him to give him his full attention. He couldn't help noticing that Max always had that look of patience about him, it was his stature or something, like a father would.
"You know how me and Isabelle, well, you know how we wanna get married?"
Max nodded. He kinda looked like a puppy, a nice, easy going, loyal puppy. Alex could hear Maria's giggle in his head, 'it's like something she'd think, I'm spending wahay to much time with that girl.' Alex suddenly had a horrifying thought, 'what if, spending too much time with Maria had an adverse affect on Michael. Okay, you're totally getting off the subject now Al, get a grip!' Alex shook his head, as if to get rid of his thoughts.
"Alex?"
"Yeah, as I was saying. That money, that the guys got yesterday, I was wondering if, maybe, and only maybe, 'cause it's up to you, you know Max, you're the boss here and I....."
"Alex!"
"Yeah, well, can I get Isabelle a ring with the money? I mean not all of it, just a little bit, you know, just something she can have to kinda prove........stuff."
Max took a deep breath, Alex knew what was coming.
"But Alex, what if something happened someday? I mean, you know all I want is for my sister to be happy, but what if we got into trouble? What if we needed that money?"
"Max, we can't live our lives on what ifs....."
"I know but, would you really value a ring more than my life, yours, even Isabelle's. What if, it were life and death."
'Shit he's good,' Alex thought, 'but I still don't have the money for the fucking ring!'
"Yeah, you know what Max? You're right, you're totally right.........and I...it was a stupid thought, I just wanted, god, I don't know........"
"No Alex, don't say that, it was a brilliant thought, just be patient, when we have all this over then........."
"Yeah, yeah, listen Max, thanks, for uh, hearing me out."
Alex shook his hand and he could've sworn he'd seen a look of relief cross his face.
"No problem, we're cool, right?"
"Of course, of course, no worries."
Alex backed away, making his way toward the house. No worries, but he was furious.