Thanks to jellybee201, isndbreeze, SlayerStarr, MariaEvans, and Amy for the great reviews.
MariaEvans - I actually made my dision about the Beth and Mike thing before you had reviewed. I hope you like the chapter anyway.
Amy - Thanks for the idea, I hadn't even thought about them. So thanks again for reminding me.
AN: (F) Michael or (F) Maria - means Future Michael or Future Maria. (P) Michael or (P) Maria means Past Michael or Past Maria.
Chapter 20 – Things Get Weirder
Michael and Maria walked up to the house and stopped in front of the door. Michael placed his hand on the HPIP (Hand Print Identification Pad) and then the automated voice was heard as the door opened.
"Welcome home Michael." Once they were inside (F) Michael was standing there waiting for them.
"I thought we talked about this yesterday." he said, but at the look of confusion on their faces he continued.
"Changing your hand prints!"
"Oh yeah, sorry about that." Maria said.
"Is that all you can say? That doesn't even cover the trouble you two who be in, not to mention all of us, if someone heard!" (F) Michael said, worried for the safety of his family and friends.
"We're really sorry, Daddy." Maria said hoping the last part would make him melt like Mr. Parker always did when Liz called him that.
"I guess its okay; just don't tell your mother I let you get away with it. And please don't do it again." (F) Michael pleaded.
"Okay." Maria said smiling. "Thanks, Daddy." she said as she kissed him on the cheek before she ran upstairs. (P) Michael followed not even glancing at his future self.
"You old softie." (F) Maria said as she came out of the kitchen smiling at how easily Beth had got away without punishment. But her happiness was short lived when she saw the look on his face.
"Michael what's wrong?" Maria asked worried.
"Zan hates me." Michael stated as he walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Maria followed him and began trying to comfort him.
(P) Maria had started to come back down stairs to get her book bag that she had left by the door when she heard the words that broke her heart. "Zan hates me."She couldn't stand to hear Michael so upset. Zan hates me. The words kept going through her head as she sat on the stairs. Zan hates me. She sat there listening to her older self comforting him, but the words kept coming. Zan hates me. Hates me. Hates me.
"He's ashamed of me and hates me, Ria." she heard (F) Michael say from the other room. I can't take it anymore! She said to herself as she ran back upstairs to make things right.
(P) Michael was lying on Beth's bed watching TV, and then Maria came in.
"It's about time. How long dose it take get a book bag?" Michael asked. He then noticed that she didn't even have the bag with her.
"Wait a minute you were gone all that time and you didn't even bring back the stupid bag?" Michael said slightly annoyed.
"Shut up!" she said mad at him.
"What did I do now?"
"Go down stairs and apologize." Maria demanded.
"Is that what this is about? I'll do it I swear, just not right now ok." he said as went back to watching TV.
"No." she said as she turned the TV off. "You'll do it now." she stated firmly. Michael was about to protest, but seeing that she wasn't going to back down, he relented.
All the way down stairs Michael was trying to think of what to say. It's hard enough when I have to apologize to Maria. How am I going to apologize to myself? Maybe I should just tell Maria I apologized. No, she'd know I was lying. I can't do this, it's just too weird. That's it I'm out of here. But just as he was about to go out the door (F) Maria came out of the living room.
She was upset he could tell. She looks like my Maria did last night when I promised her I would apologize. It was bad enough when I made one Maria look like that, but now both.
"Zan, are you going somewhere?" she asked trying to hide the fact that she was upset.
"Um, no. I was actually going to see Dad." Dad! Man, that is so weird. The things I do for you Maria. Michael thought.
"Really?" she said obviously perking up at the idea.
"Yeah. Is he in here?" she nodded and watched as he walked past her and into the room.
(F) Michael was sitting on the couch playing a video game. (P) Michael sat down beside him. They sat in silence for awhile, then (P) Michael spoke.
"So…..um…..about last night…..I'm……you know. Those things I said……..they…..um…..didn't…….you know." he said not able to actually get the words out.
"Here. I'll give you a head start." (F) Michael said as he tossed another controller to (P) Michael.
"I think you're the one who needs the extra time." (P) Michael said.
"Not from the way you were playing yesterday." (F) Michael laughed.
"Yesterday was an off day." (P) Michael said, his older self just nodded. Both Maria's looked on smiling from the doorway.
Twenty minutes later (F) Michael had went upstairs with (F) Maria to get ready for their date and (P) Maria had taken his spot on the couch beside (P) Michael. Maria unsuccessfully tried to play the game and finally giving up she tossed the controller aside.
"How do you know how to play this? This is completely different from anything your used to." She said baffled.
"Well, last night after you fell asleep I was wide awake so I came down here and played for awhile. It's not very hard once you figure it out." Michael said not taking his eyes off of the screen.
"Well I'm not playing any more it's too complica…..AAAHHH!" Maria screamed as she jumped two feet off the couch.
"Somebody's jumpy." Travis said smiling at his sister, who had was standing right beside him. They both laughed at the look on Maria's face when they had teleported into the room. Even Michael couldn't help but laugh.
"Laugh all you want, but your day will come." Maria said as she got up to answer the door.
After Maria came back with the rest of the group, who were the ones at the door, they all sat around the living room to watch the newest scary movie, The Creature. Maria was sitting between Mike and Michael on the couch; Anna was sitting on the floor in front of the couch; Travis and Jason were lying on the floor; and Emma and Ava Marie were sharing the chair. Soon (F) Michael and Maria came into the room.
"What are you watching?" (F) Maria asked from where she was standing behind the couch with her husband.
"The Creature."said Jason from the floor.
Just then The Creature jumped out and grabbed an unsuspecting girl; both Maria's jumped and screamed. It started tearing the girl apart piece by piece. Both Maria's buried their faces into the chest of their Michael, both guys grinned from their girlfriend or wife's reaction. Several looks and glances were shared between the friends. "That was weird," was going through all of their minds.
"Michael let's go before something else happens. I don't think I'm going to be able to eat if I see anything else that disgusting." (F) Maria said as she walked out of the house.
"Don't do anything stupid." (F) Michael called as he left.
As the movie progressed it got scarier and scarier. Sometimes even the guys would jump; of course they wouldn't admit it even if their lives depended on it. When what seemed like a slow part came Michael got up to get a drink, but just as he left the room The Creature suddenly appeared. Startled and not having Michael to hold onto, Maria grabbed the next best thing, Mike's hand. He immediately felt his face go red and was suddenly glad the lights were out so no one could see. Emma smiled to herself as she felt the effect her cousin had on Mike.