Is anyone still reading this? Please do review ok? I really wanna hear ALL your views on this… I really appreciate it if you guys could review… thanks so much…
Thanks to poetwriter for reviewing… thanks Ado!
Chapter 13
Liz was in total shock. She didn't expect Max to know which hotel she was staying at, much less come straight to her room. "Er, Michael told me you were staying here." Max said. "Look, Liz, I just need to see you again. Please, I never meant to hurt you," Liz looked down for a moment. She sighed and said softly, "Why don't you come inside, it's more private," Max smiled. He hoped that she was going to give him another chance.
"Michael, you did what?" Maria almost screamed when Michael told her that he told Max about Liz staying here and that Max just came. "Michael, Liz is not about to talk to Max, let alone see him right at her door," Naima said, both her and Maria worrying about Liz. "Hey, she'll be fine, don't worry about it," Josh said, trying to calm his girlfriend down. "Yeah, she'll be fine. Look, why don't we all go shopping for awhile and come back to check on Liz after this?" Michael said. The girls reluctantly agreed as the guys were literally dragging them out of Naima's room.
'Liz, are you ok?" Max asked. He'd noticed the tears running down her face when she first opened the door. "Yeah, I'm fine. I got your letter," Liz said, pointing to the letter on the bedside table while she sat down with Nairia in her arms. Max smiled and marveled at Liz. Here she was, a petite girl who had changed into an even more gorgeous young mother. She looked totally comfortable being a mum to her baby girl and Max was surprised by that. "Nairia's beautiful," Max said, looking at the baby in Liz's arms. "Thank you," Liz said, rocking the little girl. "Liz, I came here to see you because I really miss you. These past few months, not seeing you or having any contact with you has been a torture for me. I really love you, Liz. You're the love of my life; no one else can be that. I never really understood what the main reason was for you breaking it off but I never meant to hurt you at all. I love you too much, Liz," Max said. Liz didn't look up. She just looked down at her baby and cried again.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Max," Liz said as she let the tears flow. "Baby, it's ok, it's ok," Max said, as he went to hug Liz. Liz let Max hug her for the first time in almost a year. She forgot how nice it felt to be in his arms, how safe she felt when he held her. "It's ok Liz, its ok," Max said as she cried on his shoulder. He gently stroked her hair. It was as smooth and beautiful as he always remembered. "I'm sorry I bawled all over your shirt," Liz said, lifting her head off of Max and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, the other hand tightly gripping Nairia. "It's ok, I don't mind. You can do that anytime," Max said to her softly. "I have so much to tell you, Max," Liz said to him. "I'm really sorry for everything." "Liz, it's ok. I have all the time in the world if you want to talk," Max said. "Just one thing, would Liz Parker be my girlfriend again?" Liz smiled. "Go figure the answer yourself," Liz said. "Max, the reason I broke it off was cos of 2 things. I was afraid and I didn't want to burden you," "Liz, you can NEVER be a burden to me. That will never happen," Max said, as he took her hand.
"Max, I wrote you that break-up letter on the night that I found out I was pregnant. I was at your website and I saw how happy you were. How free you were. And I didn't want to burden you. I knew how hard it was for you to be away from Jack all the time. I didn't want you to think that you had a commitment to me and that you were bound to me because I was pregnant. I was afraid of what you were going to do if you found out I was pregnant. I was afraid you might leave and I don't think I could have handled that. So I wrote you that letter and decided I would raise the baby by myself so you'll never know about her but then Alex & Isabel's wedding came up and I knew I was going to see you again," Liz said to him. Max was shocked. Liz broke up with him because she didn't want to tie him down. She wanted him to lead his own life. He had a newfound respect for her. She put his whole life ahead of her own. He couldn't think of anyone who would ever do that for him, except his family. "Liz," he said. Then it hit him. The baby she was holding was HIS!
He looked at the baby closely and saw his own green eyes. That's why she looked familiar, Max thought. The baby was his. He had a four-month-old daughter. "You mean she's," Max said, unable to continue. "Yeah, she's your daughter, Max. Our daughter," Liz finally confessed. Being honest with herself, she'd wanted to say those words a long time ago. Max's eyes shone with tears. He couldn't believe he had a child with Liz. The happiness he felt was just indescribable. "Can I, can I hold her, please?" Max asked, with the excitement of a new father. "Of course," Liz said as she handed Nairia over to Max. When Max held his little girl for the first time and tears of joy just ran down his cheeks. "Hey there," Max said, as he held Nairia's small hand in his. Liz smiled. She'd been waiting for this day, when Max would get to hold his daughter for the first time. "What's her name again?" Max asked. "It's Nairia. Nairia Parker Evans," Liz told him. "Nairia Parker Evans. I like that," Max said, as his attention returned to the little girl in his arms.
Nairia started crying and Liz realized it was her feeding time. "You wanna feed her?" Liz asked, as she rose to get Nairia's bottle. "Really? I could?" Max said. "Definitely," Liz replied. She handed Nairia's bottle to Max after she finished making the milk. She watched Max feed Nairia and talk to her. To Liz, she felt that Max had taken to the role of a second-time father rather comfortably. She watched father and daughter having their time together. A few minutes later, Max handed Nairia, who was already burped and on the verge of falling asleep, back to Liz. "She's really beautiful," Max said. "She's got your eyes," Liz told him. "Liz, thank you," Max said. "Is that all you can say after I had your daughter all by myself?" Liz joked. Max smiled. He bent forward and kissed Liz's forehead. "I love you so much," Liz smiled. "I feel just the same," she said, as he kissed her for the first time in so long. Max looked at his watched. "I gotta get back home. Will you and Nairia come home with me for dinner?" He asked, wanting his parents and Isabel to meet the new addition to their family. "What would they say? They might kill me," Liz said, worried about the Evanses reactions. "Don't worry. I'll be there," Max reassured her. "Ok, let me change and get the baby bag," Liz said. "I'll take her," Max said, as Liz smiled when he took Nairia out of her arms.
Liz came out in a few minutes. Max took the baby bag and handed Nairia back to Liz. "Ready to go?" Max asked. "Yeah, sure," Liz said, as she took her room keys with her. Max walked out, his arm protectively over Liz's shoulders. The three of them looked like a really happy and complete family. Just then, Naima, Josh, Maria and Michael were on their way back to Naima and Maria's rooms with their hands full of shopping bags. "Whoa, I guess you guys made up?" Naima asked. "Yeah, we did," Max said, beaming. "Way cool, girlfriend," Maria said as she and Naima hugged Liz. "I'm so proud of you, bro," Michael said to Max as he and Josh hugged Max. "Where are you guys going now?" Naima asked. "To let this little girl meet her new grandparents and aunt," Liz said, smiling. "Well, we better not stop you guys," Josh said, as all of them laughed then bade goodbye.
Max drove Liz and Nairia, who was fast asleep, back to the Evans' home. He opened the door for Liz and took the baby bag from the back seat. "Are you gonna be ok?" Max asked Liz. "Yeah, sure, don't worry about it," Liz replied. Max then took Liz and his new daughter into his home. "Max, we were waiting for you," his mum said. "Oh, I'm sorry. Mum, Dad, this is Liz, my girlfriend," Max said. His parents warmly welcomed Liz while Alex and Isabel gave Liz a hug. The newlyweds were leaving for their honeymoon to Paris the next day. "You brought Nairia!" Isabel exclaimed, as Liz let her hold Nairia. "Actually, that's your new niece, Izzy. Mum, dad, that's your new granddaughter: Nairia Parker Evans," Max announced to the shock of all at the Evans' home.