Maria just stood there not saying anything. Claudia saw this and suggests that she sit down. She nodded and at down in the nearest seat. "Maria are you ok?"
Maria just nodded and sat there looking at Max, Michael and Isabel. "Maria I think that they should stay up stairs for tonight then we can tell mom? Maria…are you sure that you are ok?" "Hey I'm ok. I think that is a good idea. Come on guys." While going upstairs Maria says, "you know you guys have missed a lot. She was looking at Michael when she said this, but was looking at Claudia and said, "I know"
They all went upstairs to the apartment. Max notice that the apartment hasn't changed very much since the last time that he was there. "I should probably get home. Before mom relies that I'm not home.
"Thank you… you've grown up so much since that last time that I saw you. You look so much like your mother when she was your age."
"Thanks… I get that a lot. (looks at Maria) I got to go bye."
Claudia and Max hug. Then Claudia leaves to go home and try not to tell her mom the truth just yet.
The Evans' House (Liz and Claudia's)
Claudia got home about 2am. And she was glad that her mom was still asleep. She walked into the house and went straight upstairs to her room and went to bed.
She woke about seven that morning and was still tired, but then she reminder what had happen and it put a smile on her face. She went downstairs and into the kitchen.
"Hey sweetie… what time do you get in last night I don't hear you?"
"Oh, I'm sorry mom I was out in the desert written and I fell asleep and when I woke up it was one in the morning…so I got home about two."
Liz could tell that there was something different about her daughter, but she couldn't figure out what. She was about to ask her about it, but the phone rang.
"Hello."
"Hey Liz… can I talk to Claudia for a minute?"
"Sure, here she is."
She handed the phone to her daughter and went upstairs to get ready for the day, but when she got up there she wondered why Maria just wanted to talked to Claudia. Something is going on, those two are up to something she thought.
---------------------------
"Hey Maria."
"So how do to want to tell your mom?"
"How about her and I go over to the Crashdown and on the way there I tell her."
"I don't know." Worrying that if when she tells her mom that Liz might get into an accident or something.
"I will drive."
"Ok…how long?"
"Half an hour?"
"Ok we'll see you then."
"How are they doing?"
"They still are having are hard time excepting how long it has been."
"Yeah I can understand that. (just then she her mom coming) oh Maria I got to go tell them we'll be by in thirty minutes, bye."
"Ok bye."
Claudia hangs up the phone. Just has her mom came into the room. "Claudia are you ok…you don't look so good."
"Yeah I'm fine mom… Maria wants us to meet her at the café in thirty minutes."
"Did she say want for?"
"Yeah she did, but I can't tell you until we are on are way there. I'm going to go get dressed and then we'll leave."
Claudia went upstairs to get changed. Liz still didn't know what was going on, but the way that Claudia sounded it look like she might find out soon. Claudia came back downstairs "Mom can I drive to the café?"
"Ok sure"
"Thanks mom
On the way to the café"There is something that I need to tell you before we get to the café."
"What is it?"
Claudia took a deep breath and Said, "Last night when I went out to write…this humming sound was calling me towards it and I ending up at 'the cave' and when I touch the granith…something happened I got these flashes of when dad, aunt Issy and Uncle Michael left and I saw them come back. I turned around and they were right in front of me. Mom… are you ok this?"
"Yeah just a little shocked."
"Well so I brought to the café so that they can sleep upstairs, but when I got there Maria was there and she found out that they where back as well."
"So that is why you and Maria were so secretive on the phone this morning."
"Yeah…so you'll be ok with seeing them again?"
"Yeah I will."
"Oh mom… you should probably know that they just found out the time moves faster on Earth than on Antar and they didn't realize that it had been so long. But they are that same age as they a supposed to be."
"Ok thanks."
They pulled up behind the café. And got out of the jeep.
TBC…