A/N: Sorry about the long delay guys. What can I say? When I get caught up in a new fandom I get…well, caught up. I'm all better now though, lol. Hope I still have some readers out there.
Disclaimer: Same as always. Don't own, don't sue.
ACT: 15
Liz sighed in relief as she pulled in front of the sprawling ranch style house in Sherman Oaks. Driving on the 405 never failed to leave her slightly shaken. The people who traveled it drove like maniacs. Especially on Saturday afternoons. She was amazed every time she made it off the freeway alive. For an instant she wondered if Max felt the same way when driving to her condo in Marina del Rey. She doubted it. Men viewed driving differently.
Exiting the car, she smiled in anticipation as she made her way up the extensive driveway. Between work and visiting her parents, she hadn't see Max or Jessie since the beginning of the week. To say she was looking forward to spending the day lounging around the pool with her two favorite people in the world was an understatement. Max had even promised to fire up the grill with a few steaks, hot dogs, and hamburgers.
Liz frowned in puzzlement as she neared the front door. Someone had been watching her through the living room blinds. For a moment she thought it was Jessie and then shook her head in denial. No it wasn't Jessie. She would have been out the door as soon as she spotted Liz. And before she could ponder the mystery anymore, the door swung open and Max appeared.
Liz smiled joyously before noting the odd look on his face. It was a cross between annoyed, anxious, and resigned.
"Hey," she said brightly. Only it came out shaky and uncertain.
Max never said a word. He merely pulled her into his arms enveloping her in a comforting hug. Comforting who? Liz wondered. When he pulled back to meet her eyes she asked apprehensively: "What's wrong?"
"My parent's are here," he spoke in a low voice while rubbing the back of his neck
"What? Why?"
If the situation weren't so dire Max would have laughed at the way the words shot from Liz's mouth in rapid-fire succession.
"Apparently Izzy picked today of all days to introduce her newest boyfriend to my parent's." Max's mouth twisted sardonically. His sister changed boyfriends like people changed their underwear. Only this time Izzy claimed it was serious. Time would tell.
Liz shrugged. "That's nice. But how does it all connect?" She knew she sounded bitchy, but Max's news had thrown her. She wasn't exact ready to meet the parents. And it sure as hell wasn't how she planned on spending her day.
Max scratched the back of his neck looking sheepish. "Well see, Jessie kinda told Isabel about our little barbeque and she decided on an impromptu visit. Unfortunately, she was at my parent's house at the time and they decided to tag along."
Liz eyed Max silently for a few seconds before saying with a sigh, "Well this should be fun."
Several hours later found the Evans hacienda all nice and quiet. Max's family had left at around five and Jessie had gone to bed a little over an hour later. With so many people around to impress, she'd worn herself out with hyperactivity. All in all the day had not been too bad. There were a few awkward moments, however.
Like when Alex, Isabel's new beau, commented on how coordinated Liz and Max were together as they went about setting up for the meal. How they worked like a well oiled machine, anticipating each others every move. When he asked how long they'd known each other a deafening silence had descended over the group.
It was Max who came to the rescue. He'd said nonchalantly, "several years" without elaborating, and Isabel had jumped in changing the subject. Apparently Alex got the hint though, and kept his comments to neutral topics like politics and the economy. Max's parent's followed his example to Liz's relief. And so what if every once in a while Philip Evans stared at her like she was a bug under a microscope. She chose to ignore it.
"What are thinking about?" Max whispered into Liz's ear as the two shared a lounge chair with Liz nestled between his legs. There was a full moon out tonight and they had a perfect view of the stars from the back yard.
"Nothing much," Liz mumbled, all relaxed and sleepy lying back against Max's chest.
"So today wasn't too bad, was it?"
"Not too bad." Liz shivered and burrowed deeper into Max's arms as cool breeze danced along her shorts covered legs.
"You cold?" Max asked and Liz nodded.
"Bet I can warm you up," he said and began laying soft moist kisses along the side of her neck. And now Liz was shivering for a different reason.
"Is that a promise?" she asked, tilting her head back so that their lips were now mere centimeters apart.
"More like a fact," Max said huskily before his lips collided with hers.
-&-
Liz awoke the next morning with jarring impact as Jessie jumped onto the bed.
"Hi Liz," she smiled from ear to ear. "I didn't know you were spending the night. Why didn't you sleep in my room? We could have had a slumber party." She stared at Liz her amber colored eyes bright and inquisitive, looking all kinds of cute in a power puff girls nightgown.
"Umm…" Liz stammered blushing profusely.
"Jessie what did I tell you about entering my room without knocking?" Max asked sternly, finally finding his voice.
"But daddy I did knock. You didn't answer. And when I peeked through the door I saw Liz." She shrugged blithely as if this was excuse enough and Liz stifled a giggle.
"We'll talk about it later," Max shook his head bemusedly. "But for now why don't you go get washed and dressed and I'll fix breakfast."
"French toast?" Jessie pleaded artfully.
"What ever you want," Max promised. As long as it gets me out of this awkward situation.
"You're the best daddy in the whole world," Jessie smacked a kiss on Max's cheek before scrambling from the bed and exiting the room.
"Don't even," Max began as Liz's stifled giggles turned into full fledged laughter.
"God, the look on your face," Liz continued to chuckle. "Poor daddy," she mocked consolingly.
"Yeah, well you didn't think it was so funny when she was asking why you hadn't spent the night in her room," Max mocked in return as he rolled on-top of Liz pinning her beneath him. "Just be glad we had the foresight to slip something on before falling asleep" he said, before lowering his head to nuzzle Liz's tee-shirt covered neck.
"Maaxx…we can't," Liz whispered huskily while contradicting herself at the same time by wrapping her legs around his pajama covered hips and her arms around his neck.
"I know," he kissed the words across her delicate collar bone before rolling onto his back with a sigh.
"Rain-check," Liz promised, happiness gleaming in her eyes.
"Count on it," Max smiled his eyes a mirror image of hers.
-&-
Liz sat on a kitchen stool watching in fascination as father and daughter went about making Sunday morning breakfast. She had been ordered to park herself to the side while they handled everything. Honored guest, as Jessie had so seriously told her, did not help with the cooking. Liz smiled as she recalled this.
She watched as Max instructed Jessie on how to break open the eggs just right so that no pieces of shell made it into the bowl. The two of them were so incredibly adorable together. If Liz didn't know any better she would have taken Jessie for Max's biological daughter. Not only were the two of them extremely close, but the family resemblance was eerily uncanny.
And out of nowhere a wave of sadness hit Liz with the force of a sledge hammer. She and Max would never have a child together. And somewhere deep inside she knew he would one day want a son. The one thing she could never give him. The awful truth she had yet to work up the courage to tell him. Because she knew, without a doubt in her mind he would blame himself for it. And then were would they be?
"Liz…?"
She looked up and Max tilted his head in silent inquiry.
"Just daydreaming," she smiled, though the earlier light in her eyes was considerably dimmed. How could she tell him, this beautiful man who she loved so much, that they would forever be shackled to ghost of the past?
A/N: Yeah, I know it's short, but I haven't written in over a month. I'm just getting my feet wet. And as you guys can see I tried to make this chapter angst free. It just wasn't to be. And yeah, I could have picked better locations for Max and Liz's homes, but every place else seemed so pretentious. Sherman Oaks and Marina del Rey seemed the lesser of evils. And I'm not from LA, so this is speaking strictly from research. That said, if I still have any readers out there, please review. Btw, for those who are interested, the newest chapter of Landslide should be out in a day or two.
