Part 4/11: truth? truce? (Michael)

I could see her whole life when I healed her. The past seven years.

She'd had faith in me. She knew I would return to her.

She sensed me when I had been watching her. But I ducked out of view. Afraid of facing her.

She'd think of me every time she sang. She'd remember the time in Las Vegas when I paid for her to sing and she'd smile. Remember the time she was singing with Alex's band and I wasn't there. And then she'd cry.

But what stood out the most was the past few hours.

She'd told me to get out of her house when she really wanted me to stay. She lied to me about not remembering our first kiss. She'd lied when she told me she wanted to go home.

"I love you, Michael. I love you."

And she still loved me.

I felt trapped. I wanted to know all this, but I didn't want to see it from flashes. I wanted her to tell me. I was happy, but at the same time I was hurt.

"I'm going to go get a drink; is that okay?" I asked Maria, who nodded and asked me to get something for her too.

I walked into Maria's kitchen, not really paying attention to anything. That's when I saw the refrigerator door was open, and someone wearing a blue skirt was frantically searching through the bottom drawer.

"Who's there?" I asked, keeping my voice low so Maria wouldn't hear.

The girl closed the door, stood up and turned to face me. "Oh hi, Michael," Tess said, casual as can be, and indicated a large grocery sack that was sitting on the floor next to her feet. "I'm just doing some weekly shopping. Want to help?"

"Tess," I stated, trying to keep calm, "What are you doing here?"

Tess peered into her grocery bag and returned, "I could ask you the same thing. Last time I checked this was Maria's house."

"And that would totally explain why you're here because you were such good friends in the years back. Especially since, last I remember, you were headed for Antar like the rest of them."

Tess opened the fridge once again and started rearranging jars. "I'm here," she told me, glancing down at a list in her hand, "for my weekly shopping. I told you that already. You, on the other hand, haven't given a good reason."

"I don't need a reason," I stated firmly. "I, unlike you, am Maria's friend, and I don't think she'd be very happy if she knew you were here."

Tess turned back to me. "It seems like the only person I'm upsetting is you," she commented, closing the door. "Besides. Friends don't spy on their friends and keep them believing that they've gone to another planet when they're really still here."

"I want you out of this house right now!" I yelled, forgetting to keep my voice down.

Tess folded up the top of her bag and picked it up. "I think I'm just about done here anyway." She was starting to leave out the back door but I blocked her path.

"You never went to Antar did you? You just stayed here and never told anyone..."

Tess pushed me out of the way. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" She stated coolly and opened the door, ready to leave.

"This isn't over," I assured her.

She shook her head. "No, it isn't."

I grabbed the sack. "And this isn't yours."

She slammed the door and ran.

I reached into the bag, which was full of random things, and replaced everything. The only thing strange was a small key, left at the bottom of the bag. I opened the refrigerator, got out two Snapples, and walked back into the other room.

Maria was sitting on the couch, watching TV. She looked up when I entered the room. "What took you so long?" she asked.

"Nothing," I replied hastily, handing her the drink.

She looked concerned as she opened the bottle and took a drink. "Are you okay? You're acting really strange. Even for you."

I gulped at the Snapple noisily, trying to figure out what to say. No, I'm not okay. Tess is alive. Tess was here. She never left Earth. "Yes. I just need to ask you a question."

"What?"

"Is this your key?" I asked, holding up the key. Please tell me it is...

Maria gave me a weird look. "No," she said slowly. "I've never seen it before in my life." She paused. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes," I lied again, "but I'm tired."

"Maria looked around. "Well, the other couch is a mess, but you can just move that stuff over and sleep there. If you want."

I looked at the couch for a long time. I'm tired. I can sleep here tonight worry about it tomorrow. "No," I said decidedly. "We're both going to my apartment. It's not safe here."