She nodded. "Ok. I'm sorry Michael. You're right. We go as soon as possible." She turned to Ava. "Can you go to the bank and close out my account? And get money orders for last month of rent and all these bills?" She went over to the cupboard she kept the bills in. She handed them to Ava.
Ava waved her hand over herself and transformed into a Liz. "Are you dealing with everything else?"
"Yes." She nodded. They'd done this a time or two so getting out of town wasn't going to be hard in that sense. "I'll cancel everything. I'll call to rent a moving truck. I can give Veronica all the furniture. Her and Lexi can sell everything and keep the money. They need it. I think Lexi's off today. I'll call her up."
"Let her know I'll be calling her to go with me to pick up the truck. Ask if her husband can help us move everything?" And then Ava left.
Michael moved for the home phone and dialed.
"Who are you calling?"
"Isabel. I promised I'd call last night and we didn't. She wants to hear from you. She doesn't know about Parker. I haven't said anything." He answered while he listened into the phone. "We have to go to them Liz. I want Parker to be protected. If he-Isabel. yes, yes. I'm sorry. Liz and I had a lot to discuss. I-I-I know. Yes. She's here-ok. Ok." He pulled the phone away from his face and handed it to her. "She wants to talk to you."
Liz's heart stopped. She hadn't hear Isabel's voice in ages. Would she be mad at her? Of course she was going to be mad. What a stupid question. Liz closed her eyes, took one deep breath and put the phone to her ear. "Isabel?"
"Liz!" Isabel's voice was full of excitement.
Liz got choaked up. She missed Isabel. The promise to herself of not crying again hadn't been holding the last couple of days. Tears stormed down her face.
"Oh, Liz." Isabel was also in tears. "Kyle and I've missed you so much. Are you ok? What happened? You looked fine before we left that night. We've been so scared. We always knew you'd leave but we thought you'd keep in touch. It took a while to get scared. When we didn't hear from you we started to panic. And then Michael left. I knew he went to find you." Isabel babbled and Liz felt worse.
"I'm so sorry, Isabel. I should have called. But I was so scared. I was scared of Max. I didn't want him to find me. I didn't know I was going to leave. I was prepared to stay and then after you left-" she stopped herself. She couldn't go on. She couldn't tell Isabel over the phone. "I have so much to tell you. So many things have happened. You don't know how much I've missed you both. There are things you can only know in person. Not like this. I owe you so much more. Both you and Kyle need to hear all of this in person, " even if you hate me, she finished to herself.
"Of course. We have stories to tell you too. And Michael. He's missed some things too. Oh, I can't wait to see you. Are you guys coming? Are you coming here?" Isabel started speaking to someone away from the phone and Liz assumed it was Kyle. "Ugh. Kyle wants the phone. So, are you coming?"
Liz nodded. She'd have her family again. For how long, she didn't know. How would they react to her and Michael sleeping together and having a child. She cleared her throat. "Yes. Um, yes. We are getting everything ready to head over there as soon as possible."
Isabel squealed. "Here's Kyle. See you soon."
"Liz?"
New tears started. "Kyle, hi."
"Oh, honey. Don't cry."
"I miss you guys so much. I'm so sorry for not calling. I'm sorry for so many reasons."
"Don't Lizzy. I know you had it tough back then. That last night. Well, when we got home, Michael wasn't right. I knew something had happened. Something changed. Lord knows what, and you don't have to tell me. He wasn't right, Liz. Michael, I mean. He wasn't right for a long time. Ava was saying you weren't with her but I always prayed different. Seeing him like that made me think you were worse off if not the same. And what I saw him go through, I didn't want you going through the same alone." Kyle sounded so concerned.
Liz sobbed harder. What had happened with Michael?
Kyle was everything she remembered. He'd changed a lot in High School and then after when they were on the run. Isabel had changed him a lot. They had changed each other for the better.
"How are you, Liz? Really?" Kyle was serious and wanted a serious answer.
"Happy in a lot of ways." She answered looking at Parker playing with Michael.
Kyle heard her words correctly. "And in others?"
She looked at Michael and as if she'd called his name, he looked up to meet her eyes. "Not so much."
Again, Kyle heard her words. "I'm sorry, honey. I'm sorry you've been alone."
"I've had Ava.." She defended herself but her voice broke.
"You know what I mean." He clarified. "I always thought you'd both end up together."
Shock overtook her. "I gotta go, Kyle. There's a lot to do."
"See you soon then."
The line went dead.
She wiped her tears away. "Do you mind watching him, while I call and cancel all our utilities?"
"Not a problem." Michael watched her closely as she put his phone down and picked hers up.
She had one favor to ask before she did anything else. She found the number and dialed. "Glen. I need a favor."
"What's up?" Glen, her neighbor sounded worried. She never asked for favors.
"Remember Zan? The guy who I was seeing and started stalking me?"
"Of course. What happened? Did he do something?"
"He broke into my house this morning. I was wondering if you can pick him up and have him locked up for a while."
"Did he hurt you?" Glen was urgent and really upset.
"Parker's dad is here so no. But listen, Glen. There's been a family emergency and I have to leave town. I'm moving back home. Zan's been watching the apartment. I don't want him to know I'm moving or where I'm going. That's the main reason I want him locked up."
"Whatever you need, Liz. I hope everything gets better back home. And don't you worry about Zan. I'll take care of him."
"Thanks, Glen."
For the next hour or so she called every place she could think of and canceled all her accounts.
Michael was still playing with Parker when she was thru. She sat on the floor across from her son. She should have done this as soon as it had happened. She shouldn't have waited this long. "Honey, are you ok? You wanna talk about what happened earlier with Zan?" One more mark as a bad mother. "I'm so sorry, Honey. I'm sorry, Mommy put you thru that."
Parker ran his little hand up her forheaed and down her hair. He was trying to comfort HER. "I'm not scared for me Mommy. Daddy and I talkeded-"
"Talked." She corrected with a small smile.
Parker nodded. "Talked. I'm not scared of Zan. He don't wan't me. Zan wants you, Mommy. I'm scared he's gonna take you. But Daddy said nobody is taking you. He says he's gonna protect you. And you told me Daddy can do anything." Parker hugged her tight and Liz's eyes burned as she hugged him back.
"We can't leave town in your car, Liz. Zan will be looking for your car and Ava's.". Michael walked over to his shoes and keys. "Is your friend coming over?"
"Yea. She lives two buildings down."
"I don't want to leave but I had an idea when you were running around. Do you think he'll try anything with your friends here?"
She could tell Michael wasn't going anywhere without knowing they were ok.
"Yea, I'm sure.. We'll be fine." But she want too sure.
"Give me your number and Ava's. I might need one of you."
She went to the counter and wrote both numbers for him.
He kissed Parker and shared an awkward look with her before heading out. She had too much to stress over to worry about what he was doing.
Lexi, her husband Karl and Liz packed in a hurry. Ava showed up not an hour later and they were loading the truck. Michael called Ava and she went to help him. They returned at which point Michael asked for her car keys.
Marcus, Glen's partner stopped by to check to see if Zan was still hanging around and to let her know they had put out an APB on Zan and his bike.
They were now loading boxes and furniture in the U-Haul, when Michael called Ava again and she left to pick him up. She didnt think anything of it until they both showed up in a rented car.
"Where's my car?" She jumped off the U-haul and stalked over to them.
Ava looked at Michael and without looking back at Liz, she walked off to help the others. Parker sat on the steps to the building looking back from Liz to Michael.
"Michael?" She raised one eyebrow. What had he done?
Both of Michael's eyebrows when up along with his shoulders and hands. "I sold it."
She wanted to yell at him. But now wasn't the time. As she got back to loading the U-haul, she calmed. He had been right earlier. Zan would be looking for their cars. It was safer this way. But she still didn't have to like it. She didn't have to take it easy on him for selling her car.
It was about 7 that night when they were almost completely done when her cell phone rang. She recognized Glen's number.
"Glen? What happened?"
"Liz, we got Zan and were bringing him in but he knocked out a couple of my co workers. They radioed in that they found him. When they didn't answer the radio minutes later, we sent another car to their last location and found them unconscious. We still have an APB out for him. We are sending a couple of badges to watch other the apartments in case he shows up." Glen grew quiet and then said, "I'm so sorry, Liz."
"Glen it's not your fault. Thanks.". With that she hung up.
"What is it, Liz?" Lexi looked worried.
Liz looked at Lexi and her husband before turning to her family. "Zan attacked some cops while they were trying to pick him up. He got away. Glen doesn't know where he is. He's sending some cars over to make sure Zan isn't coming here."
"We have to leave now." Michael moved quickly. "Ava, get the bags from upstairs." He turned around to face her. "The bags are packed. Aren't they?"
All she could do was nod, as Michael and Ava disappeared upstairs with Parker.
She hadn't even called her boss to explain she was leaving. She hugged her friend Lexi hard. "Thank you for everything, Lex. You've always been a great friend." She hugged Karl as well, "Treat her right. I will come back and hurt you if you don't."
Lexi and Karl laughed and nodded. "We have everything covered. Go, Liz. If he shows up, we'll think of something to hold him up."
"I didn't have a time to call Satan. I'll call him from the road and let him know what's going on. Can you take my phone to him tomorrow?" Tears formed in Liz's eyes. She hated crying. "Tell everyone I'll miss them. Even Oscar."
Lexi joined in her laugh with tears also streaming down her face. "Love you, Liz."
"Love you, Lex.". She hugged her friend one last time as she saw her family coming toward them.
"Lexi, we're leaving the car at Vero's moms house. Can you pick it up by next saturday? It has to be returned then. They're gonna keep it in their garage. This way if Zan finds out about a rental he'll be looking for that." Ava explained.
"Of course." Lexi and Ava hugged and Liz took a look at her friends for the last time.
This of course have had to be Michael's idea. This is what he'd been doing all day.
Michael was already strapping Parker in his booster seat and Ava was sitting in the back. Liz jumped in the passenger seat. Michael had a plan.. He knew where they were going.
He jumped into the drivers seat and drove off.
"There's the cops." Liz saw 2 cop cars turning the corner toward the apartment.
Michael stopped in front of the mail boxes and pretended to go to a box but instead went into the building. A second later, Liz heard a loud alarm.
Michael came out running from the building and jumped back into the car.
"What did you do?"
"Pulled the fire alarm. In case Zan comes. They'll be chaos. He'll try looking for you first before he moves on. Gives us extra time."
He had this REALLY planned out.
Liz kept looking around as Michael drove to her friends moms house. She was afraid to run into Zan.
She wasn't sure what they were leaving town in since they were leaving behind the rental and knew he'd sold all their vehicles.
They parked the car on the street and left the car keys in the mailbox. Apparently someone was moving the car.
All of them moved quickly. They took out suitcases and Parker's booster seat.
"I thought you might need a new car." Michael stopped in front of her dangling a set of car keys.
Liz's jaw dropped when she saw the keys and looked to where he was now pointing.
Michael had bought a new Audi q7. Se was floored.
"How did-"
"I paid cash. I sold the two cars and my bike.. Plus I had some cash on me. Ava didn't mind."
"Can you please awe and thank him while we're moving? Still gotta get out of this town remember?" Ava barked and they snapped out of whatever bubble they'd been in.
There was plenty of room in the new car. The tank was full. It was time to leave Bakersfield..
"Where are we going?" She turned to Michael.
"Vegas." He didn't look at her but rather the road.
She was taken aback. "I didn't know Kyle an Isabel lived in Vegas."
"They don't. They live in San Francisco. But I'm not taking any chances by going straight there. We're gonna take a couple of detours first."