Liz waited patiently in front of the large stone fireplace, her eyes watching the fire as it danced. The heat felt wonderful after the cold outside as it washed over her face and hands. She, Isabel and Maria had shed their ski pants and jackets and now wore their regular clothing inside the resort. The guys were still out enjoying the skiing, but they’d decided to retreat inside, find a nice comfortable couch and a roaring fireplace. She was enjoying the fire and soft music in the background while Isabel and Maria had gone to get something hot to drink. Liz ran her fingers through her damp hair, as it was slightly wet from when she’d been laying in the snow making snow angels with Maria and Isabel. She was just starting to wonder where her friends had gone when a tentative voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Liz? Liz Parker, right?”
Liz turned around and came face to face with Chris, the woman who used to babysit Isabel and Max years ago. She had met her the other night when they were coming back from the skating rink. Liz had wondered when she might see her again. Liz nodded at Chris, who smiled and shifted the bundle she was carrying in her arms. Liz looked closer and noticed the bundle was a small baby.
“Hi, would you like to sit down? Isabel and Maria will be back shortly and I know Isabel would love to see you,” Liz replied gesturing to a space on the couch. Chris nodded gratefully and sunk into the couch. She looked at Liz and brightened.
“I didn’t get to introduce my daughter to you all the other night, but this is Julia,” Chris said. Liz leaned forward and smiled at the sleeping baby, her eyes closed and her fists balled tightly by her face.
“She’s adorable,” Liz whispered.
“Would you like to hold her?” Chris asked, holding the baby out towards her. Liz nodded and carefully took the baby in her arms, pulling her close. Julia shifted a little in Liz’s arms but quickly settled down. Maria and Isabel came around the corner, carrying cups of steaming hot chocolate and they greeted Chris as they sat down. After awing over the baby for a few moments the girls settled down on the couch. Maria pulled her legs underneath her and turned to Isabel expectantly.
“Okay, Isabel, spill. Liz and I want to hear some serious dirt on Max and Michael. We’re not unreasonable, in exchange we’ll tell you any number of embarrassing stories about Alex,” Maria proposed. Isabel’s eyes lit up and she nodded, enjoying the prospect.
“Well, Michael’s afraid of the dark,” Isabel started. Maria stopped her.
“He’s afraid of the dark? Why?” she asked. Isabel shrugged.
“I don’t know, but I think it has something to do with when he was out lost in the desert when he was young,” Isabel said, carefully choosing her words with Chris sitting with them.
“I remember back in seventh grade I wanted Doug Stevens to go with me to the Christmas Dance and Alex asked him for me. I didn’t find out until later that Doug had practically laughed in his face. Alex came back and told me that Doug had said he was really sorry, but he already had a date. Then Alex asked me to go with him,” Maria remembered, a wistful smile on her face. Isabel softened at her words and looked at Liz and Maria thoughtfully. She knew she could trust them with her life, but she wondered if she could trust them with her thoughts.
“Have you ever known someone who liked you and then you suddenly started to like them because you knew they liked you? Sometimes I feel like that with Alex, like he made me realize what there was in me to like and that has made me realize what a wonderful person he is,” Isabel said thoughtfully. Liz and Maria nodded.
“I wonder if that’s why I started to notice Max a few months back,” Liz replied. Chris looked at her in surprise.
“A few months? Are you kidding? Max has been in love with Liz Parker as long as I can remember knowing him. I can’t believe that you never would have noticed. Actually, I found something yesterday that I was hoping I could finally give to the right person,” Chris said, reaching into her purse and pulling out a folded piece of pink construction paper. She handed it to Liz, who opened it with her free hand.
“Once, when Isabel and Max were eight, I decided that since I didn’t see them during the year that we would take each day and celebrate one of the holidays. Do you remember, Iz?” Chris asked. Isabel nodded excitedly.
“That’s right! We celebrated Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day,” Isabel said.
“And for Valentine’s Day we made Valentines for everyone we wanted to give them to. Max made this extra one and gave it to me, he asked me to hold onto it for him. And I have, until now,” Chris said, gesturing for Liz to read the card. She smiled at the crooked white and red hearts cut and pasted on the front of the card and her name written in large purple letters. She opened the card and she almost cried at the words she saw there.
“ ’Liz, would you be my Valentine? Max,’ “ Liz said, her voice barely above a whisper. She recognized the handwriting, she knew it was Max’s. After writing dozens of lab reports together and sharing notes, she knew Max’s handwriting as well as her own.
“I knew that whoever this Liz Parker was, she had to be someone special,” Chris said, smiling at her. “I’m just glad I finally got to meet her.”
“Thank you,” Liz said softly, holding the card in her hand. Chris nodded and turned as Maria launched into another story involving their awkward teenage years. Liz found that she wasn’t listening. She stared at the Valentine that Max had made for her years before and the only sound she heard was the soft breathing of Julia in her arms. Eight years ago, half their lifetime, even then Max had cared for her. It seemed like so much time had passed and so much time was gone that she could have spent with Max. If only she’d known how he felt. She thought back to all the times she would sit in class and Max always sat behind her, somewhere in the back where he was less noticed. She always knew where he was, but it was always like he kept his distance. She understood now why he’d done that, but it didn’t make her regret things less. Isabel’s voice finally broke through, bringing her back to the conversation.
“You know, there was a day this last August that I remember thinking that things were changing. It was the second day of school and Max had been so quiet on the way home from school. At dinner Mom was asking how our day had gone and Max mentioned that they’d been assigned lab partners in Biology. It was like pulling teeth, but Mom finally got him to admit he had been partnered with you, Liz. I saw the smile on his face and I knew that things were different. I knew that Max was going to have to confront some issues he’d never had to before,” Isabel said. Liz nodded, thinking back to that day.
“In class Miss Hardy told us that she was going to put all of us into groups by drawing our names from a hat. I remember praying that I wouldn’t get partnered with Pam Troy, because she’d just want to copy my work, and being so relieved that I didn’t get paired with her that I missed who I had been put with. Max just came over quietly, put his books down next to mine and sat down. We didn’t speak much at first, but we just had this way of communicating,” Liz said, struggling to voice what she was thinking.
“Romeo and Juliet squared,” Maria replied suddenly, to which Isabel nodded in agreement. Liz laughed at the analogy.
“You guys! I hope not, Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy,” she pointed out. Both girls shrugged and they returned to their discussion of Michael and Alex while Liz cradled the baby in her arms.
Max brushed the snow from his shoulders before he entered the main lounge of the resort. He looked around and quickly caught sight of his sister’s blond hair sitting over by the fire. As he got closer he noticed Maria laying down on the loveseat, he feet stretched out over the edge, and Liz propped against the edge of the couch, a baby in her arms. He blinked again to be sure and walked until Isabel caught sight of him. She waved him over.
“Max! Where’s Alex and Michael?” she asked. He couldn’t stop staring at Liz holding the baby in her arms and had to struggle to catch his sister’s question. There was just something about how her arm curved protectively around the baby and how her other hand was clutched in the baby’s as the infant slept.
“Um, Alex wanted to keep cross-country skiing and Michel should be here in a minute, he had to turn in his board,” Max replied, coming around to sit next to Liz. She smiled at him and turned the baby to face him.
“This is Julia, Chris’ daughter. Chris was here earlier, but she’d letting us babysit while she finishes running Christmas errands,” Liz explained.
“Liz has actually been doing all the babysitting. Julia won’t let anyone else hold her,” Maria pointed out. Max raised an eyebrow, but just settled back against the couch, lifting Liz’s legs so that they were on his lap and she was still propped up. Maria and Isabel were swapping stories about embarrassing moments for Michael and Alex and Max thanked his luck that they weren’t taking about him. He turned to look at Liz and was caught up in how her brown eyes were gazing at him. She smiled slowly and he leaned forward.
“What?” he asked. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pink card. His eyes widened as he realized what it was and he ducked his head, slightly embarrassed.
“Yes.”
Max looked up slowly, not sure if he’d heard the words correctly. But he saw Liz’s eyes and how her face widened into a smile and he knew what question she was answering. She reached forward and touched his jaw with her hand, tracing the sharp line to his chin.
“My answer always would have been yes,” Liz whispered, bringing her face close to his. He closed his eyes and could feel the briefest of touches from Liz’s lips until Julia woke up and started to squirm. He sighed and leaned back, eyeing the baby carefully.
“Already someone comes between us,” he said, to which Liz laughed quietly. Max saw Michael creeping up behind Maria’s chair and smothered a smile, trying to keep his face blank. Liz noticed too and they shared a quick smile right before Michael jumped around the loveseat and scared Maria. She jumped in her chair and then laughed as Michael took the opportunity to reach around her and tickle her mercilessly. Maria giggled until her eyes began to water and she slapped Michael.
“Stop it! “ she gasped loudly as Michael finally settled down and gathered her against him. Isabel watched them with envy. They looked so comfortable and she longed to know what was keeping Alex. Ever since their kiss had been interrupted earlier that day, she’d wanted to kiss him again. They hadn’t had a chance while they were skiing with Max so close. She looked out the window and frowned as she noticed the gathering dark clouds. It was late in the afternoon, but still light out. She knew it wouldn’t be light for too much longer. Trying not to worry, she pushed her thoughts aside just as Chris returned with a bag full of Christmas wrapping paper.
“Thank you so much for watching Julia for me,” Chris said, reaching for her daughter. Liz gave her up reluctantly and waved as Chris departed.
“Merry Christmas Eve Eve! “ Chris yelled, referring to the day before tomorrow, which was December 24th. Max put his arm around Liz and grinned at her.
“You know, I had this incredible evening planned,” he said, bringing his face close to hers. She ran her hands up his strong arms and rested them on his shoulders.
“But?”
“But, it’s getting too stormy out, so a walk in the snow is out. I’m starting to think that an evening in front of the fireplace sounds perfect,” Max said, his hands traveling up her sides. She winced slightly and he stopped, suddenly realizing she was still badly bruised from the painful skiing earlier. Bringing his eyes to meet hers, he saw the trust in them and the recognition of what he was about to do flash over her dark eyes. He thought back to when he’d connected with Liz after the shooting when his one desire had been that she would trust him again. After everything he had told her about who he was and what he’d done to her, she hadn’t shied away when he stepped close. At the time he’d sensed the wariness in her eyes, but he also saw how she didn’t back away or flinch when he’d touched her face.
When he moved closer to her this time, all hints of wariness were gone. Liz looked at him calmly as he brought his hand up to her face and fixed his eyes on hers. With just a slight effort he felt her all around him. It was like being cocooned inside her mind. No other feeling had brought him as much peace as the sense of Liz every time he drew breath. He concentrated on healing the bruises over her body, searching carefully for each one on every limb. He tried not to be distracted by Liz’s thoughts as he repaired muscles and fixed broken blood vessels. Her thoughts were a constant hum in the background and completely open to him. He knew Liz had no reason to learn how to block her thoughts and feelings within her own mind. It was fascinating and also incredibly tempting, to have her thoughts so close. He’d been wondering since the day he’d connected with her in the Crashdown what she’d seen in his own mind. When he’d broken away from her and asked her if the connection had worked her only response had been to nod her head. Her intense gaze made him wonder exactly what she'd seen and he’d looked away, fearing that she had seen too much. They’d never really spoken about it, but he knew that whatever Liz had seen made her realize that he wasn’t any different than the person she’d always thought he was.
Just as he was finishing healing her bruises Liz’s voice came out loud and clear in her mind. Whatever she was thinking was obviously occupying quite a bit of her thoughts. He couldn’t help but listen as she regretfully thought about how she’d wasted eight years not knowing him. He realized that Liz was reflecting on the Valentine she’d finally been given and how if she’d known, things could have been different. Max thought about how to broach the subject with Liz as he broke the connection and returned to the surroundings of the warm fire, the soft cushions of the couch and Liz’s body curved against him. She experimented with her arm slowly and smiled.
“Where were you when I broke my arm playing baseball in the sixth grade?” she joked, her eyes returning to meet his.
“On first base, watching you and wishing I could help,” Max replied quietly. Liz froze as she realized what her words had actually sounded like.
“Max, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that you should have healed me then,” Liz apologized.
“I know that’s not what you meant, but it does help to make a point I’ve been wanted to make. I know you wish that you’d known me earlier in our lives. We’re only sixteen. We have years and years ahead of us. I wouldn’t have changed anything about the last eight years. What if I hadn’t watched you from a distance and had actually approached you a few years ago? What if we’d been dating? Maybe I wouldn’t have been in the Café the day of the shooting. Maybe I would have been at home, watching TV when Maria called me to tell me my girlfriend had been shot and killed and I wasn’t there to help. I promise you, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Max repeated. Liz listened to his words and nodded, understanding that any number of things could have been different in their lives. Any number of things that wouldn’t have them together at that moment.
“Romeo and Juliet squared,” she whispered. Max looked puzzled so she explained. “Just something Maria said. She called us Romeo and Juliet squared.”
Max thought for a minute and she knew he was thinking the same thing she had. Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy, and not one they wanted to repeat.
“I don’t think there’s any harm in updating a classic so that it’s reflective of modern times,” Max suggested, getting a smile from Liz.
“I don’t think so either,” Liz replied, moving her head to lay next to Max’s on the couch. She realized that they were alone in the room and she was suddenly hit with how sleepy she was. The couch was wide enough for both her and Max and they’d somehow moved to stretch across it, Liz held between Max and the couch with one of his arms wrapped around her and the other stroking her hair gently. Michael and Maria had somehow left very quietly without any indication of where they were going and Isabel had mentioned something about window-shopping. Liz didn’t care. Max’s warmth, mingled with the heat of the fire, was all around her and she felt safe in the knowledge that they were together and he wasn’t going anywhere.
