something from the archives: say goodbye - part 36

it's time to face the parents...dun dun dun...

catch up here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,  31, 32, 33, 34, 35.

part 36 follows the jump...

Part 36

"“Liz, honey, you’'re back!”"

"“Oh, hey Mom.”" Liz smiled groggily at her mother from where she lay on the couch. Michael had left earlier to shower and take a nap, they’d agreed to meet up for dinner at Liz’s and face the parents together. “"What time is it?”"

“"It'’s six. I just got in from the craft fair in Las Cruces. They had some amazing stuff, I found this necklace for you.”"

“"Thanks ,Mom. I love it.”" Liz took the pretty silver necklace with the turquoise pendant from her mom and gave her a hug before asking, “"Do you mind if Michael joins us for dinner tonight?”"

"“No honey. You and he are close now aren’'t you?”"

"“Yeah. We are. He’'s been there for me. I’'ve had a lot to deal with this summer, and we’'re actually pretty serious.”"

"“Serious? As in dating?”"

"“Um. Yeah. Does that bother you?”"

"“That you are dating Michael? No. Should it?”"

"“Well, I just thought...you hated Max and I thought that you maybe wouldn’'t like Michael either.”"

“"Sweetheart, I never hated Max. It’s just...I didn’'t want your heart to be broken that’'s all. There was something about him that just bothered me. But Michael is different. I think he has the soul of an artist.”"

“"Really? I guess I never thought about them that way. But I think you’'re right. Max did break my heart. He really did hurt me, even though he never meant to. And Michael, he’'s been there for me, he’'s helped me heal. Mom, he loves me. And I love him.”"

“"That’'s wonderful sweetie. I’'m glad for you both. I hope you know he’'s always welcome here. Your father and I both have much to thank him for, not only has he been a great help with the diner, he’'s also put those stars back in your eyes.”"

Liz hugged her mother once more, before bounding into the bathroom to get ready for dinner. She hoped her parents wouldn’'t be too upset about the engangement. Or with Michael. Or with her. She wanted everything to be perfect, even though she knew it couldn’'t possibly be.

*****

Michael arrived at the Parkers'’ door at precisely eight o’'clock. He’'d showered and groomed, taking care with his appearance, the last thing he wanted to do was look like a slacker the day he told his boss he wanted to marry hi’s daughter.

“"Michael, come in. Lizzie mentioned you’'d be joining us.”" Said Mr. Parker as he opened the door.

“"Hello Mr. Parker, how are you?”"

"“Good, good. And it’'s Jeff by the way. No need to stand on ceremony, I see you almost every day. How was that camping trip? I heard the news story about the cave-in, you kids were lucky you weren’'t out exploring the caverns.”"

“"Yeah. It was great. We played water sports. And had a bonfire.”"

“"Sounds wonderful. I haven’'t been camping since, well since the school had that sponsored activity. Lizzie was dating that boy Max. Hmph. I’'d of rather been playing poker with you, Michael.”"

“"Um. Thanks Mr....um Jeff.”" Michael smiled lamely at Jeff as they walked through the hallway into the living room. He had no idea what to say, he’'d never been the favorite over Max. Maybe it was a Parker thing.

Just then Nancy walked into the living room. She’'d just finished setting the dining room table. Jeff noticed that she had put out the fine china and felt decidedly under-dressed considering his wife was wearing a pretty dress and Michael had departed his usual jeans and funky shirt look for a more sedate outfit.

"“Michael, make yourself comfortable. No one told me this was a dinner party. I’'m going to have to go up and change. Liz should be out shortly.”" Jeff said as he left the room to go freshen up.

Michael found himself staring blankly at Nancy Parker. He had never actually had to hold his own on a conversation with her and found himself overwhelmed. Nancy Pakrer was no joke. She was scary in that mama grizzly bear kind of way. He'd never hurt Liz, but he knew that if he ever did, she'd kill him. “"Michael. I’'m so glad you decided to join us tonight. Lizzie was just telling me how you two have been dating seriously.”"

"“Hello Mrs. Parker. Um...yeah...you have to know that I love your daughter.”" Michael felt like he was facing a firing squad. Angry parents he knew how to deal with. But friendly, accepting ones were a little more than he could handle at the moment.

“"Don’t be silly, the name’ is Nancy. Lizzie should be out in a few minutes. She’ was helping in the kitchen and needed a moment to dress up. I'’m glad we have a moment to chat a little first.”"

"“Ma’'am. Nancy, I just want to assure you that my intentions toward Liz are completely honorable, I love her with all my heart and would never hurt her.”"

“"My dear boy, I already know that.”" Nancy let out a tinkling laugh, while Michael wondered what manner of insanity had beset the Parker household. If Liz didn’'t show up soon and save him he would literally run screaming from the Crashdown.

"“Um. Ok. Well. What did you want to chat about?”"

“"Is it a promise ring or an engagement ring?”'

“"Wh—...what?”" stammered Michael.

"“Sweet child, you don't think I wouldn't have noticed that sizable rock on my daughter's finger? I'm no fool. It's an engagement ring then, yes?"

“"Nancy...I...um...I need her. Please don’'t forbid this.”"

“'Who’'s forbidding anything?”"

"“I don’'t understand.”"

“"I know. She'’s not pregnant?”"

“"No. God no. That’'s not why—“."

“"I didn’'t think so. But then why? Why the rush?”"

“"I guess it’'s because I need her. And she needs me.”"

"“I see. Good. I guess you’'d also rather sleep indoors.”"

“"What?”"

“"Well, the temperatures start to cool in September, so that sleeping on the lawn chair on the balcony won’'t really seem like a good idea anymore.”"

“"Why aren’'t you more upset?”" Michael was dumbfounded. They hadn't realized she'd been paying attention. He had been right, she was a mama grizzly.

“"Why would you be upset Mom? Michael what did you do?”" Liz asked as she walked into the room.

Michael didn’'t answer, the sight of the woman standing before him had him riveted. She’'d dressed simply as was her wont, the necklace her mother had purchased around her neck, the ring Michael had given her shining on her finger.

"“I’'m not upset baby. Michael was just answering a few of my questions.”"

“"But why would he think you’'d be upset?”"

“"Well, I guess he thought I’'d forbid you two from getting married.”"

“"You told them? Why didn’'t you wait for me?”"

“"Liz...I think you told them."”

“"I didn’'t tell them, we had agreed to do it together. I thought we were going to do this together.”"

“"Yeah. Well, maybe you should have taken off the ring.”"

"“The ring? I...oh. Mom?”"

“"Yes, Lizzie?”"

"“Why aren’'t you upset?”"

“"I don’'t see why I should be?”"

“"Well. Goddammit. I’'m upset.”" Jeff's voice interrupted the silence as Michael and Liz tried to wrap their head around Nancy's blasé attitude.

“"Oh my God, Dad.”"

"“Jeff, why are you upset?”" Nancy asked her husband quizzically.

“"Well, I thought we were going to talk to the kids together, Nance, and instead you take advantage of my absence and now you have them all confused.”"

Michael’'s head was spinning. He looked down at Liz, who he’'d taken in his arms when Jeff had walked back into the room. She looked as confused as he was. Nothing made sense, not only had Max and Maria taken the news surprisingly well, but Liz’'s usually overprotective parents were being surprisingly cavalier about the idea of their little girl getting married.

Liz wondered briefly if was a mindwarp, but there was no unconscious, steady tapping to indicate that it was the case.

“"Sit down, both of you.”" Jeff asked as he and Nancy settled onto the sofa.

Liz and Michael obediently took their seats. And stared awestruck at Nancy and Jeff. They had just wanted a normal reaction, this niceness was way too weird for them both.

“"Mom, Dad, I guess I’'m confused. Why would you guys be so willing to let me marry Michael? I thought you guys would protest about college and my career.”"

"‘If you didn'’t plan to have one we’'d protest. Lizzie, we think Michael would let you live out your dreams. He’'d help you achieve them. And we don’'t want to cut you off. We want to help you as well. There’'s something we haven’'t told you.”"

“"Oh God.”" Liz buried her head in Michael’'s shoulder. She was confused enough as it was, she didn’'t need more family havoc.

"“When we were with your cousin Jeanie and her kids, we saw something that would be a great opportunity in Santa Fe, and we were trying to figure out how we could move there without closing the restaurant here in Roswell.”" began Jeff.

"“We’'re moving? When?”"

“"Actually, sweetie, your father and I are moving, we thought it would be best if you stayed." Originally we had planned a commute of some sort, but that would have been unbearable. We don’'t want you to miss your senior year, and we need you here at the diner. So we decided we needed to hire someone as a manager and offer them a room here in the apartment.”

“"But we didn’'t want you living with some stranger. So your mother and I were thinking about your friends who work here. While Maria'’s been with us the longest, she has a home, and we were pretty sure Amy wouldn’'t want to let her move. So our next thought was Michael, who’'s been doing an excellent job with his duties here, and who we knew lived on his own. So we were going to make him an offer.”

"“But then we noticed the way you two were around each other. At first, we couldn’t understand the hostility in public with the camaraderie we knew you shared in private. So we started observing you closely." Nancy admitted.

"“And then your mother figured it was that you guys were secretly dating. We actually had no idea it was so serious until we saw the ring on Lizzie’'s finger this afternoon.”"

“"So your Dad and I talked about it, and we were both relieved. Baby, we’'re not going to be leaving you alone or abandoning you to pursue a new opportunity. You’'ll have Michael, a place to live, and a steady income.”"

"“I'’m afraid I still don’'t understand...you’'re giving us what?”" asked Michael.

'“We’'d give you both a total of forty-nine percent ownership of the diner, and we’'d transfer the apartment into your names. We know that you’'d be tied to Roswell Lizzie, but we figured your plans weren’'t really to leave it,”" replied Jeff.

“"No, they weren’'t. I could commute to Las Cruces and—" Liz was overcome. She couldn’'t believe her parents were being this generous. She nestled further into Michael’'s arms. They were the only comfort she had now.

“"We just need to know if you guys are willing to do this. How soon it was you guys wanted to get married? If this is an acceptable solution for all of us? Your father and I will let you guys talk about it, while we check on the food in the kitchen.”"

Liz nodded numbly as her parents left the room. Michael held her closely in his embrace before kissing her on the forehead and saying, “"Wow.”"

"“I know. Michael, I want to do this. But I need to know if you think you could do this.”"

"“Baby, not only would I do anything for you. What your parents are offering us is the perfect solution. I can’'t believe they’'d do this for us. I can’'t believe they trust me to take care of you.”"

“"Michael, they trust you because you’'re amazing. My mom think you have the soul of an artist. She loves you because I love you, and because you’'ve put back the stars in my eyes. And those are her words not mine. So we’'re getting married.”"

"“Oh hell yeah. And we’'re never going to be apart.”"

“"Good. I’'m glad we agree. Now let’'s go have some dinner.”"

"“I’'m right behind you. I’'m starving.”"