surprisingly this wraps up in another two parts...here liz celebrates her birthday and prom...
Max straightened his tie and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked good. He’d just cut his hair so that it was short and spiky, playful the way Liz had always loved it. He’d also been working out and his usually drooping shoulders looked broader. He was not only going to give her a night she’d never forget, he’d make her remember everything.
He frowned suddenly, maybe he wouldn’t make her remember everything but almost everything was enough. Staring back into the mirror he was startled to see Isabel standing behind him.
"What do you want?" He glared at his sister's reflection.
"Max, what if she asked someone else?"
Isabel asked her question tiredly, it wasn’t as if she expected Max to see reason, but she really wanted to prevent something from ruining Liz’s prom night. It was enough that she’d lost her parents and her memory in the last month, she didn’t need her crazy jealous cheating boyfriend to make things worse. Isabel loved her brother, but she knew that he had been truly selfish and uncaring in his past relationship with Liz.
"Why would she do that? Liz is my girlfriend."
"Max, we’ve been through this. Elizabeth doesn’t know you. How would she possibly remember asking you to prom if she doesn’t even remember her own brother?"
"Well, that is Alex’s own fault. He just doesn’t make a strong impression on people. And besides he is the one who hasn’t let me near her, if he had I promise this whole Elizabeth thing would be so over."
"That’s not fair. Alex is a great guy, God, he isn’t letting you near Liz cause he knows…"
"Knows what? Isabel, if you’ve told him about any of them you will pay."
Max growled shaking with anger as he grasped Isabel’s arms in a vice-like grip.
-Max calm down. And let go of me!
Isabel wrenched her arm away and rubbed it where a red welt was forming. She didn’t know what was going on in her brother’s head, but his behavior was taking an almost frightening turn.
"I didn’t say anything to him. He knows because you’ve been careless. Listen, I’m just saying this because I don’t think she remembers asking you, and she probably made other plans. I just don’t want you to ruin her prom night."
"Shut the fuck up, Isabel. She will have the best night of her life. With me. Now leave me the hell alone."
"Max, I—"
"I said leave."
Max glared at Isabel until she left the room. His rage burning through his skin, he picked up his bottle of cologne and splashed some on his cheeks. The stinging only intensified his fury and he flung the glass bottle against the mirror and watched as his reflection cracked and crumbled. He spun out of his room, and headed towards his car. Liz was going to have the best night of her life. With him.
*****
"How do I look Alex?"
Liz twirled around before her brother in her prom dress. They were in his room, where she’d gone to help him with his tie.
"Oh Lizzie…Elizabeth…you’re not my baby sister anymore are you?"
"I’ll always be your baby sister Alex, but tell me what do you think?"
"I’m thinking maybe you should wear a sweater."
"What? A sweater? Why? I’m not cold and it’s May, and we’re in New Mexico."
"Right, but you know desert nights can be cold, I don’t want you getting sick."
"I’ll be fine."
Liz laughed, Alex’s expression was one of classic big brother protectiveness. She had found the perfect dress when she’d gone shopping with Isabel and Maria. A deep crimson, it set off her olive skin beautifully, the dress was a floor-length, backless number, the barely-there spaghetti straps and drapey bodice made of a soft clingy fabric that hugged her small curves and showed her petite figure off to perfection. She looked, in a word, stunning.
"That’s precisely what I’m worried about. Come on Miss Elizabeth, there’s something I want to show you."
Liz looked at him quizzically and followed him through the small apartment. She was surprised when he led her to her bedroom window, and she saw what Alex and Michael had done for her. They’d decorated the balcony with candles and had pulled out a table.
"Happy Eighteenth Birthday little sister."
"Oh Alex, you did this for me? Thank you."
Liz gave Alex a hug and then let him help her out onto the balcony where Michael and Maria were waiting.
"Surprise!"
They both shouted out, Maria walking over to give Liz a hug. Liz looked at Michael over Maria’s shoulder, his eyes glowing with an intensity she’d rarely seen directed at her. She moved to stand before him and was enveloped in his embrace.
"Happy Birthday, Elizabeth."
"Thank you Michael."
He looked stunning in a tuxedo, his longish hair gelled back and his caramel-colored eyes shining with admiration.
"So, let’s have some cake, and open up some presents before the limo gets here, why don’t we?"
Maria asked, interrupting the rapt stare Michael and Liz were caught up in.
"Right. So what kind of cake is it?"
Liz asked.
"Chocolate. Alex and I weren’t sure of your favorite."
"I’m thinking chocolate was a good choice."
"Good. Let’s eat. Let’s party."
*****
Max knocked on the door. Loudly. But he got no answer.
The apartment was dark. But he was sure it was just a trick. Angrily he stalked to the back alley of the diner and climbed up the ladder to Liz’s balcony.
What he saw there only made him angrier.
A wave of white-hot blinding rage rushed through his head and he flung the table over, ripped the lights from the walls, and threw a chair through Liz’s bedroom window.
That would teach her.
*****
The dance hall was full. Lights and decorations sparkled and shone.
"So how are you enjoying prom?"
"It’s wonderful Michael, thank you so much for coming with me."
"Let’s dance."
"You dance?"
"No. But let’s go."
Michael wanted to hold Liz in his arms. The entire evening was proving to be torture, he wanted to have Elizabeth all to himself. But for now he would have to share her. He had held back on his birthday gift, when she’d opened her presents in front of Maria and Alex, he wanted to make it special.
So he’d planned a special celebration for them later. For now however, he would hold her in his arms while they danced.
Part 12
Max straightened his tie and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked good. He’d just cut his hair so that it was short and spiky, playful the way Liz had always loved it. He’d also been working out and his usually drooping shoulders looked broader. He was not only going to give her a night she’d never forget, he’d make her remember everything.
He frowned suddenly, maybe he wouldn’t make her remember everything but almost everything was enough. Staring back into the mirror he was startled to see Isabel standing behind him.
"What do you want?" He glared at his sister's reflection.
"Max, what if she asked someone else?"
Isabel asked her question tiredly, it wasn’t as if she expected Max to see reason, but she really wanted to prevent something from ruining Liz’s prom night. It was enough that she’d lost her parents and her memory in the last month, she didn’t need her crazy jealous cheating boyfriend to make things worse. Isabel loved her brother, but she knew that he had been truly selfish and uncaring in his past relationship with Liz.
"Why would she do that? Liz is my girlfriend."
"Max, we’ve been through this. Elizabeth doesn’t know you. How would she possibly remember asking you to prom if she doesn’t even remember her own brother?"
"Well, that is Alex’s own fault. He just doesn’t make a strong impression on people. And besides he is the one who hasn’t let me near her, if he had I promise this whole Elizabeth thing would be so over."
"That’s not fair. Alex is a great guy, God, he isn’t letting you near Liz cause he knows…"
"Knows what? Isabel, if you’ve told him about any of them you will pay."
Max growled shaking with anger as he grasped Isabel’s arms in a vice-like grip.
-Max calm down. And let go of me!
Isabel wrenched her arm away and rubbed it where a red welt was forming. She didn’t know what was going on in her brother’s head, but his behavior was taking an almost frightening turn.
"I didn’t say anything to him. He knows because you’ve been careless. Listen, I’m just saying this because I don’t think she remembers asking you, and she probably made other plans. I just don’t want you to ruin her prom night."
"Shut the fuck up, Isabel. She will have the best night of her life. With me. Now leave me the hell alone."
"Max, I—"
"I said leave."
Max glared at Isabel until she left the room. His rage burning through his skin, he picked up his bottle of cologne and splashed some on his cheeks. The stinging only intensified his fury and he flung the glass bottle against the mirror and watched as his reflection cracked and crumbled. He spun out of his room, and headed towards his car. Liz was going to have the best night of her life. With him.
*****
"How do I look Alex?"
Liz twirled around before her brother in her prom dress. They were in his room, where she’d gone to help him with his tie.
"Oh Lizzie…Elizabeth…you’re not my baby sister anymore are you?"
"I’ll always be your baby sister Alex, but tell me what do you think?"
"I’m thinking maybe you should wear a sweater."
"What? A sweater? Why? I’m not cold and it’s May, and we’re in New Mexico."
"Right, but you know desert nights can be cold, I don’t want you getting sick."
"I’ll be fine."
Liz laughed, Alex’s expression was one of classic big brother protectiveness. She had found the perfect dress when she’d gone shopping with Isabel and Maria. A deep crimson, it set off her olive skin beautifully, the dress was a floor-length, backless number, the barely-there spaghetti straps and drapey bodice made of a soft clingy fabric that hugged her small curves and showed her petite figure off to perfection. She looked, in a word, stunning.
"That’s precisely what I’m worried about. Come on Miss Elizabeth, there’s something I want to show you."
Liz looked at him quizzically and followed him through the small apartment. She was surprised when he led her to her bedroom window, and she saw what Alex and Michael had done for her. They’d decorated the balcony with candles and had pulled out a table.
"Happy Eighteenth Birthday little sister."
"Oh Alex, you did this for me? Thank you."
Liz gave Alex a hug and then let him help her out onto the balcony where Michael and Maria were waiting.
"Surprise!"
They both shouted out, Maria walking over to give Liz a hug. Liz looked at Michael over Maria’s shoulder, his eyes glowing with an intensity she’d rarely seen directed at her. She moved to stand before him and was enveloped in his embrace.
"Happy Birthday, Elizabeth."
"Thank you Michael."
He looked stunning in a tuxedo, his longish hair gelled back and his caramel-colored eyes shining with admiration.
"So, let’s have some cake, and open up some presents before the limo gets here, why don’t we?"
Maria asked, interrupting the rapt stare Michael and Liz were caught up in.
"Right. So what kind of cake is it?"
Liz asked.
"Chocolate. Alex and I weren’t sure of your favorite."
"I’m thinking chocolate was a good choice."
"Good. Let’s eat. Let’s party."
*****
Max knocked on the door. Loudly. But he got no answer.
The apartment was dark. But he was sure it was just a trick. Angrily he stalked to the back alley of the diner and climbed up the ladder to Liz’s balcony.
What he saw there only made him angrier.
A wave of white-hot blinding rage rushed through his head and he flung the table over, ripped the lights from the walls, and threw a chair through Liz’s bedroom window.
That would teach her.
*****
The dance hall was full. Lights and decorations sparkled and shone.
"So how are you enjoying prom?"
"It’s wonderful Michael, thank you so much for coming with me."
"Let’s dance."
"You dance?"
"No. But let’s go."
Michael wanted to hold Liz in his arms. The entire evening was proving to be torture, he wanted to have Elizabeth all to himself. But for now he would have to share her. He had held back on his birthday gift, when she’d opened her presents in front of Maria and Alex, he wanted to make it special.
So he’d planned a special celebration for them later. For now however, he would hold her in his arms while they danced.
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