Author: Susan
E-Mail: susanandtad@cs.com
Category: UC/CC, M/M, Maria/Kyle and Michael/Isabel
Rating: PG-13 – R (for language and talk about sex)
Distribution: Roswell Desert Skies. Anyone else can have it if they want just ask first.
Disclaimer: Don’t own a thing.
Summary: Ninth part to my Unexpected series, which can be found at Roswell Desert Skies.
Author’s Note: Series is based on Improv challenges. At this point who knows how it will end. It could be unconventional or conventional.
Improv
#11: forgive -
- petal - - fog - - savor
I
gave birth four months ago to James Alexander
I
was overdue, if you can believe it, by almost two weeks. Michael and my mom were
a nervous wreck. If I so much as winced they were by my side. I thought I was
going to have to do something drastic. Like kill them both. My emotions had been
in an uproar. I would cry one minute and scream the next. I really, really did
feel bad for Michael. He put up with a lot more than I would have, especially
considering he was still sleeping on the couch. I kept telling myself that I
should savor all the love and care that Michael had been giving me because once
the baby was born things would certainly change. I didn’t take my own advice
and I was certainly right things did change a great deal.
I
have been in a fog since Jaime’s birth, postpartum depression they say, but I
know that what I have been suffering is something else entirely different than
that. From the moment Max connected with him to see who the father was I have
been “aware” of the baby at all times. It was a little tingle of energy at
first and then it grew to be so much more. With Michael’s help I could
actually see him inside me and on occasion I think our minds actually touched.
But once Jaime was born it was gone. I
felt empty and alone. I’m sure a lot of new mothers feel the same way but with
Jaime, being who he is, the feeling was multiplied. It got so bad that I
retreated into my fantasy world in my head and almost got lost. I don’t know
if I would have ever found my way out if it hadn’t been for the arrival of
Kyle Valenti.
Kyle
came home two weeks ago. Liz told me that Michael called him and asked him to
come home, for me. She said that Michael thought that maybe Kyle might be able
to do what everyone else had failed to.
I
remember seeing Jaime after he was born but after that everything is blank. I
basically went to sleep and didn’t wake up till a couple of days ago. So the
lights were on but no one was home. I can laugh about it now but when I came out
of my little dream world I really, really freaked out. I have missed four months
of my baby’s life. You would not believe how much a baby can grow and develop
in four months. I could tell immediately that he had already spent entirely too
much time with Michael. His developing personality is becoming more and more
like Michael’s. Taking one look at Jaime there is no doubt who his father is.
He is an exact replica of Michael with the exception of his nose, which
thankfully comes from me, and his beautiful blue eyes. His eyes aren’t dark
like mine they are light blue. Jim brags that they came from him through
osmosis.
When
Michael handed Jaime to me the first time after I “woke” up I was scared
that he wouldn’t come to me or that he would be afraid of me but instead he
just smiled at me and started playing with my hair. Michael said that was the
first time he had ever smiled. And you want to know something ironic. If I
concentrate hard enough I can tell how he is feeling or when he wants something
even before he cries for it. I guess our connection was not broken after all it
just wasn’t a constant like it was when I was carrying him.
If
you haven’t guessed already I am trying to avoid the subject of Kyle. I
haven’t seen him since he woke me up. That was about a week ago. He had
brought me flowers. I took some of the petals and crushed them and mixed them
with some oils and made my own special fragrance so that I will always remember
that day.
I
was so deep in my head that not even Isabel could reach me. She had tried, they
all had but no one could bring me back, no one except Kyle. Isabel told Michael
that whenever she got to a certain point in my mind a big door would slam shut
and she was not able to get any further. They came up with the idea of bringing
Kyle into my head with her and maybe he would be able to get past the door. From
my little world I heard Kyle calling to me asking me to let him in. I heard him
tell me that he loved me and he needed me to come back and that Jaime and
Michael needed me. I opened the door to him and let him come into my world. The
door slammed in Isabel’s face when she tried to follow. No one except for Kyle
and I know what happened there. I want to talk to him about it, to see him again
but he has kept his distance so that I could spend the time with Michael and
Jaime. It is my turn to go to him.
I
told Michael that I am going to see Kyle later today. I saw the pain flash in
his eyes before he was able to hide it. I know that Michael is hurt that Kyle
was able to reach me when he and Jaime could not. He knows that I love Kyle and
it hurts him more than he will ever admit to anyone. I also know deep down
inside there is a part of Michael that will never forgive me for loving someone
else just like a part of me will never forgive him for Isabel. We never talked
about her before Jaime was born, then I spent four months in the
**Flashback**
“Michael
I want you to know I am going to go see Kyle today. I need to talk to him.”
Maria saw the pain flash in Michael’s eyes for a brief moment before he hid
it.
“I
figured you would. Are you coming back?” Michael asked.
“I’ll
be back.” Maria knew that Michael was asking if she would be coming back to
him but Maria couldn’t answer that. She still wasn’t ready to make that
decision.
“Ok.
We will be here.”
“Actually
I was thinking about taking Jaime to see my mom if that is ok. Plus it will give
you time to do something on your own. You know like go see Isabel or
something.”
“Maria.”
Michael starts to argue with Maria but she stops him.
“Michael
stop ok. Maybe we should talk about Isabel. You know exactly how I feel about
Kyle but I haven’t got a clue what you feel about her. Can you tell me?”
Maria asks Michael.
Michael
looks at Maria for a moment then tells Maria all the things she really doesn’t
want to know but needs to. “The thing with Isabel is confusing. I know that I
love you, that I want you, need you in my life but there is a part of me that
also wants her. There is this connection with her. I’m not really sure what
you are asking me but I can tell you that if I had to make a choice between you
and her. You would win every time.”
“Michael,
would you still choose me if it wasn’t for Jaime?” Maria asks Michael the 10
million dollar question.
“Yes
Maria. It will always be you.” Michael tells Maria. He touches her cheek for a
moment and then drops his hand. “Ok I’m going to get the Jaimster ready to
see his Grandma. Oh and make sure you tell her I called her Grandma. She really
hasn’t got used to that one yet.”
**End
Flashback**
So
once again I am back to the beginning. I still haven’t got a clue what I am
going to do with my life. But for the first time in a long time I feel alive.
----
Maria
walks into the Valenti house shouting to everyone that she is there. “Grandma,
Grandpa someone is here to see you.”
“Maria.”
Jim walks over to her and kisses her cheek as he takes Jaime from her arms.
Jaime giggles at Jim as he swings him around. “Your mom will be right back.
She had to pick up something at the store. She is going to be glad you came to
see her and that you brought this guy with you.”
“Well
I came over to see Kyle. But I also thought Michael could use a break from both
of us so I brought Jaime to see you guys.”
Jim
nodded. “He is in his room.”
“Can
you look after Jaime?” Maria asks
“Of
course.”
Maria
turns to go to Kyle’s room but Jim stops her. “Maria. He was scared to death
when he came back and saw you. I have never seen him look like that.”
Maria
nods at him and continues to Kyle’s room. He is waiting at the doorway for
her. He heard her come in.
“Maria.”
Kyle says.
Maria
comes closer to Kyle, their heads inches from each other. “Kyle” Maria
whispers right before there mouths meet.
The
End.
On
the next Episode: Maria makes a decision.
