Snapshot · (Roswell Fanfiction) · √

62. From Another Point of View

Michael and Maria's Apartment
(2012) Max is 27, Liz is 26

~Michael~

Of course they annoy me.

My sister and my best friend had a thing together behind my back and I did feel betrayed for a long time. I'm still not really sure why it bothered me so much. Maybe it was because in essence he had stolen my baby sister away from me even before I knew anything about it. Or maybe it was because he was my best friend and never told me about what was going on. They both made me believe that everything was okay.

They even had me believe that they hated each other.

They made me look like a fool.

Maria moves past in a whirlwind of activity and presses our one-year-old daughter into my arms. I must've looked at her in way that had another meaning to her than it had to me because she groans and says, "Why can't you just help out?"

She's gone before I have time to ask what I've done wrong this time and I look down at Alba. "Your mommy's insane, you know that right?"

Alba smiles broadly and produces saliva bubbles along with her excited giggle.

Is it sad that the only person that I can put up with for more than twenty minutes without wanting to use her head as a basketball is a one-year-old?

"Hey Michael," a voice says behind me and I turn to face my sister. She smiles as she sees Alba and reaches out to touch Alba's chubby cheek. "Hey sweetie."

"Hey," I reply and, with some effort I must add, she looks up from Alba and kisses me on the cheek. "Where's the other one?"

She raises a warning eyebrow, not looking too impressed with my choice of words, and answers, "He's trying to find parking."

"Alright," I answer and take a closer look at Liz's face. Without pondering why, I push Alba into her arms and say, "Could you hold her for a sec? I think Maria needs my help."

Before she can protest, I walk away. When I reach the entrance to the kitchen, I turn to see my sister standing in the middle of the living room, her finger tracing Alba's nose, with a faraway smile on her face. She might've been frozen in that same position forever if Max hadn't entered the room.

Oblivious to the fact that they're being watched, Max walks up to Liz, puts his arms around her waist and kisses her temple.

I feel odd standing there watching them. In that moment, it's like Alba is not even my child. It's like she belongs to that special circle created by Max's arms and Liz's smile. A perfect family.

"Michael!" Maria yells behind me and I look over my shoulder in the direction of her voice to find her staring at me impatiently with a spatula in hand.

Ut-oh.

As I'm about to face the wrath of my wife, I briefly glance over at Max and Liz, and find Max watching me.

"Hey man," Max says.

"Hey," I answer.

I try not to stare as Max's hand whispers across Liz's cheek in a loving gesture before he turns and walks towards me. There's something disconcerting about watching how obviously in love they are with each other. My mind is still muddled with memories of them screaming at each other and throwing hateful words in each other's direction.

Max takes my hand in a firm hold and squeezes my shoulder in a greeting. "How's life?"

I raise an eyebrow and decide to throw him a curveball, "I see you knocked up my sister."