Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Author: heavenly-vixen aka Ally
E-mail: team_x_4eva@hotmail.com
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Michael can own me if he wishes.
Description: Tag to “How the Other Half lives” and sequel to “Say
It Isn’t So”. After returning home from their glorious, rebellious
weekend, Michael is subjected to an interrogation by Maria’s mother.
Author’s Note: I always thought that Amy was hilarious in “Disturbing
Behavior” and “HTOHL” and that the writers could have added
something like this at the end. Just a little more comic relief mixed in with
so much drama.
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Maria pulled the Jetta into her driveway. As soon as she turned off the engine, her mother appeared at the door and ran out towards the car. Maria had dropped Michael off at his apartment before going home, and it was lucky she had because her mom did not look happy. Maria sighed and stepped out of the car, immediately greeted with Amy’s demands for answers.
“Did you sleep with Michael?” she asked bluntly.
“Hi mom, I’m glad to be home too,” Maria replied, which probably wasn’t such a good idea.
“Yeah, well answer my question and we’ll see how glad you are to be home.”
“No mom, don’t worry, nothing happened.” Amy sighed her relief, and engulfed Maria in a hug.
“Where’s Michael?” Amy asked after noticing that the tall brooding one was absent.
“Why?” Maria asked suspiciously while eyeing her mother.
“Because I want to talk to him, what? You thought I was just going to let him get away with taking my baby across state lines?” Maria looked down. She knew she’d already lost this fight.
“He’s at his apartment mom, I dropped him off a minute ago,” Amy nodded her head.
“Give me the keys,” She held out her hand. Maria didn’t even try to fight her on it. She just handed them over and moved aside as her mom got into the car and drove down the street.
Maria may not have been able to stop her mother from going to see Michael, but she could warn him. Maria ran inside and quickly dialed the familiar number.
“Come on, pick up.”
“What?” Michael’s usual gruff answer rang in Maria’s ears.
“Heads up,” Michael, on the other end of the phone narrowed his brow in confusion.
“Maria, is that you?” This was her typical, weird behavior.
“Yeah, listen… My mom’s on her way.”
“What? Here?” Michael gasped out shocked. Maria never had the chance to answer. There was a knock on Michael’s door.
“Good Luck.” Maria wished sincerely.
“Thanks, see ya,” Michael hung up the phone on a very nervous Maria as he slowly went to answer the door.
Michael reluctantly opened the door. Michael tried to fane confusion at Mrs. Deluca’s appearance at his apartment. “Mrs. Deluca, can I help you?” Amy pushed past Michael, straight into the little apartment. She surveyed her surroundings, remembering that it was her first time actually inside his apartment. Amy was tempted to pity Michael for the life he was forced to live. She definitely understood Maria’s urge to protect him.
“Sit down Michael.” Amy ordered. Michael moved over to the couch and sat down uncomfortably. He briefly was thankful he’d cleaned up after noticing her surveying eyes. However her order managed to banish that thought from his mind. Michael raised his eyes to the older woman as she paced back and forth in front of him. His poor carpet, it was old and worn as it was, and Mrs. Deluca was now going to pace a hole in it.
“I have questions Michael, lots of questions and you are going to answer them, truthfully, you hear me?” Michael nodded slowly. He knew better than to argue with a Deluca on a mission.
“Good, lets start with a very simple question… Did you sleep with my daughter?”
“No Mrs. Deluca, I didn’t.” Michael shook his head. Satisfied that he was telling the truth after staring at him closely Amy sat down beside him.
“Thank God for small miracles.” She muttered. When she took a seat beside him, Michael tensed slightly, this did not go un-noticed by Amy and she was tempted to enjoy his discomfort.
“Now, where did you take Maria?” Michael looked up at her. She had a familiar look on her face, one that he saw on Maria’s beautiful face when she was frustrated with him, which was quite regularly. He almost smiled.
“We went to Tucson.” Michael answered truthfully, there was no point lying, Maria always knew when he was, and he knew that Mrs. Deluca would be able to as well.
“Why? Why did you go to Tucson of all places? And it better not be to get stoned and have sex in the hills,” Amy added as an after thought that elicited a very confused look from Michael.
“I found some of my family, they live there.” Amy’s head shot up to look straight at Michael.
“You found some of your family?” Amy sounded hopeful.
“I thought so, we’re still not sure.” Disappointment seemed to flash across her face briefly.
“Why did Maria go?”
“Moral support, I guess… I don’t know, I didn’t want to go alone,” Michael admitted looking away. A smile tugged lightly at Amy’s lips.
“And it wasn’t just that you needed the Jetta to get there,” Michael caught the playful tone in her voice and smiled slightly.
“Well you know that helped.” Amy smiled at him. She couldn’t look away from him. She never really looked him in the eyes before. He held so much sincerity there, and he was definitely a good-looking boy. She was starting to realize what had Maria so enthralled. He had something about him, a truth in his eyes.
They say the eyes are the windows to your soul, and just by taking one good look into Michael’s you understood where that came from. He held all of him in the depths of the brown pools. You could see his strength, his honor, the truth, exactly how he was feeling and even what he was thinking. It was entrancing, and to the horror of Amy, she was starting to actually like the boy. Far from giving him her blessing to run wild with her daughter, but there was something there that was winning her over.
Amy stood and walked toward the door. She paused and turned back to Michael, who was now standing in the center of the room.
“I hope you find what you’re looking for Michael.” Michael’s head shot up and he locked eyes with Amy. He saw and heard the sincerity of her statement. He nodded in thanks. Amy opened the door and walked out. As soon as the door clicked shut after her exit, Michael sighed with relief. He thought she was going to kill him, he never expected that. But then again, Deluca’s were forever surprising him.
TBC…