Part 2 The sun filtered into the room, casting warm hues across the furniture. Max tossed in his bed. Throwing an arm over his eyes, he groaned. The alarm clock beside his bed started beeping. Dropping a heavy hand against it, it turned off. Max sat up and looked around his room. It was practically empty, save the furniture that had yet to be packed. Boxes were scattered across the room along with miscellaneous items. He rubbed his palm over his face and threw the covers off. He bent down to pick up some of Noah’s toys and threw them into an empty box. Turning around to look for the masking tape, Max stopped to the sound of childish gibberish coming from Noah’s crib. With a smile on his face, Max stopped beside his son’s crib and watched as Noah sat there having a conversation with his toes. Max gave a slight chuckle before picking up his son. “Mornin’ pal. Who you talkin’ to? Are you talkin’ to your toes?” Max gently tweaked each one of Noah’s tiny toes as he cooed his questions. Noah began giggling uncontrollably as his father tickled the pads of his feet. Max plastered Noah with kisses. He sat him down on the bed as he continued tickling him. When it seemed like Noah had had enough, Max began to smooth down his soft blonde curls. “You ready to move today? Huh, pal?” Noah rolled onto his stomach and grabbed onto the tip of Max’s pillow. He placed the tip of the pillow into his mouth and began to suck. Upon seeing this, Max gently pulled the pillow away from his son. “No. No putting that in your mouth ok?” Max propped Noah against his pillows as he started a conversation with him. “Ok, so we have lots to do today. We gotta finish packing and then later this afternoon, we’re gonna fly to Roswell. You like the sound of that big guy? You’ll actually get to ride in a real plane. It’ll be just as fun as when we play. First, we have to stop by your grandparents’ place. Let them say goodbye to you before we leave. But before we do any of those things, we have to get you out of that dirty diaper.” Max lifted Noah into the air, pretending that he was smelling Noah's bottom. “Pee-yoo! You’re a stinky little boy aren’t you?” As Max went about changing Noah’s diaper, a knock came from the door. Turning around slightly, Max yelled out. “Come in!” Diane Evans peeked into her son’s bedroom, or what was left of it. The place he grew up in was no more. Diane’s eyes landed on Max and Noah. Seeing Max with him made her heart swell. Knowing that her son was taking responsibility for his actions made her feel proud, but sometimes she couldn’t help but be disappointed. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Noah, because she did. She just wished Max would have waited. As if being a teenager wasn’t tough enough, he was a single father too. She hoped that the move to Roswell would do the whole family good. But especially Max. She hated the way people would look at him and talk about him. It broke her heart to see her son in pain. Quietly shuffling into his room, Diane stood next to Max and watched as he continued to change Noah. “Morning son.” Diane stood on her tip-toes and gave Max a small kiss on his temple. Max returned the favor. “Mornin’ mom.” Diane looked around the room. “Well, it looks like you’re all set. Say, why don’t we spend the day together, you know, the whole family. One last time before we take off tonight?” Max picked up Noah and turned to his mom. “That sounds great mom, but I have some stuff to care of before we leave.” Diane took Noah into her arms and began rocking him. “Ok, then. You go and do what you have to do and I’ll keep an eye on Noah.” Max gave his mom a look before reaching for his son again. “As much as I appreciate that mom, I kinda have to take Noah with me.” Max went about getting his clothes out, along with Noah’s. “I’m taking him to see the Hardings before we leave.” Max continued to move around the room, afraid to stop and have to look into his mother’s eyes. Diane saw right through him and placed her hand on his arm to stop him from moving. “The Hardings?” Diane practically had to choke out the words. If there were people in this town that she wanted to get away from Max and Noah, the Hardings were definitely on top of that list. “Honey, are you sure that’s such a good idea?” Max took a deep breath before finally locking gazes with his mother. “I have to do this mom. They............. they haven’t seen him since he was born. I thought it would be polite to say goodbye before we left.” Max turned away from his mother. “Max, you don’t have to do this. If they wanted to say goodbye they would have. Don’t put yourself through this unnecessary pain.” Max shrugged his shoulders. “I have to at least try mom. I don’t want to be the reason why Noah doesn’t know his m-mother’s side of the family.” Diane noticed how Max had stuttered the word mother. Her heart broke that much more, hearing her son’s dejected tone. “Ok, you do what you have to do. But our flight is at 7.” Diane ruffled Max’s hair before leaving. Max took in a deep breath before attempting to get ready. *********************** Max stood outside the Harding’s door, carrying Noah in one arm and a diaper bag slung over the other. He turned to his son. “Here goes nothing pal.” He raised his hand to knock, but before his fist could come into contact with the wood door, it opened to reveal a very menacing looking Ed Harding. “What are you doing here Max?” Max shifted Noah against his hip. “Uh, my family and I are leaving today. I thought that maybe you and Mrs. Harding would like to say goodbye to Noah.” Ed Harding took on a tone of indifference. “So you’re finally leaving? All I can say is good riddance. Stay away from us Max. You’ve taken so much from us already. Don’t you think you should leave us in peace?” Max felt the bile rise up in his throat, the tears burning his eyes. As much as he wanted to run and take Noah as far away as he could, he couldn’t. He felt responsible for everything that happened. He had to at least try. “Look Mr. Harding, I know you and Mrs. Harding don’t like me. In fact, I know you hate me. I know you hold me to blame for a lot of things. But I don’t think this is fair to Noah. Hate me as much as you want, but Noah is your family. He needs- Ed cut him off before he could continue. “Is this about money? Do you need money?” Max stood there shocked, unable to move. Did Ed Harding honestly believe that he was here for money? Ed started to turn back to the house. “I’ll go get my check book. It’s a small price to pay to get you out of our lives.” Max’s voice stopped Ed in his tracks. “Stop! This isn’t about money, and you know it. I came here today in good faith- Ed turned to Max with a sarcastic smile on his face. “Good faith? GOOD FAITH? Is that what you call this?” Max hugged Noah closer to his chest. “I’m here to make amends, but you obviously don’t want that.” Max turned to leave but stopped to whisper something. “You can’t even look at him because he reminds you of her.” He turned to face him, tears welling up in his eyes. “I know. I know because I see her in him everyday.” Max turned towards his jeep. He drove away without a second look. It was better this way, right? Noah didn’t need all of this negativity. Before returning home, he made one last stop to make one last goodbye.