Liz and Maria had grown exceptionally closer when Maria found out she was pregnant. Liz was there for her when her family disapproved of her having the baby. But she knew she had too. Her and Jose had a little girl and she named her Larisa but everyone called her LaLa. LaLa was the only piece of Jose she had. He’d been killed when LaLa was only a year old, and Maria didn’t take it too well. Liz had taken care of LaLa while Maria dealt with her lost. LaLa was an exceptionally beautiful child. She had Maria’s sparkling green eyes and full ruby lips. But her hair, she’d gotten from her father. It was long, coal black, and extremely thick. She was very sweet and pleasant, and anybody she came in contact just adored her. She was Maria’s heart.

Jose’s family never approved of Maria. They had once tried to take LaLa away from her. But it never happened. There was no way Maria was letting her little girl go. LaLa visited Jose’s family on occasion, but not much. And when she did Maria would have Liz bring her and pick her up. At one point Jose’s sisters had tried to jump Maria. For whatever reason they could not stand her and she didn’t want her daughter around people like that. The only reason she allowed LaLa to visit them because she knew it would be wrong to keep her from her father’s family. She deserved to at least know who they were. LaLa didn’t really enjoy going to visit her dad’s family anyway. She would cut up whenever she found out she had to go over there. She told Maria that they talked bad about her and that she hated them for talking about her mama the way they did.

Much to their parents disliking, Liz and Maria hadn’t attended college. They both attended Moler Beauty College and had obtained licenses in cosmetology. Maria worked as a nail technician and Liz settled into hairstyling. They would do nails, makeup and hair for weddings and fashion shows on the side for extra money.

A year after LaLa’s father was killed Maria met Alex. Alex delivered water for Kentwood and was the shop where Maria worked regular delivery boy. They’d flirted for a while, Maria always teasing Alex about how cute he looked in his little uniform and purposely referred to him as Waterboy, even though she knew he hated it. Eventually they started dating, and though it wasn’t love at first sight Alex loved Maria and she cared a great deal for him. He treated her like a queen and LaLa as if she was his own. He took care of them and he was the only male figure LaLa had around. So naturally she thought of him as her father.

Liz’s Grandma Claudia had willed her a house in the heart of the French Quarters. It was a duplex with classic southern hard wood floors and built in fireplace. Absolutely astounding, something they definitely wouldn’t have been able to afford to just rent. The house was built in the early 1800’s and had the traditional columns and southern plantation style. It was classic and the girls loved it. Each apartment had 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, and a balcony that that they used as a sitting area to entertain guests which was great for observing Mardi Gras activities. They’d rent the other apartment out every year to people coming in for the Mardi Gras holiday. They had it good, because tourist would pay just about any price to rent the apartment being that it was in the historically landmark French Quarters and very close to all the parties and parades. They would use that money to throw their annual Mardi Gras bash.