“Hi,” Max said, smiling, as Liz said next to him.

They kissed.

“Hi,” she smiled back at him as Alex rolled his eyes.

“Who are we picking up at 4?” Max asked, having to overhear the last part of Liz’s sentence.

“Alex. He wants to help with the party,” Liz said.

Max turned to Alex and smiled at him. “You didn’t get her a present yet, huh?”

“Well…uhm…no,” Alex said. “You have no idea how hard it is to buy a present for Maria. It’s easy for you. You’re just a friend. I have the best friend responsibilities when it comes to buying presents and it’s hard.” Alex was getting upset as Liz and Max laughed at him. “I gotta go,” Alex said as he got his backpack and got up.

“Don’t forget, 4 o’clock,” Liz yelled after him.

“Yeah,” Alex answered without turning.

“I was kinda hoping to have you all to myself this afternoon,” Max said as she turned to him.

“Well, you will…’till 4,” she answered, “Now, I have to make a list of things to buy.”

“I thought you had like 3 drafts already,” Max said confused.

“Oh, well, I forgot some stuff,” Liz answered seriously. Then she noticed Max’s half smile. “What? Throwing a surprise party is a very serious business.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Max said.

“Are you mocking me?”

“Noooo,” Max shook his head.

“I can’t believe you’re mocking me,” Liz exclaimed as she put down her pen. Max began laughing. “That’s it, you’re not coming with me.”

“Really?” he asked jokingly as he kissed her neck.

“Yes,” she tried to stay serious.

”Ok,” he said as he kissed her cheek next.

“Ok,” she said, beginning to melt.

“Ok,” he repeated as he kissed her lips.

***********************************************************************

“Ok, we’ve got one more store and we’re done,” Liz said as she crossed something on her list.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Alex said from the back seat. “Liz, we’ve been to like 4 stores already.”

“Alex, you don’t wanna go there, believe me,” Max said as he smiled in his rearview mirror. He parked and they got out of the jeep.

“Oh, cool, they have those posters I wanted,” Liz exclaimed as she read an ad on the store’s window.

She practically ran into the store. Both, Max and Alex, rolled their eyes as they followed their leader.

“Hey,” Max came up from behind Liz and kissed her ear.

“Hey,” she smiled and turned to him. “I can’t decide what color letters to buy for the happy birthday sign,” she told him as she held purple and pink letters in front of him.

“Purple,” he said.

“That’s what I thought,” she said.

“Listen, I’m gonna go to the hardware store across the street. My dad’s been begging for this tools set there.”

“Ok, I’ll be here,” she said as she kissed him. As Max left, Liz returned to the very important job of choosing the colors of balloons.

Liz finally got everything that she needed for Maria’s party a few minutes later and she was standing at the cashier’s getting all checked out.

”Liz, do you think Maria would like this?” Alex held a pain brush that had “for touch ups” printed on it. Liz looked at him like he was insane. “No,” Alex read on her face. Just as Alex turned around to go put the brush back they heard a very loud sound, the sound of explosion, then the glass in the windows breaking.

As everybody in the store got up and looked around Liz saw fire coming out of the store across the street.

“Oh, God, no,” Liz whispered as she ran out of the store.

“Max!!! Ma-a-a-ax!!!!” She yelled out his name as she ran towards the store that was now engulfed in flames. Suddenly somebody caught her from behind and stopped her. She was trying to get out of the embrace, to run to Max. “No, Max!”

“Liz, no,” Alex tried to hold her tight.

Just then another explosion was heard.

”NOOOOOO!” Liz screamed as Alex held her tightly in his arms, away from harm’s way.

********************************************************************

3 days later

It was a cold afternoon, but almost the whole town came to the funeral. The only other person who died was the owner of the hardware store. His funeral took place the day before.

The newspaper said that explosion happened due to the natural gas leek in the building. They called it a horrible accident. The coroner’s report and fire department confirmed it 2 days after the explosion.

Liz didn’t remember how she got here. She didn’t remember how she got dressed. She wasn’t even sure what she was wearing. She wasn’t sure what was real anymore. The only thing she saw was Max’s face. Max kissing her, Max smiling, Max telling her he loved her. Every single moment since he healed her played out in her mind over and over again like a videotape.

Maria and Alex stood on both sides of Liz, practically holding her so that she wouldn’t fall. Maria looked over to her left at Michael. Michael was standing next to Isabelle and her parents. He was holding Isabelle as she cried. Maria wanted to go over and comfort him, but she knew she couldn’t. Liz needed her more right now. For the past 3 days Liz hasn’t said a word. She hasn’t cried. She hasn’t eaten or drunk anything either. It was like Liz wasn’t even there anymore. Maria was afraid to let go of Liz for even a moment. She was afraid that is she did, Liz would be gone too. She and Alex made sure that one of them was with Liz at all times.

Maria looked over to her right. Kyle, Tess, and sheriff were standing together. Even Valenti was crying. Max was like a son to him. And now he was gone. How could it be? The whole thing just didn’t make any sense.

Maria returned her attention to Liz. She wasn’t sure if she even saw Liz breathe. It was like Liz was frozen in time.

Liz looked at the coffin in front of her. She thought she’d feel something, but she didn’t. She felt completely empty and numb inside. It was if the pain was so strong that all her insides just couldn’t handle it and shut down.

*********************************************************************

He walked down the street fast, looking around; trying to make sure that nobody saw him, that nobody was following him. Quickly, without attracting any attention he reached the empty house on the edge of the town and walked in.

“So, how was it?” she asked him.