*****

Audra slammed the receiver down. She was so scared. She didn’t even know what she would say. How ridiculous would, “Hi, my name is Audra Cristiensen. You don’t know me, but I’m in love with you,” sound? Audra shook her head.

But she wanted to hear him speak. She wanted to know that she had tracked down the right name.

She wanted answers.

Audra picked up the phone again.

*****

The phone rang again. Max narrowed his eyes. Moving over to the phone, he picked it up.

“Hello?”

*****

Audra’s stomach did flips again. That voice. She knew she had heard it before, somewhere, a long time ago. It was so deep, soothing, consoling… And he had only said one word.

But she still didn’t know what to say.

*****

Max could hear short breaths coming from the other side.

“Hello?”

Was this some sort of prank call?

*****

Audra didn’t want Max to hang up. But her vocal cords seemed as if they had been dislodged. She couldn’t think of one coherent thing to say.

Slowly, she laid down the receiver.

*****

Max heard a click on the other line. He stared at the receiver and hung up. Casually checking his caller ID, he saw it was from a local motel, not far from his apartment.

‘It must have been a wrong number,’ he told himself. ‘I hate phone calls.’

RING! RING!

*Hello?*

*Can I speak to Max Evans?*

*This is he.*

*Mr. Evans, it’s Sergeant Conway speaking.*

*Sergeant Conway?*

*Yes. Conway. I’m leading the team on the investigation concerning your wife, Mr. Evans.*

*Thank god. Have you found her?!*

*I’m sorry, sir. The force hasn’t been able to find your wife anywhere.*

Silence.

*Mr. Evans?*

*Okay, so what exactly are you saying?*

*Well, it’s been a few years, Mr. Evans.*

*What are you saying? Are you giving up?!*

*No, no, we’re not. But we can’t have so many men working on this case anymore. There are too many cases and not enough time or money -- *

*What?! My wife is out there somewhere, and you aren’t going to look for her because you can’t afford it?!*

*Mr. Evans, we fear the worst.*

Silence.

*We think she’s dead.*

Slam.

“Hey Max.” Max whipped around to see Isabel walk into the tiny kitchen, Anna Lisa in tote.

“Hi,” he said unsteadily.

“Look, I know that all this…” Isabel searched for a word. “…All this stuff has been crazy, but I just want you to know -- if you need something, ask me.”

“Thanks, Isabel.”

“No. I mean it. I don’t have much to do up in Seattle. I have people who can take care of things for me for awhile. Max, if you need me, ask.”

Max nodded his head.

Isabel sighed. She knew Max. He rarely asked for help. His calling her had been the only time he really had asked. He was too independent to ask anymore. “Well, anyway, I think I’m going to go take a walk. Do you want to come?”

“Not really.”

“I understand. Where should I go?”

“Um, I don’t really get out much. But I think there’s a park somewhere down this street.”

“Okay…”

“Can you do me a favor? Take Anna Lisa with you. She’ll have fun. Besides, she needs to get out of here. I’m not going to be the best company right now, anyway.”

Isabel nodded, and walked out the door with Anna Lisa in one arm, and her stylish purse adorning the other. Giving one last look, an attempt at what seemed to be compassion, Isabel closed the apartment door behind her.

Max knew that Isabel wasn’t very good with emotions. None of them were, really. He hoped, at least, that she could get along with Anna Lisa. But, Anna could bring a smile to anyone’s face, even Isabel.

Max walked into the living room and walked up to the small bookcase. He hadn’t changed a thing since Liz had been missing. It was filled with her medical textbooks, along with all kinds of scientific books she had read. Everything was covered in dust now.

Max’s eyes wandered over to the one place on the bookshelf that wasn’t caked with dust -- a tiny drawer of pictures and video tapes of Liz. He looked at both pictures and videos at least once a day, so dust never had the chance to settle. He needed to see them. He needed to remember. He knew he would never forget. But looking at pictures of her, and seeing her, full of life on video made it easier to cope. He knew they would never be a substitute for her, but he couldn’t survive if he didn’t have them.

He put in one of his favorites -- one of Liz when she was eight months pregnant. The healthy glow had already become norm to her face. She lit up every room she walked into. The camera didn’t do her aura justice. She was so beautiful, it almost hurt to watch.

*Say something.*

*Max! I don’t know what to say!*

*How do you feel?*

*I feel fine, Max. You know that!*

*You don’t feel tired or anything?

*Not really. I must look terrible.*

*What are you talking about?*

*Max, it’s seven in the morning. I haven’t even had a shower yet. I can’t believe I’m letting you even tape this.*

*I wanted to tape you because I want to remember what it’s like being married to the most wonderful, intelligent, caring and beautiful woman in the universe.*

As he watched her smile, laugh and blush, everything around him disappeared. How could he have ever let her get away?

But try as he might, the video didn’t make up for what he saw today. Actually seeing her body was much different than seeing a two year old image of her.

He wanted to just sit here, and watch her forever. He didn’t want to go to school anymore. What was the point? He had missed his classes today -- he didn’t even care. It was already nearing the evening. How had the day gone on for so long?

More than just sitting there, he wanted to find Liz, and tell her how much he needed her to live through each day. For years, how only the thought of her allowed for his survival.

He wanted her to know.

*****

Audra lay on her bed. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted desperately to see Max. But again, she wouldn’t know what to say. What if he told her to get lost? What is he was nothing like she had imagined? What if, in fact, she had just imagined the whole thing?

Audra sighed.

The phone rang. Figuring it was room service, or the motel office, she picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Audra?” Audra panicked. No one knew where she was. Or did they?

“Yes?” she asked hesitantly.

“Hi, honey.”

Audra froze.