350 Back from the vacation (1/2)
December 25
On the morning of December 25, Max and Liz were busy wrapping all the presents that were waiting for them at Joshua's station when they arrived from Jamaica on the previous evening.
Liz was pleased with the variety of items they found online. Everyone was covered.
Their plan for the day is to go to the Anderson family's villa for lunch, spend the afternoon there and disperse after dinner.
Other than scrumptious lunch and dinner and holiday-themed movies, Madeline has several activities in the store for her guests. She is excited that all three of her kids and their partners will be present.
Liz and Max originally planned to stay longer in Jamaica and to welcome New Year in New York with Isaac. To Liz's surprise, Isaac announced that he will be coming to Seattle for a few days, Christmas included, and he accepted Madeline's invitation to spend the holiday with them.
Liz felt guilty staying in the Caribbean when her father is visiting, and Max and Liz decided to cut their Jamaican vacation short by a few days so that they can all gather for Christmas.
Isaac is staying in Liz's apartment, across the hall from Liz and Max.
Back to the present…
No matter how much Liz tried, Max was much better at gift-wrapping, so Liz left that part to him and she focused on cutting the shiny wrapping paper to the appropriate size and writing labels.
Liz observed Max's fingers moving swiftly while creating perfect tight edges over the presents and she wondered if there is anything Max is not good at.
She also noticed one more thing…
”What's with the long face?”, Liz asked Max, even though she knew the answer.
Max's hands didn't stop moving. ”Do you need to go?”
”Yes. It's a conference for surgeons, by surgeons. We went through this…”
Last night, Liz checked her work email and saw that the Franciscan Medical Center is eligible to send surgeons to the conference where recent advancements in the field of surgery will be discussed. This is professional training that is not available to many, and Liz was happy to jump onto that ship.
Max loves her professional passion, and he is supportive, but he does not like that it's a two-day long event with an overnight stay. He wanted to ask her to come home for the night, but the event is in Portland and it's not reasonable to expect Liz to travel so much, only to indulge him. But that does not mean that he is happy about it.
Max sighed. ”I know we did, but I will miss you. How am I going to survive two days without you?”
Liz hugged him from the back. His behavior was clingy and sweet and frustrating at the same time. Why does she need to coax him like he is a child? ”I will miss you too. It's only one night.”
”And two days.”, Max grumbled.
”There was a time when Nathan traveled, but the company grew, and people come to us now.”
”I don't have such a luxury.”
”I will come with you.”, Max declared.
Liz rejected. ”No. First of all, it is on the second week of January. You will be at work. And even if you ditch work and accompany me to Portland, you can't attend the presentations and you will end up sitting in the hotel room and waiting for me to return.”
Max turned and pulled Liz to sit in his lap. ”Knowing that holding you is my prize, no amount of waiting is too much, and every minute apart from you is unbearable.”
Liz melted inside out at his words. ”It will be OK, Max. I will leave in the morning and be back the next day in the evening. It's only one night. Each of us has responsibilities.”
Liz gave him a look to tell him that this is not open for further discussion. She wants to attend the seminar, and he needs to work. He is returning to the office after New Year, and he can't take two days off so soon.
”There are a few more boxes that need packing.” Liz tried to shift the topic.
”I'm almost out of the sticky tape.”
”I have some at my place…”
Max looked after Liz who walked out of his apartment and sighed. Her choice of words 'MY place' was a reminder that they are at HIS place and that despite all his efforts, Liz does not feel that she belongs there enough to call it 'OUR place'.
…
Liz punched the code and entered her apartment.