Chapter 26

Taylor took the clothes and sheets from the washer and put them in the dryer.  He also included his coat which he'd retrieved from the front yard, soaking wet.  His arm didn't hurt much unless he used it so he just concentrated on holding it close to his side and used his left hand as much as possible.  He set the timer for thirty-five minutes and looked at his watch.  That would give him about a half hour to sort and fold it before the rest of his family came home.  Just as he turned to walk out, Jessica walked in with wet coats and gloves intending to hang them up to dry.  She gave him a shocked look which he returned.  "What are you doing in here?"  she asked, and she looked around the room as if expecting there to be some secret party or hidden Christmas presents, but all she saw was her suddenly nervous looking older brother.

"Drying clothes."  He said.

"Why?"  she asked bluntly.

He gave her his best 'duh' look and squeezed past her hoping she'd be satisfied.  He walked into the living room where Zoe had insinuated herself beside Sparky on the chosen chair.  She seemed to be the only one in the family he hadn't been able to intimidate and, so, he was at her mercy as she patted his head in that brain rattling toddler fashion.

The smell of the fresh Christmas Tree was suddenly making it feel like Christmas to Taylor.  Looking around the room he saw Isaac dozing on the couch while Avery gave Barbie one of her endless makeovers. Mackenzie was showing Zac the sugar cookies they'd decorated the night before at Grandma's house.  In the kitchen, Jessica was helping Diana fix lunch and discussing an essay she was supposed to write on the importance of recycling.  He walked up behind his mother and picked up the long braid that hung down her back.  She turned around to see him put it up to his nose and smile.  "What are you doing?"  she asked.

"Smelling your hair."  He let it fall back and put his arms around her, she hugged him back, wondering what was going on in that brain of his.  Jessica watched her brother hoping he hadn't gone off the deep end. He was acting weird, more weird than usual.

Zac walked in eating a reindeer shaped cookie.  He went over to the garbage can and began popping the tiny silver balls off it.  "Man, how many of those things can you get on one cookie?"  he asked no one in particular.  Once the offending candy was gone, he popped the whole thing in his mouth.  "Where's Dad?" he asked.

"That's disgusting, Zac."  Jessica said wrinkling up her face.  He opened his mouth as wide as he could and began walking towards her.

"Stop it!"  She yelled and got behind Taylor.  "Mom, make him stop!"

Diana shook her head, "Zac, stop it."  She said as she stirred something in a pot on the stove.  "Your dad is in the attic getting down the Christmas decorations, you two go help him."

~~~~

By the time all the boxes were in the living room the boys were ready for lunch.  Isaac had been awakened by the doorbell and was happy to see Lee standing there.  She was dressed for work in a lime green silk blouse with black pants and boots.  "You look nice."  Isaac said and he kissed her.

"Well," she replied.  "I have to work 'til 6:30, so I figured I'd just wear this tonight."

Taylor walked in after having stuffed a brownie in his mouth.  He waved at Lee and signed to Isaac, "Lunch is done."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Tay."  Zac said with a grin as he walked up to the other three.

"Done as in 'over' or done as in 'ready'?"  Isaac asked.

"R-E-A-D-Y."  Taylor spelled out.

"Isn't there a sign for 'ready'?"  Lee asked.

Taylor shrugged and Zac thought aloud, "Hmmm...  I'm sure there is, but we just haven't gotten that far yet."

Lee smiled.  After the night before, she'd thought Taylor would be looking worse for wear, but he actually looked better than she'd seen him in a while.  "Taylor's got a date tonight."  Zac said in a sing-song voice.

Lee watched as the expected slap in the arm came from Taylor, he wrinkled his face up and shook his head. "Really?  Anybody I know?"  She asked, delighted to join in the fun.

Isaac answered her, "Marcy from down the street.  I just invited her to go with us tonight.  It's not a date, you dork.  You hungry Lee?"

"Nope, I grabbed a burger."

As Isaac left the living room, the rest of his family entered in a burst of noise.  "Remember, unbreakable ones on the bottom..."'  Diana was instructing them as they all scrambled into the boxes.

Lee turned her attention back to Taylor and Zac.  "Marcy, huh?  Is she pretty?"  They both looked dumbfound- ed.  "Well, is she?"

Zac said, "Um... sorta, I guess.  She kinda reminds me of Alanis Morrisette.  I never really thought about it."  He then looked over at Taylor.  "She's definitely got a great left hook though, doesn't she Tay?"  Taylor said something and signed before walking away.  "Mom!  He just threatened me!"  Zac called out to his mother.

"I'm sure you deserved it."  She said without looking up from the box of ornaments.

Zoe walked up to Zac.  "Zac, potty!"  She said pointing to the box by the door.

"Hey, that's just for big girls!"  He stooped down to her.

"Zoe big."  She said.

"Yeah, I guess you are."  He said and he hugged her.

She then walked over to Taylor and pulled on his sweater.  He turned and looked down at her.  "Zoe big girl potty."  She said pointing to the new Elmo potty chair.  He smiled and put his hand out and she slapped it.

~~~~

As the clock neared 1:00, the tree was covered in ornaments of every shape, size, and type.  From the homemade that each child had lovingly created through the years, to the special pieces picked up on worldwide travels, to the Hallmark Chewbacca dated 1999 that a fan had sent to Isaac.  Lee had never seen anything like it.  This year was Avery's year to put up the star.  Isaac held her up and she carefully placed a large cardboard cutout star that had a toilet paper roll attached to the bottom, painted gold.  Pasted in the center was a picture of Mary and baby Jesus cut from a Christmas card and on the back was written "Isaac 1986" and some intriguing scribbles placed there by then 3 year old Taylor.  As much as she didn't want to, Lee had to leave and go to work.  When Isaac walked her to her car, the whole family peeked out the windows to spy on them.  As he kissed her through her open window, Avery and Mackenzie burst out laughing before heading out the back door to play in what was left of the snow.  Zac shook his head and went to the kitchen with the parting comment, "Ike's whipped."

Diana and Walker smiled at each other and followed Zac, leaving Jessica, Taylor, and Zoe watching.  "I got your clothes out of the dryer for you."  Jessica said and looked up at Taylor.

He let the curtain fall back and meeting her eyes said, "Thanks."

"Are you alright?"  she asked.  He looked away from her and nodded.  "What happened to your shirt?"

"Nothing, just an accident."  Zoe watched the two of them now, instead of out the window.  She pulled on Taylor's pant leg and reached her arms up for him to pick her up.  She had a sippy cup hanging from her mouth.  He reached down and picked her up as gracefully as he could while favoring his right arm.  He walked over to the couch and sat holding her in his lap.  Sparky, who had been systematically sniffing the tree and every ornament within his reach, jumped up on the couch with them and curled up beside Taylor as Zoe lay her head on his chest.

On the stereo, Nat King Cole was singing about Chestnuts and flying reindeer.  "Tay sing."  Zoe said and looked up at his face.  He made a big frown and held his hands up giving the 'all gone' gesture that all toddlers know, hoping she'd understand.  "Tay sing."  She said again and lay her head back down.  Jessica watched as he sighed, got up, sitting Zoe back down on the couch and went to the kitchen.  He came back with Zac in tow.  He told Zac to sit, and though he wasn't sure why, he did.  Taylor gently sat Zoe in his lap.

"Sing to her."  He said.  Zac looked confused, then looked at Jessica who looked upset.

"What's going on?"  He asked her.  Taylor gave him a stern look.

"Okay!  Dag!"  And he started to sing along with the music.  The song was now "Away in a Manger". Though it wasn't the brother she'd asked, it didn't matter.  The deep sound rumbling in his chest and the vibration against her face was enough and she closed her eyes.

~~~~

It was the small, unexpected moments that hurt the most.  Just when they thought they were coping, something would remind them what a painful loss Taylor, and his whole family for that matter, were enduring.  When he turned and headed for the laundry room, Jessica followed him.  He balanced the clothes basket on his hip and started out but his sister stood in the doorway.

"Did you hurt yourself on purpose?"  She asked.  He looked her in the eye and shook his head.  "Tay, you're scaring me."  The ringing of the telephone interrupted them.

When Diana called out, "Taylor, phone!"  He looked over at the telephone hanging on the wall as if it would bite him.  He hadn't used the phone for more than a month and a half now.

Jessica picked up the phone, "Taylor can't come to the phone..."  She was cut off by the sound of her Grandmother's voice.

"Oh tish-tosh!  I know he's there, just give him the phone!"

She held out the receiver and said, "It's Grandma."

He took the phone from her and as she turned to leave, he pulled her over to him.  "S-T-A-Y."  He signed. "Tell her I'm here."  He said and he put the phone up to his ear.

"Tay's listening Grandma," she said.

"Taylor!?  This is Grandma!  I've missed you!  How are you, babydoll?"

Though tears had sprung to his eyes, a smile spread across his face.  He looked to Jessica and signed.  "He says he's fine Grandma."  She spoke loud enough for her grandmother to hear on the other end of the line.

"Last time I saw you was Thanksgiving, are you all better now?"

He nodded.  "Yes."  Jessica said.

"Did you get the brownies I sent you?"

"Tell her they were great."

"He says they were excellent, Grandma."

"Have you been getting enough to eat?  You looked awfully thin at Sandy's."

He rolled his eyes and nodded.  Jessica grinned, "Yes Grandma."

"Well, I'll let you go, Tay.  I just wanted to tell you I love you and miss your sweet voice.."

He signed, "Tell her 'I love you, too.'"

"He says he loves you too."

"Bye bye precious."

He waved.  "Bye Grandma."  Jessica said and then he heard a click as she hung up on the other end.