Chapter 37

Lee was nervously waiting for Isaac to get back home.  They'd all decided it would be better if she waited at the Hanson's rather than accompany the boys since the press was involved.  Walker and Diana had stopped answering the phone, not wanting to tie up the line in case an important call came through.  The family had been so relieved to find out where Taylor was, but relief turned to concern at the news from Marcy and her brothers that he'd had some sort of emotional episode.  In the couple of months she'd known the family, Lee had always thought they would be ecstatic when Taylor's kidnapper was captured, but she knew what a mixed blessing that could be.  Jessica came into the living room and sat down on the couch next to her.  Jay Leno was coming on TV and they both watched, neither actually seeing what was going on.  "Is everybody ok?"  Lee finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," she answered.  "Zoe fell asleep right off, but Mack's scared, so he's in Avie's bed, which means she won't fall asleep for a good long time."

"So, he's a kicker?"

"Yep.  Just like Zac."  Lee chuckled remembering Isaac telling her if they ever had to double up, they all dreaded having to sleep with him and Taylor was not much better, though, as he was all knees and elbows. Sparky came into the room and stood in front of Jessica growling.  "The guys must be coming."  She said and stood up.

With the Christmas tree lit up, presents everywhere and a fire burning in the fireplace, it looked like the picture perfect holiday scene.  But tonight, the only sounds in the house were the low murmurs of her parents discussing uncomfortable things in the kitchen and the constant ringing of the telephone as word spread that Taylor Hanson's abductor, the man who robbed the world of a great singer and a family of the words and laughter of one of it's sons, had been captured.  Now, the sound of car doors slamming let Lee and Jessica know that, as always, Sparky knew what was up.  The girls both went to the front window to watch the three boys get out of the car.  "He doesn't look too bad."  Lee said.

Jessica looked for a moment longer, then said, "it's not him."

"What?"  Lee looked again.  Sure enough, as they got to the steps she could tell Taylor was not with them. "It's Marcy's brother."  Lee said.

Jessica went to the door and opened it as her brothers were coming up the front steps.  "Where's Tay?"  She asked.  Walker and Diana had heard the front door and come into the living room.

"Greg and Marcy are bringing him."  Isaac said as he stepped into the house.

Once all three were in, Zac introduced his parents to Tim and vice versa.  "We sort of used him as a decoy to get the hounds away from the house long enough for Tay to get out."

"How was he?"  Diana asked.

Lee knew how worried she had been, though she'd tried not to let it show.  Isaac put his arm around his mother, "He was pretty wiped out, but I think he's ok now."

Sparky had gone straight to Tim and was sniffing every inch of his legs and feet.  Not only could he smell Tim's fear, but Taylor's as well.  Jessica looked at him suspiciously.  Zac had told her about the words he and his brother had exchanged with he and Taylor and she didn't trust him any more than Sparky did.  "Um, here's your hat."  Tim said quietly and handed Isaac the baseball cap.  He then took off Zac's coat and handed it to him.

"You're gonna get cold walking home, man."  Zac said.  "You sure you don't want to wait a minute or two?  They oughta be right behind us."

Tim looked at Taylor's sister, then his parents.  "It's not that far, it'll be alright."

Just then, Sparky's ears stood up and he ran to the window.  "He's here."  Jessica said.

The car ride had done nothing for Taylor's struggle to stay awake.  Greg had ushered the two into the back seat of the car and in no time Marcy had watched his eyes grow heavy and he'd keeled over onto her shoulder.  As they neared the gatehouse, she pulled him down further seeing that both media and fans had gathered there.  When they finally got past it all, she gave a silent prayer of thanks.  She looked with longing as they drove past their own house and down the street to the Hanson's.  They pulled into the driveway and before the engine was turned off they were met by Diana, Walker, Isaac, Zac and Jessica.  Marcy reached over and unlocked Taylor's door.  Isaac pulled it open and she watched him slowly come to life again.  She and Greg got out and she looked over at their front door where Sparky stood on his back legs watching intently out the window at all the commotion.  Diana had her hand on Taylor's forehead while Walker and Isaac were on each side of him pulling him forward.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry."  His mother cooed to him.

Jessica came over to Marcy, "Did you have a good time on your date?"  She asked.

Marcy looked at her then noticed the gleam in her eye.  "Well, it certainly was exciting, I'll give him that much."

"Yep, never a dull moment with Taylor around."  Now Marcy turned serious.  "Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of this mess."

They watched as Taylor was led past them and up the stairs.  Jessica looked at her.  "I used to think sometimes, I'd just give anything to be normal, y'know?  There were times we didn't see the boys for weeks, sometimes months at a time.  Dad too.  Or, if we were together, you couldn't just go out and eat or see a movie or go to Chucky Cheese without insane people screaming at us or chasing us.  But, for him to have had to give up what he did..."  She paused and Marcy and she both turned and watched again as Lee opened the front door for them.  "It's just not right."  Jessica finished.

Zac turned to Greg and the girls.  "C'mon in, it's cold out here."

"We probably should just go home Zac."  Marcy said.

He nodded saying, "Well, don't leave Tim here, Sparky's terrorizing him.  C'mon, he's just gotta get his coat from Tay."

They stepped inside.  As Walker helped Taylor to take off the coat Diana walked over to Marcy.  "Good Heavens Marcy, I'm so sorry all this happened... thanks for helping us."  She looked at the other two boys, "And thank you too.  I know you and the boys don't always get along, so that's all the more reason for us to be grateful to you."

"Hope everything turns out ok."  Greg said.

She sighed, "oh, I'm sure it will be."  And she held out her hand to each of them shaking theirs and then turning back to Taylor, who was getting increasingly animated and upset.

Zac grabbed Tim's coat and handed it to him.  "See ya later, dudes."  He said.

"Good luck, man."  Tim said back.  As the three left, Marcy looked back to see Taylor hugging Sparky and sitting between his parents talking and signing.

Lee felt very uncomfortable watching the exchange between Taylor and his parents.  She stepped over to Isaac.  "Hey," she whispered.  "I'm gonna have my mom pick me up, ok?"

He looked at her,  "I can take you..."

"No, you need to stay here."

"Lee, I don't think there's anything I can do.  I think this is all between Mom & Dad and Tay now."  She was still unsure.  She didn't want to take him away in case something happened.

Just then, Walker stood up.  "C'mon Tay, let's go in our bedroom, ok?"  He nodded and got up following his father as he walked out the door of the living room.

Diana looked up at the four of them.  "Well, I guess this is it, huh?"  She said.

"Mom," Isaac said.  "I'm gonna run Lee home but I'll be right back, ok?  Everything'll be alright."

She stood up and walked over to them, "Don't hurry, I think your Dad and I can handle anything that comes up, and I'm sure if we need him, Zac will be right there."

Zac nodded and plopped down on the couch.  Isaac reached over and hugged his mother.  "Love you, Mom."

"I love you too sweetie, be careful, it might be slick."  She said, then she turned and went out the same door her husband had gone through moments before.

"Bye Lee."  Jessica said as she walked over and joined Zac on the couch.

~~~~

Sitting on his parents bed, Taylor was doing his best to recount the entire story to his parents.  From that fateful July night when he met Sarah to the e-mail he'd received from her in October and his hurtful reply, to the alley in New York City to Tom's revelation that Sarah had been pregnant with his child, their grandchild.  He watched his parents faces turn from shock to sadness as he told them that she had killed herself and the child and that revenge, not money was indeed the reason Tom had abducted him and proceeded to ruin his life for good.  All these things he told, sometimes through his own tears, sometimes his parents'.  Some part of Diana prayed she'd misunderstood him, but she knew she hadn't.  It all fit, and the heart she thought couldn't break anymore did as she thought not only about the girl and the child, but about Tom and her son's shattered life and the pain and grief he'd experienced even as he was being terrorized by the man.  To Walker, it was just unbelievable.  Not only the story, but to find out that Taylor had held it in all this time.  He was surprised things hadn't been worse than they were.

"Please tell me Taylor,"  Diana said, struggling to keep her composure, "that you haven't left anything out. No more surprises, please tell me."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!  It's all my fault, but I didn't mean it, please don't hate me.  Please don't hate me!"

Diana grabbed him by the shoulders, "don't ever think that!  Ever!"

Walker was afraid Taylor was going away again, his tears had turned to sobs.  "Son,"  he said, "you can't blame yourself for all of this.  You made a mistake, that's all.  And we both know, if you'd found out about the baby, you'd have made it right.  But, she never gave you the chance..."

"She tried!!"

"NO!  She didn't!  She gave up and she took the easy way out.  Never, never is it right to kill, not yourself and not anyone else.  She knew she had found you and yet, she never tried again.  If she truly felt you were a horrible person and she never wanted anything to do with you again, she could have given that baby up for adoption and gone on with her life.  But, she chose to haunt you instead and make you pay and she used that man as her weapon!!"

Taylor listened as his father tried to grant him absolution, but to his mind, all that mattered was that Sarah was dead and the baby was dead because of him.  If he'd listened to Isaac and Zac and watched tv then gone to sleep as they had that night... she would be alive and the child would have blessed someone else's life.  Someone who deserved it.

"Taylor," his mother said.  "I know you believe you are to blame.  God, I wish we could make it all go away, but we can't.  But, I can tell you this, when a woman has a child growing within her, that should be the only thing that matters.  The only thing.  For her to have committed that unforgivable, selfish act, not only to herself but to that precious child, all because of a few meaningless words...  You'll never make me believe that it's your fault.  And that despicable man...  Well, he will get what's coming to him."  Walker looked at her and saw it in her eyes, she was going to tell him.  "Do you know what happened tonight, Taylor?"  She asked.  He shook his head.  "While you were torturing yourself, Tom Harris was captured and taken to New York where he will go on trial for what he did to you."  Taylor's eyes widened.  "And he will pay.  We are going to New York after New Years..."

"Mom..."

"You are going to New York and you'll testify.  It doesn't matter what people think or what the media thinks or says.  Also, you are going to do the job you agreed to at Calvin Klein and I talked to Dr. McCawley tonight and she is arranging for you to get counseling while you're there.  We'll be with you.  All of us."

Walker looked at the two of them.  They were eye to eye and it looked like, finally, she had gotten through to him.  He didn't say anything and Diana reached over and took a tissue from the box on the bedside table, put it up to his nose and said, "Blow."

The tiniest hint of a smile crossed Walker's face as, without embarrassment or hesitation, his sixteen year old son allowed his mother to wipe his nose for him.

"Now," she said, "you go to sleep, you look awful.  Just lay down here, we'll take your bed tonight."   As he kicked off his boots, he ran his hands through his hair, then lay back on his parents bed.  Diana pushed his hair out of his face and kissed him on the forehead.  "Someday, this will all just be a memory."

~~~~

Zac lay on the couch.  Jessica had her head on his hip, sound asleep beside him.  He listened as his parents asked questions or gave answers to his brother's story.  He knew from what they were saying, exactly what Taylor was telling them.  Unless there were things he hadn't told him.  And he couldn't imagine anything worse than what he'd told him outside of out and out murder.  He had retrieved the folder from his coat pocket and had looked at the photos and read some of the text.  The images of his brother's blood and the thoughts of what he'd gone through there with those people were horrifying.  Taylor had not talked much at all about what he'd endured there, but the photos told the story very well.  His eyes kept coming back to the picture of Tom and Sarah together.  He looked like a normal guy, proudly standing next to his beautiful fiancée.  And she was beautiful.  No wonder Taylor was drawn to her, he thought.  He tried to imagine for a moment what the child would have looked like, would he have been tall like Taylor or small like her?  Dark eyes or crystal blue like his father?  Zac looked up as the front door quietly opened and Isaac stepped inside.

He signed to Zac, "Everything ok?" 

Zac nodded then looked at his watch, 2:10 am.

"They still in there?"  Isaac asked quietly, pointing in the direction of his parents' bedroom.

"Yeah."  He whispered.  "No outbursts or anything?"

"Nope, just talking and questions and cryin' and stuff."

Isaac sighed.  "Who was crying?"

Zac shook his head.  "Everybody."

Before they could talk anymore, their father came into the room.  Both boys looked at him.  "Are  you alright Dad?  Is Tay ok?"  Isaac asked.

Walker nodded, "he's out, I think... your mother and I are gonna sleep upstairs."

The unspoken words between the three hung heavily in the room and suddenly Isaac felt extremely guilty for not telling his parents when he'd found out about everything.  Zac's mind, however, was still centered on the pictures he'd looked at and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.  He didn't feel any guilt as he'd promised Taylor he wouldn't tell them and he hadn't.  He wouldn't have told Isaac if he hadn't believed Taylor's life depended on it.

Diana walked into the room and they all looked at her.  She looked very tired and her eyes made no secret she'd been crying.  "Walk, I'm going up, you coming?"

He walked over and put his arms around her.  "Yeah, it's late.  Let's put an end to this day."

"Guys," she said, "would you make sure Jess makes it to bed?"

"Sure, Mom."  Isaac answered, "Good night."

"Night babies."  She said and the two turned and went out the doorway and up the stairs.
 
 
 

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