Chapter 40

Christmas Eve at the Hanson's was hectic, as always.  Aunts, Uncles, cousins and Grandparents had gathered for a feast that rivaled the one at Thanksgiving.  By the time Taylor made his way through the front door, things were in full swing.  "Where have you been?"  His mother asked.

"Saying good night to M-A-R-C-Y."  He signed.

"Oh,  we thought we were gonna have to eat without you."  She touched his cheek.  "Did you have fun with the kids today?"  He smiled and nodded.  "I'm glad, baby.  Now, get in there and sit before your Grandma has a fit."

He nodded, threw his coat on the chair and made his way into the kitchen passing the tables set up here and there for the kids, waving at his brother and sisters and his cousins as he went by.  As he stepped into the kitchen, his Grandmother exclaimed, "There you are!  I saved you a seat next to me so I can make sure you get enough to eat!"

He smiled at her as she made her way around the table and pulled him into a hug.  She felt tiny to him now as he had grown quite a bit in the last couple years and their schedule hadn't allowed much time for visiting.   He looked around the room, his family was all gathered there watching him.  The table had leaves added to it making it big enough to seat eighteen or twenty people easily.  Some had brought folding chairs so that everyone would have a seat.  His eyes met his fathers, "Everything alright?"  He asked, looking at his son's flushed cheeks.  Taylor nodded and smiled.  "Good. We're starved, c'mon," and he stood up so that Taylor could get past him to sit between him and his mother.

She was certain Taylor hadn't been eating well and she was going to fix that this evening.  Diana called the children in and the entire family held hands as Walker said grace.  He closed the prayer asking for the strength the family would need in the coming weeks.  "Amen."  Many voices spoke in unison.

Taylor made it through turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli casserole and something strange his aunt had made involving squash, plus two of his grandmothers home made rolls on the first go-round.  His second included the ham he'd skipped before, glazed sweet potatoes and corn pudding.   As he sat back in his chair, his grandmother asked him, "What do you want for dessert?"

Isaac snickered and Zac shook his head.  As soon as she looked away, Taylor signed to them, "SAVE ME!" 

"Grandma,"  Zac said, "you can't fatten him up in one night.  It took fourteen years for me to turn into the specimen of manhood you see before you."

"Well Zac,"  she replied, "you are a beautiful specimen, but I fixed a chocolate cake with coconut icing just for Tay."  She reached over and patted his stomach, it sounded like a watermelon.

"He's never been very big, Gram."  Isaac said.  "Well, you can have some later."  She said to Taylor, patting his cheek.

Isaac grinned then looked at his father who smiled back, then shrugged.  Taylor looked at Isaac, then at the doorway.  "Tay,"  Isaac spoke up, "come in the living room, I gotta show you something."  He nodded.

"Mom,"  Walker said, "can you let Tay out?"

She stood up and pushed her chair in.  "I think he'd fit through there just fine, he's so skinny."  She said.

Taylor sat up in the chair and his face turned into a grimace.  Diana watched him knowing he had to be about to burst.  She hadn't seen him eat that much since the Thanksgiving before last.  She made a mental note to make sure there was cherry Mylanta in the refrigerator.  Everyone else preferred the mint flavor except Taylor and Mackenzie, so they tried to keep both on hand.

Before he could get out of the chair, Taylor had to undo the top button on his pants.  His father pulled him up by his arm.  "You gonna make it, son?"

He nodded and slowly walked over to Isaac who grabbed his own and Taylor's plates and scraped them in the garbage can, then put them in the sink.  As he and Taylor rounded the corner out of the kitchen and into the hallway, Taylor grabbed his brother's arm and backed up against the wall with his eyes closed. He signed, "I thought I was going to P-U-K-E there for a minute." 

Isaac laughed, "I was afraid of that myself."

Taylor looked at his brother.  "Thanks man." 

"No problem."  Isaac replied and the two went into the living room with all the rest of the younger family members.  When they entered, children scrambled off the couch.  "Make room so Taylor can lay down!"  One of their cousins, Lacy exclaimed.  Taylor looked down at her.  "Mom said you were hurting right now."

He stooped down, "I'm alright."  He said to her.

Mackenzie walked over, "He's ok, Lacy, he was just upset cause they found the bad man.  He doesn't need to lay down."  Taylor squenched up his face and looked at Isaac.  Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he plopped down on the couch, regretting the sudden movement a bit as his stomach reminded him it was not happy with him, and stretched out.  Zoe climbed up and sat atop his thighs when he steered her away from his stomach where she usually perched.  He looked at her for a moment, admiring her curls, then noticed something different.  He tapped her on her shoulder.  When she looked at him, he tugged on the pull-up peeking out of her red velvet pants and gave her a questioning look.

"Big girl pants."  She replied.

He cocked his head and gave her a sidelong glance.  He snapped his fingers at Avery who was busy inspecting the gifts brought in by the relatives for the exchange, those nine and under in the family drew names at thanksgiving for the Christmas Eve exchange.  The eyes of his cousins all turned to him and he pointed at his little sister.  "What Tay?"  she asked.

"What's up with Z-O-E and the D-I-A-P-E-R-S?"  He signed.

"They're not diapers goof, they're pull-ups and I think Mom had to clean up one too many accidents.  Yesterday, she went behind the drapes and pooped."

Taylor gave Zoe a shocked look and she, in turn, looked very guilty.  Just then, Sparky trotted into the room, past Isaac who'd seated himself on the floor in front of Taylor and peered up at Zoe, trying to make her disappear by sheer willpower.  Much to his dismay, the tiny girl never budged.  In fact, she seemed to be settling in quite comfortably on his domain.  Finally, resigning himself to the fact that, once again, he had to share Taylor, he hopped up on the couch and curled up next to Zoe.  Ordinarily, she would have jumped at the chance to hug him and kiss him, but tonight, her eyes were glazed over by the brightly colored lights and shiny packages under the Christmas tree.  Without thinking, Taylor's hand found the little dog's head and he gently scratched him behind the ears.  Sparky was content, he didn't need Santa or toys or lights to feel joy, only the touch of his master.

Jessica walked in the room with her cousin.  They'd been upstairs discussing boys and fashions and what they'd hoped to get for Christmas.  "It's quiet in here,"  she said,  "what's up?"

"We're waiting for all the old people to finish eating so we can open presents."  Mackenzie replied.

"Well, take your plates in the kitchen so we can get rid of these tables."  She said and started folding up chairs.

Zac walked in eating a brownie and offered Taylor a bite, he wrinkled up his nose and stuck out his tongue in response.  Now Diana joined them.  "Taylor, what's wrong?"  She asked, seeing him prostrate on the couch and everyone else sitting on the floor.

"Nothing."  He said.

She looked at Isaac.  "The kids all thought he was hurt or something, I don't know."  He said, smiling as he looked back at him.

She reached down and put her hand on his forehead.  "You're not hot."  She said to him.

"I didn't say I was..."  He said back.

"Well, get your butt up from there so everybody can sit.  Your grandma is not going to sit on the floor while you lay there like a slug just because you can.  And get that dog off the couch, I just had it cleaned."

Taylor sighed and sat up, scooting Zoe off on the floor as well as Sparky.  "Geez, it's not like I made every body move or anything."  He said.

"What?"  she said back to him.

"Nothing."  He replied and he plopped down next to Isaac.

Zac wasted no time grabbing a spot on the couch between his mother and grandmother.  "MOM!!"  Taylor said, though of course, she didn't hear him.

Isaac was getting a headache already and the thought of being with his family all night was not helping him in the least.  He watched as the younger children's excitement got the best of them and they began to chase each other or argue amongst themselves.  This year there were thirteen of them aged nine and under and the moment they'd all been waiting for was almost upon them.  As everyone crowded into the living room to watch the ensuing madness, the doorbell rang.

Walker made his way over to the door and opened it to find Lee standing there.  "Hi Mr. Hanson."  She said.

"Hi Lee, c'mon in."  He said and opened the door wide.  The sight that met her eyes was incredible to her.  There were people everywhere, on the couch, the chairs, the floor and crowded in the doorways.  The Hansons had a big house now, but still, this was a crowd and they were loud.  "Everybody!"  Walker called out.  Suddenly, all eyes were on her.  "This is Lee, Isaac's girlfriend."

Greetings came at her from every side and she smiled and waved and searched frantically for Isaac.  She spotted him sitting on the floor next to a very solemn looking Taylor and Sparky.  He smiled back at her and motioned for her to come over.  "Zac, get up."  He said to his brother.

"Why?  It's just Lee."  He said back, grinning.

Isaac turned, "You're funny Zac."  He said, "Wanna live to see what Santa brings you tomorrow, or do you just want to end it all now?"

"Alright, alright.  Dag."  He said and he sat down next to Taylor.

Lee sat on the couch behind Isaac and watched as the insanity began.  Jessica handed out presents and the ripping and tearing started.  Parents ooh'ed and ahh'ed as their children unwrapped their treasures.  Zac's attention was drawn to his brothers, though.  He watched as Lee massaged Isaac's shoulders and he turned his head to kiss her hand.  Taylor looked as though he was drifting in and out of consciousness. When he was awake, he seemed to be off in that little world of his.  At one point, his head dropped over on Lee's knee and she leaned down, "You ok, pretty boy?"  She asked.

When he didn't respond, she pushed his bangs out of his face and looked closely at him, then at Zac who just shrugged his shoulders.  Isaac looked at her and said, "He ate too much."

A squeal of delight from a small girl opening a rock star Barbie caused Taylor to jerk awake.  Zac nudged him and he shook his head trying to stay awake.  "You know we're going to midnight mass, don'tcha?"  Zac asked him quietly.

Taylor looked back at him with tired eyes.  "Really?"  He mouthed.

"Yep.  And Mom says we gotta go, we haven't been since before..."  He cut himself off and Taylor gave him a look of understanding.

~~~~

Soon after the presents were opened, families gathered their children and their gifts and began to leave.  Usually, the fun lasted much longer, but they'd all agreed ahead of time that Diana, Walker and their seven children needed a little down time.  They knew about Tom's capture and a bit of what had gone down the night before and so Taylor received quite a few hugs, pats on the back and words of encouragement, though no one brought up the actual details of the whole mess.  And he was thankful for that.  Conversation that night had all centered around upcoming weddings, births and other goings-on in the family rather than the sensational news surrounding Taylor and his situation.

As 11:30 approached, Taylor's apprehension grew.  He was not looking forward to walking through the church doors and seeing the whole congregation look at him with those pitiful looks he always got now.  He'd put on a suit and tie for his parents' sake and as he sat on the couch waiting for everyone to be ready, he loosened the tie and lay his head back on the couch, closing his eyes.

Zac was in his room.  He had changed into dress pants and a button down shirt and he was taking a moment to e-mail Shelly to see if she could come over on New Year's Eve.  Though Diana didn't really feel like it, she'd agreed to let the boys have a party to welcome the new millennium, even though Isaac had informed her it didn't officially start 'til the following year.  Especially, since it would be held in the yard out way behind the garage.  As he was about to sign off, Zac decided to check Taylor's mail.  There were literally hundreds and hundreds of messages for him.  As far as anyone knew, his brother only answered or even looked at ones from family members or Marcy.  He scrolled down, down, down looking at the names.  He had so hoped to see just plain "Sarah"  in the names, but it just wasn't there.  In the back of his mind he was replaying the words, "Sarah-delete, Sarah-delete, Sarah-delete…"