Chapter 50

Marcy had gone inside the police station, knowing it was not a good idea for Taylor or Isaac to go in.  At this moment in time, they were hot news and they didn't need the publicity.  Walker had called Isaac to inform him he'd talked to his lawyer and he'd offered to meet her inside and speed things up a bit.  In less than an hour, Marcy and Kim were coming down the steps together.  Taylor watched, Kim's long dark hair blew in the wind and when she flung it out of her face, he could tell she'd been crying.  Now he looked at Marcy, she was talking and smiling, pointing to the car.  The sun gave her hair a warm, reddish glow and her cheeks were pink from the cold.  Neither girl wore a coat, Marcy wore a heavy sweater and Kim a denim jacket.  In fact, Isaac recognized it as belonging to him.  Taylor hurriedly opened the door and got out.  He and Isaac traded places so that he could sit in the back with Kim.

As soon as she saw Taylor's face, Kim began to cry again.  "I'm sorry Marcy."  She said.

"Don't worry about it."  Marcy replied.

"Taylor..."  She began, "we better get going before somebody recognizes you guys."

He nodded and guided Kim into the car, stepping in after her.  Isaac looked back at the two.  Taylor was stroking her hair and she was pressed up against him, sniffing now and then.  Marcy started to pull away, then turned to Isaac.  "Where to?"

He turned back again.  "Where do you live, Kim?"  He asked.

Taylor snapped his fingers and began to sign, "nobody H-O-M-E.  Go to our house."

"Tay..."  Isaac started, then he looked at the girl and nodded.  "Just go back to our house Marcy."

She raised her eyebrows and looked at the two in the rearview mirror, "Alright, whatever you say."

When they pulled into the Hanson's driveway, Kim sat up.  "Taylor, I can't go to your house."

She looked at him, then Isaac, who said, "yeah, you can."

Marcy turned to her, "when Greg gets home, I'll send him down and you can come to our place, ok?"  She looked over at Taylor and he nodded.  "Are you sure?"

"Yes."  He mouthed.  She sighed, pulled her hair behind her ears and opened the door, stepping out into the cold Oklahoma wind.  Isaac and Taylor stepped out and Taylor went over to Marcy's window and gestured for her to roll it down. "I'll pick you up at six."  He said and he leaned in and kissed her.

"You better look damn good."  She said.

He smiled his best smile. "Oh, I will."  He said and he waved as she backed out of the driveway.

~~~~

"So, you have a date with Marcy tonight?"  Kim asked.  She, Jessica and Avery were on Taylor's bed watching him finish packing.  Kim had been allowed to go up to Taylor's room but only if they were accompanied by someone and Jessica and Avery had been more than happy to oblige.

He nodded, "Like, a real date—or are you taking her someplace stupid?"  Avery asked.

"S-T-U-P-I-D?"  Taylor questioned.

Jessica and Avery looked at each other.  "Well, let's see—"  Jessica started, "you've taken her bowling with Ike, to our old house, where you freaked out by the way, and to a school Christmas party.  How exciting."

"I know!"  Avery exclaimed, "You could take her to church!  You haven't taken her there yet!"

Taylor slapped his knee and pretended to laugh.

"Where are you taking her?"  Jessica asked.

He turned from the dresser throwing a mound of socks onto the bed next to the suitcase, looked at her and shrugged his shoulders.  Then, he signed, "to eat and a M-O-V-I-E ."

"Well,"  Jessica stated, "it's not original, but at least it's normal."

Kim smiled watching Taylor's sisters give him fits.  She reached down and scratched Sparky's ears and he closed his eyes and stretched out on the socks Taylor had tossed on the bed.  "What movie?"  She asked.

He held up six fingers and the three girls looked at him blankly.  He looked at Jessica and stomped his foot, then made the signs for T and H.

"6 T H ?  Oh, the Sixth Sense?  Cool.  Maybe she'll get all scared and want you to hold her hand and stuff."  She giggled.

Avery snorted, "More like he'll be wantin' to—it's supposed to be really scary."

Taylor put his hands on his hips, then started to sign at the girls.  Both looked at Kim.  "What?"  She asked.

"Do you hear something?"  Avery asked grinning.

"Nope, not a thing."  Jessica replied.

Kim watched Taylor, afraid they'd hurt his feelings, but it was obviously something he was used to as he just rolled his eyes and went back to his closet and went through the many clothes hanging there.  "Hey!"  Jessica yelped, "wear those tonight!"  She jumped up and grabbed, then held up the pair of blue velvet pants he'd purchased from Lee.

"Oh, those are gorgeous Taylor!"  Kim gasped, then pouted, "How come I never got to see you in those?"

"Cuz I've never worn them."  He mouthed carefully.

"Why not?"  She asked.  He shrugged.  "Well, I think you should."  She got up off the bed and stepped over by him.  "Can I see?"  She asked Jessica.

"Sure."  She answered and she handed the hanger to her then went back and sat on the bed next to Avery again.

Kim ran her fingers over the soft material, "Marcy's a lucky girl."  She said softly.  She looked up at Taylor and for a moment, their eyes locked.  Jessica watched the two, wondering if they were going to kiss, but then Kim backed up a little.  "I guess we better find a shirt to go with these, huh girls?"  She said and looked over at the two on the bed.

Jessica smiled at her.  "What about the silk one?"  She said and got up again.

Taylor reached in and pulled out the shimmery shirt.  Kim looked at it, then back at Jessica.  "That's too girly."  Avery stated, laying back against the pillows and pulling Sparky with her.

"Hmmm, with these pants, maybe."  She took the hanger from his hand and hung it back up, then proceeded to leaf through the shirts left there.

"Wait!  Go back."  Kim exclaimed.  "The blue one..."

Jessica pushed the hangers 'til she saw it, blue, cottony, with embroidery on the front.

"Oh, I remember this one from some pictures."  Kim said, "it's perfect, don't you think?"  She asked, holding it up to the pants.

"If you want him to get beat up."  They all turned at the sound of Greg's voice.  Kim rushed over and hugged him.  "I'm sorry I wasn't there this morning, you ok?"  He asked her.

She nodded and blinked back tears.  Wanting to change the subject, she held up the clothes, "Nobody's gonna beat him up.  This shirt is very manly.  Sort of denimy."  She said looking at Taylor.

"Yeah, yeah, just keep telling yourself that."  Greg said grinning.

"Marcy will love it."  Kim said.

Jessica walked over and sat next to Avery, looking at Greg coldly.  "You don't like me little Hanson girl, do you?"

"Nope."  She said.

He looked at Kim.  "One thing I like about this family, they're painfully honest."  Taylor pulled his suitcase from the bed and put it on the floor, then sat with his sisters.  Sparky left Avery's side and joined him.  "Are you H-U-N-G-O-V-E-R?"  Taylor signed to Greg.

Greg shook his head and looked to Jessica.  "Do you have a hangover?"  She repeated.

Greg laughed.  "A little, how 'bout you?  Is your leg broke?"

Taylor gingerly pulled up his pantleg.  Kim gasped, "Oh my gosh, what happened?"

"Your friend Sherry tried to take him down."  Greg stated.

She looked at him, shocked.  "What?!  Why?"

Taylor just pulled it back down and shrugged, shooting a glance at his sisters.  "I'll tell you later."  Greg said to Kim.  "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," she said, "Taylor, thanks for everything."  He stood up and gave her a hug.  "Tell your Dad I said 'thanks', ok?"  She whispered in his ear.

He nodded.  "I'm leaving town tomorrow."  He said.

"You're leaving?"  She asked, not sure she understood.

"We're going to New York."  Avery said.

"Oh,"  she looked up at him, "be careful."

He smiled and nodded, then went to his desk and grabbed a post-it and wrote, then handed it to her.  It had Isaac's cell phone number and the name of the hotel they'd be staying at.  Call me if you need anything.  It said.

"Thanks Taylor, have a good time tonight."

"And don't be late," Greg added, "I hate it when Marcy gets pissed off."  Taylor waved and they turned to leave.  "Bye little Hanson girls!"

Avery giggled and Jessica snorted and watched Kim and Greg leave.

~~~~

As six o'clock neared, Marcy stood in front of her mirror.  She had pulled her hair back in a high ponytail and put on dangling earrings that matched her broomstick skirt.  She wore a soft, forest green blouse.  She wasn't sure where they'd be going so she felt it was dressy, yet casual at the same time.  She rubbed Rain oil on her neck, remembering Taylor had noticed and liked it last time she'd worn it. At the sound of the doorbell, she ran down the stairs.  Tim had answered the door and Taylor stood in her living room.  He waved when he saw her.  Her mother and father were sitting on the couch and they turned off the television.  "Hi Taylor."  Her mother stood up.

"Hi Mrs. Gutman."  He mouthed.

"Call me Suzanne."  She smiled.

"Dad," Marcy said, "this is Taylor."

"Hi Taylor, I'm Jim."  Taylor smiled and nodded.

"Where are you going?"  Her mother asked Marcy.

"Um, Taylor?"  She turned to him.

"Dinner and a movie.  If that's ok with you."  He mouthed.

"Yeah, that's great."  She said.  "We're going to dinner and a movie."  She told her mother.

"Ok.  Are you driving Taylor?"  He nodded.

"Do you drive good?"  Her father asked.

Tim snickered and Marcy punched him.  Taylor smiled and nodded.  "Alright, well, school's back in tomorrow, so don't keep her out too late."  Again, he nodded.

Marcy grabbed her coat and kissed her father.  "Bye Daddy."  She said and they went out the door.

~~~~

Once they were gone, Jim turned to Suzanne, "Doesn't say much, does he?"   She looked at him like he were nuts and Tim cracked up laughing again.  "What?"  He asked dumbfounded.

"Dad, don't you know anything about your neighbors?  You were at their house last night!"

"So, what's that got to do with anything?"  He asked.

"Jim, you are so oblivious, if it doesn't involve football or fishing..."  Suzanne muttered, walking into the kitchen.

He looked over at his son.  "Dad, that's Taylor Hanson,  you know, Hanson?"

"Hanson Hanson?  Like, on the news?"

"Yeah Dad."

"Jesus Christ!  Why didn't anybody tell me she was going out with him?!  Is it safe?!"   Tim just laughed and followed his mother into the kitchen to see what was for dinner, leaving his father to peek out the window at the two on the porch.

~~~~

"So, where are we going?"  Marcy asked.

"L-E-O-N-I-S"  he signed.

"Oooh, that's nice."

"My D-A-D made R-E-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-O-N-S for us."

She looked at him in the glare of the porch light, his hair was shiny and just brushed and he smelled soapy, fresh from the shower.  She opened the front of his coat to put her arms around him.  "I love that shirt."  She said.  He smiled.  "Is it hard not to use the phone and stuff?  I mean, what do you do if you want to order a pizza?"  She asked.

He shrugged and she pulled back to look at him again.  "Get J-E-S-S or Z-A-C or somebody."  He signed.

"Well, what if they're not there?  What if it's just you?"  He held up his car keys.  "I guess that works."  She said.

He gestured towards the driveway then and they went down the steps and to his car.  Isaac had been kind enough to give him the Jetta for the night. It was cold so they opted for valet parking.  Upon entering the restaurant, the manager had met them and escorted them to a very secluded table.  Taylor made a mental note to thank his father later.  After perusing the menus, Taylor showed her what he wanted and she placed their orders once the waiter returned.  Alone finally, Marcy spoke up, "Well, I told you to look good and you do, where did you get those pants?"

"The girls at G-A-D-Z-O-O-K-S picked them out for me."  Even in candle light she could see his cheeks flush.  "You look N-I-C-E too."  He signed.

"Thank you.  So, how was Kim?"  she asked.  He shrugged and gave her the ok sign.  "She was pretty upset when I went in to get her."

"I can I-M-A-G-I-N-E."

"Do you think she'll straighten out now?"  He raised his eyebrows and shrugged again.  "You don't know much, do ya?"  She grinned.

He smiled and shook his head as the waiter brought their salads.  After salad, came soup and after that, their entrees.  Taylor wasn't able to communicate easily while eating, so Marcy took up the slack.  Anyone watching would have thought she was talking his ear off, but Taylor's facial gestures were very effective, his eyebrows or a curl of his lip said plenty.  For dessert, they split a piece of cheesecake, Taylor taking extreme pleasure watching her bite a strawberry, red and juicy.  Finally, full to the point of discomfort, they decided to go on to the movie.

It had been a very long time since Taylor had been out in public without his parents, his brothers, or at least a hat between himself and the public.  Upon entering the crowded lobby of the movie theatre, both he and Marcy felt the eyes of people on them and when he signed to her, a wave of excitement passed over the crowd as their suspicions were confirmed.  Marcy watched him closely, praying he would be able to deal with it all.  They decided to forego anything from the refreshment stand as they were eager to get in the darkened theatre and away from prying eyes.  For Taylor, it really was no worse than before, though it was for a different reason.  He was accustomed to being stared at and pointed to by strangers, it was when it was friends and relatives that he couldn't take it.  When the lights went down, Marcy let out a sigh of relief.  She was beginning to understand what Greg had meant when he'd told her it wouldn't be worth it if she didn't really care for Taylor.  At that moment, she felt his hand on hers and he leaned in a kissed her and she smiled as he put his nose by her ear and he inhaled, breathing in the scent of Rain.

By midnight, Taylor and Marcy were alone in her family's living room, having been reminded again by her father that it was a school night as he made his way up to join his wife.  "I hope I can sleep tonight.  That movie gave me the creeps."  She said pulling him over to join her on the sofa.

"Me too."  He agreed.  He looked at his watch and sighed.

"Do you need to go?"  She asked.

"S-O-O-N."  He signed.  "E-A-R-L-Y F-L-I-G-H-T."

"I'm gonna miss you."  She said.  He nodded sadly.  "I guess I won't see you again 'til you get back."

He shook his head and pulled her in close.  They sat that way for awhile, then she felt him take her ponytail and run his fingers through it.  "I L-I-K-E."  He signed, then he kissed her neck.

"Mmmm, I like yours, too."  She said, and she kissed his adam's apple.  He grinned at her then moved to her lips and kissed her deeply, laying her back on the sofa.  She knew it would be a long while 'til she could feel him this close again so she wanted to take advantage of the moment and memorize everything, the feel of his silky lips pressed against hers to the coolness of his fingertips brushing along her skin.  The soft feel of the velvet material of his pants and the smell of his shampoo all forming a mental image of him that she'd need to get her through the next few weeks without him.

~~~~

A beep from his watch alerted them both to the fact that it was 12:30 and time for him to go.  Reluctantly, he sat up, pulling himself away from her.  "Well, I guess this is it."  He nodded then ran his hands through his hair.  "You're gonna do fine.  It'll be over before you know it, ok?  Then you can come home and we can go ice skating and maybe I can drag you to some goofy school dance or something."

He smiled and nodded, then stood up and straightened his clothes and reached down for one more kiss.  He reached in his pocket and gave her a card where he'd written down the hotel and his family's cell phone numbers.  "Email me."  He said.

"I will."  She said.  She started to get up but he shook his head and pointed at the door.  "Ok, bye."  She said sadly.

He smiled, then waved and left, turning the lock on the door.
 
 
 

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