Chapter 55
The morning of January 5th found Walker and Diana sitting at the table drinking coffee and discussing the events of the past couple days. Once things had calmed down and the lawyer had left three nights previous, Diana had called Taylor's counselor and she'd agreed to come by the next morning. After two hours holed up in the boys' bedroom with him, she'd come out and informed them that their son suffered from an acute case of post traumatic stress disorder, something they already knew. His symptoms were classic, nightmares, panic attacks, mood swings, the list went on and on. She wanted him to come to her office three times a week. The drug she'd prescribed before, she explained, was not strong and she'd hoped he'd take it daily, but he'd resisted that idea, and so she told them that in case they saw an episode coming they should double the dosage and for a full blown attack, three would act as a kind of sedative. She'd wished them luck and farewell until the next afternoon when he'd have his first appointment. He'd gone and come out with nothing to report.~~~~
Today, he'd make his first appearance at the offices of Calvin Klein. He would be accompanied by Zac and Walker. Zac had hardly left his brother's side since Isaac had informed him of the roof incident. Diana, Isaac and the rest of the children would do some sightseeing as three days in the hotel was taking it's toll on all their sanity. She thought it was time they got their yaya's out. "Walker, don't forget Taylor has an appointment with Dr. Cummings today at four. I don't care how great the shoot's going, he needs to be there... on time." Diana said, pointing at her husband.
"What? He'll be there."
She looked at him as she poured herself a second cup of coffee, "just don't be late." She said.
Once breakfast, getting dressed, finding shoes, coats, hats and gloves was finally out of the way, Diana approached Walker again, "Well, we're gonna go on."
"Ok," he answered, "be careful. You taking Frank?" He asked, referring to one of the bodyguards.
"Yeah, Jason's going with you all and he's bringing somebody else too. No reporters, Walk. And please, keep your eyes and ears open, I don't want any gross pictures of our sixteen year old son splashed across the pages of every rag in the country, y'know?"
"Don't worry," he replied, "Zac's coming. His crap-o-meter is always on alert."
She smiled, kissed him, and she and the sightseeing group were on their way in a flourish of goodbyes and hugs and kisses.
~~~~
Taylor had considered wearing something fashionable but decided they probably wanted him to dress in clothes they chose anyway and so he wore a white button-up shirt over a pair of Levi's. It wouldn't have mattered what he wore though, every female in the offices of Calvin Klein managed to find a reason to be around at some time during his time there. Walker was still amazed to see the reaction his sons could bring about in otherwise sane girls and women. And even a few men. Taylor was welcomed into the place like a prince though he didn't feel like one. He felt undeserving of the attention he was receiving and he was very uncomfortable, and it showed.
Kelly Farnsley, the woman who'd put her job on the line and then rejoiced when she'd finally managed to sign him, was now wondering if she'd made a mistake. He was led from room to room, being shown different areas, like wardrobe, the different photographic studios and art departments. Mostly, he nodded and occasionally smiled, but that was about as much excitement as he showed. His brother followed, not getting more than a yard away and looking far more suspicious of them all than his father, who'd wandered away very quickly to be shown the offices and to sign some papers and such. Kelly finally decided she was going to have to break down the wall the boys had built up or abandon the whole project.
"Taylor, are you sorry you agreed to do this?" She interrupted her assistant's cheery banter.
Now, for the first time since he'd walked stoically through the front door, Taylor's eyes connected with hers. He was still beautiful she thought, but since his abduction, it was a cold beauty, not the vibrant, energetic kind he'd had before. "I will let you out of this contract right now, if that's what you really want. But first, I want to ask you some questions and I want you to be honest with me, alright?"
The room had become silent. He looked at Zac, then back to her and nodded.
"Come to my office." She said and she went past him and started down the hall.
Suddenly, both boys had the sensation of being led to see the principal. Once in the elegant room, she closed the door behind them. "Should my Dad be in here?" Zac asked.
She looked at him then plopped down into the sleek leather chair behind her desk. "Sit for me." She said motioning towards the chairs, "And, no, you don't need your Dad here. I'm not trying to take advantage of anyone." She shot Zac a look. Then she looked at Taylor, "Why are you here?"
He looked at her through his bangs and shrugged.
She sighed and twisted the chair she sat in back and forth. "Is it for the money?"
He furrowed his brow and shook his head.
"Ok. Fame?" she asked, "Because, I can't imagine anyone wanting more of that than you already have, especially now." He just looked at her. "Taylor, you need a haircut. Do you mind getting a trim while we talk?"
He looked at Zac, "Dude, don't look at me, it's your hair. You know how I feel about it." Taylor looked back at her and nodded.
"Good," she said, "if nothing else comes out of this, you get a free haircut and I get to see those eyes." And she grabbed the phone and gave some instructions then hung it up again. "Taylor, do you think say... Mick Jagger or Robert Plant are sexy?" She asked the boy sitting in front of her.
"What?!! What the hell is..." Zac was infuriated.
She cut him off, "shush! I'm not talking to you!" She scolded. "Taylor, just answer, this is not a test, ok?" And she shot a look at Zac, then looked back at his brother. Taylor shrugged, then nodded his head. "Alright, so we all agree, those guys are sexy. Now, do you think they are nice looking, their features, their faces... Are they handsome?"
Zac huffed, but both of them ignored him. Taylor gazed at a lone calla lily that sprung from a vase on her desk, then he looked into her eyes and shook his head.
"No, they're not, are they?" Now Zac leaned in closer. "But," she continued, "they've got that certain something that makes them irresistible. Something electric, you can't take your eyes off them." She paused, looking into his eyes, "Just like you. Only, you've got their charisma plus one of the most beautiful faces I've ever seen on a man or a woman. And I've seen lots of faces Taylor."
His expression didn't change, but she watched as a blush made it's way onto his cheeks. She smiled knowing Robert Plant nor Mick Jagger ever did that. Just then, a man and a woman came in and went right to Taylor and draped a cloth around his shoulders, then the man began running a comb through his hair as the woman went to work on his nails. "Hope you don't mind him sleeping through the rest of your speech, 'cause that's what's gonna happen." Zac smirked, watching his brother's eyes glaze over and knowing he hadn't slept much lately.
She smiled at Zac, "Now how would you know that? Do you style his hair for him often?"
Zac raised his eyebrows at her, "nope, but my sisters do."
Now the man looked at Kelly, who pointed at Taylor, "how do you want it?" He asked him.
Taylor looked at Zac, then signed. "He says he doesn't care. It's your photos." Zac related. Kelly looked at both the boys.
"Ok," she said, "Brent, just shave it all off and we'll get some wigs..."
Taylor jumped up and backed away, glaring at her.
She smiled, "See? You do care. Now, that's what I want to see."
~~~~
After cutting his hair and trimming his nails, at least what was left of them, and a touch of makeup, they'd taken Taylor in a room full of CD's so he could choose what he wanted to listen to during the shoot. Kelly was delighted to see the boy come to life, and yet, it had been sad to watch him, as obviously, music was the thing that meant the most to him and he'd been cut off from it now. That incredible voice was gone and now, he was just an observer.
"Zac," she asked quietly, "does Taylor still play piano?"
"Oh yeah, " he answered, "all the time. And he still writes songs and stuff, just no singing." He sighed.
Just then, Taylor snapped his fingers and Kelly watched Zac's head jerk up. "Yeah?" he said to him. Taylor signed furiously, his face breaking into a smile as he held up a CD. "Whoa, cool!" He gushed and went over to join his brother.
She stepped back and watched the two. A moment later, she was joined by another man and woman, both photographers who would be doing the shoot. The woman immediately began pointing her camera at the two boys, capturing them both in a music lover's paradise and the man just watched them both intently. Taylor would sign and Zac would answer and vice versa. Sometimes Taylor seemed to just sign to himself, this brought a smile to Kelly's face as she wondered if he used to talk to himself a lot. She'd have to ask Zac, she thought.
Finally, with about fifty hours worth of music, they walked into the studio. The wardrobe people dressed him in everything from top of the line suits to casual sweaters and pants, and on and on until now, he wore a deliciously worn out pair of jeans that hung very low on his hips. He pulled off his sweater and Kelly noticed the scars on his arm, but also that the skinny fourteen year old that had first captured her attention, had turned into a muscular, well built almost seventeen year old. Just then, Isaac and Jessica walked in with Sparky in tow.
"Sparks!!!" Taylor's face lit up and he clapped his hands and the little dog leapt over to him. The photographers never missed a beat, as Sparky licked his face and Taylor laughed, they clicked away.
"What're you doing here?" Zac asked.
"Well," Isaac answered, "Dad must have his cell phone off, because the hotel couldn't reach him. The little creep started howling as soon as Tay left and he never shut up, so they called me and we went and got him."
Zac smirked, "We're gonna have to hire a nanny for the stupid dog."
Taylor scowled, "he's NOT stupid!"
Kelly was delighted. "Taylor, can you hold him so he covers up your arm? I want a shot of the world's most beautiful guy holding the world's ugliest dog."
He gave her a disgusted look, scratching Sparky's ears, "I don't have a shirt on." He mouthed.
"Yes, I know..." She said seductively.
"I knew it." Zac muttered and she smacked him on his shoulder.
"Shut up, you don't know anything." She said back to him.
Taylor situated the little dog on his arm. "Watch this." Jessica said to Kelly and she went over and slapped Taylor on his bare chest, then quickly backed up behind Isaac. Sparky bared his teeth and growled ferociously and the look of indignation on Taylor's face was priceless. There was the shot.
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