Chapter 39: Face to Face again
The plans were all set. August and her family were to be at the Hansons house around 1 to have lunch. So, at about 12:30, August called Lindsay. Lindsay picked up on the second ring.
"Hey Aug, whats up?"
"Hey Linz......how'd you know it was me?" August asked.
Lindsay laughed.
"My dad got caller ID today. Its cool!"
"Cool."
"Yea, so whats up?"
"We're going to the Hanson's for lunch in about half an hour and I'm really nervous!!"
Lindsay sighed.
"I can imagine why!"
"So what should I do?"
"Ok, just be polite. If they start talking to you, fine, then talk. You don't want to show them that you really do care, and that you're really sorry. They should have to apologize. Not you. It wasn't your fault."
"That could work."
"Of course it'll work. It was my idea!" laughed Lindsay.
"What should I do if something happens?"
"Hm......." thought Lindsay, outloud. "How about I beep you around 2, and you tell me whats happened, hows that sound?"
"Could you really do that?!?" exclaimed August.
"Sure."
"Oh! Thank you thank you thank you!!"
"Aug! Chill!" laughed Lindsay.
"Sorry. Hey Lindsay, I gotta go. Beep me right at 2, ok?"
"Ok, gotcha!"
"Ok, bye."
"Bye."
The girls hung up the phone, and August went to grab her beeper. She clipped it to her shorts and walked upstairs. Her parents were sitting at the kitchen table waiting.
"Ok, I'm ready!" she called.
Her mother got up from the table and walked past August. August followed. They walked up the stairs to the room across from August's parents room, where two identical cribs sat, side by side. Two small headboards were attached to the beds, each bearing the name of the baby that slept in that crib. Her mother walked to the first crib and picked up Samantha. August carefully walked past her and slowly picked up Noelle. Carefully positioning Noelle in her arms, August walked out of the room, following her mother. Each carefully walked down the stairs and out the open door. August's dad closed and locked the door behind them. The made their way down the street and up the Hansons driveway. Seeing that his wife and daughter were unable to ring the bell, Mr. Mayer quickly hit the doorbell. He heard the sound of feet running to the door. Soon, the door opened a small way and a small head poked out. It was Mackenzie. Mr. Mayer could hear Diana behind him. She opened the door the rest of the way, carefully pushing Mackenzie out of the way. She smiled and motioned them in. Walker appeared in the doorway from the kitchen. He approached Jim and shook his hand. He said hello to August and Mrs. Mayer and smiled.
"I'll go round up everyone." he suggested, and disappeared.
Diana ushered the family into the family room, where August slowly sat in the armchair. Noelle had woken up and had started to cry. August slowly rocked her. Out of instinct, Samantha also started crying. August's mother set out to calm her. Once Noelle had stopped crying, August looked up. Diana was watching her with a soft smile on her face. August smiled back and stood up.
*****
Taylor had heard the doorbell ring, and he heard people talking. Then he heard a baby crying. He thought it was Mackenzie so he thought nothing of it. He went back to writing his song. Isaac was in the room with him, read a book on the top bunk. Zac was sitting on the floor, surrounded by Legos. A knock on the door came. All three heads turned to it. Glancing at his brothers, Taylor called:
"Come in!"
The door opened to reveal their father.
"Boys, we have company. Could you please come downstairs."
All three nodded and stood up. Taylor left first and hurried down the stairs. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his "company". He sucked in a sharp breath. Isaac and Zac ran into him, equally stunned.
*******
August heard footsteps coming down the stairs behind her. She didn't turn around, but she took a deep breath, and repositioned Noelle.
"August...." he gasped.
August slowly turned around. She looked at the brothers, standing on the staircase. Each looked so innocent. So nice.
"Hello Taylor. Zac. Isaac." she gave no smile.
Taylor winced at the cold welcoming, but brushed it off. She had every right to be mad at him. But he prayed with all his might that she would forgive him. She looked so beautiful standing there, holding a baby. He wanted to rush up and hug her, but resisted the urge. He stood there for awhile, just staring. He snapped himself out of the trance.
"Is that your sister?" he asked.
She nodded and moved to the side.
"Thats my sister to." she said, nodding towards her mother.
Taylor followed her gaze.
"What are their names?" Zac asked.
"This here is Noelle, thats Samantha."
"Cool."
"Yea."
Noticing the tension, Diana asked August to join her in the kitchen. August silently followed her. Once inside, August sighed.
"Diana, I'm so sorry about being rude to them!"
"August, honey, don't worry about it. They do deserve this. And if they haven't apologized yet, then you should keep this up until they do, alright?"
August bit her lip and nodded. Diana motioned for her to follow her. August followed Diana back into the family room, where everyone was quietly talking. Diana walked to Mrs. Mayer.
"Liz, I have a crib upstairs where you can put your girls while we eat if you'd like." she smiled.
Liz smiled and nodded.
"Ok, you go up the stairs and turn to the left. Its the third door."
Liz nodded and she and August headed up there. Once they were gone, Diana turned to the boys.
"Boys....."
"Yea?" answered Isaac.
"I take it you have not apologized to her yet?"
The boys glanced to the ground and shook their heads. Diana gave them each a stern look of disappointment. She shook her head.
"Please boys. I don't like seeing any of you upset, you know that."
The boys nodded and walked into the kitchen. Each took a seat. Moments later, Liz and August appeared in the door. Liz immediately sat next to Jim. August glanced at the table. The only empty seat was between Zac and Taylor. She took a deep breath and walked over and sat down. She sat stiffly in her chair as the food was passed around. Once she had her food, she ate silently and listened to the conversations around her. She kept bumping elbows with Zac, because he was left handed, and she was right handed. Each time she bumped him, she would slide farther away. But as she did this, she would run into Taylor. Each time she bumped him, however, she felt a surge of energy, and she began to wonder if it was even worth being mad. She knew that they were all sorry and feeling terribly guilty. She sighed and looked at her plate. She stole a look at Taylor. He was watching her. When their eyes locked, he gave a small grin. She quickly turned away from him. His smile fell and he sighed.
"Why does this have to be so hard?" he asked himself.
He closed his eyes for a short second. He was going to whisper something to August. When he opened his eyes to look at her, he was startled. She was gone....
*****
August couldn't sit at the table any longer. She had mouthed a request t be excused, which she had been granted. She quickly got up and walked out of the room. She made her way through the house and to the family room. As she sat down to turn on the TV, she heard a baby cry. She got up and walked to the stairs. She quickly, yet silently walked upstairs to where the twins were and opened the door. She hurried to the crib, where Samantha had begun to cry. August carefully lifted her out of the crib and sat in the rocking chair near the window. She rocked Samantha for awhile, quietly singing to her. After about three repitions of "Rock-a-bye Baby", August had gotten into the song and hadn't noticed a figure in the doorway. Once she had made sure that Samantha was asleep again, she walked to the crib and laid her down softly. She looked up. Taylor was standing in the doorway, watching her. She sighed and walked towards him. He was blocking the door. She walked over and stood infront of him, arms folded across her chest. She glared at him. Taylor didn't move. They stood there for a few minutes, until Taylor spoke up.
"Why won't you just talk to me?"
August gave an annoyed look.
"Not here."
Taylor gave a puzzled look.
"Why not here? I think its a perfectly good place to talk."
August rolled her eyes.
"For one Taylor, I just spent a good 15 minutes trying to get one of my sisters to sleep. If we get loud, and they wake up, its going to be hell trying to get them back to sleep. For two, if I start yelling or something, everyone will here, and I don't want them to." she whispered.
Taylor bit his lip and nodded.
"Then can we go somewhere?"
"Where."
"The park?"
"Fine."
"Ok then lets go."
Taylor walked out of the room, August followed. She carefully shut the door behind her and they walked down the stairs. Taylor went to find his mom while August put her shoes on.
"Mom?" called Taylor.
"In here Tay." came the response.
Taylor walked toward the voice, and found his mother in the kitchen, still putting away dishes.
"Mom, me and August are going to the park."
"Ok, be back soon, ok?"
Taylor nodded.
"I'm going to try to talk to her."
"Good. Be careful though. Alright?"
"I will. Bye mom."
"Bye Tay."
Taylor walked to the entry way, where August was waiting. He opened the door and August walked out. He followed close behind and shut the door. They started walking down the driveway. All of the sudden, Taylor grabbed August's arm and pulled her back. He dove behind some bushes and dragged her along. She gave him a puzzled look.
"What was that for?" she hissed.
Taylor put a finger to his lips and motioned towards the end of the driveway. There were a few girls taking picture of the house. August rolled her eyes.
"Look. You find some other way there. I'll meet you at the park, near the lake, ok?" she whispered.
Taylor was hesitant.
"Taylor. I can take care of myself. Alright."
Sighing, Taylor nodded. August stood up and walked down the driveway. Once all the attention of the girls was on her, Taylor ran to the back of the house. He ran to the edge of the property and lifted a branch to reveal a path. He pulled the branch back to where it had been, and started walking. As he reached a turn in the path, his eyes met something, someone rather, that he didn't want to deal with right now. She was sitting on a rock, throwing smaller rocks into the small pool that Taylor and his brothers had built. He glared at her.
© 1997 August_Mayer@hotmail.com
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