I'll Never Let Go, Chapter 6I'll Never Let Go, Chapter 6
"Hey everyone!" Tay said as Zac opened the door wider for Tay and Lauren to come in. It was Sunday night, time for Ike's big birthday dinner.
"Hi, Tay." Zac said, taking Lauren's coat.
Lauren hung at Taylor's side, looking fearfully around until she found Ike. Plastering a smile on her face, she said," Happy twenty-first, Ike."
"Hey, thanks!" he said, also pouring on some extra niceness.
Kathryn came in from the kitchen and stood by Ike, putting her arm around him. Kathryn was nineteen, and, in Zac's opinion, very pretty. She was petite, standing at about 5'4.
Ike put his arm around her slim waist, and they watched as Tay hung his coat up and walked over to Lauren, where he took her hand and laced his fingers through hers.
"Well, how is everything?" Ike asked.
"Fine. Just fine." Tay said, his eyes boring into Ike's.
Zac couldn't take it. "So, do you all want to come and sit down at the table?" he asked.
They all followed him into the dining room, where Ike and Tay distanced themselves as much as possible.
Zac sat in between Tay and Jessie, where he could see into the kitchen and his mother instructing his father to do with all of the food as she sat at the kitchen table.
The food was ready, and they all prayed and began to dig in.
"So, Tay, Lauren, how are you two?" asked Zac's father.
"We were meening to tell you about that." Tay said, looking into Lauren's eyes.
"Tell us about what?" asked Diana.
"Well, um, see, Lauren and I, we're having a baby." Tay said, looking at his mashed potatoes as if they were the most important thing in the world.
"What?" Diana asked softly.
"He's right. I'm pregnant." Lauren said, calm as ever.
"Oh. That means that I am going to be a grandparent!" she said brightly.
Meanwhile, their father, Walker, was glaring at both Taylor and Lauren, Ike was staring at Taylor, trying to show him as much sympathy as possible, Jessie's mouth had dropped about three inches, Avery was busy looking at her cast, and Mack was busy trying to look like it didn't bother him.
Zac broke the silence. "So, we are going to have neice or nephew!" he said to Ike.
"Yeah, congradulations, Tay!" Ike said.
Zac elbowed Jessie in the ribs. "Yeah, Tay, congradulations." she squeaked out.
Tay smiled over at Zac, in appriciation.
"I can't believe you two were stupid enough to go and do that!" Walker yelled.
"Now Walker, it's Taylor's life, he can make his own decisions." Mrs. Hanson tried to calm him down.
"I don't care. The media still gets information on you guys, and when they hear this, that you, you got her pregnant, there will be a rush of papparazzi, all trying to get a picture of you two." their dad said.
"I'm very aware of that, but I love Lauren, and we can get through it, as long as we have eachother." Taylor said, looking meaningfully into Lauren's eyes.
Walker didn't say anything, he just crossed his arms in front of himself and turned the other way.
"Well, does anyone want some pie? It's homemade!" Diana changed the subject.
Mack jumped at that opportunity and went into the kitchen, bringing out two pies, which were barely enought to feed the eleven people gathered around the table.
Ave jumped to life, complaining that her ankle was hurting and demanding that Mack go get her a Pain Killer.
Jessie looked around Zac at Taylor sympathetically while Taylor tried comforting Laura, who was on the verge of crying.
"We'd better be going." Taylor said, taking Lauren by the hand and leading her to the door.
Zac took this opportunity to walk them to the door and leave the rest of the family by Ike, who had just finished opening his presents.
"Tay, Laur, you alright?" asked Zac, as they got out their coats.
"Yeah, you had to expect that kind of reaction from them. I just felt like everyone was looking at me like I was some slut or something." Lauren answered, somewhat hardened up after earlier.
Tay squeezed her and gave Zac a grateful look. "Thanks Zac, you've helped alot." he said.
"Hey, what're brothers for, anyways?" Zac asked.
"I know. So call me and I'll help ya out with Cory." Tay winked.
"Shhhhh. They don't know!" Zac said, looking in the direction of the Living Room.
"They will soon!" Tay said.
"Okay, sure. Well, I'll talk to ya later." Zac said, opening the door.
"Bye." was their response.
Zac closed the door and walked back into the Living Room, where he found out that everyone had left except for Ike and Kathryn, who were feverishly making out in front of the fire in the newly dim room.
Zac turned around and went upstairs, leaving the couple to themselves. However they were planning to spend Ike's birthday was totally up to them, and it was none of his business, really. Besides, he didn't need yet another reminder of the fact that he had never had a girlfriend for more than a few weeks at a time, and he barely ever made it to making out.
