FOREVER

Taylor clicked off the television and lifted himself up off the couch and to the phone, that was in the kitchen and ringing. "Hello?" "Tay" It was Zachary, his younger brother. "Yeah" "I need a favor" Taylor smiled to himself, it was funny how Zac remembered his number when he needed a favor but quickly forgot it when a birthday rolled around or someone needed his help. "What?" "There's this girl .." "Nope. I will not" Nothing had to be asked, Taylor already knew. "You didn't even know what I was gonna ask you to do" Although he knew what his brother wanted, Taylor decided to give Zac the benefit of the doubt "Okay Zac, what is it that you want?" "Double with me?" Zac's voice came across the other line, imediatly folowing Taylor's head swaying back and forth. "Nope" "Why not?" Zac asked, then pleaded "Please, Tay. I really like this girl. It's like I actually want. to see her, not just because I have to. That makes me nervous and with you and Stephanie there I'll be .. less nervous. Taylor, please" "Why don't you ask Mike?" Taylor asked, referring to Zac's roomate. "Because he's a loser who can't get a date." There was a silence on the line and Zac knew that his brother was making a decision. Taylor never made a quick decision. He always had to think of the consiquences and what would come out of the choice that he made. Zac learned to grow patient with him. "Okay Zac, we'll go." Taylor knew he didn't have to ask Stephanie, she was a quick decision maker. Sure, she'd go. "Where and when?" "Did I ever tell you your my favorite brother? Cause if I didn't, you are. Meet us at The Sage tomorrow at eight. Nothing fancy Tay, just dinner. We'll all have fun" "Yeah, I'm sure. We'll see you then" ----- "Heather, look at this" Isaac handed the Saturday paper to his wife, who stood behind him. Carefully she skimmed through the page that her husband had opened for her. "What?" she couldn't find anything. "Here" Isaac pointed to a small caption under a picture of a women and a newborn baby."Read it" Once again Heather held the paper in her hands and read the caption aloud "I have only to thank Dr. Isaac Hanson who delivered baby Isabelle for me. I had nothing, no money, no home, no husband but he delivered Isabelle anyway. Other doctor's would have rejected me, but not Dr. Hanson, he's my savour" A smile spread across Heather's face "Honey, this is wonderful" She threw the paper to the floor and wraped her arms around Isaac. Isaac pulled away moments later "To think, my first delivery to have made it in the paper" "Well there was no doubt in my mind taht you were going to be successful, Dr. Hanson" Heather said, moving to Isaac's front and wraping her arms around his waist. "Mommy" The two adults split at the sound of their daughter Annie's voice. "What is it sweetheart?" Heather walked over to her daughter and bent down to her level. "Jack keeps messing up my blocks" "Did you tell him to stop?" Isaac said folding back up the newspaper. "Yes, but he didn't listen" As if on cue, Jack came into the living room holding a couple of Annie's pastel legos. "Are you being bad Jack?" "No" he said quickly, as he set the blocks on the brown carpet and began to put them together. Heather scooped her three year old from up off the floor "Annie pick up those blocks. It's nine 'o clock time for bed. You can play with your blocks tomorrow, when Jack's out of your way" Heather and Jack disappeared down the hall to the bathroom, where Heather was most probably going to get Jack ready for bed. "Why do I have to have a brother?" Annie asked her father as she picked up the blocks "He always messes everything up" "Your brother loves you Annie. He just wants to play with you, that's all" Isaac offered, from the big green recliner he settled himself on "Now, go put the blocks away and get ready for bed." ----- "Tay?" Stephanie called out as she entered her single floored house. Normally, Stephanie would be home by three thirty, but considering the overload of work down at the office and the fact that her boss, too, had someone waiting at home, dumping all the work on him just wouldn't be fair, so she was forced to stay until eight thirty. "In the bedroom" she heard him call back. Brushing some stray hairs away from her face Stephanie removed her long winter jacket and black heels and put them in their respectful places, then made her way back into the bedroom. Walking in, she found Taylor going through his closet. "Hey" she said giving him a quick tap kiss. "That's all?" Taylor asked, with puppy dog eyes. "Until later" Stephanie said, giggling. From the dresser located next to her bed, she pulled out some sweats and began to undress into something more comfortable. Working in a stiffy office left her with no choice but to wear skirt suits and dresses every work day, and to her - they weren't the most comfortble things in the world. "Are you going somewhere?" Stephanie asked noticing Taylor picking out his dress clothes. "Yes" Taylor said, pulling a jacket from a hanger "With you. Tomorrow night" "Sounds fun. Where we going?" Stephanie pulled on her sweatpants. "The Sage. With Zac and this girl he's dating. You don't mind us doubling, do you?" Stephanie shook her head "Not at all. Don't wear that, though" she noted, observing what Taylor had laid out of their bed. "Why not, that's my best suit" "Exactly. The Sage ain't all the fancy sweetie" Stephanie pushed Taylor out of the way and rumaged through his closet "Here. Wear this one" "Alright" Taylor agreed, trusting Stephanie's fashion sense over his own. "Why were you so late home today? You told me seven was the latest" Taylor asked, as he put everything back into his closet. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, but Mark was like suffocated with work and I felt bad leaving him with all of it" Taylor eyed her suspisously "So it was just you and Mark in the office?" "Uh-huh" Stephanie said carelessly. "I don't know Steph, I don't like the idea of you two alone together" Stephanie stoped what she was doing and looked her boyfriend straight in the eye "Mark's gay, Taylor" "Oh" Taylor relaxed "Well there's nothing wrong with that, right?" Stephanie had no choice but to laugh. Taylor always got so nervous when she was around other guys. Stephanie trusted herself, why shouldn't Taylor? "No there's not. Changing the subject, your mom beeped me today and when I called her back she asked if I could watch Ave, Mac and Zoe for her, but I told her I had to work and that you'd be more than happy to do it" "I work too, ya know?" Taylor hated babysitting his younger siblings, but somehow, someway ever since he was 13 always got stuck with it. Not this time though, no - no - no - no. "Yes, I know - but you work for your dad and he's going with your mom to wherever she's going and he's closing the office. You have the day off, my dear. Your mom'll swing by here around 4:00 to pick 'em up and I'll be home by three. Okay? Okay." With that, Stephanie left the room and went to take a shower. chapters next