08 - Unexpected - Morgan
God, let this be over soon. Taylor sat silently on the edge of the bed. His eyes were lowered, intently examining his shoes. He only briefly glanced up at the figure pacing before him. His mother's voice droned on, saying words he did not want to hear.
"Taylor" his head snapped up. Mrs. Hanson was glaring at him, hands on hips, foot impatiently tapping the floor. "Did you hear what I said?"
He hadn't, but he nodded. No need to get into any more trouble. "Well? What is it? What on earth were you thinking?"
He almost smiled. He looked up at her through soft blond wisps that had fallen in his face. "Uh, you really wanna know that, Ma?"
"Ahhh, I give up!" his mother yelled, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Walker, you talk to him. I...I can't anymore." She glanced back at her husband before storming out of the room.
"Taylor," his father began. "We've had this discussion before and..." Taylor only stared blankly ahead and, as his father's voice replaced the annoying hum of his mother's, his thoughts began to wander.
Julia. Sweet Julia; the owner of all his thoughts of late. She was so beautiful, so perfect, he thought, and he loved her. He really did; even though right now she was the reason he was being chewed out by his parents. They had forbidden him to see her and he had done it anyway. He didn't understand; they had always seemed to like Julia. She'd practically lived at their house this past summer, and had often been employed as the Hanson family baby-sitter. But, then of course that was before. Before that 'fateful night', as Taylor liked to call it. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson had returned home early from the theater and found their son and his girlfriend having sex on the living room sofa. Not exactly the reception they were expecting. They'd sent Julia home and proceeded to give Taylor the longest, most embarrassing sex lecture ever recorded in the history of the world, and then, they forbade him to ever see her again. Of course, he went behind their backs and saw her anyway. He had been overheard talking to her on the phone last night, planning another secret meeting, and was now having to sit through yet another lecture about the dangers of teenage sex. He guessed they were probably more worried than angry, but they refused to see his side of the situation. They acted like they'd never been his age. Things were different then, they'd said. Yeah, right.
"Is that clear?" Mr. Hanson asked.
"Oh, uh, yeah, Dad. Sure." Taylor responded, although he had no clue as to what his father had said.
"Good," Mr. Hanson said, patting his son on the knee. "Now, let's go down to dinner so you can apologize to your mother."
Taylor rolled his eyes as his father turned away, but got up to head downstairs. Apologize, for what, being in love with my girlfriend. Never. I'm only sorry we got caught.
Taylor collapsed into Julia's arms with a satisfied sigh. He rested there momentarily before raising his head to place a sweet kiss on her lips. She wiped the sweat from his forehead with her fingertips and tucked his slightly disheveled hair behind his ears. He kissed her once more, a deep, longing kiss, before getting up to put his clothes back on.
"I'm sorry it has to be like this," he whispered, as he buttoned his khakis. He and Julia were in the backseat of her car, which they'd parked behind Mr. Parkison's old abandoned shed. They figured they were safe there, a dozen or so miles out of town, down an old dirt road nobody traveled anymore. But, as much as he liked being able to be with her, it just wasn't the same. He wanted to hold her while she fell asleep and wake her up with sweet kisses the next morning. But he knew that could never happen.
"I know. Me, too." Julia sighed, looking over at him.
He offered her a small smile and pulled her back into his arms. She wrapped his arms tighter around her and intertwined her fingers with his. "I just don't get it, Tay? What are your parents so worried about?"
"I don't know, babe. I guess they just can't deal with the fact that their little boy is growing up. They think we're too young."
"Yeah, but my parents know and they haven't said a word to me about it."
"I know. But, with the band and all, they're just scared."
"Of what?"
"Pregnancy."
"But, we're careful, Tay, every time." Julia said, turning to face him.
"I know, babe. They just don't understand," Taylor said. "They don't know how much I love you."
"I love you, too, Taylor." Julia said and snuggled back into his arms. They only had a hour or so before Taylor had to be home, and they intended to make the most of it.
"Oh my God." Julia stared at Taylor, confusion and terror in her eyes. Taylor dropped to his knees on the bathroom floor, holding the little white stick firmly in his hand.
"Blue...pregnant...baby..." Taylor whispered almost inaudibly. His mind was racing, his heart pounding. What the hell I am gonna do?
Julia sat on the edge of the tub, not knowing what to say or do. His parents would be home soon, and if they found her there, she and Taylor would be in for it. But, then again, that really didn't matter much considering...a baby. A baby. She just couldn't comprehend it.
"Taylor," she whispered. He looked up at her, his blue eyes distant and watery. "What are we gonna do?"
The door burst open, and Isaac came barging in. He backed away a little when he saw Julia there. "What's going on?" His eyes drifted from Julia to Taylor to the tell-tale object still clutched in Taylor's hand. "My God."
Taylor glanced up at his brother, desperation on his face. Isaac only glared back, indignation apparent in his soft eyes.
"Ike, what's taking so..." Zac burst in behind his brother and stopped at the sight before him.
"Go get Mom and Dad." Isaac demanded of Zac, but still staring at Taylor.
"Isaac, please," Julia softly begged.
Zac returned moments later, his parents in tow.
"Taylor, what in the hell is going on here?" His father demanded.
Taylor and Julia were frozen. He looked to her with searching eyes and Julia slightly nodded. Taylor handed his father the positive pregnancy test.
"Oh, God," his mother gasped, placing her hands over her mouth. His father simply glared at them, much the same way Isaac still was. An endless moment passed before anyone spoke.
"How could you do this?" his father snapped. "What are you going to do? What about the band?"
At his father's last statement, Zac's eyes grew wide. "Yeah, Tay, what about the band? How are we gonna deal with this? What about us?" he screamed, his eyes brimming with tears. "God, you are so selfish. Thanks for royally screwing up my life, Tay." He turned and stormed from the bathroom.
"Zac, wait," Taylor hoarsely called after his brother.
After his long silence, Isaac finally spoke, calm and cold. "I thought you always said you cared about the band, first, Tay. I thought you cared about this family. But I guess something else was more important." He looked harshly over at Julia, who was still perched on the edge of the tub. "I'll never forgive you for doing this to Zac."
The tears streaming down Taylor's face blurred Isaac's figure as he, too, left the bathroom. Taylor reached out for him, but Isaac brushed him off. He sat back down dejectedly on the cold floor. His brothers were gone. They'd never forgive him. The barrage of questions and comments from his parents went unheard as Taylor sank into a mist of hopelessness and despair. He only barely felt Julia touch his shoulder and whisper goodbye when his parents forced her out. Hours later, Taylor found himself alone, curled up on the bathroom tile, his fist wrapped tightly around the little piece of plastic that had forever changed his life.
Julia sighed as she picked up the paper the next morning. Bad news travels fast, huh. She skimmed the article, but couldn't keep her eyes from the headline:
HANSON WORLD TOUR CANCELED: MIDDLE BROTHER, TAYLOR, IS PREGNANT.
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