"My Father, Taylor Hanson": Book 4
Chapter 16


        The clock went fast, too fast. The days passed fast, too fast. We went fast... not fast enough. The time until the wedding was coming closer and closer. There were just not enough hours in the day to deal with it all. Nicole's family was taking care of most of the arrangements, being the family of the bride, but there was still things left for us to deal with. The flower arrangements, food, and reservations were already taken care of, as were the cake and the decorations but we still had suits to try on, dresses to hem, a wedding to rehearse, and most of all parties to get through.
        Isaac and I arranged to host a small bachelor party at the local Hooters, which strangely enough was where Zac met Nicole. We invited Zac's friends who were still in the area plus a few that were in town for the wedding who had moved away many years prior. Isaac and I already had our huge bachelor party with Zac a month before when went to Vegas, but that was just the three of us. He needed a real party-party... plus it gave us an excuse to keep away from the women's Bridal Shower that was going on that same night.
        Dad volunteered to take Zac out to "shop" for something for his new wife-to-be, an excuse that wasn't well thought out but Zac went along with our father anyway, and we set out to make the restaurant into a party... which wasn't that hard considering where it was.
        Isaac and I didn't have to do much because once we got there the place was pretty much a party scene. The girls, Nicole's friends most of whom were going to be leaving for the Bridal Shower before Zac arrived, set out appetizers and beer mugs before the new shift came in about twenty minutes before Zac arrived.
        The guests arrived on time and when my brother got there he was truly surprised. Apparently Dad had driven up to the place and Zac had looked up at it and said "this is where I met my wife." Then HE suggested they go in so he could show Dad where his fiancée and him had first met. Zac was a tad crazy with happiness, he explained that he was bursting with pride and didn't care that it was in Hooters where he and Nicole had met, he wanted to show it off to the world. Dad got him thinking it was his idea to come in, a plan which worked out really well. The second Zac entered into the room where he had met Nicole, the room that we had rented for the party, we attacked him with Champaign, beer, and party streamers.
        It was a great night, Zac got to talking with his old buddies, some of whom he hadn't seen in years, most of whom I had never even met before that night. Isaac and I had thrown in a few surprises for our brother, including a female dancer. Zac couldn't believe that I of all people actually stayed in the room while it was going on and that it was half my idea. I reminded him that he was getting married in two days and I wouldn't remember that much in the morning anyhow. Zac laughed and agreed with me, then reminded me about the dancers in Vegas. I flushed and then said, "it's all in the spirit of fun."
        "You get really weird when you're drunk," Isaac accused me, shouting over the music. "You don't seem to worry about anything."
        I shrugged. "I'll feel guilty later on," I told him. I was starting to feel it already. I swallowed hard. "Just remember who's the designated driver tonight," I hinted as Isaac started to get himself another beer. Ike put it back on the bar and backed away.
        "You're right," he told me, grabbing my arm and spinning me around. "If you see me doing that again, just remind me once more."
        I nodded. "Deal."
        When the night was over it was close to three in the morning. We had to get home to at least get some rest before the rehearsal dinner that night. As I climbed into the car I wondered if the girls were done with the bridal shower yet. I asked Isaac but he told me to stop thinking, I was going to hurt myself.
        "Hah-hah, very funny," I told him. I closed my eyes and when I reopened them we were driving. "When did you start the car?" I questioned, turning my head towards my older brother.
        "When you fell asleep," he informed me.
        "I... fell asleep?" I was confused.
        "Yeah, for about five minutes," he told me.
        "Whoa," I said putting my hand to my head. "I'm getting dizzy now."
        "Go back to sleep," Isaac told me. "If you do anything in this car I will beat you."
        I laughed and opened the window all the way. I breathed in the cold night air, the wind blowing on my cheeks kept me from dozing off again. I didn't want to sleep, I didn't want to miss anything. I turned my head back towards Isaac. "Did you like what we bought you for your birthday?"
        Isaac laughed. "Taylor, you didn't even know it was my birthday."
        "I did so!" I argued. I sighed. "OK, I didn't... the days ran away without me. I forgot what date I was living in, so sue me. I'm sorry Isaac."
        "It's all right, little brother. I promise you, it's all right."
        After a few minutes of silence I asked, "So, what DID I get you for your birthday?"
        For some odd reason both Isaac and I found that question hysterically funny, so funny that Isaac had to pull over to the side of the road to regain his composure. When our laughter died down I asked, "Well... are you going to answer my question or what? What did I get you for your birthday?"
        "You got me a pocketknife with my initials carved in it and a set of fleece garments, including a robe, bed-pants, and socks."
        "Oo," I said, "expensive."
        Isaac turned down the road to the house where we grew up. "Yeah I know," he said pulling into the driveway. Dad's car was already there. He had dropped Zac off at his apartment and made it back in the time it took us to get from the restaurant to the house. My brain started telling me about how Zac's apartment was closer to the restaurant but then I told it to stop thinking without me, so it did. I was very out of it.
        "What did Andy buy you?" I asked as I closed the passenger's side window. My cheeks were cold and I knew they must have been wind-burned but I didn't have enough sense to close the window before the wind stopped blowing.
        Isaac turned off the ignition. "I'll help you inside and then I'll get my wife." He opened his door and got out.
        "Wait!" I called after him not even bothering to unbuckle my seat belt, I don't think I remembered how at the moment. My brother stuck his head back into the car. "What did Andy buy you?" I repeated.
        Isaac took a deep breath. "Well," he started, "she bought me lots of things."
        "Like what?" I pressed. For some reason I felt as though this was very important to know before I could get out of the car.
        "She bought me a fishing rod and tackle box, a new scanner for the computer, the newest version of my favorite graphics program, and she brought me one more thing..."
        "What?" I begged.
        Isaac smiled slowly, the corners of his mouth twitching up as he spoke, "The news that I'm having a son."


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