Zac never understood why Hope just came in the room and tickled him then left. Zac didn’t understand it at all until she came and talked to him again a few weeks later.
Hope tapped on Zac’s shoulder why he was playing a video game. Zac paused the game and turned around, jumping back slightly at what he saw. Hope wasn’t Hope then…it wasn’t herself or anything like he had seen before, but it wasn’t her. Something was different.
He noticed the eyes…her eyes were red and halfway bloodshot. He didn’t know what to say, fearful that the tranquil look in her eyes would vanish. He let her make the first break.
Hope gently hugged him, confusing Zac completely. He put his arms around her, hugging her back, still unaware of what was going on. "I’m sorry," she stuttered, almost breaking down there. "I was a fool for threatening you."
"Yeah, but I thought we were fine with the tickling thing."
"Well I just think I shouldn’t of threatened you. I mean I really didn’t mean it. I wouldn’t do anything like that to you and hurt your seriously. My job is to protect you. Please just don’t say anything."
"Well don’t worry, I won’t say anything. I haven’t. I only said something to Taylor, but he already knew and he pried it out of me. No one else can do that but him, so don’t worry."
"Good."
"I’ve halfway forgotten about it now, Hope. I’ll forget before I’m able to tell anyone." Hope smiled, as sweetly as her pride would let her. She looked at Zac, really looked at him for the first time since she was hired. Diana said it would take a hell of a lot of stuff to get her fired, so she didn’t have to worry about anything.
Might as well bond with the boys as much as she could.
Zac seemed shocked at how nice she was to him that he hadn’t even realized that he had a video game still going. Then she reminded him. "So, what game are you playing?"
"Final Fantasy III. It’s pretty cool. Do you play a lot of video games?" he asked, turning the game back on and continuing what he had been doing before.
"No, not really. I never really liked them, but this one seems pretty intriguing."
"It is, I love role playing games." Hope scooted over to him, and watched as he played. Diana came into the room and saw them just sitting there.
Isn’t that just so sweet, she’s actually spending time with them. And it’s not just Taylor, or Zac, or Ike, she spends time with all of them. I’m sure she’s wonderful, and I’m sure she loves this. It’s not only she’s great with them, it’s that she’s a wonderful bodyguard too. Whenever we leave the house she’s right there with all of them…
Diana went in and put down something of Zac’s on his bed and quietly left, not wanting to disturb them. She looked across the hall at the boys’ room where Ike and Taylor were talking.
I never figured out why this family was so close. Isaac, Taylor, and Zac were all best friends, Jessica and Avery always had a blast together while Mackie seemed like an equal with the older boys. The only reason he wasn’t always with the boys wasn’t because of the age difference but was because of the fact that Mackie liked to play alone most of the time. Zoe was just a baby and her siblings loved her to death.
Hope had been a missing link, she never noticed until then. Something about the way she held them all together. She was a brilliant bodyguard, she knew how to control everything when they had to.
Just then Hope came over to Diana, smiling. "Hi, Zac is too lazy to get up off his butt so he bugged me into asking you where they’re performing tonight." Diana smiled.
"Well you can tell Mr. Lazy Butt that if he wants to know then he’ll have to get up and ask himself," she said. Hope eagerly ran back to the room to get a chance to bitch at Zac.
I swear that child will do anything so he doesn’t have to get up. One of these days I’m gonna smack him when he sends someone else to ask something.
Zac reluctantly walked up to his mother. "You actually consider me lazy? I’m appaled!" Zac pulled a pouting act, but Diana saw right through it. After seven children all with the same face, a person becomes immune to puppy dog looks and pouts.
"What did you want to ask me, Zac?" Diana asked. Zac thought about it for a second, then his eyes lit up as he remembered.
"Where are we performing tonight?" he asked. Diana shrugged. "You mean to tell me I got up for nothing? You don’t even know?"
"I know but I don’t plan on telling you."
"I left Hope playing my game that I took forever to get to that one point and she’s probably gonna kill me and you won’t even tell me? Then I don’t care anymore. Goodbye," Zac made a dramatic exit, nearly bumping into Taylor.
Tay didn’t even bother with his younger brother, they were constantly running into each other. It’s because Zac doesn’t pay any attention, Taylor thought. Zac was constantly running into other people, walls, and doors. He needed to start looking where he was going.
Tay ran down the stairs and into the kitchen when he noticed the mail on the table. Something was hand addressed to Hope. Being the nosy person he is, he picked up the letter. It was from Jonathan.
Hmm, should I or shouldn’t I? She would never know it was here if I take it and read it. If it contains something important then I can always put it back and reseal it. It’s just too good.
Taylor carefully opened the letter and took out the letter. A picture fell out. A small girl that was cute as a button. Taylor glanced at the back of the picture.
Aya Maria Thomas-Hollowell—Three months.
He wouldn’t let up with the daughter thing, now would he? He opened the letter and started reading his sloppy handwriting.
This is what you wanted. I figure after everything you’ve been through this decision is the best one to keep both of our jobs safe. The people at the adoption agency agreed to keep our identity secret. Some people realize that it was all a mistake.
Well he was nice about it. Taylor noticed the adoption papers that were filled out and only in need of Hope’s signature. He figured he should reseal it. Doing that wasn’t all that hard, all he needed to do was find another envelope. Taylor was perfect at copying handwriting. It took him five minutes and the letter was back on the table, undisturbed.
Hope was in a saddened state when she went to the concert that night. She’d read the letter in the car and nearly cried while signing all the papers. Both her and Jonathan knew that they couldn’t keep the baby a secret.
She paid as much attention as she could while trying to keep the crowd at bay. The fans were used to having someone the same age—and sometimes younger—be a bodyguard. Hope tried to keep alert, tried her best to make sure everything was under control but memories drowned her in depression.
Nothing helped, through. It was a basic concert in their hometown. They didn’t have to travel anywhere until the day after next, everything was going fine.
She looked up at Taylor who was carelessly hitting keys on the keyboard, singing something she couldn’t understand but the crowd loved it. Zac looked bored as usual, pounding away on the drums. He was giving hardly any effort. Mental note—give that kid a smack on the back of the head.
Whenever Hope looked at Ike she thought of the Dana Carvey comedy that had recently aired on Comedy Central. He was right, Ike showed all signs. He looked pissed at the microphone, he walked around a lot, he acted like it was a magic trick whenever he changed chords, and every once in a while he looked like a dog scraping his ass against the driveway.
Hope had to laugh. Dana Carvey was exactly right.
The concert seemed to drone on. Sickening screams from an excited crowd, the three brothers acting like maniacs on stage and not even noticing how stupid they looked when they sung.
Taylor could of at least brushed his hair. How many times did I ask him to do that? And Zac insisted on wearing those hideous pants. Doesn’t he realize orange does not go with green? And Ike could at least do something with that hair, it gets annoying. And he wonders why he isn’t the most liked. This crowd is oblivious to them. Don’t they realize these people are rejects? Figures they wouldn’t understand, they ‘love’ them way too much. That’ll change when they see all three when they wake up. Hair all ratty, face all oily and Taylor looks a hell of a lot better with a shirt on! Him and his bony little butt needs to start eating something, or maybe work out somewhat so he could have some kind of muscle. I swear one of these days I’m gonna kill Zac. He’s so annoying. His wildness may work onstage but at home he needs to shut up and stop bugging me. I think he has a crush on me cause he won’t leave me alone. Or maybe it’s that he’s just plain annoying. Dear God let it be that he’s just plain annoying…Zac, where the hell did you get those shoes from? Yellow definitely doesn’t help the already butchered outfit. I declare it now, next show I’m the stylist.
"Hope, watch your left," a security guard’s voice came through her ear piece. Her head flickered to the left and people were starting to climb over the railing. They wonder why I hate this job so much.
She walked over and pushed the girl back over the railing. "Don’t do that. You don’t want to get arrested," Hope said. The girl flicked her off, obviously not knowing who she was.
"And who are you to tell me what to do?"
"Personal bodyguard. I have the authority." Hope pressed a button on her battery pack they’d given her at the beginning of the show.
"Oh yeah, how do I know you’re not just like one of us?" the girl asked. Hope shook her head and signaled the awaiting security guards.
"This is something I really don’t like doing, but you’re attitude is just too upsetting. I’m Hope Hollowell, remember my face and tell your teeny friends," she said. Two security guards took her away and outside of the building.
Hope went back to her position by the center of the stage, continuing to guard her post. Her job during the concert was crowd control. She wasn’t even supposed to look at the guys, she was supposed to scan the crowd for suspicious persons for two hours.
Nothing major ever happens, just a few trouble making teenies, but that’s it. Hanson was easy to keep safe because nothing’s ever happened to them. Now Jonathan was another story, left and right people were trying to get too close or hurt him. Never a dull moment with him.
Now that’s a job.
On the last song, Hope got a distress call from a stage manager. Someone suspicious was lurking backstage. She was ordered to leave her post and someone else would take her place. Don’t wait for the person, just leave immediately.
Hope went backstage inconspicuously. No one noticed. The stage manager who sent the distress call pointed to where the man was last seen. Hope could tell he hadn’t wanted to call Hope back there. That was prejudice, on counts of both ageism and sexism.
Quietly Hope headed over to a secluded area backstage. Everyone around was busy working to notice or care, and they all knew Hope. She headed to the darkness, pulling out a small gun that she carried around while at concerts. Not a person there knew about the gun, though.
Pointing the gun outward, waiting for something to twitch, she tiptoed in the black darkness. She could barely see anything, but she could sense it if something moved.
Stillness.
Carefully she stepped over a few chairs that she noticed were there. Hope turned off her radio, knowing if someone was present, he would be able to hear if someone said something.
A soft click was heard in the distance.
Hope’s pace quickened toward the noise. The music onstage stopped now, and Taylor’s voice was saying his goodbye. The screams for more Hanson swelled now, and Hope was nearing something. Even with the screams she could still sense any movement.
Light footsteps were heard behind her. She waited for it to get close enough, then turned and pointed the gun right in the face of who was there.
Zac.
She quickly stuck her hand over his mouth, and lightly whispered her words into his ear. "Go back out there and do an encore, Zac. There’s someone here and you need to buy me some time to get him. Leave quickly and quietly, he’s around somewhere."
Hope knew she scared the crap out of the boy, but the truth was his only way to be safe. She watched as he walked away. About 100 feet to the left of him, Hope saw a small light. Fear entered her being as she ran over, silently.
She heard an all to familiar click of a gun. "Zac get down!" she screamed. A silent shot came from the light and Zac went down. She didn’t know whether he was hit or not.
Hope was able to pounce on the man, beating him with no mercy. The lights went on and Zac was still on the ground and the man she was hitting looked familiar.
"Oh God no…" she whispered, looking him over. Pulling over his shirt she saw a small skull and crossbones on his right shoulder. It was the same man who tried to kill Jonathan, he was haunting her.
She hit him with the back of his own gun, making sure he was out.