Ginger looked around the empty house wondering what was going on. It was noon and there was no one home. She had woken up at eight and there wasn�t a person around. And to top it all off, Zac wasn�t there either. She knew he wasn�t going home until the next day, so they couldn�t of gone to the airport. She had gotten worried. They never leave and not say something, and they wouldn�t take everybody and leave her behind.
Suddenly she heard the garage door open. It made her jump because the house had been quiet all morning, and they never go through the garage door. She walked over to the kitchen and waited for someone to come in. Zac walked in first, a bandage on his forehead. �Oh my God, what happened to you?� Ginger asked. He huffed.
�Ask your smart sister.� Kristina came innocently into the kitchen, her head hanging. Ginger looked to her and waited for her to feel the stare. It didn�t take long before she was looking back.
�I kind of hit him over the head. With a dictionary. Accidentally. I swear.�
�Okay. Why?� she asked, gently hugging Zac. She traced the outline of his bandage with her nail. "My poor baby."
�I was in our closet looking for the dictionary. You know how we keep it up on a shelf in there. I always told you we shouldn't keep it up there cause one of these days it'll fall on someone's head. Well I grabbed it and he came up behind me and startled me and the dictionary fell on his head. You were still asleep.�
�Why didn�t someone wake me up? And why were you gone for such a long time? I was beginning to worry something happened, and obviously something did.�
�We didn�t want to worry you,� Zac said in her ear. �I knew you'd be all over me like you are now.�
�Oh well, live with it.�
�I�ll have to live with it because of your oh-so-smart sister over there. In which still owes me an apology.�
�I apologized a million and one times!�
�Well you need to apologize and million and two so I can forgive you. Or I can just tell the next person that asks that I was assaulted. You can get in a lot of trouble for that.�
�Shut up.�
�I don�t think that sounds enough like an apology, how about you, Ginger? What do you think that sounded like?�
�I believe that sounded like a shut up to me.� Zac nodded and turned back to Kristina, who was leaning against the wall, shaking her head. �And why are you shaking your head?� Ginger asked.
�Because you�re hanging on your boyfriend instead of supporting your sister.�
�Well the next time my boyfriend drops a dictionary on your head, I�ll hang on you instead of supporting him.� She rolled her eyes. �Zac she apologized enough.�
�No she didn�t.�
�I tried,� Ginger said, giving her sister a smile. She returned a sad look. �Oh poor Kris! Let me come over there and give you a hug. If Zac would let me go!�
�Let her go so she can give me a sympathy hug,� Kris said, walking over. Since Zac refused, Ginger gave her sister a hug with his arms still around her waist. He held on to Ginger with one hand and then poked Kristina with the other. �Hey!�
�Hay is for horses,� Zac said, pulling his girlfriend back. �And I seriously don�t think you want to be considered a horse.�
�I love you too, Zac. Now if you poke me again I�ll do more than drop a dictionary on your head,� she said and walked away. Zac watched as she left, shaking his head.
�I swear. She�s something else.�
�Well duh. Where are my parents, shouldn�t they be inside by now?� she asked, looking to the door.
�They went back out to get something. I don�t remember what. Brain damage, it doesn�t help memory very much.� She kissed his cheek.
�My poor baby.� She started laughing. �But you got a dictionary dropped on your head! I would love to see the look on your family�s faces when you tell them that one.�
�Uh, no you won�t because I will be subject to eight people�s teasing. Trust me, even Zo� will be laughing at me and she�s not even three.�
"I'm sorry, Zac. Was it serious?"
"I had to get stitches! They told me to keep this bandage on for a few days so I don't get it infected. It'll be a while before I can get them out."
"Are you in pain?"
"No, they gave me something for the pain. I'm all right�kind of high, but all right," he said. She smiled. "I'm having fun torturing Kris, but she was freaking out when it happened. I was bleeding everywhere and she thought she'd taken a large chunk out of my head, but it was just split open." He started leading her to the living room. "She was lucky she hit me where she did. They almost had to shave hair off. If they had had to get rid of my hair I would have killed her."
He laid on the couch and pulled Ginger down on top of him. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television, jumping lightly at the sight of his own face on the big screen television set. "Okay, turning the channel now�"
"What? Can't stand to watch yourself on television?" He shook his head and changed the channel.
"I act like a total dumbass on television. You'd think after four years I'd get over the awkwardness of a camera in my face and someone interviewing me, answering questions I've been asked a billion times, but I still get nervous every time. It's because I haven't been able to figure out how to be myself. And now I've developed this persona that everyone knows and expects from me that I can't be myself. I feel like I have to play a part so people will think I'm the same as I always have been but it's just not me."
"Well, honey, you have to grow up sometime. You're not going to be that little eleven-year-old kid forever. Just look at you. You look a lot different now. You're not tiny and adorable, you're tall and you're buff and you're starting to get really sexy."
"Starting to? I'm already sexy." She laughed. "I take offense to that laughter."
"Zac, you're too much. That's why I love you." She paused. �I want to meet your friends. I want to go stay with you for a little while. You're coming here too much. I think I should come where you are.�
�I don�t have any friends,� he said, clicking through the television channels. She took his face and directed it towards her. "Sorry. I'm too busy for friends."
�Oh really? Then at least let me meet your family. You�ve been here a day, you know my family. I haven�t even met yours.�
�I hardly consider being here a day long enough to know your family. I know your sister because I've been teasing her ever since I got here, but your parents I don't know. And you have three sisters I've yet to meet." She shrugged. "My family�s weird. And big.�
�My family is weird and big too, hun. I want to meet your big family. I want to know if they�re all as sweet as you are. I mean I saw your brothers at Borders but I never actually talked to them. I can just look on TV and see them. I want to meet them too.�
�Well it�s not gonna happen soon. We won�t be around for a while, and my folks are too protective so they probably won't let you come and stay. It took me two and a half days of begging to be able to come here.�
�Well then you'll just have to beg some more.�
�Can I ask you something?� he asked. She shrugged.
�Yeah. What?�
�Are you a virgin?� She looked at him wide-eyed�it was obvious that she hadn�t expected that. She knew it was going to be something personal because he asked if he could ask it first, but she had no expected that particular question.
�Why would you want to know?� she asked.
�I don't know. It just kind of popped into my head. And considering that time has changed and the average age of when a person loses their virginity is getting younger and younger��
�Yeah, I've noticed that considering half my friends aren�t. But yes, I am. I�m saving myself for someone special. I really don�t want to lose something I�ve kept for this long in the back seat of a steamy car like some people I know.� She ran her fingers down his arm and took his hand. �And for some reason I have a feeling I know who�s going to take it from me.�
�I wonder who that person is,� Zac said, looking into her eyes.
�I wonder,� she replied, smiling. �And we�re not going to even think about doing anything until we�re married, Zac. I don�t want to turn out like my birth mother and my three sisters and get forced into marriage when I�m not ready because I lost it too soon. Of course they love the children they had but all four of them�my mom and my sisters, that is�never graduated high school with the rest of their class.�
�I wouldn�t want to take that from you. How could I propose on the day you graduate if you don�t graduate?�
�I don't know. This is weird, Zac. Your plan is working so far. I really love you.�
�I�ll bet you five bucks I love you more.�
�Funny,� she said, gazing down at their linked hands. �I never wanted to go out with you in the first place. I went with my instinct and said yes, and now I cannot be happier.� Zac smiled. The kitchen door opened.
�Oh great, and now my parents are home. I wonder what they were doing,� she said. Zac sat up as Ginger got off of him.
�Ginger!� her mother called out. She rolled her eyes, much to Zac�s amusement and walked towards the kitchen where they'd entered the house. �Ginger, come in the kitchen!� She walked into the kitchen, an eyebrow raised. �Your results are in. The doctor wants to see you right away so she won�t keep you in suspense.�
"Already?" Ginger asked. Her mother nodded. Ginger bit her lip and gestured towards the living room where Zac was. �Bring him along. He was the one who suggest you get tested in the first place.�
�I don�t know how I�ll react, though. I�m not sure I want him to come along. He�s seen me cry enough times.�
�Honey,� her mother said, walking over and putting her hands on her daughter's shoulders, �nothing is wrong with you. I�m sure you�re fine.�
�That�s why I have an entire cabinet full of prescribed medicines. Sure, mom, I�m fine.�
�Hun��
�Zac!� she yelled. �You�re coming with me!� Zac appeared in the kitchen a few moments later, confused. �You, me, and mom are going to the doctor. Now.�
�Okay��
�And it�s not for your dictionary troubles,� she said, glancing at his bandage. �We all know you don�t have an extensive vocabulary but you don�t have to hit yourself over the head to make it sink in.�
�Funny.�
�Come on,� she said, holding out her hand. He took it and they left quickly. Once they got in the car Mom started driving like a wild manic. She already didn�t have driving as her strong point, but she didn�t have to drive like there was no tomorrow.
�Mom, slow down, it�s not life or death here. I�m not gonna have a baby pop out of me any time soon so you don�t have to drive like I�m in labor.�
�Shut up,� she said, �it could be a matter of life or death.�
�Thank you for your encouragement. I feel very safe right now. Considering five minutes ago you insisted there was nothing wrong with me and now it could be a matter or life or death. It�s not like I�m going to find out if I have brain cancer or something�wait, nevermind.�
�Is that why we�re going?� Zac asked. She nodded. �You brought me along to your doctor to see if you have cancer?� She nodded again. �Whatever.�
�You were the one who suggested it, Zac. Or that�s what these people are telling me. I didn�t know I was sulking when Kris was on the phone with you.�
�Yeah, in the shower with��
�Shh,� she said lowly as she put a finger to her lips. �I don�t want her to know.� He nodded. �Anyways�mom would you stop knocking me out of my seat?�
�We�re almost there, hold on.�
�Literally.� She gave me a look through the rear view mirror. �I�m surprised we haven�t gotten stopped yet.�
�Shut up and don�t think that,� her mother said. �I know you, whatever you predict always ends up happening. Was your mother a gypsy or something?� Ginger was struck silent. Mom never talked about her birth mother. She never mentioned her birth mother. Ginger never wanted her to.
�I don't know.�
�Okay, hold on, I�m stopping.� The car suddenly jerked forward and then fell back. Mom quickly turned off the car and got out, barely letting Ginger move before she started shoving her daughter out of the car.
�Sheesh, you would think she was the one getting tested, not me. I personally don�t want to go and she wants to get in there as fast as possible.�
She ran while Zac and Ginger walked patiently to the door. Ginger couldn�t believe her burst of energy, like she had to know right away. Ginger wasn�t ready for it and she was beyond prepared. Ginger sighed as she panted. Ginger sat and relaxed while she paced.
�Mother! Sit down and stop making me nervous! We�ll get in when we get in and there is nothing you can do about it! There�s other people here besides us that need to find things out before we do.�
�Fine.� She sat down. The door opened and a moment later they were called. �That�s what I get for sitting down. The minute I relax we get called. Well I don�t want you talking, all right?� Ginger nodded, and gripped Zac�s hand as they went in.
�Step on the scale, Ginger,� the nurse said. Ginger released Zac�s hand and she stepped on the scale, facing away. �At least this time I didn�t have to remind you.� The nurse pushed the weights over before scribbled something down.
�I can�t see, right?� Ginger asked. The nurse nodded.
�Sorry. Take off your shoes and stand up straight,� she said. Ginger slipped her sandals off and stood straight. �5�4. You�ve grown since the last time we did this.�
�You haven�t done this in a year. I�ve been weighed every time I come in but you never measure my height.� She scribbled Ginger's height down and told her to put her shoes back on and follow her to the waiting room.
�How come you couldn�t face the scale?� Zac softly asked, as they walked down the halls.
�I told you before that I had anorexia. They think I still might have it so I haven�t been able to see my weight in years.� He nodded. Ginger could tell he knew what it was. �You saw it, didn�t you?� He played innocent and shook his head.
�No.�
�Yes you did, I can tell. And you want to blab it, but I really don�t care." He shrugged. The nurse put us in a plain room. Ginger laid down on the examining table.
�Just make yourself at home, we all know that you practically live here too,� the nurse said, smiling. She closed the door behind her.
It wasn�t long before the doctor made her way into the room. She gave Ginger a smile before she began. �Well, the tests are back. I know it's soon and all, but I took care of them myself. We here are all very curious about you, Ginger, but I haven't seen them yet. I would like to let you know that whatever has come through, we�re behind you all the way, just as we have been through everything else.�
�Yeah, yeah, I�ve had that said to me seventeen times already, get on with it.�
"All right," the doctor said. Ginger sat up and glanced over to Zac. He looked just as nervous as her mother. Why was she the only one who wasn't noticeably nervous? The doctor opened the file and looked at it. She glanced at Ginger and bit her lip. She could tell already from the expression on her face. Time stood still as she read aloud her fate.
�Positive.�