Ginger got up and walked out of the room, just as she did when they told said what she was getting tested for. Zac followed her out, taking her hand and gripping it as they left. It was custom for her to walk out�that was her initial reaction to everything. If there was a problem, she'd walk away.
She got into the back seat of the car, and Zac climbed in after her. She looked out the window, not saying anything for a long time. Zac was there, just in case she needed him. It finally hit her. Her body tensed in fear and grief and her head fell against the window with a resounding thud, and she began to cry. She put her hands over her face and let herself cry. Zac's careful hand found hers, and he lightly pulled her away from the window. He was afraid of how she'd react; afraid of her pushing him away when all he was trying to do was comfort her. She turned to him, her head in his chest as she cried. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. Everything had been wrong. Everyone had said that it was all going to be okay, and that she was just fine, but she wasn't fine.
She didn�t know how to react. Problems were normally simple and required medication. Cancer was different. It required treatments, not pills. She didn�t have to take another set. She would actually be getting rid of sets. Instead of pills she would have chemotherapy or radiation treatments. The first thing that came to her mind was her hair. Chemotherapy could make her lose her hair. It would all be gone.
�I don�t know what they�re even going to do to help me. I just bolted out there as quick as I could. I always end up running away from problems.�
�That�s all right, hun. The doctor doesn�t know. That�s up to the people at the hospital.�
�Great, now I have to go to a hospital. Have another set of doctors look at me. Another set of eyes watching my every move so I don�t mess up. �Take your pills, hun, it�s important you don�t forget.� It�s like I don�t know or something! I�ve been taking tons of pills for years now and they keep reminding me. I know what happens.� She doubted he could understand her because she was crying so hard, but he was only there to listen. She calmed herself down, wiped at her eyes, and looked up to him. �I appreciate you, Zac.�
�Why?�
�Because you listen. You really listen to me. Thank you.�
�It�s what I do. I�m not good at talking in situations like these.� She nodded, hugging him. �What�ll happen if I lose all my hair?�
�You�ll be the prettiest bald girl I�ve ever seen.� She laughed.
�You would really still consider me pretty?� He nodded.
�But of course. I don�t know how I couldn�t. You�re beautiful, hair or no hair. It doesn�t matter to me.�
�Okay, you�re starting to freak me out. I really have never met anyone who would think something like that of me.� He shrugged. �I guess you�re the first one.�
�I wish your mom would hurry up, I want to go home and ask you something.�
�Why can�t you ask me right now?�
�Because I don�t want to.�
�Well can you give me a hint to what it is about? I want to know now, and it won�t take us five minutes to get home like on the way here.�
�It has something to do with Hanson.�
�Hanson as in your band Hanson?� Zac nodded. �Okay, hmm. Does it have to do with your album?�
�I said too much already,� he told her. She hugged him tighter.
�Fine, if you can�t tell me now then the answer is no.�
�Well then I�ll have to make it into where no means yes, Ginger.� She gave him a look. �Not now. When we get home.�
�Home as in my home or home as in your home in Tulsa. You�d pull something like that. You�re the worst at asking things.�
�Home as in your home. Right when we�re alone.�
�We�re alone now!!!�
�No we�re not.� She gave him a confused look. �Here comes your mom. We�re not alone anymore.� She looked over and rolled her eyes. Her mother opened the door and huffed.
�You need to stop making scenes like that. She had some very important information for you and you just ran out. The doctor said that they would most likely start you on radiation treatments to see if it works. Chemotherapy will make you lose you hair and they know how much that would affect you.�
�Of course.� She bit her lip and closed her eyes, clenching onto Zac. The car started to move at a sane pace. Ginger still held onto Zac with her eyes closed. Zac gently kissed the top of her head.
�I love you,� he said.
�I love you too.� He gripped her hand and they went home. Ginger stoically got out of the car once they were in the driveway and went inside. Kris appeared in the kitchen when she walked in.
"Where did you guys go? I left for five minutes and suddenly you and Zac are gone! Did he break his stitches or something?" Kris asked. Ginger shook her head. "Then what?" Ginger looked at Zac and he immediately left without a word. "What's going on?"
"I got my test results back," Ginger said.
"Already?" Kris asked. Ginger nodded. "What'd they say?" Ginger didn't say anything as she started to cry again. "Oh, come here, honey." Kris opened her eyes and Ginger immediately fell into them, crying hard. "You and me are going to get through this, you know. As long as I'm around you're going to be just fine."
"I don't know what I'm going to do!"
"You're going to get up every morning and you're going to do what you have to do. I'm going to be right by your side no matter what happens, okay?" Ginger nodded. "I'm going to be right here every day and I'm going to go through this with you. I love you, you know."
"I know."
"Now, come on, cheer up." Kris let go of her sister and tapped her chin up. "Keep your head up, put a smile on your face, and be happy. It's not the end of the world."
"It sure feels like it."
"I know it does, sweetheart. I know it hurts. But we're going to make it through." Ginger nodded. She dried her eyes, kept her chin up, and smiled. "That's my girl. Let's go upstairs. I'm sure Zac is feeling a little left out." Ginger took her sister's hand and they walked up the stairs to their room. Kris left her in there alone to talk with her boyfriend and left. Ginger gave Zac a smile.
"Why so happy?" he asked.
"I have a sister who loves me," she said, fidgeting slightly. "And I have a boyfriend who loves me. I don't need anything else." Zac smiled back at her. "Now you had something you wanted to tell me?"
"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot," he said. "Two months from now if February, you know." Ginger nodded.
�Duh.�
�In February are the Grammy awards�� She raised an eyebrow. �And we�ve been nominated for Album of the Year.� She was taken aback. She hadn�t known. �Pretty spiffy, huh?�
�Yeah, so what is it that you want to ask?�
�I want you to come along.� Her eyes grew wide. The closest she had ever been to an award show was two inches from the TV screen. �It�s on February 22nd, that�s a while from now, so you can have time to think about it.�
�I thought about it. Of course, why wouldn�t I go? Do you think you�ll win?� she asked, sitting down.
�I don�t know. We're up against some pretty classic people. I think all of them are better than me and there was a lot of really good albums this year that didn't get nominated and we did. I was surprised when I heard we got nominated. I couldn't believe it.� He smiled. "The people at the Grammy's hate us so much, I doubt we'll win anyway."
�Well, Zac, I would think so. Your last album was still teenybopper stuff. You�ve finally made the jump to something that�s stable and it�s really good. You�re wonderful at what you do and I sincerely think you deserve some recognition.�
�You think so?�
�Yes! From a person who owns every CD from Ricky Martin to Garth Brooks to Prodigy, I consider your music just as good as anything I�ve ever heard. And that�s not because you�re my boyfriend. Trust me if your music sucked I�d be the first person to tell you.�
�Uh, thanks. I think.� She smiled.
"Yay! I get to go to the Grammy's!" she said, jumping into his arms. "You are the best boyfriend in the world."
"You only love me for my connections."
"You know that's not true," she said, kissing him. "I love you for other reasons too."
"Thanks." She smiled.
Ginger sat in the car, on Zac�s lap, biting her fingernails. The past two days had been the best. After only meeting for a few days over the last month or so, her and Zac had been getting along so perfectly. They had yet to fight and each moment just brought them closer and closer together.
�Hun, don�t rip your nails off,� Zac whispered to her. She took her finger out of her mouth and put it by her side.
�I just don't want you to leave."
"I�ll be back before you know it.� She smiled. �I�m sure.�
�I don�t know; two months is a long time.�
�You won�t even notice, Ginger. You�ll go back to school and you�ll ace every single test you have because you're studying so hard and not even thinking about me.� She laughed.
�I wish!�
The car rolled to a stop and her mother got out. She opened the door and got out herself, looking around. It was cold out. Zac climbed out and almost shivered. �Cold enough for you?� she asked, taking his hand. He shrugged. �You know it is.� Kris got out and smiled.
�You two are so cute together. And the world says long distance relationships don�t work.�
�The world?� Zac asked, turning to face her. �The world really says that?�
�Funny, Zac. Ha-ha. But seriously, you two are so cute together,� she said, putting her hands over her heart.
�You said that already,� Ginger informed, putting her free hand on Zac�s shoulder and resting her chin on it.
�Must you always hang on me?" Zac asked. "I swear everywhere we go, everything we do you�re hanging on me. I wouldn�t be surprised if tomorrow everyone will know we�re going out.�
�Well I�m that kind of person, Zac. And what do you have against everyone finding out? Do you want to keep this a secret relationship basically meaning we can�t go anywhere together? I don�t have to go to the Grammy's with you.�
�Of course you do. People will find out soon enough, but not now.� She smiled. �I don�t mind you hanging on me but I do wonder why.�
�It�s a habit. Ask Kris; I hang on her all the time. People think we�re together or something.� Zac smiled.
�Hey, I wouldn't mind that�� Ginger pulled back, raising a questionable eyebrow at him. �Just kidding.�
�I swear, Zac. Sometimes�sometimes you're just too much." She kissed him and turned away. "Come on, don�t want to miss that plane you oh so wanted to get on board. Do you have your bag?�
�No.�
�It would help if you did, Zac. I mean you just might need it one of these days.� He rolled his eyes and reached into the car, taking his bag. �Let�s go.�
They walked through Tampa International Airport, hand in hand. There were a few scattered people throughout it, but overall it was rather empty. �You know I�m going to miss you,� Ginger whispered to him as they stepped onto the shuttle that would lead to the gate on the other side of the airport.
�I�ll miss you more.�
�How do you know that?� she asked. He shrugged. �So you don�t. That means you can be wrong.�
�I don�t think I�ll be wrong. Of course I will be busy, but all the more to think about you. It�s not like I won�t be able to think about you. I do all the time.�
�I always figured you were too busy to think about me.�
�I might be too busy to call or to write or what have you, but never to stop thinking about you. You�re on my mind all the time. Half of the album is written for you.�
�Really? But that was released before we got together�� She looked at him, and he nodded. �You did think about me before we got together, didn�t you?�
�All the time. We may have talked for a few minutes but that was enough to keep me coming back to you.�
�Why are you so good to me? Zac, you barely know me. I�ve let out only a limited amount of details and yet you�re still there.�
�Well why wouldn�t I be? I don�t care if I don�t know about you, two days with you has shown me that you are perfect.� He kissed her hand. The shuttle stopped and the doors opened. They stepped out.
�I am nowhere near perfect. You know how many problems I have.� He smiled and pointed the way to the gate.
�Gate�s that way. You may not be perfect physically but I know you are the perfect person to live with. That helps a lot.� She gave him a strange look.
�Helps a lot for what?�
�For when we get married. A lot of marriages fail because the people find out they can�t live together. But of course you are perfect so we would have no problem with that.�
�You just think I�m perfect.�
�I know you�re perfect.� She rolled her eyes. She saw the gate ahead, and almost cringed. It would still be a little while before the flight was called, but it still meant that soon she had to say goodbye. It was nine o'clock then, and his flight left an hour later. He sat down in a chair and pulled her down on his lap. �Have I told you yet today that you�re beautiful?� She nodded. �You�re beautiful.� She laughed. �I don�t think I mentioned we are also up for Song of the Year.�
�You are? That�s just cool. Considering I can�t sing if my life depended on it, I wouldn�t be able to explain how happy I would be.� He smiled.
�Well, I guess it�s all right if you can�t sing. Just as long as my kids are half as good as I am!�
�Hey! You don�t exactly decide what you kids can and cannot do before they are even born, so don�t start with me.� He shrugged. Kristina finally made her way over to us, and huffed.
�Fine, just leave me back there! I don�t need you at all! I have my mother!� Ginger laughed. �I�m not talking to either of you because you left me behind so you could talk about whatever you two talk about. I see how it is! Find a boyfriend and you're sister's not important!�
�Whatever, Kris. You can go away now,� Zac teased.
�No, then I�ll be alone,� she responded, twisting a ring around her finger. �You know what I realized?�
�That you�re talking to us even though you said you weren�t going to?� Ginger asked. Kris shook her head, waving it off. �Then what?�
�You two are constantly together but I�ve seen you kiss like twice. Do you not believe in making out or something?� Ginger glanced at Zac, who looked back, a little surprised.
�We never thought about anything like that!� Zac said. �Anyway you have to keep your eyes closed the whole time and I enjoy looking at her.� She squeezed his hand. �Well I do.�
�I just never thought about it. And from the other guys I�ve gone out with, he�s the only one sweet enough to not try and make out with me on a first date.�
�Well that�s just the kind of guy I am,� Zac said, smiling. Kristina gave us a weird look.
�Are you sure you�re a guy? Absolutely positively? Cause you�re the first one I�ve met who�s not out for sex and only sex.�
�I�m sure I�m a guy, Kris.� She was about to say something else when their mother came up. �Thank God,� he whispered in her ear. �I knew where that conversation was headed.�
�Me too.�
�You two, I swear,� Mom said. �I�m almost afraid to send you home, Zac. But you have a job to do. See, Ginger, he�s got a job, you should get one too.� She had a feeling the woman would do something like that.
�Why should I get a job? I can milk money out of him,� Ginger said. He pinched her, making her jump slightly. �Hey!� Mom gave her a stern look. Ginger smiled.
�It�s not a job, it�s a way of life!� Zac quoted, laughing. �I�ll miss you the most Jane!� he said, directing to Mom. �After Ginger, of course.�
�And what about me?� Kristina asked.
�Oh I won�t miss you at all. You�re the reason I�m happy about leaving. When I get home I might be safe from falling dictionaries now.� He gestured to the bandage still on his head.
�Now, Zac, be nice,� Ginger told him.
�I�m sorry. Come over here,� Zac said. Kris walked over and he gave her a kiss on the cheek. �I�ll miss you.�
�You better,� she muttered.
�Hey! I�m being nice and you�re being smart. Ginger, I don�t think your sister likes me.� She stroked his hair.
�Poor baby. Kris, you have to like him because we�re going to be together for a very long while.� Her mother lifted an eyebrow. Obviously she hadn�t heard the master plan. �Well we are��
�What makes you think that?� she asked. Ginger smiled.
�The fact that we�re going to get married when we�re both 18,� Ginger said, giving her mother a smile.
�Really? Nice to be informed about my own daughter�s plans to get married.� Zac pinched her again. �Oh well, I don�t care.�
�Stop pinching me,� Ginger whispered.
�No,� he said, a smirk on his face. She pressed her forehead against his, looking into his caramel eyes. �What am I gonna do without you?
� �You�re going to tell your family all about me, and explain to them how exactly you got a dictionary dropped on your head.� His smile grew and he gently kissed her.
�I don�t want to leave.�
�But you have to.� She put her fingers through his hair and looked over his face. �Do you know how good you would look with an earring?� she told him, rubbing his left ear gently.
�Do you know how much shit I would get in if I ever thought about doing that?� Ginger smiled. �I think you have enough for the both of us.� He had a point, considering she had three holes in each ear and her left cartilage pierced. She glanced at her watch.
�You know, we have a half an hour before your plane is supposed to leave, and there�s a place down the street that doesn�t ask for identification.�
�I don�t think so.�
�I think you should do it.�
�No.� Ginger glanced at her mother and she was talking to the ticket person, who also happened to be a neighbor. Kris was over there, looking bored but didn�t seem to mind.
�Come on, what was the last thing you did without mommy�s permission?� she asked him. �It�ll take five minutes if you don�t squirm.�
�Fine, but if I get my ass kicked then you�re taking the blame.� She smiled and quickly got up, dragging him with her. They came back about fifteen minutes later, a faux diamond stud in Zac�s left ear. Kris noticed them sitting back down, trying to be inconspicuous. Ginger's mother hadn�t noticed they left. Kris walked over.
�Where did you go?� she asked.
�Just for something to eat, did mom notice?� Ginger asked, having to contain her laughter. Kris shook her head and noticed the earring.
�Oh my God, Ginger. You took him to get his ear pierced, didn�t you? I know you and you go there all the time.�
�Well, yeah. We did. Just don�t tell mom; she�ll kill me. She doesn�t even know I go there. I don�t think she�s ever noticed that I�ve come home with another hole in my ear.�
�Fine, I won�t say anything. But boy, you�re going to have to do a lot of explaining when you go home. With the earring and the bandage on your head.� Zac smiled and shrugged.
�Flight 74132 to Tulsa, now boarding first class.� Zac�s smile faded. Ginger turned at him.
�I thought we still had a while before you had to leave,� she said, softly. His eyes twinkled; he was happy with her. It was strange. �Damn.�
�I�ll go at the last call. Right now is reserved for the many goodbyes before I have to board.�
�I love you.� He smiled and kissed her.
�I love you too.� They stared at each other until the last boarding call came over the speakers. �Shit, I don�t want to leave but I can�t miss my flight.�
�I wish you could.�
�Me too. I�ll see you soon, I promise. The Grammy awards aren�t that far off.� She nodded. He kissed her forehead and started walking. Before he gave his ticket to stewardess, he turned back to her. �Thanks, Ging."
"For what?"
"Just�just for being you." She smiled and watched as he left. She stared until she couldn�t see him anymore. She walked over to the glass and looked at the plane. Kris came up and took her hand.
�Two months. It�s not that long if you think about it,� she said. Ginger nodded. �It seems pretty final, doesn�t it?� She turned around and walked away, a smile on her face. A smile that was about as fake as they come.