Ginger awoke and jumped off the bed immediately. Upon seeing Zac right beside her, she began to freak out and backed away from the bed. Zac woke up quickly at her sudden absence and sat up to look at her. �Oh God!� she screamed. He was completely confused. Kristina ran up the stairs and came in the room. Ginger noticed and quickly hid behind her sister. �Why is he here?� Ginger whispered, gripping onto Kris's shoulders.
�He came early this morning, don�t you remember?�
�It was a dream, it was all a dream! He can�t be here. It�s my birthday. He broke his promise again; he�s supposed to break his promise again!� Kris gave Zac a look of desperation, and he climbed off the bed. Ginger kept a hold of her shoulders.
�Honey, I�m sorry if I broke my promise before, but I�m here now��
�No! You�re going to hurt me! You�re going to hurt me like everyone else hurt me!� she screamed at him, then ducked behind her sister again.
�I don�t want to hurt you, I never meant to in the first place.� Ginger's eyes glossed over with tears. �I�m here now and I�m only going to leave when you want me to. I love you��
�No you don�t. One person loves me and I�m gripping on her now.� A tear fell unnoticed down Ginger's cheek. �You don�t care, no one cares! You don�t know what hell I�ve been through these past two years and you never will!�
�Ginger, I know you�ve had a tough time but I�m here now.�
�You weren�t there before, I don�t know why you care anymore. Leave me alone.� Zac glanced at Kris, and she nodded, looking to the stairs.
�I think you should leave, Zac.� He sighed. �Please.� As he came closer Ginger moved away. Kris stopped him before he went down the stairs. �Wait downstairs, I think I can convince her quickly.� Zac glanced back at Ginger as she sunk to the floor, crying. He walked down the stairs. Kris watched for a few minutes and then quickly tended to her sister.
�Tell sis what�s wrong,� Kris said, sitting down next to Ginger. She put her head on Kris's shoulder and Kris stuck a comforting arm around her. �Was it Zac?� She waited for a response from her hearing Zac's name.
�He all of a sudden pops up and he was never there before. I turned 16, then 17, and both times he said he was going to be there. But he wasn�t. He missed the two most painful years of my life and all of a sudden wants me to forgive him and take him back. I can�t do that, Kris!�
�That�s all right. He�s staying in town until you can, and he won�t go home until you tell him to.�
�Doesn�t he have a job to do?� she asked, looking at Kris and wiping away her tears. �Doesn�t he have a life that�s more important than me?�
�Nothing�s more important to him right now than you. I was talking to him on the way back here from the airport; he wants to stop making music and settle down with you. He�s even told me he�s continued school throughout the past summers so he can graduate this year.�
�He did?�
�Yes, he did. And he�s so in love with you that he�s willing to give up his life as Zac Hanson to be with you.�
�But he has brothers in the industry with him! He can�t just give them up too!�
�They were the ones who told him to go for what he wants and pushed him towards you. His mother even paid for the trip.�
�Of course Diana would, she likes me.�
�She loves you.� Ginger stiffened. �She loves you, Ginger,� Kris repeated. �Zac loves you too.�
�No��
�They love you. Zac loves you more than I do.� Ginger looked at her, a hint of a smile on her face.
�No one could love me more than you do.� Kris shook her head; she felt like she was talking to a three year old. She held Ginger's shoulder tightly �He does?�
�Zac loves you more than I do.� Ginger tried to squirm away but Kris held her close. �Diana loves you too. The whole family does.� Ginger shook her head, quickly scrunching up again. �Yes, they do. They all love you.�
�Why?�
�You are a great person, how could they not? You�re sweet and you're beautiful�every time you walk into a room people just flock to you because you're such a dynamic person.� Ginger smiled for the first time since she woke up. �Now you have to realize this, and keep it in that head of yours.� Kris gently tapped Ginger's forehead with her fingernail. �You�re 18 today! Be happy!�
�I guess��
�Be happy.�
�I will. Did Zac leave?� Kristina shook her head. �Where is he?� Ginger asked, her smile fading.
�Keep the smile, sweetie. He�s downstairs, go have a good time with him. He missed you very much,� Kris said.
�Really?�
�Yes.� Ginger gave her sister a hug before getting up and walking down the stairs. Zac was sitting in the living room, accompanying her father in watching TV. She stood there a minute, watching. Zac was actually having a conversation with her father. Dad was watching football, which she knew Zac didn't have a big opinion about.
"Who do you think is better? Tampa or St. Louis?" Dad asked. Zac laughed.
"You're actually asking me a question about football? I don't think I've ever watched a football game in my entire life. I didn't even know St. Louis had a team. The only reason I knew Tampa had a team was because I've passed the stadium while on the road."
"Boy, you have a lot to learn," Dad said. "If you're going to date my daughter, you're going to learn about football." Ginger noticed the slightly fearful look on Zac's face. "Oh, don't look so scared! It's just a little football."
"I'm not partial to football."
"I'm not partial to music but I'm still letting you stay in my house when you're not married to my daughter! Now, listen, bub, Tony Dungee is the head coach. He's an ass. I hate him."
"Daddy, don't go off on the coach again. I don't think you need to vent your anger on Zac," Ginger said, walking into the room. She sat on the couch next to Zac.
"I'm just teaching the boy about football! Just look at him! If he wasn't such a pansy, being a musician, he could very well play football!"
"Daddy!" Ginger scolded. He didn't say anything. She looked apologetically at Zac. He just shrugged; her father had a habit of getting everybody into the sport of football. Zac was the first one to blatantly say he wasn't interested. "Think about it Dad. He could be playing on a high school football team getting concussions and broken bones and actually paying the school money, or he could be in the band, not hurt anything, and make millions of dollars. You decide." Daddy looked at Zac squarely.
"You should be playing football."
"I think we should go in the front room, Zac. Daddy might break out the ol' pigskin and try to teach you how to play. We don't need that. The last time you were here you went home with stitches, you don't need any more."
"I still think you should be playing football," her father said.
"Watch your game, Daddy. I think St. Louis just got a field goal."
"What?! What the hell?!! Dungee you're a dumbass!!" Ginger lightly laughed and took Zac into the front room.
�Are you better now?� Zac asked. Ginger nodded and gave him a kiss. �I think you are.�
�Kristina talked to me and she said you loved me. Do you love me?�
�I love you more than anything.� He turned back to her and pressed his lips gently against hers. �I missed you.�
�I can bet five bucks I missed you more.� He smiled and kissed her again. He leaned her back and continued to kiss her. Kris passed by with their mother and quickly pushed her away before she saw too much. Mom immediately began to complain.
"What's going on out there?" she asked.
�Mom, you have no idea what hell they went through today. They haven�t seen each other in two years, let them have their moment.�
�He�s moving too fast for her.�
�Mother they�ve been going out for almost three years now. This is one of the first times they�ve kissed in my presence. They don�t do anything, let them be.�
Mom gave her a look but said nothing. They walked into the kitchen. �You should be seeing that more often, they�ll be engaged in two months.�
�Engaged?� Mom asked, shocked. She knew about it, but she didn't actually expect it to happen. Kristina�s face dropped, and she bit her lip. �She only turned 18 today!�
�They kind of made the promise to each other about three years ago. But you knew, why are you acting like this?�
"I didn't expect them to actually do it!" Mom shook her head.
�Well, Mom, you can obviously see how in love they are. She talks about him constantly.�
�They barely know each other! They haven�t spent more than a month�s time with each other.�
�They know each other, mom. They talk on the phone for hours upon end, and they�ve been with each other long enough. I know why you don�t want to give her away.� Kris folded her arms and leaned against the refrigerator as Mom sat down.
�Why don�t I want to give her away?�
�Because she�s not your daughter, you barely know her and she has another family. You feel she won�t love you as much; she won�t need you as much. She doesn�t need for you to pass out pills anymore, mother. Ginger�s grown up.�
�She isn�t grown up. At times, she has the mind of a little girl.�
�Yes, mom. At times. Otherwise she�s fine. She doesn�t need you hovering over her anymore. Those few times when she isn�t her right self she has Zac right there ready to help. I know how to help, and so do you. It�s not that hard, and he can learn in a week�s time.�
�I guess you�re right. Do you really think he�s going to propose to her, though? I know people who say they will but never go through with it.�
�I helped him buy the ring, mother. He carries it around with him. It�s only a matter of time. I know when, where, and how the plan will carry out, but Ginger doesn�t know I know.�
�Why do you have to do this to me? I just want to hang on to my sick little girl as long as I can and he�ll take it away from me. He doesn�t know how to deal with her.�
�But he�s learning it.� Kris sighed and looked back in the front room. Zac and Ginger were quietly talking now. �Sorry mother, but she�s grown up. And she loves it.�
�Zac, when are you leaving?� Ginger asked. He smiled and pressed his forehead against hers.
�Are you trying to get rid of me?�
�No.� He smiled and brushed her hair behind her ears.
�You mean everything to me, you know.� She put her head on his shoulder, and he held her close. �You have no idea how worried I get about you. Sometimes I�ll call and your voice is just dripping with pain and emotion. I ask what�s wrong but you don�t say anything. Taylor and Isaac are about to kill me sometimes because all I do is sit in a corner and chew on my nails.�
She took his hand and looked at it. All his nails were bit off. She made a mental note to break that habit later. �You start a chain,� he continued, �I worry so much about you that my brothers worry about me, and my mother worries about them. All I want is for you to be well and happy.�
�You know what will work?� she asked, looking in his eyes.
�What?�
�For you to stop. I�m fine, Zac. There is nothing wrong with me anymore.�
�And that�s why you pulled that episode this morning.� She looked away. �Look at me,� he gently said. She continued to look away. �Please.� She felt her composure drop, but she pulled it up and didn�t look back. �Just look at me, Ginger.� His voice was stern yet soft.
�I�m not all better, am I?� she asked, her eyes finding the way to his. The truth could only be said, and she knew exactly what the truth was. He took a breath, and lifted her chin.
�No.� He stood up, pulling her up with him. �But it doesn�t matter. I want you to know right now that I worry because I care. I care a lot.� Zac took her hand and led her outside and to the backyard.
�Where are we going?�
�Here. Lie down.� Ginger gave him a confused look but laid on the cool grass. The day was beautiful. The sky was blue and the clouds were white and fluffy. He laid the opposite way, putting his head next to hers. �What do you see?�
�A dinosaur,� she said, pointing to a rather large fluffy cloud that was drifting by.
�What the hell? I don�t think so. That�s a rabbit,� he contradicted, glancing at her.
�Dinosaur.�
�Rabbit.�
�No! It�s a dinosaur and that�s final,� she said. Zac sighed and Ginger pointed to another one. �That�s the rabbit.� He agreed.
�Yeah, that remotely looks like one.� She rolled her eyes. �I like your hair this length.� In four months, her hair had grown back full and redder than it was before. It was about shoulder length now, compared to mid-waist like it had been previously. �But then again I�d like your hair even if it was non-existent.�
�You�re just saying that. You never saw me when it was non-existent.� Zac flipped over and pulled himself over her.
�I love you.� His voice was barely a whisper, barely spoken and drifted in the light wind. �Any shape, any size, any hair length, anything. Beauty is on the inside and you�re the most beautiful person I have ever met. I love you, cancer or no cancer, depression or no depression. I love you through anything, with anything, and I will love you forever.�
�I only wish I can put together my feelings like that.�
�That�s nothing compared to how I feel.�
�I know how I feel, and the only way I can express it is plain.� She pulled him down and kissed him. After a short and sweet kiss, he pulled away and smiled. �See, it�s rather plain. Old fashioned.�
�I like it that way, though. When�s your graduation?� he asked, plopping next to her on the grass.
�May 24. Two months.� He glanced and her and sighed.
�You know, Ginger. Two months from now we�re gonna be engaged.� She smiled and put her head on his chest, taking his hand. He stuck his other arm around her, pulling her close as she stared off into the sky.
�I don�t know why you just don�t do it now.�
�I gotta stick to the plan. It�ll give you something to look forward to. Graduation, no more high school. Finishing a big part in your life, and then starting a new one. I couldn�t find a better time to propose.�
�You know I want to go to college.�
�That can be arranged. Where do you want to go? I don�t really plan on going anywhere.� She gave him a concerned look, pulling her head up.
�Zac, you have to go to college. You�re gonna go, then get some 9-5 job and I�ll stay home.� He shrugged, looking away.
�I don�t know if I want to go. I�m thinking about taking a year off then going. It�s not as important as it used to be. I just want to be with you for a while.�
�Well I guess we�ll work it out. But I don�t care what you say, you are going to college.� He saluted her. �And don�t be a smartass cause you�re not scoring points that way.�
�Didn�t I already tell you that it�s not about points?� he asked, slyly. She thought about it.
�I don�t remember, so, no. Anyway if it�s not about points, how do you know who�s winning?� He rolled his eyes. She put her head back on his chest, smiling. �I love you, Zac.�
�I�ll bet you five bucks I love you more.� She closed her eyes, sighing. �It�s a beautiful day, isn�t it?� She whispered a positive response. �It�s only beautiful because you�re here with me. You have no idea how much I missed you.�
�I think I have a clue, Zac. Remember I love you too.� He smiled and kissed the top of her head. �Do you really think you can put up with me?� she asked. �Do you really think you�d be able to handle my moods for the rest of our lives?�
�Of course I will. There�s nothing you can do to make me not be able to, cause you�re just perfect. No matter what problems you have, you�re still perfect in my eyes.�
�Thank you.�