When Zac and Taylor returned, Kris was five centimeters and Ginger was six. Taylor was noticeably pissed off, worried now that he was going to lose his bet. Everyone realized that the children were going to be born much sooner than they anticipated because Taylor and Zac had only been gone an hour, and the girls had managed to make outstanding progress.
"Well, it looks like we're going to have two boys born on August 18th," Zac said, watching as the clock rolled from 11:59 to 12:00. "Unless for some bizarre reason one of you is in labor for another 24 hours."
"I doubt that's going to happen," Ginger said. "Dr. Ibsen just said we should have the babies before sunrise."
"Well, so much for a good night's sleep," Zac said.
"Hey Zac," Taylor said. Zac looked over. "Do you think we should call Mom?"
"Why?"
"Well two of her grandsons are being born in a few hours. I think we'd like to inform her of that." Zac shrugged.
"You can call her all you want. I don't necessarily feel like talking to her right now."
"Maybe Jessie will�nevermind." Zac looked over and Jess had fallen asleep.
Five minutes later Zac somehow found himself outside calling his mother. Taylor pulled the 'I called her last time' card and Zac got so tired of his whining, he gave up and there he stood, standing outside the hospital with his phone to his ear. His parents usually went to sleep at eleven-thirty, but then again there was always the risk that he'd wake up his little sister.
"Hello?" It was his mother and she sounded fully awake. Zac smiled; at least he didn't wake her up.
"Hey Mom," Zac said.
"Zac? What's going on? Where are you?"
"We're in New York," Zac said. "Uh�I just called to let you know Kris and Ginger went into labor."
"Both of them?" she asked.
"Yeah. Their doctor a couple of months ago said that since they spend so much time together this might happen. Ginger went into labor during my show tonight and when they got to the hospital Kris's water broke, so there you go."
"How are they doing?"
"They're just fine. Kris is five centimeters, Ginger is six�the doctor said the boys should be born before sunrise. I'm excited."
"I would imagine," Diana said. "Well you call me tomorrow and you tell me how everything goes."
"I will, Ma."
"How has Jess been doing? She hasn't been getting in your hair, has she? She doesn't call me anymore."
"No, she's been great. Did I tell you she's been my opening act?"
"No you haven't! When did that happen?"
"About halfway through the tour," Zac said. "The lead singer for the opening act got laryngitis and Jess was going to substitute until he got better, but the audience loved her so much I kept her. She's a star out there, Ma. You should have seen her."
"I could imagine. Well you go back in there. Give everyone a kiss from me."
"I will. I'll call you tomorrow."
"All right, dear. I love you."
"I love you too, Ma." Zac hung up the phone and went back inside. When he walked back into the room, Taylor looked up.
"So what'd she say?" Taylor asked.
"What do you think? Congratulations, call me when the kids are born." Taylor gave him a look. "Well that's all she said. She wants me to give everybody a kiss, but frankly I don't want to kiss you, Taylor." Taylor smiled.
"Aww, Zac, you can't even give a kiss to your big brother?"
"No." Taylor got up and Zac backed away. "Go away, Taylor." Taylor moved closer and Zac looked behind him before backing away quicker. "Go away!" Zac began to run but Taylor grabbed him and planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "Ahh!!!" Taylor laughed and took his seat next to Kris. Zac wiped his cheek. "Kris, I hate to say this, but I sincerely think your husband is gay."
"I'm starting to wonder myself," Kris said, eyeing Taylor. He looked back at her, surprised, and she burst out laughing. "Oh, Taylor I love you."
"You know, I'm just comfortable enough in my sexuality to kiss another man. I think it's Zac who's confused."
"No, Taylor, I just don't enjoy that." Zac sat back down next to Ginger, who was laughing at him. "You shut up." She kissed him.
It was about an hour later when the doctor came back to check both Kris and Ginger. Kris was nine centimeters and Ginger was ten. "Well, Ginger, it's about time for you to go to the delivery room."
"Ha!" Ginger said, pointing at Kris. "I win!"
"Nobody's been born yet," Kris said. "I still might beat you." Ginger continued to gloat as she was wheeled into the delivery room. As Zac and Ginger left the room with the doctor, Zac heard Kris let out a small "Dammit!"
"What happened if Kris gets to ten and you're in here with Ginger and I?" Zac asked Dr. Ibsen.
"Then Dr. Rostand will deliver her baby. He's an exceptional doctor," Dr. Ibsen said. Zac could almost see Kris panicking now. The last thing she wanted was a male doctor to deliver her baby. "So is that bet still going?"
"Yeah�but if we win I'm not going to make them pay. Nobody really shook on it anyway." They got into the delivery room and Zac couldn't help but watch in disgust as his child was born. He hadn't heard anything about Kris but at 1:37 on the morning of August 18th, his son was born. Ginger was exhausted and was crying as Christopher was put in her arms.
"Zac�" she said, looking up at him. "He's here."
"Yeah, he is," Zac said. He looked up at Dr. Ibsen. "Do you know anything about Kris yet?"
"I'll go check right now," Dr. Ibsen said. "Congratulations."
"Thank you," Zac said. When she left Zac kissed Ginger's temple. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby," she said. "You want to hold him?"
"Yeah�" She carefully handed over Christopher to Zac. "Hey Chris," he said. "Oh, excuse me. CJ. Hey CJ." Ginger laughed. "I'm not digging the CJ."
"Me neither."
A few minutes later Dr. Ibsen returned. "Well, Kristina just had a healthy baby boy."
"Great," Ginger said. "After me?"
"Yes, after you. 1:45 to be exact."
"Yes! Eight minutes!"
"I didn't get to ask," Dr. Ibsen said, "but do you have a name for your son?"
"Yes," Ginger said. "Christopher Joshua." Ginger looked down at her son. "Christopher Joshua Hanson."
Zac was standing in front of the nursery, looking in at his son. Taylor walked up and stood next to him. "Hey," Zac said to his brother.
"Hey," Taylor said. "Where's Chris?"
"Right there," Zac said. "Second row, third from the right." Taylor nodded. "Where's Anthony?"
"They're bringing him in right now," Taylor said, pointing. A nurse brought in Taylor's son and placed him next to Christopher. "Hey, look at that. They're right next to each other."
"Yeah�"
"Does this mean we're going to have to have joint birthday parties and such?" Taylor asked. Zac nodded. "I was thinking�is their birthday still the 18th?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"Well�if we were home right now it would still be the 17th."
"We're not at home right now, now are we?" Zac asked. Taylor shook his head. "It's still the 18th. Don't make it more complicated, Taylor." Taylor shrugged. "How's Kris doing?"
"She's fine. She's asleep."
"Yeah, so is Ginger," Zac said. "You look ready to crash yourself."
"Yeah�It's been a long day." Zac agreed. "So, what time was Chris born?"
"Um�1:46," Zac said.
"You're lying," Taylor said, looking over. Zac shook his head. "You are! You're lying!"
"I'm not! What time was Tony born?"
"1:45."
"Oh, so you won, then?" Zac asked. Taylor gave him a look. "So I owe you a thousand dollars."
"I don't want your money, Zac," Taylor said. "And anyway, I owe you a thousand dollars." Zac sighed.
"He was born 1:37."
"I knew it."
"But I don't want your money," Zac said. "I don't need your money."
"No, no you don't. You don't like to talk about money now do you, Zac?"
"No I don't."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Zac," Taylor said. "You earned what you make and you deserve every penny of it."
"You don't understand, Tay. I didn't want that money. I didn't want a record deal. I was happy producing records for other people and earning what I got paid. I didn't deserve that money. I did what I loved and I got paid all of that for it. There are people out there who deserve it more than I do."
"Think of it this way, Zac," Taylor said. "You're set for life. Ginger's set, you can send your kids to the best schools and not have to worry about how you're going to pay for it. You don't have to worry about bills and payments and if, God forbid, somebody gets sick you can pay for it without having to worry if the insurance is going to cover it. You know, they say money can't buy happiness but a person is so much happier when he doesn't have to worry about all of the financial problems in life."
"That is true."
"So," Taylor said, looking in on Anthony with a bright smile on his face. "This is fatherhood?"
"Yes it is," Zac said. "You're going to love every minute of it."