Ginger underwent a complicated curative surgery a few days later. Her physician was the best in the state, luckily based out of LA, and had had the most experience with this type of surgery than anyone around. The surgery lasted quite a few hours and Zac was in the waiting room the entire time. Kris was at home with Jenny; Jenny would have just been bored at the hospital and would have wanted to go home anyway. The last thing Zac wanted was to be alone but he didn't have anybody else except for Kris and Jenny, and he'd rather have them stay home.
Approaching four o'clock, when the surgery was supposed to be over, Zac began to grow restless. Throughout the day all he could think about was his wife and things that could possibly go wrong with her. He'd spent the past two days looking up everything he could find on this kind of surgery and looking back, it probably would have been best if he didn't know. He'd found everything that could go wrong and as the time went on, all he could think about was if something went wrong.
He'd read every magazine in his private little waiting room, and now was starting over again. "How are you holding up?" someone asked from the doorway. He looked up and his face immediately turned to scowl. Kris must have told Taylor about Ginger's surgery and instead of keeping his nose out of other people's business, he showed up and now was in the doorway. Zac didn't say anything to him, hoping he would go away, but he didn't. "That's all right," Taylor said, walking in and sitting down. "You don't have to talk to me. I just figured you could use some company."
"Not from you," Zac snapped.
"Well, it was either me stay home and watch Jenny, which would have gotten both me and Kris in trouble, or have me come down here to keep you company. I know you don't want to be alone right now."
"If I had to choose between being with you and being alone, I think I'd rather be alone, Taylor," Zac said. "Now if you don't mind�"
"Zac, I'm not leaving," Taylor said. "You can bitch and moan all about it or you can be happy that I care enough to come all the way down and see you." Zac sighed and didn't say anything. There was a short awkward silence. "Once Ginger gets better Kris is moving in with me."
"What?" Zac asked, looking at Taylor for the first time since he came in the room. "Is she stupid?"
"No, she's not. She doesn't want to be away from Jenny; the two of them are too close for her to go all the way back to Florida. I told her she could stay with me." Zac was obviously not happy about this news. "We're not going to live together live together, but we're both going to be in the same house."
"Taylor, I can guarantee in a week's time you two are going to be really living together."
"Then that's the way things will turn out," he said. "I'm not doing this to benefit me."
"My ass."
"I'm not." The room fell into another awkward silence and Taylor broke it as quickly as he could. "Have you heard anything about Rose?"
"No." The only thing good about that question was that Taylor was referring to her as Rosemary and not Ginger. Zac looked at the clock on the wall. "She should be out soon, if everything's gone well."
"All right." Even thought Zac absolutely abhorred the idea that Taylor was there next to him, Zac was still glad Taylor came. He really needed somebody there, anybody with a familiar face, to help him get through this. His wife was having surgery and he didn't want to have to deal with it by himself.
At four thirty Zac hadn't heard a word about Ginger yet and he was noticeably beginning to panic. "It's okay, Zac," Taylor said. "These things always run long. You know that."
"They told me four o'clock," Zac said.
"Maybe they started late."
"If they started late, wouldn't you think they would have sent someone to tell me? Wouldn't they have said 'we're a half hour late, expect her out at four thirty and not four?' What if something happened?"
"Nothing happened, Zac," Taylor said. "Don't worry about it. Your wife is just fine." Zac took in a deep breath and sat back uncomfortably in his chair. "I think someone's coming." Sure enough, the door opened and the doctor who had been operating on Ginger walked in. Zac bit his lip, waiting for the news.
"Your wife is just fine, Zac," he said. Zac let out a deep sigh of relief. "I'm almost positive we've removed all of her tumor. Before she leaves in a few days we'll take an MRI to make sure the cancer is still all gone, and we'll bring her for follow up appointments for the next month, but it all looks good."
"Thank you," Zac said, simply.
"She's asleep right now in great condition. Once she wakes up you can see her." The doctor looked beside Zac at Taylor.
"Oh," Zac said, "Dr. Dwornick, this is my brother Taylor."
"Nice to meet you," Dr. Dwornick said, shaking Taylor's hand.
"You too."
For Taylor, it was the best introduction he could get.
"Hey baby, how are you doing?" Zac asked. Ginger had just woken up and Zac got in the room as quickly as possible. She gave him a smile. "The doctor said everything went well, he thinks he got everything out of there, and you're going to be just fine. You're going to have an MRI before you leave, but that's about it."
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too," he told her. He took her hand and she gripped it. "I called Kris and she's going to come with Jenny in a little bit. Jenny's been talking about you all day apparently, she can't wait to see you." Ginger glanced over Zac's shoulder at Taylor who was on the other side of the room. Zac looked back at his brother a moment before looking back at Ginger. "Taylor came over to keep me company. Kris stayed at home with Jenny and I was all alone, so he came over." She looked confused. "I think we're going to be okay."
"Good," she said. "I didn't like you fighting with him."
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay�good pain medication."
"That's good," he said. "You look pretty damn good to me. We'll be through this in no time. Next week, we're done. You're going to be running around the place like you used to, chasing after Jenny and looking for stuff to do. Kris'll be living with Taylor and�"
"What?"
"Um�Taylor, you want to answer this one?" Taylor walked over, giving his brother a look.
"Kris didn't want to go all the way back to Florida after you were well enough to take care of Jenny yourself, so I invited her to stay with me. We're not living together, she's just staying with me." Ginger looked skeptical. "We're not! Zac believes me and Zac hasn't believed a single word I've said in at least five years."
"I never said I believed you," Zac said, looking back at Taylor again. "I said you might not be living together now, but give it a week and you will be." Taylor huffed and sat down in a chair on the other side of the room again. "Although I don't really approve, it will be easier for Kris to see Jenny if she's across town, not across the country."
"I'm not across town," Taylor said. Zac turned back to him.
"Where are you?"
"I'm down the street." Zac paused.
"How far down the street?" he asked.
"Like, four houses."
"You mean to tell me you have been living four houses away from me all of this time and I didn't know?"
"You're the one who doesn't leave your house! Everybody knows I'm there! Kris walks to my house from yours." Zac's eyes grew. "I wasn't going to say anything because you weren't talking to me, but, yeah, I live four houses down the road. I am not far away from you at all."
"Oh my God," Zac said. "This is crazy."
"You mean to tell me Kris is only going to be living down the street from me?" Ginger asked. Taylor nodded. "Oh my God! That's the best!" As if on cue, Kris poked her head in the door.
"Are you awake?" she asked. Ginger was sitting up by now and nodded. "Great." She came inside carrying Jenny, who grew excited to see her mother. Kris walked over and Jenny hugged her mother. Ginger smiled and kissed her daughter.
"Hey baby, how have you been doing today?" Ginger asked.
"Auntie Kris made me a sundae," Jenny said. It was obvious. She still had chocolate on her shirt. Ginger looked at Kris who only shrugged.
"I had to. She kept asking me for one," Kris explained.
"So what's this I'm hearing about you living down the street from me?" Ginger asked, Jenny lying up against her chest.
"Taylor! I didn't want you to say anything yet!" Kris said, turning to Taylor. She paused. "Wait a minute, you haven't kicked him out yet?"
"Taylor and I are all right now," Zac explained. "Aren't we, buddy?"
"Define all right," Taylor said.
"Don't make me come over there are kick your ass," Zac warned. Taylor smiled.
"Yeah, we're all right." Kris giggled excitedly and ran over to Taylor. She fell onto his lap and kissed him.
"That's so wonderful!" she said. "I was wondering when this would happen. You were starting to worry me; I was beginning to think it would never happen." She smiled. "You guys have made me happy."
"And it's all just to make you happy, Kris," Zac said. "Not because I wanted to make up with my brother so I could see my family or because I wanted to�it was all just for you."
"Of course," she said, laughing. "It's always about me."
"No, it's all about me," Ginger said. "Today is my day."
"Oh my God! I completely forgot! What did the doctor say?" Ginger rolled her eyes.
"Well I see where your priorities are, Kris," Ginger said. "I'm just fine, thank you. I'm not dying or anything."
"I figured you were all right because you're sitting up, even though you look like a mummy with your head all wrapped up like that." Ginger shrugged and yawned.
"You're tired," Zac said.
"No I'm not," Ginger said. "I just woke up."
"You're exhausted, I can see it. All right, everybody out." Zac took Jenny off the bed, who whined, and stood up.
"Zac, I'm not�" Ginger started but Zac cut her off.
"You're tired. We're not even all supposed to be in here. You're supposed to rest and get better so you can get out of here," Zac said. "I'll be back, okay?" She sighed but laid back down anyway. "I'll see you later."
"Goodnight," she said. He kissed her and they all left the room.