Chapter sixty-three:

Taylor returned home later than expected. He had gotten stuck in traffic between Starbucks and the house.

He parked the rental car and jumped out, hoping Zac and the girls hadn’t arrived yet.

However, when he opened the front door, he discovered three additional pairs of shoes and knew exactly how late he was.

The living room was empty, so he tried to sneak upstairs and shower before meeting Jen, Becky and Zac.

Halfway up the stairs, he spotted Jenna attempting to haul her big black suitcase up the stairs, but clearly having difficulty.

She had aged considerably since he had last seen her, in a good way. She was no longer a fifteen year old girl; she had grown into a pretty young woman, tall and slender, with long dark hair cascading down to her elbows.

“Jen?” He asked, almost unsure if it was her.

She looked up and smiled upon seeing him. “Taylor!”

“Want some help?”

“No, no. I got it.” She said.
Taylor smiled to himself at that comment. He knew first hand how stubborn she was.

Jenna pulled hard on the handle of the suitcase and fell back onto the stairs, with a loud “Ouch.” She placed the tip of her thumb in her mouth.

“You okay?” He asked.

She nodded. “It pinched me!”

“Come on, let me at least give you a hand.” Without allowing her to protest, he easily lifted the suitcase and carried it the remaining way up the stairs. He set it down at the top of the stairs, on the second floor.

“Thank you.” Jenna said, with her thumb still in her mouth.

Taylor laughed, “Let me see?” He took her hand and carefully examined her thumb. There wasn’t a mark on it. “Uh-oh. I think it’s serious! They may have to amputate the thumb!”

Jenna jerked her hand back and narrowed her eyes at him in brief frustration, then smiled. “It’s been a while, huh?”

“Yeah.” He laughed. “Do I get a proper hello?”

“Sure.” She wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

“You haven’t changed a bit.” He said, embracing her tightly. “You’re still as bitchy and stubborn as always.”

She broke away from the hug and shoved him. “Come on, help me get this thing down the hall.” She lifted one end of the suitcase.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Zac was attempting to peel carrots for dinner, while Becky stood next to him preparing a salad for dinner.

“Becca? What am I doing wrong here?” He asked, looking up from the mess of carrot peels in the sink.

Becky laughed. “You’re cute.”

“I am?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn, I was going for sexy and studly… but I can handle cute.” He shrugged.

Becky laughed. “Let me see.” She took the carrot peeler and the carrot and stood over the sink. “You were using the peeler backwards, that’s why it’s cutting out chunks.”

“Oh, okay.” Zac wiped his hands on his jeans and resumed peeling the carrot, the proper way. “You should be a chef or something… You’re pretty good.”

Becky laughed. “Why? Because I can peel carrots?”

“Yeah, sure. And you make other stuff. You make the best macaroni and cheese ever.”

She smiled. “Yeah, but that’s pretty hard to screw up.”

“Oh.”

They stood in the kitchen in silence for a few moments.

“So,” Zac began, “what do you want to do while we’re here?”

Becky shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Hang out with Jen and Christy, I guess. Have a little fun, go to the mall…”

“And what about me? Is there any Zaccy-time scheduled in there?”

“Maybe.” She smiled. “But you need to work while we’re here. You’ve got songs to write, and drums to play. I don’t want to get in the way.”
”You won’t get in the way, babe.”

“Yes I will.” She laughed. “I won’t be a distraction.”

Christy and Isaac came into the kitchen from the back deck carrying plates of steak. “Dinner’s ready!” Christy called.

NEXT>>