Mercy had left Jeremy and Zac alone. She figured that they could use the time together. It made her twinge with
jealousy. She had liked the closeness in which Zac and her communicated. That might be gone now. But she was glad that
Zac and Jem were talking, helping eachother see how they lived and thought.
Zac had cried into Jeremy's shirt for probably a half hour. Jeremy, not knowing what else to do or say, just held him.
Zac however loved this comfort. He liked having Jeremy there. It wasn't Dorin, Zac knew things would be strange around Dorin for a
while, and it wasn't Mercy, who already knew how he felt most of the time. It was Jeremy, who hadn't ever had the chance to
get close to him because Zac had refused to let him in. Now he was glad of that.
"Feel better?"
Zac did not move from his brother's chest. He was happy there, warm, content.
"uh huh."
Jeremy felt extremely happy. He was so glad that this had happened, even though Dorin's hand print was still faint on Zac's cheek,
and the pain had not subsided much, Jeremy was glad that it had made this change in Zac.
Jeremy looked up to see Mercy in the door.
"Pizza's here if you want some."
Her head was tilted to one side, and her eyes were curious.
Jeremy looked down at Zac.
"You hungry yet?"
Zac's eyes stayed closed, but he nodded.
"yup."
It was barely audible, but it made Jeremy smile.
"Well then, lets go get some pizza."
Mercy left the room before the two got up from the bed. Jeremy stood up and then helped Zac to his feet.
Zac walked down the hall in front of Jeremy. Zac felt the carpet under his feet and looked down to see he was
wearing no shoes. So Jeremy had taken his shoes off too huh. Cool.
The three sat on the sofa, watching the X files and eating away at two large pizzas. Mercy once mentioned Dorin,
and Zac shivered. Sub consiously as it was, Zac had not realized that the shiver was from some want, some care
in his mind, not from fear. Jeremy and Mercy noticed.
"Zac, you cold?"
"huh?"
Zac had no idea what they were talking about.
"You just shivered, are you cold?"
"No. I shivered?"
Jeremy nodded and shrugged.
Zac was not hungry anymore, he had decided that with all the stress of today, he could not eat.
"Zac, we talked about the show in Denver last night, me and Mey did."
"I know."
Jem looked at Mey.
"What do you mean you know?"
"I was sitting on the porch while you guys were talking. I sat out there for a long time."
"You could have come in Zac, matter of fact we wish you would have."
"I know," Zac looked up at Jeremy. "I didn't want to."
Zac dropped his eyes.
"I'm tired. I'm going to bed."
Zac stood up and walked from the living room. Just like that. He was so strange. So he had been out on the porch during
everything. He had heard them talk about their life, about their music. About fame. Why hadn't he said anything?
Jeremy shrugged to himself.
"So uh, Zac."
Zac spun to see Jeremy.
"Wha?"
"Are we going to Denver? Or are we sitting here being lazy?"
Zac shrugged. Hell if he knew. At the rate this was going, he wasn't sure if he could spend all three days there, playing with Dorin. He didn't know if Dorin even wanted
to go. There was also the money issue. Where on god's green earth were they going to come up with 500 bucks. If they did, what would happen if no one claimed them? They were out
500 bucks.
"I wanna go. I don't know if we can, but I wanna go, there is still that money problem though."
Zac thought hard. No, he wanted to go, and he would go. He would make sure that his family made it to Denver. They deserved this.
"I have the money."
Dorin's silence was broken. He too felt that the family needed to do this. They were damn good, and Mercy's voice should not be wasted.
"Where did you get the money?"
"I've saved it up for a while, just in case we needed something, or wanted something."
The look of astonishment was clearly visible on all three of their faces. Dorin had money set aside, and he was willing to spend it on this.
"Door, you sure you wanna do that? I mean, I'm sure we could just kick but and make some money for a wile, and.."
"No, I want to."
Zac could not help but smile to himself.
"Hey Zac, when are the entries due?"
Zac thought hard.
"Uh, I think in April. Three months from now."
Jeremy nodded in approval.
"We're going to have to work really hard."
Mey had always worked hard. She had always given more than people thought possible,
she did great, and had a way of pushing everyone else.
"I think it'll be fun."
Zac's new found idea was that, they could either go to the show, do their absolute best for three long days, stay in a hotel with a pool and cable television, be out 500 bucks
if they lost, but in a recording contract or something, or they could stay home and not even have a chance of winning. It was obvious to Zac, Mercy wasn't in it for the fun, but the
career involved, Jeremy wanted it, but not real bad, yet, and Dorin wanted the money part of things.
"Well then, looks like we need to re arrange the living room into a band room."
Mercy smiled. The thought of practicing every day, for hours on end, did not sound too appealing. She would do it though, if it meant getting somewhere with their music, she would
do it.
Monday was stressfull on everyone. The fact that, after such a long weekend, physically and mentally, they had to get up early, get to school, and sit through classes all day long was hell. They didn't want to
do it, although, Dorin had made it clear that, with this show, education was a priority. No blowing it off for fame.
The car was all ready to go, four lunches stood on the counter, backpacks by the door. It seemed almost refreshing to see the change in all of them. Zac with his new speach, new attitude, new personality almost,
Dorin now finding Zac didn't really hate him, and in fact, wanted to tell him so, Mercy, humming the notes of a new song they had found to play, and Jeremy tapping his fingers to some unknown beat.It was going to be a long haul,
for the family in itself, and then the musical group. They knew that, how could they not. They also knew that with the coming months, there would be more stress, and more conflicts between them. It was natural, they had to cope.
Stepping out the door to the car, they held their chins out, and began preparing for a treachorous journey. New found glory, and at least the privlage of saying 'at least we tried.'.
The following day went on in practicall silence. Zac did not talk to Dorin, and Dorin did not talk to Zac. They avoided eachother and
sometimes when Zac wasn't watching, Dorin would watch his youngest brother. Watch the confusion in his eyes and wonder if what he had done
yesterday was right. He talked now. Mercy would have ongoing conversations with him, and he would joke and giggle with Jeremy. Dorin felt left out.
left out of something that he had always found important.
Sunday was a lounge around day. Dorin and Zac were still not communicating, Dorin still felt bad about hitting Zac and Zac still felt bad about making Dorin mad. Things would work out. They had to/
Zac had finished Friday's homework, and, after a long talk with Jeremy, had decided that drinking, or anything of the sort was out of the question. Zac couldn't do it. Jeremy wouldn't let him.
Even though Zac had wanted more, he tried his hardest and respected Jeremy's wishes.
