"Mom...okay..okay..Mom. I'll talk to her. Yeah
okay..Yeah.I love you to..K..by." Taylor hung up the phone and faced his sister, who was standing in the kitchen. Avery Hanson was wearing a bright yellow rain jacket and her hair was soaking wet. On her back was a navy blue JanSport backpack.
"Avie. What the heck are you doing here?! It's 12:00 at night. Your supposed to be in bed, cause we have a big day tomorrow," Taylor told his sister sternly, but with a loving look in his eyes.
"Huh! Taylor you don't understand. Mom and Dad are giving me a load of crap just because I stayed out late with Janey. Her mom lets us stay out at night, and we get enough sleep and all that and she does good in school," She told her brother in quickly.
"And besides, 12:00 is in the morning, not at night," She replied in a smart-alec tone, that Taylor knew so well. (He remembered quite a few times when he had been repremended for talking back to his parents.)
"Well. Why didn't you call me? You know I would've came and gotten you. There are alot of freak out there," Taylor asked as he followed his sister into the ajoining living room.
Taylor lived in an apartment, on the outskirts of Tulsa. He was glad to be on his on, because he wanted to gain some more independence.
Avery pulled off her shoes and laid them on the hard wood floor (of the kitchen) to dry. She then took off her jacket and backpack and slung them in a chair. She sat in a nearby couch and looked sorrowfully at her brother.
"Im sorry Tay. I know I should have called you, but I just couldn't stand it. I had to get out of their, and I couldn't tell Zac or Jessi cause they are out with friends. I know mom and dad wouldn't listen, and Zoe and Mac wouldn't understand. I just took a taxi. I am 13 ya know?," Avery said in a low tone then looked down at her shoes.
"Well you know you can always call me if you ever need anything, and I don't want you riding in a taxi at night anymore. I don't care if you right down the road from me, no taxi is worth all that much, when it's pouring down rain outside. Who knows if some psycho killer could be out or something," Taylor explained and sat down next to his sister.
"Well It doesn't matter know. It's late and we need to get some sleep. Why don't you go and take the guest bedroom, and I'll lock the doors," He ushered his sister to the hallway, after kissing her on the forehead.
Later that night, Taylor was up watching TV, and Avery was sound asleep in the guest bedroom. Taylor sat flipping through the channels when he came across an old British classic. He normally didn't go for that type of thing, but he felt willing to put up with it. (There wasn't anything else on, and he wasn't tired.)
He watched the actors show their affection to one another with a long passionate kiss.
'Man. What can't I find someone like that?' He said to himself just as he heard feet come down the hall.
"Tay I can't sleep. Can I sit up with you a bit?" Avery asked before she snuggled under the blanket with her brother. They watched the rest of the movie, with Avie giving the occasional yawn.
"You sleepy?" Taylor asked as Avie wipped the sleep from her eyes. She was trying her hardest to keep her eyes open, but with know luck.
"No---Well I guess so," She smiled sleepishly and got up from the couch. Avery went back to bed and Taylor turned off the TV. He made sure the doors were locked then got himself ready for bed.
Taylor went to check on his sister, and saw that she was laying awake.
"Hey. I thought you were sleepy," He asked from the doorway.
"No I am, its just that Im not used to this bed. Can I sleep in there with you?" She asked and jumped off the bed.
"Your a scaredy cat," Taylor teased as they went back to his room. He and Avie got under the covers, and before long, she was sound asleep.
In the moonlight, Taylor could see the face of his younger sister. He noticed she was breathing steadily and pulled the covers up to her chin.
'Man she's growing up fast,' Taylor thought to himself as he watched her sleeping peacefully.
The sight of his sister, took him back to more happier times.
Times before fame took him on a roller coaster ride. He remembered the time he was about 12 or so, and Avie and Jessi were running around. Avery fell down, and cut her knee. She came running to Taylor (because their mother was busy, and their dad at work).
Taylor patiently bandaged her knee and sent her on her way.
He also remembered the nights, she would have an occasional nightmare and would run to Taylor's room. (The one he shared with his brothers). He and Avery always had a special connection, they always seemed to know what each other was feeling.
Often times, Taylor and Avie would draw together or color in coloring books. Maybe the reason they got along so well was because they were alike. Avery had always been sorta quiet and shy, always around her mother or Taylor.
Taylor was suddenly shook out of his memories, when he heard a sharp crack of lightening, fill the night sky. He suddenly felt like that same 12 year old boy again, and pulled the covers around himself and drew closer to his sister. He put his arm around her and closed his eyes to face the morning light.