I lay down on my bed with a bottle of Chocolate Soda and an issue of Modern Pregnancy. The doctor seemed nice. Did a few weird things to me, but nice none the less. The only really bad thing about the visit was that he told me I couldn't do drugs, drink, take medicine, or mosh. That really sucks. Well, everything but the medicine part, I can live without that.
I turned the cap off the soda, and opened the magazine when I heard a knock at my door. It must be Shane, because I told him to come over. I needed some family guidance that wasn't from my grandparents.
Ever since he appeared in my bedroom again, after all those years, we got to know each other a lot better than ever, and our relationship started to grow like it should of a long time ago. It's like I finally got my older brother to love me, like he didn't before. It seemed to take a weight off my shoulders that I didn't know was there.
"Come in." I said without looking up from the magazine. A second later, I heard the door open, and felt the weight of my brother sit at the foot of my bed.
"Hey Quakes." he said. I looked up at him, and he gave me a sheepish look.
"Hey Shane dude. Word up home slice?" I said back. He gave me a strange look.
"Home slice? Where did that come from?"
"Oh nothing." I sighed and flopped over. "So what do you think I should do? I'm not going to tell him by the way."
He gave me a suprised look, and I did it back to him to mock him. "Who, Zac? Don't you think he's gonna find out sooner or later that it's his? I mean, what are you going to do. Tell him that you cheated on him, and that you hope you two can still be together?"
"No, not exactly." I said pausing to keep him in suspense. "I'm going to tell him that I was raped." I said with an all knowing smile. He snorted at me.
"That you were raped? And why didn't you file a police report about this little miss clever?"
"Um...um..." Come on brain, I thought to myself. I need you to think right now. "Because he threatened to kill me if I told anyone. Yeah, that's it. Sound good to you?" I gave him my most convincing smile. He nodded his head.
"Yeah, I guess that could work." He then paused and put his arm around me, and drew me into a hug. I put my arms around him, and put my head on his shoulder. It felt so good to have this closeness, that I just wanted to stay in this moment forever. The only thing I felt was love for my brother, and that's the only thing that I wanted to feel. I felt him breathe me in, and then sigh. I figured he felt the same.
"Hey Shane, if anything ever happens to me, will you take care of my baby for me?" I asked. He gave me one of the warmest smiles that I have ever seen and nodded again. He looked like he was gonna cry.
Laying there, every worry was washed out of me, and all I felt was this hollow emptiness. It was comforting for some reason. Maybe it was because it was a feeling of clarity. Maybe this whole thing just might work out after all.
I stood in front of the mirror, admiring the bad-ass blue steaks in my hair, when I saw the door open, and my two older brothers walk in. Isaac opened his mouth to say something, but then took one look a my hair and his mouth dropped. Taylor quickly followed his lead. I turned around to face them, and let my own mouth drop open just to mock them. We all stood there and stared at each other.
"What in the hell did you do to your hair?" Taylor asked as he walked over to me, and started to pick at my hair. I swatted him away.
"I dyed it. You like?" I asked. They both continued to stare at me as if I had a few cock roaches crawling out of my ears.
"Dude, you are so freakin dead!" Taylor said in awe. "Mom's gonna have your balls in a jar once she sees you. You better do something to fix it, and fast!" he said. Nothing like advice from your brother to brighten your day huh?
I shrugged and backed out of the the bathroom, and into my bedroom.
I walked in, and went immediately towards the old broken radio on the bottom of my bookcase. I picked it, carefully as to not move any of the dust that was gathering on it over the years, and lifted up the lid to the battery pack. I then spied exactly what I knew would be there. I took the packet of weed out of the case, and while slipping it into my pocket, picked up the phone and punched in Benji's number in hopes to find someone to smoke with.
It rang a few times, and then I heard a little bit of dead air, and then the sound of Benji's glazed over voice. He was definitely high.
I quickly decided that I didn't want to sound that way because it wouldn't be cool for my parents to think I was totally out of it, so I hung up the phone before he had a chance to say anything else. I mean, I was in enough trouble already wasn't I?
I put the treasure back into it's hiding space, and then went downstairs.
I looked up from my sewing to the sound of footsteps on the stairs. I saw my third son, descending them, dawning a head of blue hair. I could have fainted.
He came and sat next to me on the couch, and acted as if nothing was different at all. I honestly don't know what has gotten into that boy! It seems like just yesterday that he was my little baby, but the next thing I know it's first the muscles, and the facial hair, then who knows what?. When did that happen? And when did this teenage rebellion start. When he was younger, he would have never done anything without telling his father and I first, and now look at him. He pierced his eyebrow and is starring at me with blue hair, and probably wondering why I'm looking at him like he has spiders crawling out of his butt. Where did I go wrong?
I reached my hand out, and pet his now blue hair. It was still soft like when he was a cute little kid. I miss those days.
I'm not going to question him about this though. I guess this is just a faze that he's going to have to work out on his own. I mean, all kids go through a strange faze at this age right? Isaac's was locking himself in his bedroom, and watching Oprah. Taylor's was jerking off in the bathroom. Everyone in the family knows they did it, but neither of them know we know.
I'll have to admit that the Oprah thing was a little harder to get used to than the whacking off problem.
"Hey mom," he said to me in his cutise voice. Oi! "I was wondering. Do you think I might be able to bring a few friends on this tour with us? You know, to keep me sane while we are on the road?"
This question took me by suprise a bit. I wasn't expecting it that's for sure. Hmm, maybe if he did bring dome friends with him, then it might help his current situation, and then he might become Zac again. I guess it really couldn't do any harm.
"Okay, I said. But how many friends are a few, and who are they?" I asked just to make sure he wasn't going to invite every teen in Oklahoma.
"Oh, just Quakes, Benji, and Beano." he said while still giving me that extra disgusting cute look. I would have melted for it when he was twelve, but now it just makes it seem that he's trying too hard.
To tell you the truth, I didn't exactly know just who Benji and Beano are, but to not sound like an 'uncool' mother, I decided to just nod my head like I did. I didn't even know that he was good friends with Quaker. Hmm, maybe this is where he's getting it from.
Well, this is even a better idea now, because if they tour with us, then Walker and I can warp all of their minds, and turn them into the wholesome teenagers that America should have. Yes, now I am very pleased with myself for thinking up this genius idea.
"Oh, that would be just wonderful sweety!" I said as normal as I could. I then took his face in my hands, and kissed his forehead. He made a face like I had just spit on him, but I didn't care. He was still my little boy in my heart....even if he did have blue hair.
It was around six in the morning, and normally I would still be asleep in bed, or up with a hangover, but not today. No, today I was standing in front of two tour busses, with a suitcase in each hand, that contained every article of clothes that I owned in it.
I never knew how persuasive Zac could actually be until now. He actually had me convinced that he would die if I didn't come. I still can't believe that he talked me into this though.
Zac told me that there were two buses because the teenagers and his father were going on one bus, and the little kids, and his mother were going on the other. All the people that are going on our bus are Ike, Tay, Zac, Quakes, Ben, Me, Jessie (Zac's sister), Mel (Ike's girlfriend), and Nat (Tay's girlfriend). Yup, this should be very interesting.
I put the larger of the two suitcases on the ground, and sat on it while I watched all of his family go in and out of the bus. i never knew how many of them there were. Good thing I love kids.
I was still in complete shock that I was talked into going on tour with Hanson. I mean, this is one of the last bands that I would ever think of touring with. I don't even like them that much. I mean, don't get me wrong or anything, they are great at what they do, but I just can't get into that kind of music. Even though sometimes, I hate to admit, if I'm in the right mood, then their music can actually be quite nice. I can't believe I just admitted that.
Well, I was the only one here, talking to myself, which must of made me look like a total dork, until Benji strolled up to me. I stood up and accidentally kissed him right when Zac's very scary, large father was looking at us. He just kinda shook his head like he thinks we might be a potential problem, and then picked up the baby, and went on the bus. He could be the potential problem.
"Hey Ben, isn't this totally weird?" I said while slipping my arms around his waist. "I mean, us touring with a band that belongs to a genre of music that all our complete enemies listen too. I think it's going to gross me out to look at a bunch of horny little girls whose' ears have been contaminated with the likes of Nsync." I said while sticking my tongue out in a disgusted way. He laughed at me with that Cute Benji laugh, that always made me smile. I was just reminded of why I love him so much.
"Yeah, in a way, I too feel that we are giving into the enemy, but just think. We get to hang out backstage with the roadies, and we can eat all of their food. Plus, we might get into a few award shows with them, so we might have a chance of reeking havoc on the pop world." he said with a playful look in his eyes.
Just then, Quaker came strolling up to us. It's been about a week now since she found out that she was pregnant, and she still managed to not tell Zac about it. I have to give her props for that. I wouldn't have been able to do that.
She put her suitcase down, and sat on it next to me.
"Hey Quakes, how's it hanging?" I asked her.
"Pretty high, considering the circumstances." she replied. "I can't believe Zac talked us into this."
"Yeah, that's just what Benji and I were talking about." I said, and then smirked. "Hey, you two can't get into any of that hanky panky stuff on the bus. Especially where there are little kids everywhere, that will rat on you to their parents."
She stuck her tongue out at me, and I responded by doing the same.
Just then, I saw a wave of blonde hair coming out of the bus door, and then heard Mrs.Hanson's voice calling out to us, "Okay kids, all aboard!!!"
We turned and stared at each other. "Well friends, here goes nothing." I said and bravely took the first step into the bus.