“Are you serious?” Randy asked in alarm.
Dahven winced. She knew Randy was going to take this badly. “Yes.” She said nodding her head. “Tomorrow when you finish recording we will get on a plane and fly back out to L.A. to complete your album.”
Randy took a deep breath. “But we’re coming back shortly, right?” She asked calmly.
“No.” Dahven forced out in a breath.
Randy stopped moving. She stared at Dahven. “Charm, we will come back to see the guys again won’t we? Before they start on their tour again?” She asked hopefully.
Dahven shook her head slowly. Her heart wrenching in her chest. “Hanson will be leaving the morning of the afternoon we arrive back here.” She announced slowly.
“They can come with us to L.A. then.” Randy said trying to find ways to stay with Taylor.
“No, they can’t, Randy. They have to stay here and work on the schedules and all the other access stuff for their tour.” Dahven said quietly as she stared at the ground. She didn’t want to see the look of disappointment on her friends’ face.
“NO!” Randy called out painfully.
Dahven got up slowly. She went to give her a hug but Randy backed away quickly. Nodding, she left Randy to be alone.
“Did you tell her?” Isaac asked gently as she walked out of the library.
Dahven nodded numbly. “Did you tell Taylor?”
Isaac sighed and nodded too. “Yeah. He’s takin’ it pretty badly too.”
“So’s she.” Dahven replied as she started to walk away.
Isaac took her elbow gently. “Want some company?” He asked softly.
She shook her head. “I just want to relax for a moment. Just think.” She answered.
“Okay.” He whispered before he kissed her forehead.
Nodding absently, she went up the stairs into the little library. She stared at Randy’s schedule and she stared at Hanson’s. Then she stared at the studio’s schedule in Los Angeles.
She stared at them for over thirty minutes before an idea came to her. Quickly she picked up the phone off her fax machine and dialed to the record producer of ‘Two Part Harmony.’
“Yeah, Rick?” Dahven said smiling forcefully, trying to keep the strain out of her voice. “I have a proposition for you on Randy’s recording schedule.” She grinned as she listened to him complain on how he can’t push it back any farther than what it already was. “I was thinkin’ more along the lines of you and your buddies to come and see beautiful T-Town, Oklahoma.”
“What?!” Crackled over the other line.
Dahven laughed. “I want you to use my equipment in my house, here in Tulsa. That way we can work here and I can keep an eye on a few things. And a few people.” She responded.
She grinned when he finally accepted her offer after a few stipluations. “Rick, you have saved my life. I’ll owe you one.” She said gratefully. “I didn’t actually find her Rick. Randy found me.” She answered slowly before she hung up.
She stood up to tell everyone the great news, but then slowly sat back down. “I’ll tell them in the morning.” She said smiling. “After they finish recording, and maybe after we start saying our ‘good byes.’ ” She said as she got back up and headed for her room.
Dahven walked in on the scene by accident. She knew she wasn't supposed to have seen it. But she did, and she instantly regretted not telling Randy sooner.
Randy was crying and holding onto Taylor for dear life. Sobbing and wailing to where her words were totally incoherent.
Taylor was standing there holding her and was totally helpless. He couldn't ease her pain this time. Couldn't tell her that it would be okay. Because he, himself, didn't know if it was going to be okay or not.
He looked over at Dahven when she walked in and she noticed that Isaac was giving her the same look but with a different meaning.
"Randy?" Dahven called softly.
All she got was loud sniffling.
"Randy?" She called again as she walked over to her and Taylor. "Randy, I have something to tell you and you might hurt me over it. So I'm gonna go stand behind something." She stated as she started to walk over towards Isaac; then thought better of it and went behind a large chair that she could easily duck behind.
Randy sniffled loudly again and rubbed her nose with the wet and crumpled tissue in her hand. "What is it, Charm?" She asked meekly.
"Umm, well…you don't need to say good-bye. Last night I was talking to 'Two Part Harmony' and Rick and I talked them into coming here so that we could hang out more with the guys." Dahven said as calmly as she possibly could.
Randy's head shot up form Taylor's shoulder. "And you let me get all worked up, thinking that I wasn't going to get to see Taylor for a VERY LONG TIME?!" She shouted her voice raising at every word.
Dahven cowered lower behind the chair. "Are you angry with me?" She asked innocently.
She watched as Randy's eyes flared. "Yup, you're angry." She stated as she ran for the door.
Zac swung the door open and ran in with a screaming Angel in his hands. He was holding her away from him. "She's no angel!" He shouted at Dahven as she quickly took Angel away form him. "Make her stop!"
He breathed a sigh of relief as Dahven cradled her little sister and hushed and rocked her into silence.
Dahven turned to Zac. "Geez, boy. And I thought you'd be able to care for young kids. With all the siblings you have I'd figure you would've gotten your practice in by now."
Zac shook his head vehemently. "Uh, uh. I wasn't that good with kids. Besides my siblings are used to me. She," He said pointing at Angel. "Doesn't know who I am."
"Okay, okay. You have made your point." Dahven said laughing.
Isaac, Taylor, Randy, and Zac gathered around her as she played with Angel in her arms. They all smiled and tickled her.
"Miss, there's an urgent phone call for you." Herb announced from the doorway.
Dahven nodded and picked up the phone on the table. "Hello? Is she doing okay? That's great! I'm so happy for you two! Well, this is great news for her! I mean wow what an honor. Take your time and don't worry about that now. Go and take care of her you silly ass!" She shouted laughing as she started to hang up the phone. "I love you too, Arie." She said softly.
When she hung up she stared at the phone in wonderment. She was more than happy at that moment.
"D, who was that?" Isaac asked worriedly when she wouldn't look at anyone. He started towards her. And when he touched her shoulder gently she raised her eyes to him.
He realized she was crying and stepped closer to hug her. "D, what is it. What happened? Who was that?"
Dahven took a step back away from him though and started laughing. "It was Arie. Essence had her baby. Angel and I are now aunts to a healthy baby girl. She weighed 9 pounds and 12 ounces; and she was born about half an hour ago." She said proudly.
Everyone started cheering and clapping.
"How is Essence doing?" Randy asked as everyone started to settle down.
Dahven laughed and wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. "She's doing great but Arie can't seem to think clearly."
"Well, what's her name?" Zac asked.
A wide grin spread across Dahven's face. "Jessobel James Christian."
Taylor started laughing at the name.
And Randy hit him. "What's so funny?"
"Jesse James?" He asked as he continued to laugh.
Dahven laughed too. "That's what I was thinking."
"So everything is actually turning out pretty great, huh?" Randy asked as she leaned into Taylor.
Taylor wrapped his arms tightly around her.
While Dahven was on the phone talking with Arie Taylor and Randy filled Zac in on the plan of finishing the recording off there in Tulsa. He was ecstatic. He had one more thing to help pass the time for him.
Dahven looked down at Angel in her arms and hugged her tightly, then she looked up at Isaac and he hugged her. "Better than I ever imagined." She murmured quietly in Isaac's ear.
Sometimes in life the worst things can happen, and all at once. But remember that you are only on trial. And the verdict is not always negative. Who knows what the 'JUDGE' has already decided for you.
As for Dahven, Angel, Isaac, Taylor, Randy, Zac, Arie, Essence, and the new edition Jessobel James, well they are another story in themselves.
And like every story, it will be told...
