Dear Jessie,

Hey, girlie, how's it going? We just got into Los Angeles last night and I just had to write you and tell you about the house we're staying in this time. It's huge and it's only for the three of us! It has a pool and everything. You would love it. I really wish you could have come with us. I really wanted you to record a song with us, but Tay and Ike didn't go for the idea. One day, you and I are going to record an album by ourselves and it's going to be number one on all the charts. Well, I've got to cut this letter short. I miss you already, Jessicakes. Write me back.

Your big brother,
Zac

Jessica smiled and folded the letter back into the envelope. I can't believe he still calls me Jessicakes, she thought, setting the letter aside and pulling out a blank sheet of notebook paper from the drawer of her desk. She began to write.

Dear Zac,

Hey, bro, how's L,A.? Everything here is just like it always is...boring. The house sounds great; I'm sure Ike and Tay are already planning some big party, huh? I wasn't surprised that they didn't go for the idea of me recording a song with you guys. I mean, why would they? I can see the headlines now... "Hanson's Little Sister Makes the New Album Flop." Or, in Taylor-terms, "It...it just wouldn't work." But, I'm going to hold you to that promise. One day you and I are going to record an album. It may not go to number one, but we'll still be able to say that we recorded an album. Well, I'd better go. I miss you, too, Zac. Write back soon.

Your little sister,
Jessie

Jessie folded the letter and stuck it in an envelope addressed to Zac. Resting her chin on her palm, she gazed at a picture of her big brother Zac and her that was sitting on her desk. Though she loved all three of her older brothers, Zac had always been her favorite. He treated her as an equal, even though she was three years younger than his seventeen years. He always told her that he felt shadowed by Isaac and Taylor, which she knew was true, and that she and Zoe were the only other members of the family that still treated him as a brother. He said that Avery and Mackenzie always looked at him like he was some sort of alien, and Isaac and Taylor made him feel insignificant onstage and off. And, for the first time since Jessica was born, they had actually connected as brother and sister, because she knew exactly how he felt.

Jessica was the middle child. Smack dab in the middle of seven kids. And with Isaac, Taylor, and Zac's fame, Avery's new love for art, Mackenzie's soccer, and Zoe's dance lessons, she was kind of ingnored. Jessie spent most of her time in the basement, where my brothers had spent thier teen years, teaching herself how to play the piano and drums. Sure, every once and a while, her mother would call down the basement stairs and tell her to quiet down, but other than that, she was ignored. But, Jessica liked the time to herself. But, she liked Zac being home more than anything.

When Zac was home, the two would spend the night down in the basement or out in the treehouse, talking about this and that. Sometimes, they would go down to their dad's friend Bill Watters' house to record in his basement studio. Zac always applauded her voice and said that he was going to try to convice Ike and Tay to let her appear on the album. But, of course, they never went for the idea. Zac kept trying, though; he never gave up on anything. He promised Jessica that he was going to get her in a studio with him if it was the last thing he did.

Jessica sighed and stuck a stamp on the envelope. Picking it up, she trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen, where her mother was sitting at the table reading the newspaper.

"Mom, will you send this to Zac for me?" she asked, putting the letter on the table.

"Sure, Jessie," she said, not looking up from her paper.

Jessica rolled her eyes and headed down to the basement. Sitting down at the piano, she began to mindlessly plucked out an unwritten melody. Soon, a song began to flow from her fingers as they cascaded across the ivory keys. She stopped, pulling a blank music sheet from a manila envelope that Zac always kept ontop of the piano. As she began writting down the chords and notes to the long, lyrics began to form. Soon, three sheets of music were written. She set it on top of the piano and began to play and sing the first song she had ever written. Convicing herself that it was an okay song, she folded the papers up and ran upstairs to put them in an envelope.

A week later:

"Zac, you got mail!" Taylor Hanson called up the stairs of the brother's rent house in Los Angeles. "It's from Jessie."

There was a pounding of feet as Zac came running down the stairs. He statched the envelope from Taylor and made his way into the spacious living room and plopped down on the couch, leaning back against the large, fluffy pillows. Tearing open the envelope, he began to read the letter.

Dear Zac,

I did have this nice, boring letter to send you, but I figured this would be a lot more interesting. After I got your letter, I sat down at the old basement piano and began to play. And, somehow, this is the product of my work. It's nothing like 'Man from Milwaukee,' but I think it's pretty good for my first song. Mom always told me to take baby steps to get to what I want. This is my first baby step. Read it over and play it. Call me to tell me what you think. Love you much.

Your baby sister,
Jessica

Zac put the letter aside and stared at the three sheets of music Jessie had sent. Standing up, he walked over to the nearby piano and sat down. He began to play and sing Jessica's song, amazed at his little sister's song, "In Your Shadow."

'Shadows dance across the wall
Falling over doors
Which one is mine?
Which one is yours?
Is this just a product
Of our imagination?
Or is it real
Or just a figuration?
I've lived my whole life
Watching you shine like a star
I've sat back my whole life
Watching you go so far
I guess I'll always be
I guess it was meant so
I guess I'll always be
I'll always be in your shadow
I'm sure I was meant to be
Your fall-back support group
I always wanted to be in your mixture
Wanted to be in your troop
But I'll just sit here waiting
For you to come home
For you to smile and say 'how's it goin'
And talk about the life you've known
I've lived my whole damn life
Sitting back and watching you shine
I've sat back my whole life
Watching like everything was fine
I guess I'll always be
I guess it was meant so
I guess I'll always be
I'll always be in your shadow
I didn't know it until now
How much I want to be you
I didn't realize it until now
How much I really really really want to be....
I wanna be you....
I guess I'll always be
I guess it was meant so
I guess I'll always be
I'll always be in your shadow
I guess I'll always
I guess I'll always
I guess I'll always be....."

Zac played the final chords of the song and sat back on the piano stool, staring at the music.

"Zac, did you write that?" asked Isaac. "That was amazing."

"No...no, I didn't," Zac said. "Jessie did."

Isaac stared at him in disbelief. "Our Jessie? Jessica Grace?"

Zac nodded. "I told you she had talent."