Midnight was fast approaching, and I was still wandering the all-too familiar streets. I passed the cafe where I'd knocked Gabby over and spilled her drinks. I passed the restaurant where Zac had proposed marriage to Ellie. This aching loneliness was beginning to drive me crazy.
I figured I should call Ike and tell him where I was, so I found a vacant pay phone and dialed the number.
"Hello?"
"Gabby?"
"Taylor! Thank God! Where have you-"
"Been?" Isaac's voice joined the line.
"I'm just wandering. I wanted to be alone."
"Listen, I just made some cookies that we're enjoying. Please come home. You've got Celine and Rene worried sick," Gabby pleaded.
"Please, Tay...come on."
"All right. I'll be home soon."
Angrily, I slammed down the receiver, hating myself for giving in. I threw open the door and blindly started running. I jumped in my car, started the engine and started backing out when someone crossed in front of me. She tripped on the curb, spilling her papers everywhere.
I don't know why, but my headlights trapped her in my vision. She looked up, squinting, and my heart stopped. I jumped out of my car.
"Can I help?" I asked her. She nodded and I kneeled down beside her, helping clean up the mess.
"Thank you, um..." She paused.
"Taylor," I supplied.
"Thank you, Taylor." She stood, throwing her bag over her shoulder.
"You're welcome..." I paused as well, dying to know her name.
"Deanna."
"Deanna," I repeated with a smile. "Hey, it's midnight. Let me drive you to wherever you're going."
"It's just right up the street. I can't impose..."
"Believe me, I've got nothing else to do."
Deanna studied me. "All right, Taylor."
"Where is he? It's 2 am!" Gabby paced across the living room rug.
"Gab, it's late," I murmured sleepily, curled up on the couch beneath her blanket. "Come lay with me."
"I'll kill him when I find out where he's been!"
I rolled out of "bed", going to her side. But before I could say anything, the door opened. Taylor threw his keys on the table.
"Jordan Taylor!" Gabby screeched quietly.
"Hey, Gab." Smiling, he nodded at me. "Hey, man."
"Where have you been?"
Taylor walked to the stairs. "Night!" he said, waving and taking the stairs two at a time. Gabby groaned furiously and started up after him, but I grabbed her arm.
"Can we go to bed now?"
At first, I couldn't figure out what it was that had made Ellie so upset. Finally, she pointed shakily to the caption and whispered, "Zac, that's my father." All I knew about Ellie's dad was that he had been a fighter pilot and was killed in a plane crash before Ellie was born. I knew they'd never been able to find the plane and had given up searching a couple of months after the accident. Why was this in the news now?
Ellie and I huddled close together as we read the article. "They found it," Ellie whispered. "They found my dad's plane in the Alps north of here and they haven't been able to trace him to us."
"What do you want to do?" I asked cautiously.
"I...I'm not sure," Ellie stuttered. "They're having a memorial service at the site tomorrow. I guess I'd like to go."
"Sure," I agreed.
"I mean, I never had the chance to meet my father," Ellie said softly. "It would sort of be a way for me to say hello...and goodbye."
I was a bit worried. Ellie and Zac had been gone for four days already, and we haven't heard a word from them since. Ellie had left me her number at the hotel, but I didn't want to bother her.
Things were definitely weird around my house. Gabby and Isaac were plopped on the sofa the following day...Gabby reading Bride magazine and Isaac flipping through Guitar World...when the doorbell rang.
"Oh, my goodness!" the girl exclaimed when I opened the door. "You're Celine Dion!"
"Yes, I am..."
"Oh, wow, I'm a huge fan! Taylor didn't tell me you lived here!"
I glanced back at Gabby, whose head had come up at the mention of Taylor's name.
"Hey, Deanna!" Taylor said, running down the stairs. "Ready to go?"
"As always." Taylor and the girl exchanged smiles.
"Taylor? What's going on?" Gabby asked.
"Guys, this is Deanna Pennett. Deanna, this is my family. That's my brother, Isaac, and his fiance, Gabrielle Anderson. And, of course, Celine Dion."
"It's so nice to meet all of you," Deanna said. I was taken aback by this girl. Not only was she beautiful, but she wasn't very shy, even around celebrities.
"We're gonna go catch a movie and eat dinner," Taylor explained.
"Don't wait up," Deanna joked. They laughed as they went through the door.
I turned to Gabby. "That was unexpected."
"It sure was!" Isaac said. "What do you think, Gabby?"
"I...don't know," was all she would say.
