Chapter Nineteen
"So what are your plans for Christmas?" Taylor asked a week later, laying in bed as the sun rose. He couldn't sleep, so he'd wakened Madi.
"Plans? Ah, I was thinking of going over to Mandi and Marcus's. They were going to have a bash." That was the last place Taylor wanted her to be. Especially since she'd have been alone. He cringed as he shivered and goosebumps broke out over his skin. Just thinking of what could happen almost ruined his day. "You cold?" Madi asked, adjusting the covers around him, her voice still rough from sleep.
"No. I'm good." He pulled her tighter against him, almost protectively. "I was just wondering if you had been planning on going back to Minnesota or something."
"No. As much as I would like to, I wasn't going to."
"Oh." Taylor was quiet for a moment. "Then what would you say to this?" He reached under his pillow and produced two plane tickets he had put there before he'd waken Madi up. He'd already talked to his parents about this and his plan, and they were thrilled. He watched her jaw drop and her eyes grow wide as her brain registered the destinations on the tickets.
"Tay! Oh my god! You-" She looked from the tickets to his smiling face. "You- you're so sweet! But-" she squinted, reading the dates from tired eyes. "These are for during-",br>
"Christmas," he said. "I've spent plenty of Christmases with my family. They didn't mind if I took one off."
"They're okay with this?"
"Of course. If you'd be away from your family, I'll be away from mine."
"Oh Taylor," she kissed him before her tears spilt over. When she was sure she had her emotions under control, she pulled back and smiled at him. "You're the best."
"I know." He smiled, drying the wet lines on her face. "We leave early tomorrow, so we celebrate with my family today."
Madi drove the rented Ford Focus along 35W going north. As Taylor slept, her mind went over all the activities from the day before. The huge feast, all the Hansons harmonizing around Diana playing Christmas carols. It nearly made Madi cry it was so beautiful. All the presents, picked with help from Taylor on both sides. Plenty of pictures and desserts. Then the sleepless night of anticipating suprising her family at her dads. They were going to die from shock! And she could only imagine the reaction of her stepmom. That made her smile.
"What's the smile for?" Taylor asked, running a finger gently down her cheek.
"You're awake."
"Yeah."
"I was just trying to imagine the expression on my stepmoms face when we appear at their door unexpected." Taylor laughed quietly. "You're the best." She told him again. Taylor smiled, and closed his eyes again, glad his plan was progressing as he'd hoped.
"We should be there in twenty minutes," she said to Taylor, waking him up as they turned off the freeway and onto a small two lane road leading into the thick Wisconsin forest. Taylor sat up, and flipped the visor down, exposing the mirror. "You look great, as usual."
"Hey. First impressions."
"I know, I know." She watched him fuss with his bangs until he was happy with their strategically placed location.
"Alright, I'm ready." He fixed the collar above his black sweater, and his cuffs from the blue buttondown underneath. He ran his hands over his dark blue jeans, then caught himself as he began to twist his ring on his finger.
"Tay, I've never seen you nervous before. You okay?"
"Yeah. Excited." He smiled reassuringly, only half telling the truth. He was nervous, but he didn't want her to know how nervous. Not even for the reps at Mercury was he this nervous. Madi turned the Focus onto the two rut road, cafefully negotiating the snow narrowed path. She glanced at Taylor quickly. Something was off. She couldn't place it and it bugged her. So she leaned over and kissed him.
"Relax. It's less people than your family." He only nodded. He held held her right hand against him and held it until they pulled up to the small yellow cabin with a yard full of snow and cars. "Here we are." She pulled her coat on over her green cashmere turtleneck. She pressed on the horn once. She smiled at Taylor, who looked a little pale. "Are you sure you're okay? I'm starting to worry about you."
"Madi, I'm fine."
"But you're pale." He kissed her.
"I'm fine. Look. They're coming outside." He pointed out the window to her family gathering in the breezway.
"The short one's my stepmom Debbie, dad Tom, old lady Beryl, after the stone, and my uncle, Walter, but everyone calls him Buff."
"Buff?"
"I'll explain later. Love you."
"Love you too." Madilynn opened her door and stepped out into the chilling wind smiling. She saw her dad and stepmom wipe their eyes. Madi waited by the car door and took Taylor's hand as he climed out after her. The look on Debbie's face was priceless. She recognized Taylor and began to laugh. Her dad smiled and her grandma and uncle just watched.
"Merry Christmas! Let's go inside!" Madi said, leading Taylor. Inside the breezway, Tom gave Madi a squishing hug.
"Merry Christmas sweetie."
"Hi dad." As Taylor watched, he knew he'd done good by bringing her back here. Too bad they were so far in the middle of nowhere. Literally. After everyone was inside, Madi made the introductions. As expected, Debbie began to fawn over Taylor, waiting on him nad and foot, complimenting, preening. Madi knew Debbie would understand her situation and appreciate it, because Debbie had been a teenie back in her day, of Donny Osmond, and she'd kept up with Hanson since Madi was such a big fan. As Debbie worked in the kitchen, Taylor volunteered to help.
"Anything I can do?" He smiled sweetly. He knew how to deal with her. She would be easy to win over, if she wasn't already.
"Oh, you're a guest. Sit!"
"It's okay. I'd like to help." Debbie looked up at him, studying.
"Alright. You can slice onions." She waited for him to flinch, but he never did. Approving, she changed her mind. "On second thought, the celery is more important. In the fridge, bottom left drawer." While he washed, peeled and sliced celery, Madi visited with her dad.
"So you two flew up from Phoenix?"
"Actually, we flew in from Tulsa this morning, about eight thirty."
"Is there snow down there?" Beryl asked.
"A little, but not nearly as much as here."
"Well Taylor, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing her up, and you coming along," Debbie said, finishing up the snack tray.
"I'm glad I could do it. It's beautiful up here. I expect to see a sleigh come through any minute." He joked. Laughing, Debbie hugged him.
She pulled him down slightly, so she could whisper, "You look much better in person."
"Well thank you." He smiled, and couldn't help but hug her back.
"But since I'm done in here for now, Tom has to take over. He does the baking." She let Taylor go. "Tom! I'm done in here." She turned back to Taylor. "You're welcome to sit."
"Actually, I'd like to talk to Tom for a minute."
"Alright." And as Debbie and Tom passed eachother, Tom bent down to give his wife a quick kiss. After exchanging "love you's", Tom joined Taylor in the small kitchen.
"You bake much?" He asked.
"I've made my share of cookies and cakes."
Chapter Twenty