Chance

"I was drunk that night, Isaac...", Mary started. "I didn't know what I was doing. So, Paul
said he could drive me home and...".
"Sorry, Mary", Isaac could barely talk. Man, he was so tired... "I can't believe you
anymore. Not after what you've done to me..."

***

10 months previous, at a party...

"Why didn't Isaac appeared, Mary?", Paul asked.
"Why? Cuz he hasn't time for me anymore...you know...the band...all that damn
stuff...He's in ... in... Italy. NO! No... wait... I know...uh... Sweden??".
"Are you so...hic!...so drunk that ya don't even remember??...hic! ?"
"Ha ha... Stop! I know..it's ... it's New Jersey...that's it...no shadow of a doubt..."
"OK! So..who's drunk?!?!".
"This party is sooooo boring, you know..."
"I can drive you home!".
"No way! Everybody here knows 'bout me and Ike!! What would they think??".
"Since when you care about what people say? Besides, everybody here knows that we're
friends! So ... what's the problem??".
"The problem is simple Paul. You-are-drunk...hic!...like me hehehe".
"Your house is not so far, duh! Nothing is gonna happen. C'mon".
They approached the door...
"Bye, Everybodyyyyyy!!!", Mary screamed.
Nobody seemed to pay attention...
"Bye..."

***

The streets were empty and cold. Don't know how, but they got Mary's home without
problems...
"Mum and dad are at Uncle Jimmy's house ... The house is empty... Don't ya want to come
in?", Mary asked.
"MMM....We're doing progress here...", he said, approaching his lips to hers.
"Stop, Paul".
Mary always liked Paul as a friend. Paul always liked Mary as more than a friend. But his
theory was: 'Never give up'.
"Ok. I accept your invitation...".

***

A few minutes later, in Mary's bedroom...

"This is new!!", Paul said, refering to an Isaac's poster on the wall.
"Yeah".
"I don't know how you can sleep looking at those terrible faces...hehe".
"Paul, please..."
"OK! Ok.. Sorry...". He never liked Isaac, Taylor, Zac. Actually he hated them...
"So... wanna drink something?", Mary asked. "OOPS! Wrong question!! I think we had
drink enough for one single day...hehe".
"Yeah", Paul's lips approached Mary's.
It has to be now...
"Paul... I... don't..."
"Shh", he said putting his fingers over her lips.
It's gonna be now...

CHAPTER 2

3 days after...

RIIINNNNGGGG!!!!!!

"Mum! Could you please pick up the phone!!!! I'm taking a shower!"

Living room...
"Hello! Oh, hi Ike!! No, sorry... she's taking a shower... Oh, ok. I'll tell her. Bye!"

***

Mary was leaving the bathroom. The only thing she was dressing was a towel and...
"Oh my God, Ike!! You scared me...hehe".
"Won't you give me a hug??".
"NO!! Ha ha... Wait ... I have to dress something decent first...", she said, winking to him.

***

"So... how was the concert?? Do I have any reason to be jealous?? Heheh...".
"Nooo!!!", Isaac answered smiling. "Here... I brought this for you...".
It was a Dune...
"Oh my!! Ike, you shouldn't!! So... you were in France...", she said, recovering the party
night.
"Yeah, I had told you... Did you forget??".
"No!! How could I have forgotten? No... Uh, Isaac, I ... I have to go the toilet. Wait right
here, ok?", she said, almost crying.
"Ok, I'll wait..."

***

'Oh, my God!! I'm so ashamed!! How could have I done that??!!!!'

CHAPTER 3

One month later...

Memories of that night didn't leave Mary's mind. On that day, she was thinking about that,
as usual, when...

"Mum!! Today is 18th, isn't it?".
"No dear, it's 20th. Why?".
"Uh...nothing...".

And her menstruation? Why it didn't come? She should be happy, she hated all of that
stuff, after all. But no...Something was wrong.
'Oh my God!! Please! It can't be happening! '.

***

She had done the test. 99% of assurance. She couldn't be at the 1% left. No. The truth
was there, in front of her eyes. And her eyes had never lied to her...

***

'What will I do?'. It was the only thing Mary could think about. 'What will I
do?'. School's marks decreasing. 'What will I do?'. Her parents fighting
more than ever. 'What will I do?'. Isaac asking for explanations. 'Why are you
so distant?'. And she only could think 'What will I do?'...
Then, she had the best idea. Or maybe the worst...

CHAPTER 4

"Guess who's coming?", Diana asked, while they were lunching.
"Who, mum?", Tay wanted to know.
"Drew!! She's coming from college!!".
"Great!!".

Drew was the only daughter of the Stuarts, Hansons'neighbors. She was Taylor's friend.
Actually, Taylor's best friend, although she was 18 and Taylor only 15.

***

"Ike", it was Mary on the phone, "mum and dad are going to Uncle Jimmy's house. Don't
you wanna come here? We could watch some movies...".
"Uh...Mary... I don't know. I have to ask mum".
"Oh c'mon Ike, please... Soon you'll be on tour again. We aren't having much time
together...".
"Ok. I'll call you later".

***

"Please, mum. It'll be only some movies!! What else can happen?".
"You tell me!! Isaac, please, we know Mary's family for a long time, they're lovely people.
Don't forget that, ok? Don't do anything wrong."
"MUM! How can you say a thing like that?? Don't you trust in me anymore??".
"Of course I do Isaac! Oh, nevermind. Go away before I repent!".

***

"Hi!", Mary tried to hide her anxiety.
"Hello", Isaac didn't notice anything. "What are gonna watch?".
"Uh...I have 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Dead's poet society' and 'Mrs. Doubtfire'. Which do you
prefer?".
"Well, I'm very romantic today, so, let's watch Romeo and Juliet, hehehe".
Looking at the gorgeous smile of his boyfriend, Mary seemed to repent for a moment. But
it was only for a moment...

***

Their kisses became more and more passionate. Wet french kisses that were driving Isaac
crazy. Suddenly, he stopped...
"What?!", Mary asked.
"Mary, we shouldn't..."
"C'mon, Ike..."
"Wait. YOU always said NO when I started something..."
"Because I wasn't ready. Now I am. Now we can, Ike.".
The words of his mother came to his mind. 'Don't do anything wrong'.
'But it isn't wrong' , he thought. 'She said yes...'
"Mary, I don't know, I...".
"Shh, Ike. Just relax...".

CHAPTER 5

Next day...

RIINNNGG!! It was the doorbell at the Stuarts house.
"Hi Taylor!!!"
"Hi Drew!", he said, embracing her. "I missed you so much!"
"Me too! I thought I would never see you anymore!!".
"Please, Drew, don't exaggerate!".
"OK. C'mon in, Tay..."

***

"So, how's everything?", Drew asked, putting some Coke in a glass for Taylor.
"A lot of concerts, tv shows, you know...".
"Nobody in college believe me when I tell them I'm your friend... And the rest of the
clan?".
"They're alright. There's Zoë, that you have to meet", Taylor answered while Drew
nodded, "the little ones are ok, Zac is crazy to see you and Isaac, well, ... Isaac is
more and more passionate."
Soon the smiled disappeared from Drew's face. She always loved Isaac. But she never said
to anybody. Not even to Taylor.
"So...uh...", she tried to hide her disappointment, "are your parents at home?".
"No. Only Isaac, Zac and the littles. Don't you wanna come? To meet Zoë?".
"Oh, ok", Drew answered.

***

"Hi everybody!!", Drew screamed.
"Hi Drew!!", Zac cried.
"How are you Psycho?!?!!!!".
"Do you like my new voice??", Zac asked sarcasticly.
"I LOVE it!! It's so sexy...".
Zac blushed instantly...
"Hi, Drew!", it was Isaac, with Zoë in his arms.
"Hi, Isaac...".
"This is Zoë..."
"She's beautiful, Ike...".
"Yes, she is...Don't you wanna help me?"
"Help you? ".
"Yeah, I was going to put her on the cradle".
"Oh, yes, ok...".
"We'll be right here when you come back", Taylor said.
"Don't scream!! I don't wanna her to wake up!", Isaac ordered.
"OK! Sorry!!", Taylor whispered.

***

"So, how's the college?", Isaac asked, putting his baby sister on her cradle.
"Ok...", Drew answered.
"I think it must be amazing! I see all those happy people on the movies, they go to parties,
and..."
"Isaac", Drew interrupted him, "life is very different from movies...".
"I know...You don't seem happy...Are you happy, Drew?".
"Yes, I am", she lied.

CHAPTER 6

'Plan is working', Mary thought. 'Now I only have to wait one month...'.

***

One month later...

"Ike!!!", Zac screamed from the porch. "Mary is here!!!!!"
"Please, Zac!!", Isaac answered, coming down the stairs. "I'm not deaf! You don't have to
scream."
"Hi, Isaac...", Mary greeted.
"Hi, honey. Are you ok?".
"Yeah, I'm ok Ike...".

***

Isaac's room

"Isaac...There's something I have to tell ya...", Mary started.
"What's wrong, Mary? ", Isaac asked, worried.
"Isaac, I ...", she pretended to cry.
"Honey, what's up??".
"I'm, ... I'm... I'm pregnant, Ike!!".
"W... What?? I ... I don't... I CAN'T ... MARY TELL ME THAT YOU'RE KIDDING!!",
Isaac beged.
"Isaac, I'm not... I'm not!!!".
"But...", his heart beating wildly, "what are we gonna do??".
"I don't know. I was thinking if we could invite your parents to my house, then we could
talk together, like civilized people".
"I agree... But I don't know what I'll tell to convince them...

***

"Mum...dad..."
"Isaac, what are doing here now??", Diana asked.
It was 1:20am, and only Walker and Diana were awake, watching tv.
"There's something I have to tell you...".
"What's up, son?", Walker asked.
"It's not so easy to say...".
"ISAAC!", Diana screamed. "End this mistery!!!".
"Mary...Mary...she is...".
"What, Isaac?! She's what?"
"She's...pregnant".
"WHAT?!?!?!", Diana and Walker at the same time.
"Yes. That's it...".
"Ike! How can you be so cold? HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?? ", Diana looked
nervous.
"Mum, I'm sorry, I'm...".
"SORRY?!?! Are you sorry? Do you know that you fucked your life?? The rest of your
life!!".
"Not only your life... THE BAND'S LIFE!! HANSON'S life!!!!!!How could you be so
mean?", Walker screamed, angry.
Isaac was in the verge of the tears...
"Don't cry!! Be a man at lest once in life!! Do her parents know that?", Diana asked.
"No. She said she wanted you to go to her house with me, so we could talk, and...".
"Ok, Mr.Clarke Isaac. Go bed, before I hit you, because it's what you deserve...
Tomorrow we'll talk about that...".

CHAPTER 7

Devising some excuse, Walker and Diana left Taylor and Zachary taking care of their little
siblings, and went, with Isaac, to Mary's house.

***

"I don't know what to say", Diana started. "I would want to apologize...".
"Don't worry, Diana". Lindsay, Mary's mother, answered. "It wasn't only Isaac's fault.
Mary didn't act properly, either".

While they were talking, Isaac and Mary remained silent...

"I don't think they need to marry or something, cause they're very young, but I want to
make sure that you can count on us anytime you need. We will help with everything.
After all, it's our grandson who's coming...".

Isaac smiled, looking at his dad.

"We are very thankful, Walker. It's good to know that we can count on you", it was
Robert, Mary's father, who talked this time.
"But there's something we would like to ask...", Diana said. "Don't tell it to anyone. You
know the press. They distort everything. They create rumours and..."
"We agree. We wouldn't like to see our daughter involved in those kind of stuff", Lindsay
answered.
"Ok. So, the only thing we can do is wait...", Diana said.
"Yes. Nine long months", Robert agreed.

Or maybe less...

***

"Where are you going Mr.Clarke?", Diana asked his son.
"Mary's house, mum".
"Oh, I didn't tell you...", Diana said sarcasticly. "You are grounded".
"But mum...".
"For 4 weeks. No mall, no computer, no Mary's house. Just phone".

***

By that time, Zac and Taylor knew everything. They had canceled the tour, saying to the
press that they were working in another record. Of course they began to speculate,
trying to find out what was the real reason to that cancellation.
4 days after Isaac's ground, Drew saw Taylor looking for letters on the mailbox. She
approached him and asked:
"What's happening Tay? Why is Isaac always home? ".
"He's grounded".
"Why?".
"Uh...Drew, promise you never tell anyone?".
"I do ! What's up?".
"This is the reason for the tour cancellation...". Then, he told her all the story.
"Oh my God, Tay... I ... I can't believe...".
"It's the true...".
With that, she sat down and started to cry...
"What's wrong honey?",Taylor asked her.
"Wrong?? Everything is wrong, Taylor. I've always waited for my chance. I've been 3
years waiting for my chance, and now you come to me and say I'll never have my
chance. I'll never have my chance with Ike... Everything's wrong Taylor...".
"You...you...you love him? But, how come you never told me ? ".
"I ... I wasn't brave enough... but, this doesn't matter anymore...".

CHAPTER 8

The months passed by with no changes at all.
Taylor and Zachary waiting for their 'nephew' and Jessie, Avie and Mac barely knowing what was happening.
Isaac, however, wasn't so excited. Those months had given him time to think. Little by little he began to realize that he didn't love Mary anymore. Worse than that; he had never loved her. That was a feeling he didn't know how to explain to himself, much less, how to explain to Mary...
Some strange sensation made him know that everything was wrong...

Some months later...

It was THE day. The baby would finally come to world. They had some problem at the
hospital entrance, because the press was there asking: 'What are you doing here?'
They said Mary was her cousin, and the next day everybody could see on the
newspapers 'Hanson's got a baby cousin!!'.

***

Isaac was with Diana and Lindsay, waiting for the news. As the doctor appeared, Isaac
asked him:
"Is the baby ok? I mean, he is premature, so...".
"Young man, I'm sorry, but there's two mistakes on your sentence. You have a daughter,
not a son. And she's not premature!".
"She's not premature?? Wait, there's something wrong...Where's Mary??".
"In her bedroom, resting."
"I have to talk to her", he said and ran.
"Isaac, wait! You can't....", Diana tried to stop him. But it was too late...

***

"Isaac??", Mary woke up, frightened. "Did you see her?? Don't you think she's cute?".
"No, I haven't seen her yet. But I think I deserve some explanations...".
"Explanations?".
"The baby is NOT a premature. Do you know how to count??".
"Isaac...I ... ".
"TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE??". Nine months ago I WAS IN FRANCE!!!!
"There was a party when you were on France. I was drunk that night, Isaac...", Mary
started. She knew it was the only thing she could do. "I didn't know what I was
doing. So, Paul said he could drive me home and...".
"Sorry, Mary", Isaac could barely talk. Man, he was so tired... "I can't believe you
anymore. Not after what you've done to me..."
"I just realized what had happened next day. I was drunk, shit! And I didn't want to mess
our relationship because of a...an unconscious act!".
"You didn't want to mess our relationship? But you did want to lie to me and to this
innocent child, telling her that she was my daughter and telling me that I was her
father...", he said, and went on after a deep breath. "I loved you. But you laughed at
me all the time... Sorry, Mary, but you haven't your clown anymore...".
With that, he left the room.

***

What would she do? 'Will my parents forgive me?'. Trying to keep Isaac by her
side, all she got was his goodbye. 'What will I do with this child? What will I do with
this shit I'm in??'

CHAPTER 9

Present day

Isaac needed a long time to recover from that mess. He was hurted and nothing could
change that...
Mary's parents had forgiven her. What else they could do? However, they never
understood how a child that was always treated with so much love could have
become a so bad woman. Paul was in London, working, and he didn't like when he
knew about the baby. But, after all, he was the father, and he sent a monetary help
every month.

Deciding it was the right time, Taylor called Isaac to have a talk with him.
"What do you want?", Isaac asked, playing some chords on his guitar.
"It's about Drew. I know it's not time to talk about new relationships, but she's almost
leaving, so...".
"Tay, what's the point?", he was really impatient.
"She loves you", Taylor answered. Hardly and coldly.
"WHAT?!?"
"It was what she said, when I told her Mary was pregnant and she said she always loved
you, she has been waiting 3 years for her chance, and now she would never have her
chance, and, man, she seemed so bad, that I...".
But he couldn't finish. Isaac left his guitar and ran...

***

RRIIIIIIINNNGGGG!!!!!!
Stuarts doorbell, again...

"Isaac? What are you doing here?".
"Hi Drew!! ", he was very excited. "We have to talk!!".
"I can't, Isaac. I have to buy my tickets..."
"Ok. Could I talk to you later?"
"Sure".

Some hours later...

Drew's bedroom...

"Taylor told me about you...what you feel...Man, how could I have been so blind??".
"Isaac... what are you talking about??".
"About us... I always had a crush on you, although I never have told it to anyone. But
when I knew Mary... I don't know... After all those things I had time enough to
think, and I realized that I was used to her, but I never loved her... Then Tay told me
about what you feel for me...".
"Isaac... I don't know what to say!", her heart was beating like a drum, her hands were
getting cold... "But I know you don't love me...Not like I love you...".
"Drew! How can you say that?? Let me at least to know what I feel for you!! Give me this
chance!".
"I know. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid".
"You have to give US this chance...".
"What price do we have to pay for being so ...".
Isaac didn't let her finish. He put his fingers over her lips, and kissed her. She couldn't
believe. 'I must be dreaming', she thought.
But it was true...

"I never would have thought, that anyone could love me like you do..."

THE END