"My gosh, I've never seen so much food in my entire life." Christina commented as she helped Diana put the leftovers in tupperware containers.
"They are quite a treat to feed, aren't they?" She said.
"Yeah, Taylor comes over and raids my fridge every chance he gets." Christina said.
"Just smack him and tell him it's from his mother." Diana joked. She smiled and started scooping the mashed potatoes into a container.
"You know." Diana said quietly to her. "Taylor has you on a pedistol." She said with a grin.
"He does?"
"Every chance he gets, he tells me something about you over the phone."
"I'm flattered." She said.
"Well I'm glad he's found such a nice girl...lord knows his friends brought quite a few doozies over here a couple of times for him to date."
"Oh?"
"I think it embarrassed him more than anything, to tell you the truth." Diana said.
"I can imagine. He told me a few stories about those." She said with a laugh.
"Yeah...I think he's blocked most of those though." Diana said.
"From the way it sounds, i would have too." Christina said.
"Taylor's like that." She said.
"Did I hear my name?" Taylor asked, walking into the kitchen.
"Yes you did." Diana said, kissing her middle son on the cheek.
"We were gossiping about your early days."
"Nothing bad I hope." Taylor said with a slightly worried look.
"Don't worry, I'll save those for Christmas." Diana said with a grin as she closed the refridgerator.
"I'm not doubting that you will." He said, shoving his hands in his jean pockets. He leaned against the counter across from where Christina was standing. He grinned at her.
"You're dismissed. Thank you Christina." Diana said, patting her on the shoulder.
"No problem." Christina said.
"Come on." Taylor said, dragging her out of the kitchen. Originally, Christina had been very nervous around Taylor's mother. She was afraid that she would do or say something stupid and Diana would come right out and say that she wasn't good enough for her son. Diana had sensed she was nervous at dinner, and she was very pleased when Christina volunteered to help put away the left overs. Diana asked her questions about herself, and gradually she had become more at ease with her.
"What?" She asked.
"I dunno. Let's just get away from my mom." He said.
"I happen to like your mother, thank you very much."
"I do too...I just...it took me so long to get used to not having them around, and now it's going to take more getting used to having them around." He said with a laugh.
"Um, okay." She said, following him to the TV room where Zac was sprawled out on the sofa.
"Hey. Make room." Taylor said, shoving one of Zac's legs off the couch.
"Yeah yeah." He said, sitting up. "So Tay, how's college life?" Zac asked as Taylor and Christina sat down.
"It's....great." Taylor said, situating himself on the couch inbetween Zac and Christina.
"Lots of chicks?" He asked hopefully.
Taylor nodded and laughed nervously. "Yeah, yeah, there are girls there."
"Cute ones?"
"Uh....Yeah...some."
"Lots of parties?"
"Yeah, Zac, why all the questions?"
"Because I want to go to a college where there's lots of parties and chicks!" Zac said happily.
Taylor rolled his eyes and looked over at Christina. "In some ways, I'm glad I don't still live at home." He joked.
"But let me get this straight; you have to buy all of your own food?" Zac asked a few hours later, his eyes wide.
"Yup. All of it." Taylor said.
"And if you loose your ID, they won't give you any food."
Christina added.
Zac looked at them, his eyes wide with terror. He looked at his parents, who nodded.
"Okay, you've convinced me. I'm going to live at home."
Diana and Walker laughed.
"Everyone buys their own food?"
"Yup. You can't just mooch off of everyone else." Taylor said.
"Oh my god!" Zac said, leaning back on the couch.
"It's true." Christina added.
"I don't know what I'm going to do!" Zac said.
"Why is it such a big deal?" She asked him.
"Not everyone eats a couple hundred dollars of food a month." Diana added.
"Yeah." Walker chimed in.
"I cant' do it!" Zac joked.
Diana rolled her eyes and stood up. "Well, we're going to bed. It's late, and we all have a big day tomorrow, so I suggest the same for you all." She said.
"Yeah." Taylor said, getting up from the couch.
"We wouldn't want to be groggy for a day full of aunt Maude and the tribe." Zac joked.
"What?" Christina asked as they walked up the steps.
"We have this aunt..."
"And she never uses birth control!" Zac said. "It's gross!"
"yeah, she's only in her late forties, but Uncle Clyde is at least sixty five, and they just keep....having all these terrible little kids!" Taylor added.
"Uh, I'm not pointing fingers, but aren't there seven of you?" Christina asked as they made their way to Zac and Taylor's bedroom.
"Well, yeah, but that's nothing. There are eleven of them." Zac said.
"Eleven?!?' She exclaimed.
"Yup." Taylor said. He looked over at Zac. "I thought you were staying with Mackie."
"I just gotta get my pj's." He said.
"Do you still have the scooby doo ones?" Taylor said with a laugh.
"Not anymore." Zac said with a grin, opening the door. "I'll uh, leave you two alone. Night."
"Night Zac."
Taylor turned to Christina. "The only reason he isn't wearing them is because they don't make them in his size anymore."
Christina laughed. "I believe you." She said.
"I have a crazy family." Taylor said, digging in his suitcase.
"I love your family." She said.
Taylor laughed as he took off his shirt. He walked over to give Christina a hug. "They love you too." He said.
Christina smiled. "I love you too." He said. She looked up at him, shocked at what had just come out of his mouth. He looked at her with his deep blue eyes.
"I love you too." She said quietly. Taylor wordlessly kissed her deeply. She wound her arms around his waist and he backed her up to his bed, not taking his lips from hers. His hand reached and felt for the light, then finally found it and switched it out. He pulled away from her long enough to remove her clothes, and haistilly pull back the covers to his bed.
She lay down on the bed, and Taylor immediately jumped in on top of her. He resumed kissing her mouth, then she started to slowly kiss down his neck. He moaned, and she clamped her hand over his mouth. She pulled it away and held a finger to his lips.
"Shhhhh...." She said. Taylor's eyes darted to his door, which he hadn't locked. Christina brought his attention back by reaching down onto the floor. She pulled up his pants and got out his wallet.
"Chris..." He began.
"What?" She whispered. She pulled out the little package that was in the secret fold of his wallet. She held it up for him to see as she disgarded his pants onto the floor. He looked at the object in her hands and then at her.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Uh huh." She said, handing it to him. She was definitely sure about it.