Chapter two.
~ZAC ~
Walking down the corridor I was feeling more nervous than I ever had before, I thought, "Why do I feel like this, why is it such a big deal?" not knowing the answer I shook the thought away, and stopped at the door marked Claire Greenaway. Pulling my cap off shaking my hair lose, I turned the knob, pushed the door open and walked in. She lay there very still, all alone, tubes and monitors coming from all parts of her body, I swallowed hard, my hands were shaking, as I moved closer. Reaching her side, I looked at all the equipment, and then down at her face, that perfect olive skin, her brown hair fanned out behind her, it lay on her pillow waving perfectly it was so shiny. I sat there for what seemed like hours just holding on to the flowers I’d bought on the way in, just looking at her, she was so beautiful exactly as I imagined, I knew then that it was her that drew me here. The headphones she wore had slipped from her ears slightly so I moved them back into place, the sound of ‘Wish that I was there’, blaring through, I smiled, and thought, no wonder she won’t wake up, that would send anyone to sleep.
As the door swung open my head spun around, she stood there in the doorway smiling, as she walked over to me she held out her hand to shake mine. "Hi" I said, "I’m Zac H…" that’s when she cut me off " Hanson, I know, I’m crystal Greenaway, Claire’s Mom, thank you for coming, this means so much to me, and it will her too." "My pleasure" I said, looking straight into those crystal blue eyes. I remembered thinking then; this woman looks way to young to have a daughter this age, which I guessed she was roughly about same age as me 18.
We sat there, while Crystal filled me in with how the accident had happened, and how desperate she was feeling a month later and her daughter hadn’t regained consciousness. You could see the desperation and helplessness in those lovely eye’s, I got a lump in my throat and tears were stinging behind my eyes in pity for this woman who feared for her lovely daughters life. We sat there for hours talking, she explained how she had virtually moved in to the hospital, sleeping there and just going home for a few hours break each day. "I’m here now", I said, putting my hand over hers and giving a slight squeeze, she looked straight at me and smiled, "thank you for coming Zac, if any one can help her I’m sure it would be you". "Go take a break Crystal, I’ll talk to her, my brothers will be here soon too." I said, she looked so tired, anyway I would be able to talk to Claire easier if I was on my own. "You sure Zac?" she said. Rubbing her tired eyes, " sure I’m sure, now go get some rest, I won’t leave her". With that Crystal smiled a weak trusting smile and left.
Sitting here looking at her, I realized I was so at ease with these people almost as if I had known them for a lifetime, but I hadn’t they were strangers, so why do I feel so at home, I was feeling happy but confused too. Looking down at her, I noticed how unlike her mom she was. Very beautiful like her mom, but her mom had long blonde hair, very fair skin, and just looking at Claire’s olive skin and brown hair you just know she hasn’t got those blues penetrating eye’s her mother has either, without even seeing them.
That’s when I saw it, the black book marked my journal, picking it up looking at myself staring back, I started to panic, "hell, what if she’s one of the screamers, the obsessed fan I fear at every concert", I thought. Looking back at her I shook the idea from my head, "No she doesn’t look the type, I’m sure she’s not". That’s when I started to talk to her, holding her hand I squeezed gently, and started rambling all about myself and how blessed my life was. Well they said talk about anything, so I did.
~Taylor~
Sitting in the taxi as it pulled into the hospital grounds, the driver looking like he had no idea where to go next. I looked around to see any road signs to try to help, that’s when I saw her jogging towards us, she was the most beautiful girl…NO woman I had ever seen, her long very blonde hair spread out behind her as she ran. "Pull over Mike I’ll ask this lady which way to go, I shouted to the driver. "Excuse me miss", I said waving her over. I managed to get her attention; she slowed down as she approached smiling. "Oh god….. " I breathed, looking her up and down, I was starting to blush and I knew why, she was even more Drop-dead-gorgeous up close. There was a stir in my pants I couldn’t control, and I was losing all ability to even remember what I was going to ask. "Yes"…she asked, she must have recognized who we were, because she said "oh you’re here to see if you can help Claire aren’t you, turn left at this next building, third door on the right." She looked from me to Ike waiting for a reply, I couldn’t speak, I sat there my mouth open staring like some idiot. Ike punched me in the side, and I sat back, while he went to the window and thanked the woman, and we moved on. Looking out the back window, watching her perfect form disappear into the distance as she jogged away. "Snap out of it Tay, she’s way to old to be interested in you man", Ike smirked, wearing that oh so smug grin, I replied" you wanna bet Ike", rolling his eye’s and shaking his head in disgust he turned and looked out the other window.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her; I had to find out who she was I was guessing she was probably a nurse or something. So I had hope seeing her around the hospital again.
Approaching the room, we looked in to see zac holding her hand, talking to her as if he knew who this girl was, just telling her all about himself our family and home as if she would know what he was talking about. He turned when he noticed us walking in room.
"Hey, guys, your not mad at me for leaving you with the interview are you? How’d it go anyway?" Zac whispered. "No Zac, it went really well, in fact there were no embarrassing moments must have been because you weren’t there, the DJ was relieved too". I said smirking. We sat for a while, and Zac told us all about Claire, I was actually amazed how interested he seemed in her, he was Just so animated a bit like he is when he's just got really great new game for his playstation. We talked for quite a while, he was filling us in on how the accident had happened, I couldn’t help smiling with pride when I noticed the whole time he talked, he held her hand stroking the back of it. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d seen Zac so caring towards another human being, apart from Mom, that is.
"Okay guy’s it’s time to go, we have a concert tomorrow so need our rest", Ike said getting up from his seat, I looked at Zac raising to my feet, he just sat there. "Come on Zac, you too, Ike stated as he walked towards the door. "No way Man, I’m staying right here, she might wake up, and she wants me here I know she does". Zac said not even looking our way, "anyway, I told her mom I’ll stay with her until she gets back, you two go ahead I’ll catch you up later". "No Zac, your coming with us, it’s not as though she even knows you’re here, You have a concert tomorrow you need your sleep". Ike nearly shouted, getting a little annoyed with Zac’s obsessive behaviour. "Look Ike I’m old enough to make my own way back to the hotel, I know how to call a Cab, I made a promise and I’m keeping it". Zac shouted back being as stubborn as ever. I patted Zac on the shoulder, "call if you need us, but make sure you get back at the hotel tomorrow before 11.00 am okay", he smiled towards me and nodded, we left it at that and left.
~Crystal~
The next morning I woke early, I knew Zac needed to be at the hotel for his concert, he explained it all the night before, I got showered quickly, pulled on my jeans and white shirt that tied at the front, picked up my running shoe’s and made my way back to the hospital.
Zac was still sat next to Claire, his head on the bed next to her fast asleep, he looked so angelic there, but he looked so uncomfortable. Quietly, I nudged his shoulder, "Zac wake up", and he stirred and turned his head over. I shook him slightly, half making him jump, "what, what’s wrong, he quickly looked at his surroundings then looked shocked at where he was, then realization crept in and he rubbed his eyes before saying "Morning crystal, any change, looking straight to Claire. "Morning zac, sorry to wake you like that, there’s no change but I thought I had better wake you up early, you need to get back to the hotel don’t you. "Yeah, I guess so, but I hate to leave her, what if she wakes up and I’m not here"? He said.
"You can’t stay here all the time Zac, you have a busy schedule. I don’t want to get you into trouble with your manager and family" I said, I didn’t realize he would want to stay with her this long, I was amazed with his concern, what a lovely kind thoughtful young man.
I showed Zac to the hospital family room where he could freshen up a bit before heading back to the hotel, I was back in Claire’s room when the doctor came in, he looked rather concerned, and looked sympathetically at me, "What" I said, "What is it?" Looking straight at Claire, "there’s something wrong isn’t there?" He shook his head, and my whole world collapsed around me as he said the words, they came sharp and firm. I couldn’t even register what he was saying after the first few words came from his lips. I dropped to the seat, and put my head in my hands sobbing bitterly. "Sorry Mrs Greenaway, I don’t really hold out much hope, the longer she’s unconscious the less chance there is she will come around".
I was devastated, what will I do, I can’t live without her, those words were spinning around in my head. I could barely hear him whispering to someone in the doorway as he left. I automatically thought it was a nurse or maybe Zac, then I felt his arms around me as he dropped to his knees, he held me so tight I could barely breath. I lifted my head to rest in the crook of his neck, as I sobbed he ran his hand up and down my back trying to calm my emotions. "Shh… it’ll be okay, she’ll be alright, you’ll see". His whisper came as o shock, I looked up not recognizing his voice or smell. I was face to face with the most beautiful man I had ever met, I knew who it was exactly, and I felt a little uneasy sat there with him on his knees comforting me. After all he was a stranger, all be it a Rock Star, he was still a stranger none the less. He looked back puzzled at first, as he recognized me from our meeting the day before, then smiled "So Mrs Greenaway, we meet again". I tried to smile a little as he locked his eyes with mine again. "Oh…God, look away now before you disappear into the deep blue pools of his, I thought, hoping he didn’t realise I was staring. Looking away, then rising to my feet walking over to Claire, she looked so helpless lying there. The panic hit me again as a new stream of tears rolled down my cheeks, I just stood there holding my daughters hand not know what to do for her, Taylor Hanson stood behind me perhaps even feeling my pain.
~Taylor~
Oh my god…it’s her, I can’t believe I actually found her again, after seeing her yesterday I really didn’t think I’d bump into her again at the hospital, and even more ironic she is the mother of the girl we came to see. My thoughts came back as I stood close behind her watching her shoulders shake as the sobbing continued, what do I do? Do I reach out and hold her, touch her, to comfort her… I want to, I know I do. But, back there when she realised it was me holding her, she looked kind of awkward or even embarrassed.
"What are you doing here"? It was Zac coming in behind me, his eye’s flitted from Crystal to me, registering she was crying. The sudden look of panic on Zac’s face was evident, he mouthed "what’s wrong", the fear in his eyes almost telling me he didn’t really want to know, afraid of what the answer would be. He looked from Claire to Crystal, then to me. I lifted my hand pointing to the door, he walked begrudgingly out in front of me.
"She’s a little upset Zac", I tried to explain the best I could, " the doctor called a few moments ago and said he isn’t very optimistic at this time, and Claire may never wake up". He fell on me then, I nearly fell backwards from the power of his body on mine, his whole body shaking with the sobs that came at the same time. I never realized, how deep his feelings had become for Claire in such a short time. It was obvious yesterday when he didn’t want to come back to hotel with Ike and I, that he really liked her. But this was much deeper it was evident, but how can it be, he hardly knows her after all. I patiently waited for my brothers crying to stop comforting best I could, I just held him, all the time looking at the back of Crystal as she stood silently looking at her daughter. Thoughts of how this woman could possibly be the mother of an 18 year old girl, I swallowed around the lump in my throat, as I realised that she is a lot, lot lot, older than me. but still she looked so perfect, just the kind of girl I’ve been looking for, that’s when I decided, I want to get to know her better, I NEED to get to know her better.
I noticed the time, signalling to Zac it was time to leave for the hotel, we did have a concert that day after all. Ike will be so mad if we’re late I know that, he wasn’t that happy Zac didn’t come back to the hotel at all last night, but also didn’t seem that keen on me coming to bring Zac some clean clothes this morning. My intentions were really to look for the jogger I saw yesterday, but his needing clean clothes made the perfect excuse. A smile crept to my face as I realized I actually found her and without even looking. We softly tapped Crystal on her shoulder, almost sorry to take her attention from her daughter. She turned eyes dry, and very sad, she tried to smile weakly, specially when she noticed how upset Zac was, not wanting to worry him any more than necessary, and I think feeling a bit guilty for getting him involved in all this. "We have to go", Zac said softly, reaching out to touch her shoulder Zac continued, "I’ll be right back straight after the concert tonight, so you can take your break". "No Zac it’s okay, I’ll be fine, don’t rush back you need rest too". Her words were so sincere. We said our good byes and we quickly walked to the rental car, she was expecting us back later. Good job I rented the car, looks like we’re both gonna be very frequent visitors here.
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