“Come on Ike, please tell me what you got him! I can’t wait until Saturday to see!” Gwen said, hanging from Ike’s arm. “No” Ike replied “everyone else had to wait and so do you!” Gwen gave up and sank down in her living room chair. Ike walked out of the room laughing as Taylor entered the room. “What’s wrong with you?” Taylor asked, noticing Gwen was doing her little pouting act. “Ike won’t tell me what he got Zac for his birthday! I mean, his birthday is today!” “Yeah, but his party isn’t until Saturday!” Taylor said, sitting on the floor next to her. She gave him the evil eye and he laughed. “What did you get him?” he asked curiously. “Well, why should I tell you! You decided to take Ike’s side, remember?” He gave her the puppy dog look and she turned away. “No way man. You’re not turning that ‘I’m so precious, I can overpower you with my baby blues and puppy frown in one glance’ routine on me! Never on your life!” He kept the face, sitting in the corner pretending to sulk. “Oh get up you big baby!” she said pulling him from the corner. He smirked, “You know, you remind me of one of the ‘gorgeous ladies of wrestling’!” She looked offended and pushed him back down. “I was only kidding! You’re not that strong!” “Oh thanks!” she replied still angry that he said that. “Oh come on Gwen! Please tell me what you got him!” “Fine!” she yelled throwing her hands into the air. “I had some people make him a set of those glow-in-the-dark drumsticks that he saw at the Silverchair concert.” He looked in awe. “No way! Those were totally awesome! I see you out did me in the present department!” “What do you mean?” “Well,” he started “I only got him that glow-in-the-dark alien shirt that we saw in Oklahoma City last month.” She shook her head, “That shirt was cool! I know he’ll love it!” Tay shrugged his shoulders and stood up. “Come on Gwenie! We have a lot to do before Saturday.” He helped her up and she walked outside with him to clean up the yard.
*****
October 23, 1998
Zac’s 13th Birthday Party
“So, you enjoying yourself so far buddy?” “Yeah! Thanks so much for this guys! I can’t think of a better way to turn 13.” He replied back to Gwen. She smiled and patted his back. “He Zac!” Tay started “ You can now officially date! Man, big step bro!” “Like I would jump down the throat of the first girl I saw after tonight! Even if I did, with my luck it would be Gwendolyn!” She gasped and elbowed him in the arm. He continued to laugh. “So Zac,” Ike began “When you gonna open up your new gifts?” “Hey, no time like the present!” he yelled back to Ike over the loud music. He quickly quieted everyone down and turned down the music. “Thanks for coming tonight guys. I’m glad all my good friends could come! Now, I think I would now like to check out all the neat gifts from everyone.” He made his way through the gifts, the whole 24 of them, saving the ones from family and Gwen last. “Ah thanks Gwenie. These drumsticks rock!” “You’re welcome!” She gasped out as he practically suffocated her through a massive bear hug. Then he went on to Tay’s. “Oh, man Tay! You remembered!” Zac said holding up the alien tee. “Yeah well, it’s only been a month!” Then Ike stood up, “Okay Prozac, this is from me and the rest of the band.” He pointed over to a tented area. Someone pulled the tent away revealing a shiny new drumset complete with the ‘Middle of Everywhere Tour’ logo on it. *<*Just a reminder from the writer. The name ‘Middle of Everywhere’ is not the official name of Hanson’s upcoming world tour. I just wanted a clever name for it so I used moe. *<* “Oh my god!” Zac screamed, running over to the drumset. He was completely stunned! He ran up to Ike and actually kissed him on the cheek. “God Zac! You’re sick!” Ike yelled grabbing his cheek and making a weird face. “Oh god Ike. Thank you so much!” Zac said, drooling over his new set. “Now the last present,” Walker interjected,” Is from the entire family, even Zoe.” This time, Ike wheeled out Zac’s dirtbike. But, it had complete new designs on it with alien’s heads everywhere and Zac written down the side. Zac quickly jumped on the bike. “Mom, dad, can I ride it now?” “Zac, we have guests. Maybe later after they leave.” “Cool!” he yelled back.
The night was awesome for all. They all ended up dancing till 2 a.m. Near the end, “My Heart Will Go On” was played and a whole bunch of teenagers and Zac’s friends were dancing with their friends. Taylor stood up. “Gwen, wanna dance. I’m kinda tired of sitting.” Gwen nodded and took his hand. She gently wrapped her arms around his neck as he placed his hands on her waist. They both avoided eye contact, starring at the surrounding sites. They were too embarrassed to look at each other. Gwen had rejected him before, but did she like him now? Maybe she did this whole time and only kept it a secret because she was still not over Don. She could never understand. As the song ended, Gwen leaned forward and hugged Taylor gently. “Thanks Tay,” She whispered “You’re a great friend!”
*****
Later That Night
Later, Zac, Ike, Tay and Gwen had decided to go out on the dirtbikes. Zac had somehow conned Gwen into riding with him. Isaac and Tay had decided to go their own way and Zac headed off in another direction. “Zac, do you have a clue where you are going?” Gwen asked groaningly. “Of course. Just don’t worry.” She sighed and rested her helmet on Zac’s shoulder. They rode at about 75 mph for about five minutes until a fog started to thicken. “Hey Zac?” Gwen asked. “Yeah?” he yelled back. “I think you should turn back. You can barely see!” “Yeah, you’re right.” But just as he turned the bike around, he forgot to slow down and sharply hit a dip in the ground, which sent him flying off the bike. As soon as he landed he got up and looked around. He saw his bike. But where was Gwen? He heard a slight scream and then ran towards his bike. He ran over there to find Gwen’s right leg trapped under the heavy bike. She had a huge bump already on her forehead and cuts all around her leg. She couldn’t move her leg. Now what was going to happen?
*****
Gwen laid on her bed the next morning at about 11:30. A cast covered her right leg. Tay and Ike had managed to somehow find Zac and Gwen at about 4:15 a.m., only 10 minutes after the accident. They carefully drove her back home and they drove into the emergency room at 5 a.m. She immediately went into surgery at 6 and was out at 8. She requested that she go home since the boys were leaving again today. So a nurse stayed at her house for the day, caring for her when needed. She had completely fractured her fibula. They said it was hard to fix but they did. Ike came in and sat by Gwen’s bed. “Well, I wanted to do something before we left tonight but I guess that is not possible!” Gwen snickered and replied “That’s okay. I’m tired anyway. So, how long will you be gone?” “Till June unfortunately.” “Why so long?” Gwen asked practically in tears. She knew why but she didn’t feel like this right now. When she needed them the most, they had to leave. “You know are world tour starts on New Years Day!” She nodded. “I know, I know. I just don’t understand why you have to leave 2 months early.” “Didn’t I tell you that we are recording the new album first?” She nodded again, angry at her defeat. “You’ll call right?” “Every week! Don’t worry. We’ll be back on Christmas and a show in Tulsa on February 16th, so that entire weekend.” “Well, you’ll probably spend most of your time with family at Christmas and that weekend is only 2 days.” She had spoken with so much force that he grabbed her into a tight hug. He kept telling her “It’s okay!” “Now don’t work yourself up,” he said, “You need to recover!” He kissed her forehead and she laid back. Before leaving the room he turning around and signed to her “I love you”, a ritual for them. And just like that, he was gone.
I Will Remember You
Go to Chapter 10
