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chapter twelve
Zac drove hastily along the road to Ike’s apartment. Jessie hadn’t really said not to tell anyone. And besides, she was going to see Mom and Dad right now. So it wouldn’t matter if he told Ike and Tay. They were bound to find out sooner or later anyhow. Why not sooner? He asked himself as he smoothly turned into the parking lot of Ike’s apartment. He noticed Taylor’s car a few spaces from his. Good, Zac thought. Now I only have to make one stop. He took the stairs by twos to the third floor. He rapped on the door impatiently. Taylor opened it.
“God, Zac! A little impatient?” Zac cracked a wide smile.
“Yeah. ‘Cause somethin’ important happened.” He stepped inside and plopped on the couch, across from Isaac.
“Well, if it’s so important, why don’t you tell us?” Isaac asked.
“Yeah, what is it?” Taylor pressed.
“Welllllll……” Zac said slowly.
“Spit it out Zac!” Isaac and Taylor exclaimed in unison.
“Well, I met someone for lunch.”
“Wowee! Who was it?”
“Someone.”
“Zac…” Taylor said.
“What?”
“Tell us! Now!”
“Unless it was Caitlin,” Ike said. “You have lunch with her like, every day.”
“You shouldn’t be talking Mr. I-can’t-talk-for-even-five-minutes-because-I-have-to-meet-Lucy-and-she’ll-get-mad-if-I’m-one-minute-late!” Zac returned.
“You’re just jealous,” Isaac said.
“Yeah, right. But anyway, do ya wanna know who it is or not?”
“YES!”
“Guess.”
“God, Zac-“
“Just guess!”
“Okay, okay,” Taylor said, annoyed. “Um…Mack? I dunno!”
“No, but you’re close. Kinda.”
“Avie?” Isaac attempted.
“Nope, getting closer.”
“Well, you certainly didn’t meet yourself,” Taylor said.
“And it wasn’t either of us,” Ike said.
“That only leaves one per-“
“Two,” Zac corrected.
“Huh?”
“Two. That leaves two people.” They looked at him funny and shrugged.
“Zoë?” Taylor asked. Zac shook his head.
“Well,” Ike said, “we’ve named everybody in the family except for…”
“Jessie?” Taylor asked, stunned. Zac smiled.
“Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Tell ‘em what they’ve won Johnny!” The two of them stared at Zac. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Isaac spoke.
“You mean you just ate lunch with our sister who ran away five years ago without a trace, here in Tulsa?”
“Exactly.”
“You think that’s funny?” Taylor burst out suddenly.
“No,” Zac replied, “I think that’s true. She’s on her way home right now. AND, she’s getting married.” Their mouths fell wider with each statement.
“And you know that book Zoë reads all the time? Her fiancée wrote that.” He nodded solemnly.
“Well, that’s all I came for!” He hopped up and started for the door.
“Wait!” Taylor jumped up, Isaac close at his heels.
“Are you lying?” he asked quietly.
“Nope. I swear. You can go to Applebee’s and ask Annie.” With that, he turned and left, leaving Isaac and Taylor speechless in the doorway.
‡‡‡‡‡‡
Jessica felt a pang of familiarity as she drove down her old street and pulled into the driveway of the house she used to live in, but hadn’t been in for five years. She slowly turned off her car and took a deep breath before stepping out of it and walking to the door. She took one more breath before knocking lightly on the door.
“Coming!” She heard a voice from deep within the house. Her heart skipped a beat. Her mom. The door opened, and there she was. Jess didn’t say a word. She just stood there. She could see the look of astonishment on her mother’s aged face.
“Jessica?” she managed. All Jess could manage was a nod for there were tears spilling out all over her face. Immediately she was in her mother’s arms, crying buckets. Her arms were wrapped around her mother’s small figure, holding on, for fear she might slip away. They pulled back and Mrs. Hanson stared into Jessie’s eyes.
“Oh baby,” she said gently. They enfolded themselves back into the hug.
“Di?” a deep voice called. The two of them looked up.
“What Walker?”
“Di?” he said again, walking into the living room. He stopped short, seeing the small reunion in the living room. Jessie held her breath and looked hopefully at her father.
“Jessie?” he asked. He walked over to her and surrounded her in a hug.
“I love you Daddy,” she whispered softly.
‡‡‡‡‡‡
For a few minutes after Zac left, Isaac and Taylor stood in the doorway, astounded.
“Do you think he’s lying?” Isaac asked suddenly.
“I dunno. I don’t think he would lie about anything like that, but with him you never know…” He shrugged.
“I think he’s telling the truth. I mean, he’s done some pretty stupid things, but I don’t think he would do anything that stupid.”
“Me neither. Let’s just forget about it until we know it’s true.”
“Okay.”
‡‡‡‡‡‡
After things calmed down, Jessica and Mr. And Mrs. Hanson sat down on the couch, to “talk things over.” Jessie had learned that Ike and Tay, as Zac had informed her, were living alone, Zac was still here, but they had no idea where he was, and Avery, Mack and Zoë were at school. Jessica told them her story, even more in-depth then the versions she had given Alex and Zac. She ended with, “And he asked me to marry him,” holding up the exquisite ring. They arranged to meet her for lunch the next day, with everyone else. As she left that night, she looked down at her watch. She was amazed to find that it was 5:00! She had been there since around 1:00. She drove to the hotel, finding Alex watching TV in their room. Exhausted from the day’s activities, she fell into bed and fell into a deep sleep.