THIRTEEN
I stood up fast, too fast. "That's not funny, Destiny." I grabbed her hand and realized that she was trembling.
"I know it's not funny. It wasn't supposed to be, but it is the truth."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I pulled her up and half-carried her toward the elevator. "Before you made that decision would have been nice."
"And what would you have done?" She giggled drunkenly, even though she hasn't had any alcohol. "You're going to be a daddy. You can't fix that like you do everything else."
"I won't let you throw away the life of an innocent child for your own selfish reasons. Do you ever think of anyone besides yourself?" I felt an amazing calm flood through my body, pushing back my unbelievable anger. She was planning to kill a part of me that I would never get back, without asking me.
"My own selfish reasons? Thinking of myself?" She sobbed loudly, the opposite of my calm. "I'm doing it for you! You're not ready to be a father. I want to keep it. I'm doing it because it's the best thing for you, your career, your brothers. This is exactly why I didn't tell you. Don't you understand that you have something millions of people would kill for? You don't even appreciate it, so before you call me selfish, take a look in the mirror."
I didn't know what to say or do, but she made that decision for me. She collapsed. Her knees gave out, her eyes rolled back in her head and she just fell. I cradled her in my arms and screamed for help. I might have blacked out myself, because I don't remember anything else until I rode in the ambulance, holding her hand and begging her to wake.
"Please wake up, angel. Please wake up. Don't leave me here. I need you so much. Don't leave. Come back. No, no, God, please don't take my angel away from me." I glanced out the back window of the ambulance. Chris Sabec drove our rental car right behind. Mom was in the passenger seat with the rest of the family squeezed in the back.
What I saw gave me the creeps. Sitting in the white, impersonal, cold hospital room with my Destiny was an experience I would love to forget. She had so many tubes and needles in her that it hurt to look at her.
I jumped to my feet as a doctor entered the room. "Doc, can you tell me anything? Will she be alright? What's wrong? Why-"
He cut me off. "Son, we're not sure on anything yet. All we know is this. She's three months pregnant. She has been taking speed and overexherting herself. She may also have a type of diabetes that pregnant women suffer. None of this is definite, of course. There is a possibitly that something much worse is happening. We won't be doing any more tests tonight. I assume that you're her boyfriend. According to the papers your mother gave us, she is currently the legal guardian of the young lady. If it's okay with her, you will be allowed to stay in the room with her. That's all I can tell you at this time."
"Thank you, Doctor." He stabbed some more needles in her arms as I cringed nearby. I watched her silently. The tears came fast and fierce, giving me a sort of hope that I will cry with Destiny, not over her, from now on.
FOURTEEN
I sat by Destiny's side for two days. The tour, along with all interviews, photo shoots and press conferences, had been postponed. I was happy to sit there, holding on and praying for her to wake up soon.
As I sat in the hard plastic chair, half-asleep, I heard a gasp from her bed. I hopped out of the chair so quickly that my muscles screamed. Her eyelashes fluttered gently.
I grabbed Tay's shoulder. "Get a nurse. Quick."
He took off down the hall and hurried back with the doctor I spoke with earlier. He took her pulse as she awoke. As I looked into those beautiful eyes, it was like the first time.
"Zac? Where am I?" Her voice came out in a whisper, but in fifteen years, I had never heard a more wonderful sound.
The doctor talked to her like a child. "Well there, little miss, how are we feeling today? Are you better, darling?"
"Peachy fucking keen," she replied sarcastically. "What do you think?"
"No need to be rude." His supposed British accent faded. "Here's what happened." I listened intently as she looked on, unconcerned. "You are dehydrated and malnourished, so you'll be on a strict schedule of food and liquids for a few weeks. You will stay off any and all drugs. When you arrive home, we recommend that you look into drug rehabilitation and mental health treatment programs. On the brighter side, your baby is just fine."
"Actually, I was planning for an abortion," she began.
"But now we're going to keep it," I interruppted.
Tay gave me an intense look that somehow made me think that he just gained a lot of respect for me. "Dude, what will you tell Mom? And the fans?"
Destiny and I stared at each other, not knowing what to say. Then I look at the doctor and Tay, then back at Destiny. Finally, words come to my lips. "I'm going to be a daddy. That's what we'll tell them." I leaned down to kiss her cheek. Then the impact of my words hits me. Things were going to change.
FIFTEEN
A week after Destiny was released from the hospital, I figured out how psyched I was about this whole Daddy thing. Mom took it quite well, but the real test was when we told the world.
Ike, Tay, Destiny and I sat in a radio soundbooth. It was first of all our postponed interviews. Destiny's hand, gripped tightly in mine, shook. Tay and Ike sat calmly, but then, what did they have to lose? Destiny and I, we had everything to lose.
Halfway through our allotted time slot, the interviewer chose to ask about Destiny. "Now, Zac, who is this enchanting young lady holding your hand? A girlfriend perhaps?"
I took a deep breath as Destiny squeezed my hand. I spoke into the microphone in front of me. "This is my fiancee, Destiny Gibson. We got engaged recently, and we want to thank all our fans for their positive responses. We would also like to announce that we are expecting parents. There will be a new Hanson in about seven months."
The shocked reporter found his voice. "Wow, that is quite a surprise, isn't it? I think we'll take a call." He pressed a button. "You're on the air."
"Zac? Destiny? Are you there?" A female voice cut through the air from the speakerphone.
"We're here."
"Hi, my name is Elizabeth. I met the two of you in the park two weeks ago. You signed my napkin and I talked to Destiny for a few minutes. Remember?"
"I remember," Destiny said. "We remember."
"Oh, good. Anyway, like I said when I met you, I think it's wonderful that you can have a relationship with all that goes on. I'm glad the two of you are happy together. Congratulations on the engagement and the baby. I just wanted you to know that I'm with you all the way."
Destiny leaned forward to answer her. "Thanks very much, Elizabeth. It's great to know that we have your support and good wishes. If it's a little girl, we'll make her middle name Elizabeth after you. Please stay on the line, so I can get your address for the wedding invitation."
"Of course," she squealed. She stayed on the line and Destiny got her address and phone number, then promised to call her later that night.
As we walked out to the waiting limo, Destiny slipped her arm through mine. "What are you smiling about?" I asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing." She grinned mischieviously. "Just glad to have the support of at least one fan. Elizabeth seems like a sweet girl. Don't you think?"
"Definitely one of my favorite among fans. Except for you, of course. Why?" I helped her in.
"No special reason." But I knew she was up to something.
