Zac for some reason had trouble sleeping that night. At about four thirty-eight, he woke up to the sound of coughing.
Getting up, he followed the noise, and it led him to the bathroom. Knowing it was Justice, he knocked on the door. Then he heard a grunt as if someone punched her in the stomach followed by the sound of something cutting through water.
He shook his head and opened the door. “Justice? You need anything, do you want some help?” He offered.
Justice nodded. “I need a towel.” She told him.
Zac opened a cabinet and retrieved a towel for her.
“Thanks,” She said as she tried to hold her hair back.
He went behind her and grabbed her hair, and he held it back for her.
Justice wiped her mouth, and then hurled one more time after that. They waited in the bathroom thirty long minutes, nothing happened.
“I think it might be over,” She sighed.
“I’m kinda glad cause it seemed that if you barfed anymore, we would have to call the hospital.” Zac laughed.
Justice smiled at his small joke, “I’m telling Tay today, he’s gotta know.”
“Do you want for me to be there, when you do it?” Zac asked as he headed towards the open door, Taylor stood on the other side.
He was raising an eyebrow at Zac and then glanced at Justice. “What’s going on?” He asked them as Zac stared back at him.
“Nothing, Taylor.” Justice shook her head.
“Justice, tell him, you have to do it now.” Zac mumbled to her.
“Tell me what?” Taylor asked as he went through the door and over to Justice’s side.
She took his hand; the glow of the light made her face even paler than it was. “Hope ya have a strong stomach.” She stated as she pointed to the toilet.
Taylor gazed down briefly.
“I was throwing up and Zac came in to hold my hair back.” Justice said as she smiled at Taylor knowing he wouldn’t think twice about it after he was shown the evidence.
He nodded as he flushed the toilet; Justice looked back up at him, he smiled at her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Taylor...” She spoke up softly, “I, uh, don’t know how to tell you this, and I hope that you will be as supportive as Zac is.”
He looked at her, “Okay.”
“Tell him. To him now...” Zac started flipping out.
“Okay, the day that they went to get the furniture,” Justice smiled slightly.
“Yeah,” Taylor said kinda eyeing Zac, as if he were asking Zac if he knew about that day they shared.
Zac simply smiled and nodded.
“Well, the cause and effect thing, we learned a long time ago,” Justice sighed. “Well, let’s just say that you have an addition to the Hanson family, and it’s not your mama.”
Zac smiled and walked out of the bathroom.
Taylor stood there with a look of, guess what, shock. Slowly his lips curled in a smile, “Justice, marry me.”
Justice looked at him, astonished, slowly she nodded her head and Taylor hugged her.
“Now you get wake up every morning and hold my hair back while I barf,” She told him laughing.
Taylor nodded, “Gladly.”
“See ya tomorrow morning around three or so,” Justice smiled.
Taylor softly placed his hand upon her slightly swollen stomach; Justice placed her hand upon his hand.
Justice and Taylor were lying on the couch, and the TV was going, but the two were asleep.
This was maybe the first time in weeks that Justice has slept for more than three hours at a time.
Ike walked in the room and saw the TV going, and then he looked over at the two on the couch. Justice lay asleep in Taylor’s arms. He smiled as he took a blanket and placed it over the young couple.
Zac came in the room and sat down, he looked over at Justice and Taylor. “Hey, Ike...”
He looked over at Zac.
“You know why Justice’s been acting strange lately?” Zac said as he took a drink of Dr. Pepper.
“Why?” Ike asked.
“Taylor got her pregnant.” He said looking at him now.
Ike’s mouth dropped, “Yeah, that’s a good reason to be avoiding everyone. Mostly Taylor.”
He looked over at the two; he walked over to Justice and placed his hand on her stomach. Then Ike looked at Zac and relaxed his hand; “Does Emerald know?”
Zac shook his head, “Is Taylor still breathing?”
“When are they going to tell her?” He asked as he lifted his hand.
“Later today, Justice wants me and you to be there.” Zac smiled, “She said that we would have to peal Emerald off Taylor. That’s one of the reason’s she wanted me to tell you.”
Ike nodded, “No wonder Taylor was talking about marriage.”
“He asked us about it before he found out about the baby,” Zac smiled, “He really loves her.”
Emerald sat down on the couch beside Justice. “Zac said that you had to talk to me?” Emerald looked at her curiously.
“Yeah, I do.” Justice smiled, “You know now that I have said it over and over, it’s getting easier to say. You know how I’ve always joked about want to have Taylor’s child... well, uh, it’s not a joke anymore.”
She stared at Justice, “What?” She asked quietly, her throat suddenly dry.
“I’m having Taylor’s child, Emerald,” Justice smiled, “I’m proud of it.”
Emerald looked at her in disbelief, “Where is he? WHERE IS THAT LITTLE BASTARD!” She shouted as she shot up from the couch and ran back to the guys’ room.
“NO! Emerald! DON’T!” Justice cried, as she vaulted off the couch.
But Emerald was already in Hanson’s room, looking for Taylor. He was by the closet, and the next thing he knew he felt his body hit the wall as Emerald pinned him to it.
“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO Justice?” Emerald breathed fire.
Taylor’s eyes had the look of a deer about to be run over. Before he could speak, he saw Ike and Zac running behind Emerald.
They tried to get a hold of her, but as Ike laid his hand on Emerald first, then Zac she shrugged them off so quickly that she was able to get her fist across his face.
But before she was able to hit him again, Ike and Zac got a strong hold on her.
Justice observed this by the door; Emerald was fighting off Ike and Zac in an effort to get to Taylor.
“Emerald! LET IT GO! CALM DOWN!” Zac yelled to her.
She still was fighting Ike and him, until Ike picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
“DAMNIT ISAAC! LET ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN!” Emerald cried in a fit of rage.
Very calmly Ike answered, “Are you going to hurt Taylor if I do?”
“HELL YES,” She said yelling again.
“Then...” Ike said, thinking about it, “I can’t let you down.”
“Take her out Ike. Get her away from here.” Justice suggested.
Ike nodded and still having her on his shoulder, carried her to the door, the down the hall to the front door.
She looked at Justice, and then she shook her head, “Why? What happened? Why?”
Justice looked at her. She saw the hurt, the pain, but most of all the sympathy in her eyes. She shook her head, “Love, I love him, Emerald. Remember, I don’t understand it myself, so how can I make you understand it?”
Emerald just stared at Justice as she was being carried out the door.
“I love you too, Em.” Justice called knowing that she didn’t hear her.
