Even after Eric had been captured and convicted, it wasn't enough for Andrea. She was over 7 months pregnant, but she had stopped eating. The entire Hanson family was doing everything they could to try and convince her to eat again. They were afraid she would lose the baby, it was all any of them had of Taylor besides their memories. Even worse, Zac and Isaac feared for Andrea's life. They were afraid that she would commit suicide or something. No one could stand to lose another person close to the family.
Luckily, somewhere along the lines Isaac and Andrea became better friends. They both had lost a fiance, although under severely different circumstances. Through the sympathy they could offer one another and the friendship that they shared Andrea began to eat again. She put herself completely in Isaac's care.
He took care of her just like Taylor would have. Teasing her sometimes when she was happy, craddling her when she cried. Isaac was the one who took her to lamaz classes and Isaac was the one who drove her to the emergency room when she went into labor. Isaac, as horrible as it was, was almost glad Taylor had died. In a way, it had helped him move past Deanna. As terrible as he felt for it, he knew he was falling deeply in love with Andrea.
"What are you going to name her?" he asked as he watched her carefully holding her daughter in her arms.
"I don't know. Isn't that terrible? I don't even know what I want to name her."
"What did Taylor want to name her?"
"Angel."
"After your nickname?"
"Yeah. I always thought he was joking though."
"I think you should name her Angel."
"And a middle name?"
"I don't know."
"I always thought that middle names were kind of a pain. I never saw the point."
Isaac laughed. "Then don't give her a middle name." She hadn't realised it until now but Isaac was standing very close to her.
He leaned in and his lips brushed lightly over hers. "Okay, I won't." she whispered. Unsure that he had actually kissed her. He kissed her again, wanting to feel the full touch of her lips.
"Oh my God." she sat up straight. "Isaac, I...."
He looked at the ground embarrassed and hurt. "I know. You need time."
She nodded. As he walked out the door, a tear fell down her cheek. "I'm sorry." she whispered.
She fell asleep, confused. Her mind was mixed with thoughts of Isaac and Taylor. They were a lot alike in ways, no wonder they had always been such good friends.
Dreams came to her, mixed ones. Visions of past events with Taylor and visions of what could happen between her and Isaac swirled through her mind. Until they all cleared, leaving one dream. Except it wasn't a dream, it was Taylor. He stood before her, smiling at her.
"Hey, Angel." he reached out to her.
In her dream she reached for him too. He seemed so real. It was like he had never left her. "Taylor." she whispered his name. The absence of his touch, his voice, his presence was too much. In her dream she broke down crying.
"Don't cry. I hate to see you cry." He wrapped his arms around her and she swore she could actually feel his touch.
"I miss you."
"I've never left you. I'm still with you, I'm a part of you. I always will be."
"I wish you were still with me."
"Our daughter is so beautiful." he changed the subject.
"I named her Angel, like you asked me to."
He smiled. "She is an angel, just like you."
Andrea burried herself in his arms, praying that the moment would last. It was only a dream but it felt so real. "Promise me you'll stay this time."
"I can't. I have to go back, but up there I can see you and Angel. I can take care of you both up there."
"But who's going to take care of us down here?"
He brushed her hair off her face and wiped away the tears that kept falling. "Isaac loves you. He loves you like I did, with all his heart. Don't push him away. Don't think that falling in love with him is like betraying me. If you had to love anyone else, I would have wanted it to be Isaac."
"Taylor, I do love Isaac. But I...."
"Then love him. Don't forget me, but move on. He deserves you, you deserve him. You two will be so happy together. I promise."
"What about you?"
"I get to see you all the time. I get to be with you all the time. I'll never stop loving you. Remember that."
He kissed her once, a tender touch of the lips, and then he was gone. As quickly as he had been there he disappeared.
Andrea awoke, tears streaming down her face with a rose in her hand. It was a red rose. The kind Taylor had given her on their first date. Angel slept quietly in her bassinet, and the silver hanson ring fitted to Andrea's ring finger had strangely turned bright gold.
"I love you." she whispered as she laid down once more. The rose sat beside her, and she fell asleep into a deep, dreamless abyss.
HOME
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CHAPTER 7
EPILOUGE
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