Isaac slid “And she’s yours,” Walker asked softly. “You’re sure?” Isaac was seated at the dining room table opposite his parents. Taylor and Zac stood behind him, offering silent moral support as their 19-year-old brother broke the news to their parents that he had fathered a child. Isaac nodded. “I’m positive,” he said. “Besides, look at her, Dad. She’s a carbon copy of Avie and Zoe.” Diana Hanson’s eyes filled with hot tears. “She’s our granddaughter.” Isaac smiled. “Yes.” Walker shook his head. “She never told you she was pregnant? Never gave you any indication at all?” “None,” Isaac said. “I was totally clueless. If I hadn’t seen her on Howard Stern, I may never have known at all.” “So what are you going to do about it?” Diana asked. “Well, that’s kind of where I need some advice,” Isaac said. “I’m not totally sure that Taryn still isn’t a flight risk. I’m afraid that she’s going to take off with Clara again.” Walker nodded. “Legal advice,” he guessed. Isaac bit his lip. “Yes.” Diana’s eyes widened. “Ike, are you sure you want to do that? This could get nasty if we drag lawyers into it.” Taylor nodded. “She’s right, Ike,” he agreed. “If you think that you may be able to salvage anything with Taryn, this might wreck that for good.” Isaac tucked a curly strand of hair behind his ear. “I need to protect myself,” he said. “Look what she did to me the last time I really trusted her.” “You’re being really harsh,” Zac said quietly. Isaac turned to Zac. “Harsh? Let me tell you about harsh, Zac. Harsh is hiding someone’s baby from them for six months. Harsh is making a father miss his daughter’s birth and her first six months. Don’t tell me about harsh.” Walker rose and walked over to the dining room hutch. He took out a leather address book. “Let’s get a lawyer if that’s what you think is necessary,” he said. Isaac’s father took his chair at the dining room table and flipped through several pages of the book. “Laney Christian,” he said. “She’s good. I think we should go with her.” “Whatever you think, Dad,” Isaac said. “I don’t know anything about this.” “What do you think, Diana?” Walker asked. “Isn’t she the one who helped us out with the contracts for the last album?” Diana asked. Walker nodded. “Yes, I liked her,” Diana decided. “Okay, Ike,” he said. “Do you want me to call her and set up an appointment now? You’re probably going to have to get a court date in New Mexico if that’s where the baby was born.” “The sooner the better,” Isaac said. “I just want to get the ball rolling on this.” Walker went to use the kitchen phone to call the lawyer. Diana put her hand over Isaac’s. “This is a real shock to us,” she admitted. “But I’m proud of you. I’m proud that you want to do the right thing by your baby. It just makes me realize that I’ve raised you right.” Isaac smiled. “Thanks, Mom,” he said, drawing his mother into a hug. “You guys are going to love her. She’s amazing.” Walker returned to the dining room. “All set,” he said. Taylor’s blue eyes widened. “What do you mean all set?” “I mean that Laney is going to file papers in Albuquerque today,” Walker said. “She thinks that if you admit paternity and Taryn doesn’t contest it, you won’t even have to take a blood test. It’ll all just be a matter of going to court and getting the birth records changed.” Isaac let out a sigh of relief. “Maybe this is going to be easy,” he said hopefully.
the photograph across the table toward his parents. Diana Hanson picked it up gingerly and studied it.
