Chapter 31: Finding Missing Things
I couldn't believe they couldn't find Kat. I was so worried. I had talked to Tay about it, I had conversed with Zac, who was always crying, and then Kat's mom was just spastic. She looked horrible. She had bags under her eyes from not getting any sleep, she didn't eat, she didn't
even talk to that Bill guy. She was in terrible condition. I kept thinking of where she might be, but I was drawing blanks. I thought about everywhere we had been since we met the Hansons. The department store, haha, undieheads, the drugstore, haha, pregnancy test, their house, the picnic at Splash Water, haha me trying to kiss Tay for the first time, etc. Finally, I got to the day Kat and Zac attacked Tay and I with water guns. We chased them.....into the treehouse. It was a long shot, but we had checked everywhere. I called her mom immediately.
About an hour later I got a call.
"Thanks so much Jo." It was Kat.
"KAT???"
"Yeah, you busted me!"
"What do you mean? I was helping your mom out! Have you not seen what terrible shape she is in? She needed to know that you were alive at least. You were being a selfish, inconsiderate little bitch and you know it. You are use to getting your way and when you didn't, you threw a little hissy fit worrying everyone from here to Europe that knows you!" I hung up on her. She didn't call me back, but I know she knew what she was doing. She wanted her mom to worry. She wanted to get the attention. She was a little brat for doing that to her mom. I was now really pissed at her. I hate how she thought by running away she could get what she wanted. It made me more mad to think about it so I stopped. She was found and that's all that mattered.
Now that Kat was found, we were home and Zac was feeling better, life was starting to go back to normal again. There was one thing awry, though. It had been since we had gotten home that I had last seen my journal. I wrote in it on the plane because I was so happy about getting
home, but I couldn't find it after that. I was almost positive I had put it in my backpack which had been sitting beside me on the plane. I wasn't too worried about it until it had been missing for nearly a week. I had begun interrogating each sibling I had--even Zoe. I began to get desperate. The only other person that I had allowed to read that Journal was Joey, and even she didn't get to read a few of the really juicy parts. I had written down every ungodly and unhealthy thought I ever thought in there. Every sultry poem and song I thought of had been scribbled somewhere in the frayed pages and now all of my most private and dirty little thoughts had disappeared like sugar in Zac's view. It had completely vanished. No one had admitted to even seeing it and it
wasn't like my siblings to take something and not return it within a few days. didn't want that journal to get into the wrong hands. It could probably ruin my career.
"So, what has life been like without me?" I queried.
"Boring, monotonous, lonely, time-consuming, the epitome of mediocrity...need more?" Joey smiled at me as we snuggled in my den. I was always a bit amused by her vocabulary. She seemed like she read dictionaries. Since the thought was in my head, I decided to ask.
"Do you read dictionaries?" I laughed at my own words. She smiled sheepishly and looked at her nails, snickering. "You do?!" I burst out into wild laughter.
"Hey, when I was twelve I got tired of being labeled a girl from hicktown, USA. People automatically assumed that since I was from Tulsa, Oklahoma, education was not an option and I would sound like I was born in some sort of undeveloped society. I guess I just like to prove people wrong," she explained, playfully swatting me for laughing.
"I'm sorry," I calmed myself, "I just find it a little funny that you're so brainy, that's all."
"Not brainy...I prefer the word special," she said smugly.
"Yeah, so does Zac. We're not allowed to call him any of the other names we've worked so hard on...Special is what all of my teachers told me to called retarded children, anyway."
"I'm not retarded," Joey laughed.
"I know," I smiled, kissing her softly on her forehead.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you something," Joey groaned.
"What?"
"You know how my mother had that doctor's appointment a month or so ago to find out stuff about the baby?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I just found out now that she's having twins. Turns out that when they got the sonogram, the second heartbeat was so weak, they were almost positive the baby wouldn't survive, but you know us Baldwins...always pushing through the biggest obstacles. This means they will be the fifth AND sixth in the brood," Joey sighed. I could tell she was almost getting tired of having babies in the house. Heck, I was too. Sometimes it was a lot of work.
"Hey, now you'll have as many younger siblings as I do," I said optimistically.
"Whoopee," Joey said sarcastically. I just chuckled at her lack of enthusiasm. The phone then rang and I reached over and grabbed the portable.
"Hello?" I answered as Joey playfully kissed my hand.
"Is Mister Taylor Hanson there, please?" the male voice inquired.
"Speaking," I replied. I laughed a little as Joey continued to play with my hand.
"Mr. Hanson, have you noticed anything missing in the past few days?"
"Such as what?" I asked, getting suspicious.
"Such as a dark blue journal with an elastic strap holding it closed?" the man asked in a patronizing manner. My heart jumped at this. My Journal. I pulled my hand away from Joey and sat up straight. I didn't know who this man was and he had the most private thoughts of my life in his possesion.
I not only thought it was my right to throw a fit, I KNEW it was my right. My mom was getting married to a guy I had met once and she had met a little over a dozen times! I can't believe Joey told my mom where I was! Even though it was a total guess, she could have kept it to herself! It wasn't her right to intrude on my personal business. We're just best friends. It's not like she has to care about my life. The more I thought, the more I realized that my thoughts were just a crock of bull. I was too stubborn to admit that I had been wrong to run away from my problems. I never thought I would have done something like that, but I guess when you are confronted by something so trivial, you act on impulse. Apparently I shouldn't have. My little disappearing act hadn't done any good. Just like before, Mom was still getting married and I still hated it, but now I got to brood as I was locked securely in my room. I never thought my room would become my prison instead of my sanctuary. The menacing walls stared at me with their
blank faces, accusing me of being a belligerent, quarrelsome, troubling child. I knew they were right, but it still made me madder than hell that my mom was getting married to a guy she hardly knew.
Being grounded required me to make midnight phone calls to Zac on a hidden phone in my closet to cry and sniffle about my situation.
"Zac, this sucks so bad!" I complained.
"Kat, I really wish I could say it's not fair, but it is!" Zac
exclaimed shrilly. He then softened his tone and continued. "I mean, you had your mom acting like a psycho, I was terrified and Joey was on the verge of tears every time I talked to her. That's not something that's very common. You of all people know how strong Joey seems when it comes
to crisis. I guess the idea that her best friend could get hurt, killed, kidnapped or worse was too much for her to handle. Taylor ended up having to be her comforter during the day and mine during the night. He really had his work cut out for him. Do you realize how much I missed you?"
"No. I was pressed for time so a made a quick getaway. I wasn't thinking," I admitted my cursory decision. "I really had no idea what I would do to everyone. But still, locking me in my room can't be the best form of punishment."
"Maybe not, but I'm sure your mom is probably afraid you'll try to pull this stunt again. Heck! I am, too! Kat after so many people at school advertising how to handle problems like these, I'd think you'd know that running away wasn't the answer. You need to talk to your mom about this guy. Maybe if you talk to her, you can get her to hold off the wedding until you get to know him a little better."
"Okay, that's an idea. I'll try it, but now I'm-" I paused as I let out a yawn, "really tired. I'll have to talk to you tomorrow."
"Bye Kat-" he stopped. I could hear that he wanted to say something else, but suddenly I heard a click and the line went dead.
"Who are you?" I asked sharply into the phone. I prayed it was all a prank
"Well, lets just say I'm a person who is willing to sell this journal to either Entertainment Tonight or to you. I'm giving you first bid on it, though. I know a nice boy like you wouldn't want those vicious reporters to hear about a story such as Zac's escapade with this Kat person behind the bathrooms," the man laughed. I had almost forgotten writing the whole story about Zac's experience in my journal. "Or the sexy song with the racy lyrics about this Joey. Is this a boy, lad? Are everyone's assumptions about your sexual preference correct?"
"Joey is a girl, asshole. Now tell me who you are before I call the police on you," I said, my voice shaking. I looked at Joey who's expression of love had turned to pure concern. I motioned for her to get on another phone. Having a witness to the call might not be a bad idea.
She ran across the room and got the other phone. When she picked it up, the sound was obvious.
"Who's there?" the man asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize someone was on the phone," Joey said quickly. She then pressed the mute button which made the same sound as the hang up did. Smart girl.
"Where were we?" The Man asked. "Oh yes. The subject of a bribe. I'm thinking in the neighborhood of a million dollars."
"A million?! Are you out of your mind?!" I almost yelled.
"Well, then. I guess Entertainment Tonight will get their chance. Maybe Hard Copy..."
"No, no, I'm sorry. Can I have a few days to think about it?" I asked, hoping The Man would give me this at least.
"Twenty-Four hours boy, and that's it. No more. I'll call you back at this exact time tomorrow. 5:27. Don't forget the time, boy, 'cause if you aren't there, the journal goes to the news." The Man hung up and I slammed the phone down onto the couch and got up, pacing. Joey rushed over to me.
"Taylor, don't panic. It's okay. What exactly did you have in that journal? Maybe it's not as bad as you think," Joey tried to soothe me.
"Well, imagine every sexy thing I've ever said to you or done to you ten times worse in words and on paper. That's about what it is. I mean, I wrote some of the raunchiest songs in there. If he publishes them, it could ruin Hanson. Ruin it all!" I collapsed onto the couch.
"Wait, Taylor. You have caller ID, right?" she asked.
"Yeah..." I realized what she was getting at and bolted out of the room and to the kitchen where we kept the Caller ID box. I looked at the last call. "The little rat is so freakin' dumb! He's a complete shithead! He called from his home phone. Look! I have his name right here! All I have
to do is look up his address in the phone book!" I said triumphantly. I clapped a hand over my mouth and looked around, glad there wasn't a sibling or parent in sight. I then grabbed the phone book and looked at the name and ripped the page it was on out. I grabbed Joey's hand and ran upstairs to find Isaac.
Chapter 32: Miscellaneous
I wasn't quite sure why I reacted like I did to Kat's feelings on her punishment. I'm sure I would have been complaining just as much as she was if it was me, but it wasn't me. I had been so scared for her when I found out that she was missing. I was thinking she had done something
drastic and had gone to kill herself over the matter of her mom getting married. I guess now that she was back and safe it was okay for me to rake her over the coals about what she did. Her midnight phone calls were the only contact we had with each other and would be until her three weeks locked in her house were over. But I can't count how many times I've gone to call Kat, then realized she was grounded. I didn't realize how big of a role she played in my life. Now, during the day, I'm stuck playing video games, which isn't too bad, helping mom out, writing songs, and of course, playing the drums. I figured I'd go downstairs and see what kind of stuff I could come up with. I wrote a cool, slow song when Kat was missing....I wanted to play something fast to get some left over anger out. I walked downstairs and saw my shining drum set. It glittered and shined in the basement light.
"I MISSED YOU!" I ran over to my drums and kissed every last one from the bass to the tam. I even kissed my seat. "EWW! I just kissed my butt." I laughed at myself. But I sat down and my whole perspective changed. I felt the anger surge up through my veins like molten lava.
I got a rush of energy and began banging on my drums. I just played and played. Finally mom came downstairs.
"Zac, you sound like something out of Marilyn Manson's hell hole. Quiet down, I just put Zoë to sleep."
"Sorry mom." I was done anyway, I was sweating. I played like that for a full ten minutes. I was all played out. I put my sticks down on the chair and I walked over to the laundry room. I plopped down on some dirty laundry Ewww and a VIVID memory inhabited my head....that day that Tay caught us in the laundry room. I was thinking about it and I was snapped from my dream.
"ZACHARY WALKER HANSON GET OFF THAT LAUNDRY!" Mom yelled. I jumped off it. "Oh, that reminds me," Mom walked over to the shelves on the wall, "do you know who's this is?" She held up Kat's bra. The one I was just picturing her take off. My eyes got wide.
"No mom, I have no idea whose it is, isn't it yours?"
"No, and its not Joey's, at least thats what Taylor said, so its got to be a girl from Isaac."
"Must be....cause it ain't mine." I laughed and got her to laugh.
"I just hope you or Taylor aren't lying to me cause if I yell at Isaac for this and he tells me that its not one of his girlfriends. We all are going to have a family talk. Except for the ones that can't be involved."
"Okay mom." I walked off thinking about what I was going to say at the family talk.
We were on our way to the man's house after the two minutes it took for Taylor to explain the situation to Isaac. It was on the way when I finally decided to mention his lack of a plan.
"Um, Taylor? What do you plan on doing when you get to this guy's house?" I asked wryly.
"Well, I was going to ring his doorbell and..." Taylor trailed off.
"Shout a string of obscenities in his face? Perhaps cry and beg on your hands and knees?" I prompted.
"Point taken. I need a plan," he scrunched his face in thought for a moment. "Got it. We wait until he leaves and go in to find it."
"Um that would be called breaking and entering, little bro," Isaac interjected.
"Yes, and you 'Mr. I'm More Famouser Than Captain Kangaroo' really can't afford to get caught since it is punishable by law," I stated.
"Good point," Taylor nodded. "Well, I'm out of ideas."
"I was thinking. Maybe if I can get inside his house by saying I was doing a survey or something, maybe I could ask for a drink and snoop around," I suggested.
I couldn't believe I had almost gone just a few days in my room. I wasn't even allowed to go out and eat. They locked me up and brought a tray of food to me. I was allowed a supervised bathroom break every so often. I knew they would be sick of keeping tabs on me and so they'd
let me out early. So I ran out for bathroom breaks at least once an hour. And every time it was Bill that came to the door whether it was for bathroom, drink, food or whatever, I didn't take it. And my mom would make me suffer. She would refuse to bring me up the food. Once I went a day and a half without food, water, or bathroom breaks. I was dying....so she says, "You win." And allows me to go potty, brings me a pitcher of water and a glass (like usual) and then brings a tray full of food. I don't think I've ever eaten that much. I couldn't believe those starving people in foreign countries could go 3 and 4 days without any food, and about 10 with only crumbs to eat. It sure made me appreciate food, unless it was from Bill. Which kinda kills my point, but oh well. I was now drawing, writing songs for Zac, poems, painting on my walls, played with Zacky and doing a ton of creative things. Instead of letting them get to me by locking me up, I was making use of the time I had in my room. My way of showing them "So what, you locked me in my room for 3 weeks, big deal, I have other things to take care of." And mom, every time she came in, "Whatcha' workin' on now?" Right as I was finishing up a poem, a knock was heard on the door.
"Enter if your name is not Bill." I said. I had made a big poster on the outside of my door that said that. And I said that every time a knock came on my door.
"Fine." My mom walked in. "Whatcha' workin' on today?" She asked walking over to me.
"I'm finishing that song for Zac" I bluntly shot at her.
"Hmmph, can I read it?"
"Sure," I handed her the notebook. She read it.
"Good, better than the last one. You're getting compassionate."
"Mom, I've always had a passion for Zac. Even when they just came out. Even though he was the littlest and probably thought girls had cooties at the time, I still liked him best. But Tay got all the attention, its always been that way."
"I know, I remember that one concert you went to, and you gave Zac a stuffed bear or something after the show. I just watched and laughed as you cut through the crowd of Taylor and Isaac fans, and got to Zac, just as they went backstage. You yelled for him, and he turned around and came back for you. Then you were happy for a month straight. I miss that you, ya know?" She looked at me. It was weird because we were both smiling at the same time for the first time in a long time. "You knew you loved him then, didn't you? You felt the rush that everyone else did, but your passion for him was great, even then, remember?"
"Yeah." I thought back again. I missed the old me too. I was fun, perky, sweet, happy all the time, friendly...the list goes on. I wasn't trying to sound conceited, but putting in the factors of my life, I was a good, happy kid. Kid...despite what happened, I'm still a kid. A good kid. Back off of Zac, don't let him have to think this when he's fifteen. I shook the sudden strange thoughts out of my head.
"That's how I feel about Bill." She gently put a hand on my shoulder. "Now, no matter what you do Bill and I are getting married."
"Fine, but no matter what you do, or he does for that matter, I won't accept Bill into my life. This won't be a family until Bill's out of the picture." For the billionth time, I was reminded of the tone Joey talked to me in when she was telling me I didn't know how far Zac should go. I didn't realize how much I referenced that tone lately.
"Alright, I came to see if you wanted anything at the store, Bill will be downstairs if you need him while I'm gone."
"Nope."
"Alright...I love you. Bye."
"Bye." I waved good bye. "Oh, mom."
"Yeah sweetie?"
"Tell Bill he can suck his..."
"KATHRYN DON'T SAY IT I'LL KILL YOU! I swear, you're pushing for another week!"
"Couldn't resist." I was all smiles.
"I know!! Keep it to yourself. Now the date is sometime in October, for the wedding of course."
"NO!! You will NOT shame Zac's birthday!" I wasn't going to ruin Zac's birthday because she wanted to get married to a slimeball. Bill knew my mom was successful business woman, running her own business and all. She worked at home mostly. She liked being her own boss.
"Fine, November."
"Nor, Ike's..."
"Fine smarty, Its September and that's final." She closed and locked my door. Bill had installed the outside lock, hmmm, funny, he suggested it too. Hmm...wouldn't that be nice if there were a fire, and a certain someone was locked in her room, with the window locked, the door locked and.....wait, that's risking my life....is it really coming to that? YES IT IS. No its not. I couldn't do that to my friends, especially Zac.
"You are sick Kat, you need help." I said aloud. "I know." I smiled at myself and picked up Zacky. "Hi ya Zacky." I kissed him on the head and went to my closet.
Chapters 33-34
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