Part VI: Merry Christmas
Abigail sat down heavily. Christian's colic was nearly unbearable, but finally he had gone to sleep. She leaned back against the headboard, glancing at her night table drawer, where the Wilson Shimell's book lie. Isaac was still downstairs, helping Avery finish wrapping the last few Christmas presents. Deciding to begin reading now, and put it away when Isaac came to bed, she pulled out the book.
Chapter 12
December 2001
The most crucial time in this story had arrived. Around this time was when I became aware that Orianna had a certain reason behind her nightmares. Never before had I noticed some of the things Orianna would do as clearly as I began to. I guess this was because I wanted to emulate whatever it was about her that had Taylor so enthralled. She always locked doors, she carried mace, her phone rang at odd hours and it was frequently the wrong number, she had the police on speed dial for God's sake.
One night I opened my front door to find her there, hysterical. Taylor was at my house, and really I would have turned her away, were it not for her obvious panic. She was crying, her clothing was tattered, and her beautiful hair was matted with dirt and blood. I ushered her in immediately, touching her head, checking for wounds, and asking what was wrong. She confessed that she was frightened for her life, and that someone was trying to kill her. I thought she was crazy, babbling about someone trying to murder her. But as it turned out, she had been being threatened for some time. The man actually had been a friend of her father, and had become infatuated with her to the point of madness. I really don't know why anything she was telling me shocked me, I mean, look at the effect she had on Taylor. I sat her down and Taylor finally came into the room. He ran to her side, pulling her against him. I swallowed the sour taste of jealousy and went to retrieve a cloth to clean her head and the phone to call the police. When I returned, she was clinging desperately to him, crying her eyes out and he was soothing her with a strange look on his face. I handed him the washcloth and watched as he tenderly wiped the blood and tears from her face. When Orianna was clean, I handed her the phone, expecting her to call the police right then. The two of them looked at each other and stood up. He told me that she would use the phone at his house. I shrugged, pretending not to care that he was leaving with her.
From what I've pieced together since then, after they left my house, they went to hers. Her parents were off on some business trip, not having the faintest notion that their baby girl was soon to be gone from their lives. They went to his house, his mother most likely tending to Orianna, not knowing that her son was upstairs preparing to leave and never come back. Taylor told his family goodbye, promising to be home before midnight and walked out the front door.
Five months later, a call comes in to the local authorities in Tulsa. A flight attendant was checking passes that night. She remembers a young man and woman who matched the description of the missing teens. They were boarding an all night flight to Scotland.
A month later, Diana and Walker Hanson die in a car wreck. Foul play is suspected but no arrests are made. Mere days after, a letter arrives from the long lost Taylor. It says he is fine; he misses them, and some day he will return to explain. He has no way of knowing that his parents are not alive to receive that letter and that it falls on his brother Isaac. Custody of the children goes to Isaac, and he keeps the family together. Taylor Hanson and Orianna Fraser have not been seen or heard from since then. Are they alive? That's open to interpretation.
Abigail put down the book, her brows furrowed. It sounded to her as if Orianna had gone with Taylor because she feared for her life and he was offering safety. She wondered briefly where they were now. It would have been hard to make a new life out of nothing, but somehow she felt that they had. She heard Isaac coming up the stairs so she quickly put the book away. Isaac smiled at her warmly while peeling his shirt over his head. "Everything all done?" She asked, referring to the Christmas presents. He nodded and stepped into a pair of sweat pants. "You think they'll like everything we got them?" He asked as he slipped in bed beside her. "I'm sure they will." Came her soft reply as they drifted off to sleep.
Jessica sat with her legs curled under her, staring at the small, decorated Christmas tree in the corner of the room. She and Zac were going to Isaac's house for most of tomorrow, since Christmas was a family holiday, but she had wanted the tree anyway. And Zac, the nice big brother that he was, had bought it for her. His voice broke into her thoughts. "You going to bed Jess?" He was standing expectantly in the doorway. The young girl sighed and stood up. "Yeah, I am. Zac?" He looked at her. "Yeah?"
"Is Stacy coming with us tomorrow?"
He looked away. "I don't know, Jessie."
He looked very sad and she wished she hadn't asked. "Oh. I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's okay. She probably won't. But we'll have fun anyway, right?"
She smiled. "Right."
"Goodnight, little sister." He turned to head back to his room.
"Goodnight, merry Christmas, Zac."
Once he closed the door to his bedroom, Zac made a beeline for the phone. Jessie's question had him wondering. His fingers quickly dialed the familiar number and he lifted the receiver to his ear.
"Hello?" Came Stacy's sleepy voice.
Zac: "Hey, baby. It's me."
She paused. "Oh, hey."
"I was just wondering if you thought about whether you're coming with us tomorrow?"
She paused again, carefully. "You want me there?"
He didn't even need to think on that one. "Yeah."
"Then I'll be there." Her voice was slow, reluctant.
He smiled unconsciously. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Goodnight. I love you."
"I know."
The dial tone resounded in his ear and he sighed as he placed down the phone. Well, at least she was coming with them.
Avery lay awake in bed, saying her prayers. "God. It's me, Avery. I know it's Christmas Eve and there are better things to wish for, less selfish things. But God, help me out here. I'm really confused and I don't know what I should be doing. My religion says it's wrong for me to feel the way I do for Alyssa. But I can't help it. She's so beautiful, and she makes me feel so good. Is it wrong, God? How can it be wrong to love someone?" She broke off and sighed. "I'm sorry for my sins. Please bless my brother Isaac, and Abby. Mackie and Zoë, Christian, Zac, Jessica, Alyssa, and my grandparents. Take care of Mommy and Daddy up in heaven too. Thank you for everything. Amen. Goodnight." She rolled over and buried her hands under her pillow. She was almost asleep when the thought passed unbidden directly from her heart to her lips. "And God, please bless my brother Taylor, where ever he is."
Christmas morning dawned bright and clear over the Tulsa horizon. Jessica's eyes snapped open, a few minutes after the sun had risen. The clock on the wall told her it was only 6:43 am. The covers were kicked off and she slipped into a robe. Zac was likely still asleep but he wouldn't be that way for long. She skipped the squeaky floorboards and carefully crept into her older brother's room. The blankets were rising and falling in a gentle rhythm as he lay sprawled out. She leapt at him suddenly, landing square on his back. He didn't scream out as she had expected but instead wearily opened one eye and peered at her. "Jessica. Get off me. What the hell time is it?" She rolled off and curled up next to him, kicking him diligently with her toes. "It's almost seven, Zackie." She said sweetly. He groaned and rolled away from her feet. "Wake me up in a couple hours."
Noon found the Hanson family returned home from Church and gathered all together. The light saber was a big hit; Zoë was currently chasing Mackenzie with it. The baby was lying on the floor, being entertained by Jessica, who was wiggling his toys at him. Zac, Stacy, and Abigail were watching everyone go crazy over their presents. That included Isaac. Always a big kid at heart, he was tearing through the presents with Avery. Zac smiled as he went into the kitchen to refill his glass oh orange juice. The jarring ring of the phone momentarily halted his trip. "I'll get it." He told them and picked up the receiver. "Hello?" An oddly familiar voice floated into his ear. "Hi. Zac?" He almost dropped the phone in disbelief. "Taylor?"