"As Fate Would Have It": Chapter 7

And you and I, here we are.

If I could only read your mind … Tell me the answer I would find

= early Tuesday morning 07 March 2000 =

Laurel wanted to get out of there as soon as passengers were allowed to disembark from the plane. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen; Laurel was one of the last coach passengers to leave; only the nine people in first class remained. "This is insane, positively insane. All I wanted to do was to avoid him at all costs, and he insists on holding a conversation with me," she grumbled to herself. Hold on a minute, she reminded herself. He doesn’t know about what happened to you. You’ll never be within a hundred feet of him again, so just let it drop and let him live his life thinking you’re obnoxious.

Having determined what she would do about that, Laurel pushed her way through the mob near the baggage claim. She still wanted to get out of the airport and back to the dorm as quickly as possible. There was no way in her life that she would be willing to be in the same building with him longer than was absolutely necessary; there was still the offbeat chance that she would run into him again.

Spotting the one duffel bag she’d brought, Laurel hauled it off the conveyor belt and dragged it out of the way of the other passengers. She pulled her leather backpack off her shoulder and looped the strap back over her shoulder backward so that the bag hung in front of her. Opening it up, she unzipped the inside pocket where she’d stowed her wallet, the key to her dorm room, and the electronic key-card to the dorm building. Reaching inside, the first thing her fingers touched was a piece of paper. She pulled it out; it was the notice that had been distributed to all campus residents the week before. Unsure of why she’d put it in her bag, Laurel scanned the slip: Due to Spring Break, residence halls will be locked from 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 5, 2000, until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2000. The electronic door locks will be shut down for the week. Therefore, students will not be able to access residence halls until 5:00 p.m. Saturday, March 11. Please plan your return time with this information in mind. Have a safe and enjoyable spring break. — The Residence Life Office

"Great. It’s only Tuesday. How could I have been stupid enough to forget? You are such an idiot, Laurel." She didn’t know whether to be furious with herself, or cry.

"Something wrong?" The semi-deep voice behind Laurel was full of concern, and vaguely familiar. She whirled around to see who’d approached her.

Three feet away stood Taylor Hanson.

"What do you want?" the question came out sharper than Laurel had intended, and Taylor took a step back. She immediately apologized. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rude."

"It’s okay. I would be too, if I hadn’t slept all night…" — Laurel subconsciously smoothed her hair, now hanging loose; she wished her clip hadn’t broken — "It’s six o’clock in the morning," he grinned.

"How in the world can you be this cheerful at six a.m.?" Laurel seemed to forget who she was talking to, perhaps because of the false sense of familiarity that residually remained from the incident that started two years ago. Taylor was just glad that she wasn’t screaming or causing a scene, for whatever reason.

"Easy. Call me masochistic, but right now my older brother is going insane and I’m enjoying every minute of it."

Laurel gave him a questioning look.

"I don’t know if I should be telling you this, and you didn’t hear it from me, but he’s going crazy because he thinks you hate him. The guy can’t stand to have anyone angry at him, especially someone he likes."

Well isn’t this just wonderful? This is ten times worse than being homeless for four and a half days. Why me?!? Okay, this kid is still standing in front of you. Respond in a way that won’t make him think that the next thing on your ‘to do’ list isn’t to throw yourself off the top of the Empire State Building. Go back to that shallow routine. "Is that so?" Laurel didn’t need to put much effort into altering her voice in order to sound disinterested.

Over Laurel’s shoulder, Taylor saw Isaac approaching, and changed the subject. "Hey, you never answered my original question. What is it that has you standing here looking ready to impale yourself or someone else on a machete?"

"My keys to get into my dorm are no good until Saturday afternoon. I don’t have enough cash to stay in a hotel ‘til then, and there’s no way I can go home either, because my house keys are in my dorm room. Not to mention, no transportation anywhere."

"I take it thorough planning isn’t one of your strong suits?" Taylor was almost sorry to be amused at her expense for the predicament, but it was too much. Ike really knew how to pick a winner.

"So we meet again." D'oh! Smooth move, Casanova. If she talks to you again so long as you live, I will be shocked, Ike rebuked his own stupidity.

Laurel groaned inwardly, and rolled her eyes. She turned toward Isaac, unwilling but ready to face the music. Ouch. Cheesy pun, girl.

Try again, fool. "Thanks again for, uh, taking care of Mac. I hope he didn’t cause you any trouble."

Not half as much as you do. "No, he was fine. I think he was mostly scared."

"That would be my fault. I yelled at him; that’s why he took off in the first place."

Taylor looked on in amusement. For someone all those teenybopper magazines called a ladies’ man, Ike was sure making an utter fool out of himself. If only the girls could see the bumbling idiot now… I can’t stand this. It’s too cruel, even for me. It’s time to bail him out. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I get to go to bed, so it’s still in my best interest, anyway. "Ike, she seems to not have anyplace to stay for the next couple days. How long are we supposed to be in New York?"

"‘Til Saturday. You know that."

Wait for the light bulb. Just be patient, Tay. He’ll figure it out eventually. Three, two, one…

"Why don’t you stay with us? We’ll have more than enough space," Isaac looked hopefully at Laurel.

"No, that’s okay. I’ll find something somewhere. Maybe I can find some way home until Saturday. Thanks, though."

"But you said yourself that you wouldn’t have any way to get into the house once you got there."

Shoot! He’s right. Now what? Do I really have any other option? Doesn’t seem like it. This is going to be the most miserable four days of my life. Be civil, Laurel, this guy just bailed you out of temporary homelessness. "Good point. Looks like I’ll have to take you up on your offer. Thank you." Thus begins my death march…

Ike grinned. "No problem. Let me carry this for you." He picked up her duffel bag and jogged back to where his father waited. Judging from his gestures, Laurel figured that he was explaining the situation.

As they followed behind him, Taylor leaned over and whispered to Laurel, "You just made his whole week. He didn’t really want to come to New York for this last-minute thing that came up, ever since Monday night. He was afraid you were from Oklahoma somewhere, and that he would never see you again."

"I hate to break his heart, but there’s no way I could — can — stand to be around him. He reminds me too much of someone I knew — someone I thought I knew, anyway."

Depressing recollections came flooding back, and Laurel stared at the floor, blinking away tears. As she and Taylor approached the rest of his family, Walker Hanson extended a hand to her. "Laurel, right? I hear you’re in a bit of a predicament. Hopefully there’s something we can do to help you out." He smiled amiably.

Timidly, Laurel blushed. "Thanks. I’m sorry about this. I know this has got to be a huge imposition on you."

"Think nothing of it; we’re glad we can help you out," Diana spoke from behind her husband, with a chattering Zoë in her arms. As soon as Laurel turned her attention to the woman, she was enraptured by the adorable baby she held. Watch it, Laurel, this little girl is not who you think she is. These people are only meeting you for the first time. They don’t know you and you don’t know them. Put aside everything you thought you knew.

"Shall we go? The van’s waiting." Walker addressed his troupe. He and his three eldest sons grabbed the largest pieces of luggage, while Diana handed the baby over to Avery, and Jessica was carrying the once again dormant Mackenzie. Laurel thought she heard Taylor say something to Isaac to the effect of, "You owe me big time for this one," but she didn’t pay any attention; she was beginning to feel severely fatigued. Diana and Laurel gathered up the rest of the smaller backpacks and carry-on bags, and they all left the terminal.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Once the van was packed up, next came the stressful ordeal of seating arrangements. There was no baby seat for Zoë, which meant someone had to hold her. Taylor and Zac declined; both looked ready to fall asleep any moment. Isaac didn’t want to leave Laurel’s side, but was trying desperately not to look obvious about it. Once the final negotiations were settled, Laurel found herself between Isaac and Taylor, Zac and Mackenzie in front of them, and Avery and Jessica in front of them. Now only Zoë remained unseated. Diana looked back to her eldest children, when Laurel spoke up. "Give her here, I’ll take her. You look like you could use a break, and I want to help out as thanks for your kindness."

"Thank you so much, Laurel. I’m exhausted, but I don’t want to make it harder for any of the boys. They already work so hard." She handed the baby over and then climbed into the front passenger seat.

"Mo-om."

"You don’t want me to call you a boy and then you whine like that? I’m sensing a contradiction, Zachary."

"I get your point. Sorry. Good night." He leaned against the window and tried to make himself comfortable.

"I still feel like I’m intruding," Laurel confessed to no one in particular. "I mean, this is your family, and I only met you fifteen minutes ago."

"Don’t." Isaac admonished, before anything more was said. "We’re glad to help. We’re real people. Please don’t treat us otherwise."

Taylor, who had been playing with Zoë, leaned over and whispered, "Don’t take this the wrong way, but try to loosen up. He won’t bite, I promise. And if he does, I’ll bite him back for ya." He winked, causing Laurel to crack her first smile in days.

"Ooh, Daddy, please turn up the radio just a little bit? I love this song." Walker complied, and Jessica began to sing along softly with an old Michael W. Smith ballad: "Dreams within the still of night / On wings of hope take flight inside of me / There upon some distant shore / We want for nothing more than what will be / And you and I, here we are / I wonder as we come this far…"

Taylor joined in on the chorus, as well as their parents. "If I could only read your mind / Tell me the answer I would find / Do you dream of me? / And when you’re smiling in your sleep / Beyond the promises we keep / Do you dream of me?" Laurel sat quietly and contemplated the lyrics; it had been several years since she had heard them last. The song was beautiful, and to hear this obviously loving family singing it together, begun by Jessica and the others joining in one-by-one, added to the experience. By now, Isaac and Avery had joined, as well as Zac, who had never succeeded in joining Mackenzie in dreamland.

"Love has found a magic space / A deep and hidden place where time stands still / Now I hold you in my arms / You know you hold my heart and always will / And you and I, here we are / And it’s a wonder that we’ve come this far…" Laurel was acutely aware that Isaac had begun to stare at her as she hummed softly along with the verse. Probably because of what the lyrics say, she thought.

Then he stopped singing, leaned over and asked softly, "What’s wrong? Are you okay?" When Laurel looked to him with a question in her eyes, he reached a hand toward her face. She leaned back, away from him.

Isaac stopped his approach, but did not withdraw his hand. "No, please. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise." Laurel inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, afraid of what of what Isaac might do. Perhaps her hesitation prompted him to be even gentler, but his fingertips brushed across her cheek lighter than a whisper.

As Laurel opened her eyes, she was surprised to find her lashes were damp. She hadn’t even noticed that she’d been crying. The expression in Isaac’s eyes told her that he assumed it was because she thought he was singing to her. Not quite, she thought. He certainly is sure of himself. It must be due to the stardom. She decided to ignore it and concentrate on the song; she remembered it now, and tried singing, as the instrumental interlude led into the final chorus. "If I could only read your mind / Tell me the answer I would find / Do you dream of me? / And when you’re smiling in your sleep / Beyond the promises we keep / Do you dream of me? / And after all that we’ve been through / You’ve leaned on me. I’ve leaned on you / Do you dream of me? / Do you dream of me?…"

As Laurel let go of the final note, she saw that not only had Isaac resumed his stare, but now also she held Taylor’s rapt attention. She knew it could not have been the volume at which she had been singing; Zoë had fallen asleep. The more she studied the expressions of the young men on either side of her, the more she realized that they were not so much of adoration as incredulity. But why? "What? What did I do?"

Isaac’s face grew flushed. "It — it seems I owe you an — an apology," he stammered in a hushed voice.

"What for?"

"For disbelieving you, and taking it so far as to mock you. I am sincerely sorry."

When Laurel still looked confused, Taylor finally regained his ability to speak. "The tenor thing. Yes, I was awake back on the plane. Your voice is a very obvious tenor." Laurel grew embarrassed at his words, and even more so when Isaac added, "Also a very rich-sounding tenor. You sing extremely well, if not oddly."

Warning sirens began screeching in Laurel’s mind. No! Stop it! I can’t take it. This is too much. How am I supposed to forget what happened in the past when this is going on? Will all of you please stop trying to be involved with me and my life? I just want to go back to my dorm and crawl into bed and hide and not think about anything until classes start again on Monday. Then I don’t want to give any of you another thought so long as I live. Is that too much to ask? I’m thisclose to being willing to be homeless for the next four and a half days. I don’t want anything to do with you. Please, just leave me alone… She was close to tears, as Walker announced their arrival at the hotel. No one was more grateful to be there than Laurel.