The phone rang, jolting me from the thought I was in.
"Kate?--Just calling to say I'm coming home, K?" looking out the window, I realized that it was dropping darkness.
"Stay there, I'll come get you-- It's too dark for you to walk home by yourself" I hung up the phone, and slipped on my clogs by the door, I paused and slipped into the bathroom, checking my hair and put on a touch of lipstick and sprayed a bit of perfume.
I started across the street, and up the drive. I jumped when the security system went off, but I continued, Lacey had told me about it.

The door opened, and a petite blond woman stood there with a very chubby blond baby on her hip.
"Hi Kate, I'm Diana..." She extended her unoccupied hand.
"Um, hi, I came for Lacey, she just called."
"Come in, Come in, it's freezing out there!" I hadn't noticed, my heart was beating a little fast, I hated being in new situations, but if the girls were going to be together so much, I needed to come over and meet the whole family. Beside, Lacey spoke so highly of Diana, I was anxious to meet her.
Stepping inside, Diana shut the door behind me and motioned for me to follow her. I followed her to the kitchen and a wonderful smell enveloped me.
"Wow, what are you making..?" I had to know. Looking around, I felt like I was at home immeadiatly.
"Lasange.., big favorite around here." She looked behind me as someone entered the kitchen. Turning around I was greeted by a tall, dark haired man. Under the dark hair and mustache, I could tell he looked like Ike.
"Hi Kate, Walker " he held out his hand. "Why does everyone know who I am immeadiatly?" the thought played through my head. Right behind him followed Taylor.
" Hey Kate, whatcha doing here?" he immeadiatly headed for the refridgerator.
"Taylor, no snacking, dinner's almost ready..."
" Lacey's been with your sisters all afternoon, I came to get her, cause it was dark.--it's almost dinnertime for us too."
"Normally I'd ask what you're having, but lasange tonight, I'm not going anywhere.." he walked over and kissed his mom on the cheek and gave her a big bear hug. He was quite a bit taller than her...so cute.
Zac came in from a different direction. Looked and smiled, then got silverware and began to set the table, Taylor followed in suit with the napkins and glasses.
"You have them well trained," I joked to Walker. He smiled and chuckled as he walked into the other room where Zac had come from.

Not knowing I was watching them, Taylor gave Diana a furtive glance..she smiled wisely.
"Kate, why don't you and Lacey just stay for dinner--yours isn't waiting is it?"
"Uh, no, I uh, " wasn't ready for this, I thought. "..I was just going to whip something up"...Lacey would love this, I can survive, my thoughts were racing.
"Sure, I guess, then I can get a taste of this famous lasange" I smiled at Taylor.
Almost as the words came out of my mouth, I heard what almost sounded like thunder coming from upstairs and headed for us.
"Aww.. Kate you're here to fast" Lacey whined.
"You'll be happy to know you don't have to go yet" Diana told her "you want to stay for dinner with us?"
"YES!" all three little voices sounded at once.
" Hey, that was pretty good harmony.." Zac laughed from where he was seated, waiting patiently for the famous lasange.
"Taylor, get Mac and Ike, please" Diana motioned him up the stairs.
"Walk, it's on the table.." he reappeared from the other room. "Kate and Lacey are staying..
"I know, I heard.." he responded with a warm smile in my direction, yep, he was Ike's dad.
All of us were seated, Taylor had reappeared with a small smile on his face, and a little toe-headed boy following him, I presumed to be Mac. Not a split second later Ike appeared around the corner, he looked at me and then at Taylor.
"Just a sec, be right back," and he dissappeared back around the corner. The bread basket started to be passed, and Diana brought out the biggest pan of lasange I had ever seen. Well, almost Gran had catered this italian wedding once.....
"Back" Ike reappeared, freshly brushed and washed. What was that all about?. Prayers were said, and everyone dug in.
Some time later, we all sat back.
"Your boys are never going to leave home if you keep feeding them like this" I laughed to Diana
"I have my ways" she responded smiling at me. Ike had been silent, but I caught him watching me twice, it made me a little uncomfortable, but it also gave me little warm glow at the same time. Lacey and the girls chattered non-stop all the way through the meal, and Zac and Taylor had some sort of a smirky little conversation going quietly between them. They were clear at the other end of the table with Ike, so I couldn't make out what it was about.
I suddenly realized how happy I was, as I glanced around the table watching all the animation.
"OW!"--Zac resounded from the far end. Then all three broke into laughter. Ike glanced my way and caught my eye, then looked away fast.
"We're gonna go practice" Issac glared at his brothers "aren't we?"
They both looked guilty and then broke out in laughter as they rose from the table and headed for a door in the entryway, I had thought it might be the coat closet, but it must be the garage. Not too many minutes later, I heard the steady thump of the drums.

Chapter 27

Laying quietly in the softness of my bed later that nite, I went over many of the things that had gone on in the Hanson house that evening. The furtive looks between Taylor and Diana, the looks that Issac had given me all through dinner, and why did all the family members, even those that had never met me, know who I was.
There was a tap at my door that startled me from my thoughts.
"Hey sis" she had a glowing smile on her face..
"You're up late, good thing tommorrow is Saturday...." climbing into the bed with me I noticed she had a videotape in her hand...
"What's that, is that why you're up so late?" she handed it to me, and I saw that it was a video of the guys that matched the CD that was downstairs.
"Hmmm, I didn't know that they had a video too?"--is it good?"
"It's great, has all the stuff from their last tour...you know the concert I wanted to go to?--when dad was so sick?"
I had no memory of much from that period of time, I was the sole care provider for my dad and Lacey then, it was all kind of a fog.
"I think Ike let me borrow it hoping you would watch it..." Lacey looked at me coyly "I have a secret..." she said giggling..
"Why would he want me to watch it?"...I wondered what she knew that I didn't.
"Jessie told me a secret today..."...she was drawing this out..not that I didn't have an idea what she was aiming at.
"Well, if it's a secret, then you shouldn't tell..."I looked at her half hoping she still would.
"Oh it's not that kind of a secret, it's a secret from Issac...she said he likes you. He heard her telling me and tried to bribe me with this tape, hoping I wouldn't tell you....pretty funny huh?" I did have to laugh, I can just see Ike trying to bribe my sister with the tape...pretty slick though.
Not only was I pleased with this information, but inside I felt my stomach jump just a little. I had told myself that dating was out of the question for awhile until Lacey was old enough to be secure with it. Before daddy had died, I went out twice with a guy that was in one of my classes. It was nice to be the center of someone's attention, but I had no attraction to him. Shortly after, I stopped school and took my test. So Ike was the first guy that had paid any attention to me since then. It was nice, I didn't think I'd have the chance to meet guys since I wasn't at school.
I held the tape and looked at the pictures, it was much the same as the CD, they didn't look like the boys across the street. Looking over at Lacey I noticed she had fallen asleep and was softly snoring. A few of the situations from earlier at the house were a bit clearer now, but what was I supposed to do with this new information.

Chapter 28

Sitting by the window in the garage, fiddling around on my guitar, I was watching the girls play basketball with Lacey in her drive, while Kate mowed the lawn with a push mower. I had the window open slightly and could hear the mower and the girls laughter mixing together and travelling across the street.
Taylors voice behind me brought me out of my fantasy--I'm not even going into that.
"Dude, she's mowing?". He looked over my shoulder.."she looks great in shorts.."
"I know, I've been watching her for awhile. She's amazing.... did I tell you she was changing the oil in her car the other day, she doesn't need a guy for anything!" I looked up again to see her straddled around the mower fixing somthing on it.
"That's kind of what makes her so attractive, Huh" Taylor was quite intuitive at times..
"Yeah, no, I'm not sure. I am going to have to do something soon, though--she's all I think about--I feel like one of our fans, except I can't go to the computer or the magazines read about her." I went back to watching her and absentmindedly started strumming along with what Taylor was playing.

The phone rang as I walked by, I wanted to ignore it, but picked it up anyhow.
"Hi, um, this is Kate."Hmmm Kate, I was just thinking about you...
"Hey Kate, Ike"..
"I just called to make sure Lacey was being good and find out when she intended on being home."
"Mmmm, let me find out" setting the phone down I ran up to Jess and Avie's room assuming that's where they would be. No such luck. Not wanting to leave her hanging on the phone too long, I headed back to the kitchen where I found my mom on the phone with her..I gave her a dissappointed look, and leaned on he counter to listen in on the conversation.
"She's fine here, don't worry..we have everything we need..I'll have her give you a call in the morning, or sooner if she needs anything." She laid the phone down on the counter.
"Sorry I hi-jacked your call, I knew it was Kate, the girls had just called and left her a message to call back. Lacey's going to stay the nite..." she turned and headed out towards the back yard where I could now see that the girls were playing. The phone rang sharply again.
'Hey, this is Kate again" she sounded more relaxed this time "is this Ike?"
"Yeah, uh" I was surprised she had called right back
"This is a funny question, but I need some cumin, does your mom have any?" Cumin, cumin, I'd never heard of that before...
"Wait let me check" Instead of actually trying to look through moms cupboards, I ran to the yard to find her..
"Do we have something called Cumin?" I gave her a curious look as she followed me back inside.
"I picked the phone up before she could hi-jack it again..
"Just a sec, were still looking---Jackpot, never even opened" she had pulled it out from the back of the spice rack.
"I'll run over and get it..."
"Don't bother, I'll bring it" that was by far the boldest move I had made yet. I smiled at myself, even though my heart had jumped into my throat. Looking up at my mom, she had a bright smile on her face, she winked and then headed back outside.

Chapter 29

Looking around the house, I was glad everything was in order, I peered out the window quickly to see if he was on his way....not yet. I ran to the bathroom to check on myself real quick. Still in my clothes from yard work this afternoon, I figured I didn't have time to change, ran a brush through my hair, a little lipstick, "that'll have to do" I sighed.
At the same moment, a knock on the door, I took a deep breath and opened the door...Yep, he was just as amazing as I had remembered..
" Here's your... um.."
"Cumin" I finished for him. He smelled of lotion and cologne, you could tell he had just brushed his hair too. I smiled to myself at the thought that it was for me..His hand brushed mine as he handed it to me, --he hand beautiful hands I thought, he wore a silver ring on the middle finger...
"What do you make with cumin?" his voice shook me from thinking about his beautiful hands..
"Um,.. enchiladas..an unbelieveable recipe handed down to me from Gran" I realized he was still standing on the porch in the cold..
"Oh, I'm sorry, come on in..It's freezing.."

Chapter 30

Before leaving to take her odd request to her I ran and smoothed my hair, washed, and brushed my teeth--"You are sooo warped I thought to myself, all this to take her um....whatever that was."
I tried to walk casually over to her house, but had to keep pacing myself to keep from running.

She opened the front door, quickly, she must have been right there. "Don't stare" I mentally told myself.
She was still wearing the same clothes she was in that afternoon in the yard. Shorts-- "Legs"-- mentally hitting myself again, and a little t-shirt that had some sort of a frog on the front. Right on the front.
"here's your..um.."
"Cumin" she finished for me. She brushed my hand as she took it. Not wanting to leave, I struggled to think of something intelligent to keep the conversation going.
"What do you make with cumin?" well it was something...Glancing at the frog again, I could tell she was cold...man my knees were going to buckle at any moment.
"Um.. enchiladas, ..an unbelievable recipe handed down from my gran". She crossed her arms in front of her and rubbed them.
"Oh, I'm sorry, come on in..it's freezing..." I know, I thought to myself with an inner grin.....
I was now in heaven, granted entrance to the inner sanctum...now if I could keep myself together.

Taking the small red bottle I had handed her, she went into the kitchen, I stood by he kitchen door, just watching her walk. If she only knew what I was thinking.....
Her hair was shiney and thick, kind of like Zac's, but dark, it looked like polished cherrywood. She looked up at me watching her..
"You can come in, I don't bite" I wish you would--man what a pervert! "You said that you wanted to learn to cook, want to help me?" She smiled, and if I hadn't known better, it was a very inviting smile.
"You want to do the chicken or the onions, your choice, onions will make you cry and the chicken is slimey."
"You call those choices?" I chuckled. Not wanting to cry, for any reason, in front of a woman, I chose the chicken.
"You need to pull it off the bones and take all the fatty stuff off" she took a piece and started pulling the chicken off "Then cut it into little bite size pieces" she handed me the slimey, half done piece.
She turned and took the onions and startd into them like a professional. Washing peeling and chopping them faster than the speed of light. She was done before I was even on my third piece of the chicken. Of course I was a little slow because my attention was divided. Watching her intense profile and thinking how deftly her hands moved. When did cooking become erotic.
"Not done yet?" she laughed. "You finish up, I forgot to get the mail, I'll be right back.." Running out the front door, I took the opportunity to look around quickly. She had left up alot of her grandmothers stuff evidently, the house was nothing like mine, lots of little trinkets and glass stuff on shelves. That wouldn't last 10 minutes at our house. She returned as quickly as she had left. Yep ,it's still cold outside I surmised as I glanced at the frog again.

She had a big smile on her face as she tore open an envelope. Taking out the contents she gave a Yes! and pulled what looked like a drivers license out of the envelope.
"Done yet?" she looked over to me with a big smile on her face.
"Um, almost" I said as I grabbed the last slippery piece of chicken and took the skin off.
"Care to share the happiness?" I said looking over at her smiling. She hesitated for what seemed like a few seconds and then slid it back in the envelope.
" Drivers license, but the picture is lousy so I'm not showing.." She pinked a little on her cheeks and then looked at her feet. Moments later, my mouth was working without my brain again.
"I can't believe any picture of you could be bad.." Now it was my turn to pink and look at the floor.
"Charming all those girls has made you quite the ladies man" she shook her head and walked around to the other side of the counter.
"Go ahead and look, but don't say I didn't warn you"--she motioned to the envelope laying on the counter. Hopping up on a stool, she watched as I finished the last of the chicken. I washed my hands and took the card from the envelope. the picture was beautiful, but she looked even younger than she did in person.
"You lied" I smiled at her "It's very pretty" I scanned the rest of the card. Blue eyes, brown hair, birthdate November 7, 1982.
"But they made a mistake in your favor", I was figuring in my mind..
"I lied about my weight if that's what your about to say" she let out a hearty laugh.
"No, They put you down as 1982 birthdate" I counted on my fingers.."that'd make you....16" I looked at her and she looked almost what I would think was a little scared or worried.
"It's okay, you just take it back in and they'll mail you a new one."
"It's......umm.......not wrong" she said very softly while she looked at the polish that was chipping off her nails. I was so completly taken off guard that I couldn't speak for a moment.
"........You're 16?" I gave her an amazed look and smiled gently at her. "You have no idea, I thought you were like 25---even 30 until I found out Lacey was your sister, I thought she was your daughter for a long time.. When Rob came to the house and told me you all were siblings, I still guessed you at least at my age...." she looked up at me with a surprised glance.
"Rob was at your house...why?"--she paused for a moment " Oh, the cable, he did mention that now. Was he horribly embarrassing to me? she stifled a small laugh. "he is so overprotective...you would think he was my father..."
"Nah, he just asked us to keep an eye on you guys, make sure you're safe." I smiled, she was beginning to relax a little.
"So, are you shocked..?" she looked at me and her voice quieted again "You seriously thought I was Laceys mom,?" Now that I knew for sure how old she was, I could see it in her face, not anywhere else, just in her face.
"Yeah, well..." I said a little embarrassed, "You're not mad, are you?"
She took a deep breath, that damn frog again,
"I really kind of like to not let too many people know how old I am, cause then they treat me differently, kind of like I couldn't know what I am doing cause I'm just a kid...." her voice trailed off, but I suddenly had this huge grin on my face...
"You have no idea how true that is...." I looked in her blue eyes, they were still so serious. "Taylor and Zac and I are so tired of being judged for our age. It would be so nice for just once someone to sit back and look at us for what we've accomplished, not how old we are." I was fairly soaring that there was actually another person in the world that finally understood what and how we felt.
" Do you know how old I am?" I wanted to make sure there was no mistake here.
"I kind of guessed about 16 or 17, but I'm not right am I?"
"Close, 18, a few weeks ago. So I'm a legal adult now." I had a short let down thinking back to a conversation I had with my parents the nite after my birthday about being careful with younger girls now, seeing as I was an adult.
"So am I, that morning I saw you and I was on my way to court, --I lied to you, it wasn't about gran's estate, it was my emancipation hearing." She looked so hot that morning.
"That was the morning I really began to wonder about how old you were. You were beautiful" There goes my mouth working without my brain again. I saw her face flush slightly again.
We started talking, seemingly for hours, through the making and consuming of the enchiladas, never leaving the kitchen. For some odd reason, we were strangely comfortable there.

chapter 31

" I never called my mom", I said more to myself than her....the clock indicated that we had talked into the wee hours of the morning. I somehow knew that it wouldn't be a problem, seeing as my mom knew where I was. She began clearing the dishes from our dinner silently. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, but not wanting to move, I watched her for the next few minutes move without a word.
"You make me feel awkward when you watch me.." she said quietly glancing my way- if she only had a clue about how long she had been watched. I'd tell her someday and we'd have a good laugh.

Getting up from my stool on the far side of the counter, I finished bringing the dishes over. Standing beside her , not speaking at the sink, I could sense that she was shivering, I had to check out the frog again. Nope she wasn't cold. She moved away from me and pulled herself up to sit on the counter, looking at me with interest.
"Now you're making me feel awkward" I told her while looking directly in her eyes. She diverted quickly and picked at something of great interest on the counter. This was the first time since I had met her that I could actually picture her at the age I now knew she was.
Walking to where she was sitting, I stood in front of her, trying to get her to look at me. I knew what I wanted to do in my mind, but getting my body to do it was another story. With no words spoken, I rested my hands on her bare legs. She jumped slightly, I could now feel the slight shiver that I had only sensed before.
Without a word, or even a thought, I leaned forward and gently put my lips to her forehead, I left them there for a second, inhaling her scent. She looked up and I had no resistance any longer, I moved closer to her, our lips met, gentle and sweet.................Obsession realized.....................