Ash G
Ashley was tapping his fingers.
And bouncing his knee.
And staring between the phone and list of Hanson tour dates.
Walker had informed him that once again, Taylor was missing. With Mouse this time. He knew they wouldn't have eloped - they'd have called by now.
It was 17 days until the first Hanson tour in years.
Finally, he picked up the phone, and dialed the Hansons' number.
Isaac
Isaac was attempting to write a new song - all by himself - when he heard the phone ring.
"Meh, just when I was..." he sighed.
He got up and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
Ash G
"Hey Ike, it's Ash..." he began nervously, tapping his pen on the small desk.
"Any word on Tay?"
Isaac
Isaac sighed.
"No. Not a word."
He tapped his pencial on the table.
Ash G
"Oh man," Ashley moaned, putting his head in his hands.
"We're gonna have to do something, man. We can't cancel the tour this late. I'm guessing Tanya hasn't had any luck?"
Isaac
"I haven't heard since she dropped by the other day," Isaac replied. "We still have time before the tour. He may still come home before then."
Ash G
Ashley rubbed his face, and looked up at his notebook.
"This isn't like him at all, this is... This is weird. I just hope it isn't the Eye again," he said softly.
He hesitated.
"Sorry," he said finally, "but dude, there is every possibility that he won't be back. We need a back up plan."
Isaac
"If... if Tay doesn't come back, there is no Hanson," Isaac remarked sadly. "But a temporarily solution to buy time is always welcome. Any ideas?"
Isaac continued tapping the pencial. He knew he was breaking the lead inside and it would be a pest when it came time to sharpen the thing, but he didn't care.
Ash G
"I've been wracking my brains ever since I found out," Ash leant his chin in his hand - elbow on his knee.
His eyes scanned the desk thoughtfully. Suddenly, a certain person came to mind...
"No way," he murmured to himself.
It was a good idea, but he didn't know how they could pull it off - if at all. And then there was the matter of certain persons and their feelings toward each other...
"Ike? Don't hate me for mentioning this name, ok?" he chewed his lip, "Christian."
Isaac
Had Isaac been eating or drinking anything at that moment, he would have choked. Fortunately for Hanson fans everywhere, he was not.
"Christian?" Isaac gasped. "That... that... he... Just because he pulled of Taylor once doesn't mean he can do it again. He had an echo of Tay last time."
Ash G
"He has the looks, and he has the voice," Ashley rubbed his chin, not only trying to convince Ike, but himself as well.
"If we start on him now, we might get somewhere... you're not doing that big a set."
Isaac
"I don't know if he can sing or play himself," Isaac pointed out. "We'll have a week to give him a crash course. And we don't even know where he is to even ask him. Let alone if he'll agree."
Ash G
"True. But we won't know unless we give it a try," Ashley sat up.
"I'm sure Tanya would know. He kind of latched onto her for a while there."
Isaac
"And why wouldn't he? Not only is Tanya completely nice, she's also really hot in leather," Isaac joked.
Then, smile still on his face, he sighed.
"Point taken. We can only ask."
Ash G
Ashley grinned to himself.
"Oh yeah. Just don't tell Mindy I agreed to that."
He quickly glanced down the hallway to the front door by reflex.
"So... wanna track him down? It'll be up to you and Zac, because you know Taylor best. Only you guys know what exactly you're doing."
Isaac
"Mmm... yeah okay. May as well. I just hope Tay doesn't come back, find out, and then accuse us of trying to replace him," Isaac grinned.
He put the pencial down.
"So, how the wedding plans coming?"
Ash G
"Well he'd be offended, but I'm sure he'd understand," Ashley considered.
"Wedding plans? Well I know Mindy and her mother have been... shopping," he grimaced a little, "for what I'm not always sure. And they're working out the guest list almost daily. Not only who to invite, but who to sit where, yada yada yada."
He rolled his eyes and covered his face with his hand.
Isaac
Isaac laughed.
"Hey, Mindy hasn't heard from Mi, has she? Rowena said something about her going on a trip, but she doesn't know where, and I haven't heard from her."
Ash G
Ashley glanced back down the hallway again.
"Not that I know of. She's out with her mother again, so she's not here. Obviously. I'm keeping my eye on the door."
He scratched his nose, before almost falling off his chair. He steadied himself, grinned, then sobered.
"How are things between you two anyway?"
Isaac
"Things were great until she went on this mysterious trip of hers," Isaac replied. "I wish I knew where she was. And why she hasn't spoken to me."
He sighed.
Ash G
"Man, I wish I could help you there. I'd take the time out to call her myself - you know, I haven't really talked to her before. But I've been pretty snowed under with work lately."
He scratched his nose again.
"I'll let Mindy know. She might know something about it."
Isaac
"Thanks, man," Isaac replied. "I'd really appreciate it."
He sighed.
"It feels like everyone is disappearing lately. Mi. Tay. Mouse. Who's next?"
Ash G
"Not me man, I promise you that," Ashley sat back, tapping his pen again.
"You have to put up with me for a while yet, but that's ok. I know how much you love me."
His head snapped up as he heard the front door opening.
"Ah, they're back."
"Ashley?!"
"Yeah babe?"
"Come see what table decorations we should use!"
Ashley groaned.
"I'm on the phone."
Isaac
Isaac laughed.
"Is that your way of telling me that we should talk for as long as possible so as to put off getting the tour?" He grinned.
Ash G
Ashley hesitated.
"You just confused me."
"Ashleeeeeeyyyy."
"Hang on a moment!"
"Who is it?" Mindy asked curiously, coming into view.
"Ike."
"Oh."
She left again. Ashley grinned.
"Ah, isn't that nice. She's letting me talk to you."
Isaac
Isaac laughed again.
"Someone's whipped!" He teased. "She's doing a very good job at training you for married life."
Ash G
Ashley raised an eyebrow.
"You have to please the ladies," he grinned, "but I will eventually gain control over the phone, I swear. Even if I just lock myself away in my office and use a second phone line. I have work to do and people to call for it, you know."
Isaac
"Any excuse," Isaac grinned. "Oh hey, speaking of ladies, Zac's done it again."
Ash G
Ashley raised an eyebrow, putting his feet up on the desk.
"And this would be referring to what, exactly?"
Isaac
"He's gotten another girl pregnant. Not Faith though, this chick is a one night stand. A drunken one night stand," Isaac replied. "But apparently she doesn't want the baby, so Zac's gonna be a full-time dad, when it's born."
Ash G
Ashley almost choked on his own saliva.
"Uh... wow? Damn, Zac..." he put a hand over his mouth and shook his head.
"You guys better be so glad you aren't so much in the spotlight at the moment. Things had better calm down once this tour starts man."
Isaac
"I completely agree," Isaac replied. "And this baby is going to be interesting. The mother is a mutant. Which means that this baby is going to have mutant abilities from day one, at the very least. He is going to have his hands full, whether or not Julie comes to stay with us."
Ash G
"What?" Ashley's face fell.
"Oh man... Yeah, he's gonna have fun. I hope to God that at least one of my kids doesn't actually have any powers. Preferably all of them. But then... they couldn't compete at tournaments and kick Katie's kids' butts..."
Isaac
Isaac laughed.
"Now wouldn't you just hate it if one of your kids fell in love with one of Katie's kids?" He teased.
Ash G
Ashley shuddered.
"Man, don't freak me out like that. My kids won't be getting anywhere near Katie's kids. Thank God she lives in Washington."
He rubbed his eyes.
"Ashley!" Mindy's mother suddenly called out.
"Oh no. Ike. Save me."
Isaac
"Won't you save me. 'Cause saving is what I need," Isaac started singing.
Then he laughed.
"And how exactly do you want me to save you? COme on over in an effort to drag you away and then get forced to listen too? You're going to have to deal with them eventually you know. And of course, you have to get used to dealing with your future mother-in-law."
Ash G
Ashley pouted.
"You know what? I'm gonna remember this very well as soon as your future mother-in-law starts hounding you. Then you'll be begging for me to save you, and I'm not coming."
"ASHLEY!"
"God. I'd better talk to you later man. I'll let you know if I hear anything about either... Tay or Miette. And if there's anything about the tour or whatever."
Isaac
Isaac laughed.
"Yeah, and I'll deserve it," he grinned. "Okay, thanks a lot man. And I'll let you know if I hear anything too. See ya!"
Ash G
"Thanks Ike. Bye."
He hung up, then leant his head back and groaned.
"ASHLEY!"
"I'M OFF! Yeesh..."