Later that night, Taylor had retreated to his room. Getting things together in his head for a moment, he picked up his cell phone and dialled Zac's number.
He waited as it rang through.
Zac and Saku
"Halt!" Zac declared.
Saku paused, a big silly grin on his face.
"Yes, Dad?"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm just - "
"Saku!" Kylie was heard screaming from not so far away.
"Pulling pranks on Kylie again are we?"
"Sir, yes, sir."
"You know stress isn't good for the baby. Now Saku -"
That was when the phone rang. Zac turned to pick it up, then glanced back at Saku (who had scampered off in the distraction). He sighed just as Kylie made her appearence. She was about to yell something when Zac quickly picked up the phone and held you his hand to her. Saved by the bell?
"Hello?"
Taylor
"Hey Zac," Taylor began, somewhat cheerfully.
"Are you alone? Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Zac
"Not quite," Zac replied. "But I can be... just a sec, I'll put ya in hold while I pick up another phone."
He hit the hold button without bothering to wait for a reply.
"Not now Kylie," he said quickly and hurried off to his bedroom where there was an extension and picked up.
"Okay, back," he said.
Taylor
"Slightly, ah... distracted, are we?" Taylor scratched his head, working out exactly what he was going to say.
Zac
"Oh, y'know, the usual thing. Saku found yet another way to annoy Kylie. Kylie reacts by screaming and yelling and proclaiming that she's going to kill him and demanding that I do something about it. Blah, blah, blah," Zac rolled his eyes. "Eh, I probably brought it on myself."
Taylor
"Well you did kind of pin the one against the other," Taylor held back a chuckle.
"Has the thought ever crossed her mind to find a way to move, or what?"
Zac
"Are you kidding? She keeps hinting that I should propose to her or something. She seems to think that I should move Ella, Saku, Orion, Dee Dee and Elektra out with Ella," Zac replied. "Actually, now that you guys have moved out, I should find more people to fill the house with. Although, maybe when the baby is born next month she'll start focusing on him. Her. Whichever it is."
Taylor
"She doesn't take the hint?" Taylor frowned.
"How can she not? I mean you've... nevermind. I'm sure you'll sort it out."
Zac
"Yeah. I have no idea why she hasn't got the hint. Oh well," Zac shrugged. "But you probably didn't call me to talk about Kylie."
Taylor
"Ah... no," Taylor admitted, though he had been glad for the distraction.
"I kind of... wanted to thank you for coming to the trials. And sitting through them. I know you didn't have to, but you did..."
Zac
"Aww, that's okay, Tay," Zac said. "I'd like to say it was my pleasure, but I think we all know that it wasn't exactly a pleasurable experience. Except for maybe the chocy muffins."
"Yeah, that's right Zac," he mentally berated himself, "make stupid jokes at inappropriate times. Oh wait, this is me I'm talking to... I'm famous for that."
"I know things have be rough between us, but y'know, you're still my brother, and I still want to support and help you where I can."
Taylor
"Yeah..." Taylor rubbed his free hand on his lap nervously.
"Thinking back to... to what you said when you guys helped me out, I know it must have been hard. I am sorry for putting you through that though."
Zac
"Aww, that's fine," Zac said. "You were probably pretty stressed after everything Blakesley put you through, and then the news about Mouse... Can't have been easy for you either."
Taylor
"I'm referring to your reasons for lack of interaction," Taylor sighed.
"I meant what I said in court, too. I owe you guys my life."
Zac
"Oh, well, yeah..." Zac said. "I didn't think you didn't mean it, y'know? And besides, I'm sure if it had been me or Ike, you'd do the same for us."
Taylor
"Of course," Taylor shrugged.
"But it wasn't you or Ike. It was me. So... thankyou."
Zac
Zac grinned, despite knowing Taylor couldn't see it.
"That's okay," he said. "I'm just annoyed we had to in the first place. I - and I'm sure Ike feels the same - wish it hadn't happened to you to begin with."
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"But it did," he sighed.
"And I'm... glad we were able to talk through it around everything else."
Zac
"Yeah," Zac agreed.
He was quiet for a moment, uncertain as to what else to say.
Taylor
"So ah..." Taylor scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Can you... kind of... consider yourself at least... half forgiven? Three quarters even?"
Zac
Zac chewed his lip for a moment.
"Yeah, sure," he said softly.
After the horrible things he had done (no matter what nice things he may have done), Zac had wondered if Taylor would ever forgive him.
Taylor
Taylor hesitated, then cracked a smile.
"Thanks," he said softly.
"Oh, and I meant to ask you... could you do me a favour? Hopefully without... Well I mean Ike would probably have to know, but I don't really want him involved as mean as that sounds..."
Zac
"Yeah, okay," Zac said. "And not wanting to involve someone isn't always mean."
Curious though. He wondered what it was.
Taylor
Taylor bit his lip for a second.
"I need to... learn how to drive again," he blushed slightly.
"And considering Ike was there when... when most of it happened, you know... that's why."
Zac
"Oh!" Zac exclaimed. "Oh I see. Yeah, that's cool. Well you already know the basics, so it's just getting back into a rythem again, right?"
Taylor
"Pretty much," Taylor agreed, "I just... yeah. It's been what, two years now? And I guess I can't really rely on bikes for the rest of my life."
Zac
"Yeah," Zac nodded. "No, that's cool. When do you want to start?"
Taylor
Taylor shrugged again.
"I don't know. I guess... next month sometime? I'm not really in a rush, I just know it has to be done."
Zac
"Sounds good to me," Zac replied. "Let's see... Tuesdays are taken up by Natalie... and we should pass on Wednesday too just in case she sleeps over..."
He trailed off to hear Taylor's response to his tease.
Taylor
"She's only there for like, one hour in the morning!" Taylor exclaimed incredulously.
"She stays for half an hour to recover and that's it, she goes home. Wednesday's fine."
Zac
Zac chuckled. He bit!
"Cool," he grinned. "Wednesday it is then. Any particular time?"
Taylor
"I can hear that!" Taylor insisted, referring to the tone of his voice.
"There's nothing going on between me and Nat. And anytime in the afternoon is fine - Ike will be swamped by inspiration then, I'm sure."
Zac
"There might not be anything really going on," Zac said. "But you wish there were, don'tcha?"
He chuckled again before continuing.
"Okay cool," he said. "Ike swamped with inspiration time means Zac teaches Tay to drive again time. Works well."
Taylor
"...No," Taylor corrected.
"Don't forget I'm paying her. It's just business as far as we're concerned."
At the same time he was beginning to wonder if that was entirely true...
Zac
"Yes... 'business'," Zac paused for a moment. "Okay, something really dirty just popped into my head then, but because I value you as a brother, and because I also like Nat (just not in the same way you do, lover boy), I won't say it. You won't believe the amount of restraint I'm exhibiting here."
Taylor
"I don't think I want to know," Taylor insisted, shaking his head even though Zac couldn't see it.
"In fact, I'm sure I don't want to know. You'll most likely scar me for life and make it so I can never look her in the eyes again. And I kind of need her right now."
Zac
Zac chuckled.
"Much better if you don't know... okay the urge has passed now. So, was that everything?"
Taylor
"I think so," Taylor couldn't help but smile a little.
"Thanks... for understanding."
Zac
"Oh, that's cool," Zac replied. "Hey, about time, right?"
He grinned despite himself.
Taylor
Taylor chuckled a little.
"Well it's a start," he shrugged to himself.
"I'll see you next practise."
Zac
"Okay," Zac replied. "See you then."
And the two hung up.