Sure About It (Hanson)

Chapter 5

That night, when Hanson had time to breathe, Isaac approached Taylor.

"Tay, I need to talk to you," he said, standing over his brother's bed.

Taylor eyed his older brother. "About what?"

"A girl."

Taylor rolled his eyes,"Which one? Another fan?"

Ike sank down onto the edge of Taylor's bed. "Well...yes, she is a fan. But...do you remember when we first started doing gigs?"

"Yeah?"

"There was this girl that was at all our shows..."

Ike," Tay was a bit impatient,"many girls were at all our shows."

Isaac ran a hand through his hair,"Yeah...but..."

To be honest, he himself didn't even really remember Whitney, so how could he possibly expect Tay to remember?
"Never mind," he finally said, then went out to their little "living room" that connected their room to the hallway. He slumped onto the couch in the dark, reaching out for some vague memory of this girl.
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Ike was at a gig with his brothers in Tulsa. He was ten years old. It was between sets and he was hanging with Zac and Tay and his mother was standing nearby. A girl came over. "Hi!" she said,"I'm Whitney." She had long brown hair and green eyes. Diana smiled,"Hello Whitney. How old are you?"

Whitney smiled,"I'm eight today. My mom let me bring a couple of my friends here for my birthday."

Isaac looked at her,"Why would spend your birthday here?"

"Because I love you guys' music. I hope someday you get signed. I'll be your number one fan," she smiled again.

"Hey," Taylor, who had just been watching her up until now, said,"You're the same age as me. Except my birthday is in March."

Whitney giggled,"Cool!"

"We'll get signed. We rock!" five-year-old Zac piped up, acting as if Taylor hadn't spoken.

Whitney laughed. Just then a lady came over "Hi mommy," Whitney said to her.

Whitney's mother smiled and smoothed her daughter's hair,"Hi honey," the she looked at Diana,"I hope she isn't bothering you."

Diana smiled warmly,"I assure you she's not. She's a sweet girl."

"She just adores your sons. She drags me to every one of their shows. I don't mind though. Your sons have quite a talent. I'm Maggie by the way," she said, extending her hand.

"Diana," she said shaking Maggie's hand,"nice to meet you."

Maggie looked down at her daughter,"Whitney, we must be going. You can talk to them at their next show."

"Ok mommy,"she turned to Ike, Tay, and Zac,"I'll see ya later."

Three byes echoed from the brothers.
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It was March 1996. Ike was standing with his brothers and Whitney on Whitney's porch. He was fifteen now. He and his brothers had developed a sort of friendship with Whitney over the years. But now was a sad time. Whitney was moving to California. He could see tears being held back in twelve-year-old Whitney's eyes.

"We'll keep in touch," recently turned thirteen-year-old Taylor promised.

"Yeah," ten-year-old Zac piped up,"and we'll come visit you."

"Whitney," her mother came out on the porch,"it's time to go."

Each brother hugged Whitney goodbye. And then, her tears finally did fall. Ike brushed one away before she climbed into the car and looked forlornly out the window as she traveled out of the Hanson brothers' lives for five years.
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Ike woke up with a start. He remembered her.