Oklahoma (Isaac Hanson)

Chapter Nine

a lil curiosity and away we go!

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"How much do you know about our family?" Zac's question lingered in the air.

He had been kind enough to come over, while Isaac and Nikki had gone out for the morning. Zac had told Perrie that Isaac had asked him because they didn't want to leave Perrie alone on her first full day, especially not with three younger children she didn't know. In casual conversation, Zac also let it slip that Isaac and Nikki had gone to meet Grady. The idea of them seeing Grady before he went home, without her, had flipped some kind of jealousy in Perrie.

Rationally, she understood why Isaac would want Nikki to meet Grady, but it didn't help the small bit of hurt Perrie felt. Keeping her feelings to herself, she went through the morning, helping Zac out when he needed it. She was still adjusting to having three younger children in the house, something Perrie had decided would take more time.

Everett, being the oldest of the three younger children, had plagued Perrie with simple questions. He was clearly more subdue than his younger brother. Monroe talked a mile a minute, he was always moving, and was clearly the life of the party so to speak. When he wasn't busy pestering his older brother, he was making jokes. In a way, Perrie was glad Nina was still in infant stage. The youngest child of three, now four, wasn't talking only babbling and smiling. Perrie didn't have much experience with babies, but she seemed to like Nina best so far. Although, Zac assured her that in time, she'd get to know her siblings better.

"Only what Ben found online." Perrie answered with a slight shrug.

Zac chuckled, his eyes creasing and his dimples growing. Perrie noticed that Isaac's features did something similar when he laughed. "The internet is a start, I suppose."

"The social worker gave us some information, but just basic things." Perrie replied. "Ben got curious and did some of his own digging."

"It's a good idea to do some looking, it was probably better he did. The internet isn't always reliable, but at least it gave you some idea of what you were coming to." Zac continued. "It probably helped greatly in ruling out whether or not we were crazy axe murders or something."

"Is it true you once got in a fist fight with a promoter?" Perrie cocked her head to the side, smiling slyly.

"This is not about me." Zac wagged his finger in the air. "This is about you, don't change the subject."

Sitting up straighter in her chair, Perrie rested her forearms on the table top. "Okay, if this is about me does it mean you're going to tell me things I want to know?"

Zac nodded. "Something like that, yeah." he took a drink of his Mountain Dew and set the can back down. "What do you want to know?"

"My mom." Perrie blurted out.

Immediately Zac stiffened, brushing a stray piece of hair out of his eyes, he adjusted his pony tail nervously. "Maybe you should leave those types of questions for your dad."

"Was my mom somebody Isaac was in love with, or was she some random groupie that he got pregnant and never looked back?" Perrie persisted with her question.

If Zac was willing to answer what she wanted to know, now was her chance to ask questions. Surely, Isaac wouldn't lie to her, but Perrie felt better asking somebody not Isaac this particular question. The question was a lot better than the one Zac had been imagining. He was not going to be the one to tell her that her mother had passed away. Clearing his throat, Zac sat silently for a moment before speaking.

"Your mom," Zac began, a small grin crossing his face. He still didn't truly remember Amy, but the way Isaac had spoke about her when he had told Zac and Taylor about Perrie said it all. "Your mom was somebody that my brother really cared for. They dated for a while, at least a year." Zac put the pieces slowly together. "Maybe it was longer. I don't remember Amy very well, but I know Isaac loved her a lot."