When I open my eyes again fear fills my head. I look around and realize that I'm in hotel room. I try to remember what happened the night before, and then I remember the man pulling me out of my car. I sit straight up and look at my body. My clothes are still on so he hasn't done anything.




The bathroom door opens and a man comes out. He smiles at me. "Welcome to the world of the living."





"Look whatever you want, I'll give you anything you want just let me go home." I say and my voice shakes. "My mom doesn't have much money but she'll pay you, please just don't hurt me."





He looks at me for a few minutes and then starts laughing. "I'm not going to hurt you and I don't want money."





"Oh god, look I'm a virgin okay so I'm probably not even good at that."





"Whoa...I did not need to know that." He says. "Look I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding."





"Right a misunderstanding...so you didn't take me out of my car in front of my house when I was passed out drunk?"





"Listen, Taylor I know we don't know each other kiddo but I have been looking for you since you were two."





"Who are you?" I am so confused.





The man sighs. "My name is Victor...I am your Father."




"Is this a joke?" I stand up slowly. "Because if this is a game to hurt me its not funny...I was at the hospital when my dad died."




"Listen I know you don't understand any of this but you are my daughter and the guy who raised you, kidnapped you when you two." he stands up too.




"This is insane...I want to go home." I say. "My mom and brother will be waiting for me."




"Your mom's on her way." he says.





Just then someone knocks on the door. He goes to open it and my mom comes in. She comes over to me. "Mom what is going on...who is he?"





"He's your dad Taylor..." she reaches for me.





I back away from her. "Mom stop it...I...I don't understand."





"Taylor sweetie when I met your dad he already had you and I had your brother." she takes a step closer to me. "I wanted to adopt you...but your dad said no. After he died Victor called me and said he had some information that I needed to know. I met with him and it was pretty easy to tell that you were related to him but he showed me a DNA test from when you were a baby...Holly your dad kidnapped you when you were a baby."





I shake my head, and walk out of the hotel room. They both follow me. "Taylor please stop." Victor calls.




"Leave me alone!" I walk down the stairs and onto the sidewalk.




"TAYLOR!" my mom yells. "Stop," she comes right up behind me.




"Why...why are you doing this?" I start to cry. "He would never do something like that."




"I don't know why he did it honey but, I promise I am not lying to you baby girl."




I go to cross the street and I hear mom yell my name as something hits me. Pain spreads through my body like fire. "Taylor!" mom yells. "Call 911!"




"Mom..." I whisper.




"Taylor its gonna be okay baby girl just hold on."




"It hurts mom." I am going to lose consciousness soon but I fight it. "It hurts."




"I know Taylor, they will be here in a few minutes. Just stay with me for a few minutes."




It gets very loud all of a sudden. I hear footsteps coming closer. "I am so sorry she came out of nowhere and I tried to stop but it was to late." someone says.




"Everyone step back give us some room." A new voice says. "Taylor my name is Heather can you hear me?"




"Yeah..."




"Are you in pain?"




"Yeah."




"Where is your pain?"




"Everywhere...am I gonna die?"




"No, Taylor you're not going to die." mom says.




"Get her neck secured and then we will see what we are dealing with." I feel them snap something around my neck.




"It hurts really bad." I whisper. I close my eyes.




"Taylor?" Heather touches my shoulder. "Taylor talk to me come on."




"We need to get moving guys shes losing blood to fast." someone says. "Help me lift her onto the back board so we can get her in the ambulance."





I open my eyes slowly. People surround me and lift me slowly on to a backboard. When they lower me on to it they buckle a couple straps around my body. I let out a little cry when they start to tighten them. My mom comes up next to me and holds my hand.




"Alright get her loaded... are you riding with her?"




"Yes." mom doesn't look away from me.




"Okay I need you to take a step back until we get her in and settled and then you can get in." Heather says.





They load me into the ambulance and she gets in next to me. "Okay ma'am you can get in on the other side. But I need to stay out of the way if something happens." My mom gets in and sits on a little bench next to me. "Do you remember your name?" she asks me.





"Taylor." I look at my mom.





"Good, how old are you Taylor?"





"Six....teen." my head spins and I close my eyes.





"Do you remember what happened?"





My ears start to ring and my chest throbs. "A...car."

"Taylor?" someone calls to me. "Taylor, can you hear me sweetheart? If you can hear me squeze my hand." It takes everything I have to close my fingers together. "Good job Taylor, good job."





"She can hear us?" I recognize my moms voice. "Is she going to wake up soon?"





"Its her call, she'll wake up when she's ready, but she can hear us now. So I'd say she'll open her eyes in the next few hours or so." Who ever this person is has a soft voice. "Listen, the best thing you can do is talk to her, read to her. Do something to let her know you're here, to let her know that its okay and shes safe."




"Okay." Moms voice is closer now.




"Ma'am there are a few things I would not recomend doing, at least not until she actually opens her eyes."




"Like what?"




"The..." I can't hear the rest.




"Hey baby, its mom." my mom says after a few minutes. "Bobby is here too." Bobby is my big brother he's 21. "It's going to be okay Taylor, we're going to stay here with you and you can open your eyes whenever you're ready." I feel her take my hand. "Can you squeze my hand like you did the nurses?" I curl my fingers around her hand slowly but my grip doesn't last long. "I love you so much baby girl."





"Hey sis..." Bobby says. "Everybody at your school keeps asking me how you're doing, even Jeramey and Kaylie, they're pretty cool actually." He laughs a little. "Grandma and Grandpa are here, well they're at the house right now but they will be back."





I like hearing their voices but there is one missing. But I guess I won't hear his voice anymore, because he's still gone. My dad was my hero, he was my best friend. When he got sick he told me that no matter what he would always wacth over me.














***




They keep talking to me for a long time. Slowly their voices become clearer and I can hear other things too, a beeping, a buzzing, and footsteps. I open my eyes slowly but close them again as the light burns.




"Mom, shes waking up she just opened her eyes." Bobby says. "Taylor?"




I open my eyes again and they stay open. My vison is blurry but its becoming clearer. The first thing I realize is that I'm in a hospital bed. Fear fills my head, I haven't been in a hospital since my dad died. My mom sees the fear in my eyes.




"Taylor its okay sweetheart, everythings okay." she takes my hand. "Are you okay?"




"D....ad." Its hard to speak.




"I know, Taylor, I know." she squezzes my hand a little. "We had to go to the closest one."




"Taylor are you hurting?" Bobby askes.




"Little..."




"I'll get a nurse." he says and walks out the door.




"Taylor, I'm so glad you're awake." mom says. "I was so worried about you."




"D...dad," I feel tears on my cheeks. "hes...not my dad."




"You remember?"




"The hotel, I remember the party and the hotel." I cough. "That man said...he was my father, but I was there when daddy died."




Bobby comes back in with a nurse. "Taylor, how are you doing?"




"My leg hurts." I say. "And my chest."




"Your chest, like your ribs or your lungs?"




"My ribs."




"Alright well three of your ribs were broken and they had to do sugury on your leg." She comes up and looks at my chart. "Looks like you're ready for pain medicine." She puts something in my I.V. and then looks at mom. "Ma'am there is a police officer in the hallway who would like to speak to you."




"I'll be right back sweetie." mom says and follows the nurse out of the room.




"Bobby?" I look at him and he sits next to me. "What happened?"




"You tried to run away and you were...hit by a car." he says quitely. "You were really lucky that he was there. He knew how to keep you stable until the paramedics got there."




"Who?"




"Victor... your..."




"No...please don't Bobby." I whisper.




Just as I think this other things fill my head. If this is really true, mom and Bobby aren't really my family. That means I don't have any real family. If Victor is really my father, my whole life has been a big lie.




"Are you really my brother?" I ask.




"No Taylor, I'm not, I was 7 when my mom married Walter."




I flinch when he says my dad's name, I've never heard him call him that before. "Oh my god I can't believe this is real."




"I'm sorry Taylor, I'm so sorry." he touches my cheek. "I wanted to tell when we first found out about Victor, but mom told me we needed to give you time to heal after Walter died."




"When did you find out about him?"




"Almost two years ago, the week after the funeral."




The door opens and mom comes in followed by a police officer and a man in a suit. "Taylor this is Officer Kates and Victor." mom says. "They would like to talk to you for a minute."




I don't answer I look at Victor completely speechless. I didn't look at him before, in the hotel room, I was to scared. But now I can't look away, I look just like him. I know its true now and I can't even try to deny it.




"You two can stay if you want." The officer says to mom and Bobby.




"Taylor, how are you feeling kiddo?" Victor askes. I still can't talk, I close my eyes.




"Why don't you show her what you brought." the officer says.




"Taylor I brought you some pictures, do you want to see them?"




I open my eyes slowly. He hands me a stack of photos. The first one is of a baby wrapped in a pink blanket. I look at it for a long time. The baby is in a little bed and at the end is a name. Mackenzie Baker. I look at Victor confused.




"Thats you Taylor, that was taken the day you were born." He says.




The next picture is of a women, she is very pretty, with light brown hair and green eyes. Her cheeks are a rosy pink and she is holding the baby from the first picture. I realize the women is my mother. I look at her and then at mom, the mom who rasied me. She looks so sad and nothing like me. Not like the women in the picture.




"Her name is Christina, she wanted to come but she didn't want to overwhelm you." Victor says.




"She..." my voice sounds weird, even to me. "oh my god."




I flip to next picture trying to stay calm. This one is of Victor holding me, still wrapped in the blanket. "Your name was Mackenzie Victoria Baker." Officer Kates sits in a chair next to my bed. "You were at the babysitters one day and when your mom came to pick you up they couldn't find you, one of the older kids said they had seen a man in the yard when you were outside playing."




I shake my head and hand the pictures back to Victor. "You keep them, you can look at the rest later."




"You have the wrong person okay, I'm not Mackenzie Baker, I'm Taylor Plamer." I say I put the photos on the tray by the bed. "My dad died two years ago, he had cancer. My mom is right there and thats my brother. I'm sorry that someone took your baby but I'm not her."




The cop hands me an envolope. "What is this?"




"We did a DNA test when you first got here and compared it with a sample of DNA from Victor, Christina, and your mom." he says. "Look at it."




I open the envolope and pull out three folded pieces of paper. I look at mom and she nods at me. I unfold one of them and read it. At the top it has my name and mom's name. Down towards the middle it says:






"Taylor Plamer/ Mackenzie Baker - Kelly Plamer









99.9% NO realation




"Oh my god, mom."




"Taylor I'm sorry baby, I just didn't know how to tell you and I have always loved like you were my daughter." She hugs me litely trying not to hurt me.




When she lets me go I unfold the other two the first confirmed that there was a 99.9% chance that Victor was my father. This one really hurts me, I feel betrayed. My dad was my hero and I miss him so much, but he lied to me my entire life, and he... I can't even think the word. My vision is to blurry and my hands are shakeing to much for me to unfold the second one but I guess I already know what it says.




"Get out!" I yell. "All of you just GET OUT!"




"Taylor..." mom says.



"Shut up, just get out!" I interupt her.



They all just sit there and then slowly they file out the door silently. I start to sob, like never before. My nose runs and my chest and throat burn but I just keep on crying. I cry until it feels like I don't have any tears left.



When I finally stop I pick up the pictures and flip through them. The next one is of another baby ,a boy, I turn in over in my hands it says: Liam Michael Baker September 4, 1994. The next is a wedding photo of Victor and Christina and she is beautiful. Then there are some professional baby pictures of me, some of them I'm by myself but in others there is a boy who looks about 2...Liam. Then there is a family picture of, Victor, Christina, Me, and Liam. There is a picture of me and Liam in Halloween costumes, and the last picture is of Christina and Liam but she looks different.



I flip back through the stack of pictures to the second one I saw. I put them side by side and the difference was easy to see. In the first one, with me, her eyes are bright and her cheeks are pink and her smile is real. In the second one she seems very sad even though she's smiling, her eyes are dull and her skin is pale. I look at the two pictures for a long time.

Someone knocks on the door, and Victor opens it slowly. "Can I come in?" I nod. He comes over to the side of the bed and looks at the pictures in my hands. "Losing you was the worst thing that ever happened to her." he says sadly.



"Whos Liam?" I ask quitely.



"Hes your older brother." Victor smiles. "He wanted to come but he has school so I told him no."



"Where do you live?"



"Nashville," he says. "have you ever been there?"



I nod slowly. "Dad took us to concerts there every summer." I look up at him. "We went to the Zoo at Grassmere, and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe every year for as long I can remember, I haven't been there since he died."



"Hmmmm...well you're gonna love living there." he sits on the end of the bed. "We live in a big housing development with all kinds of kids."



"I'm not moving to Nashville, Louisville is my home." I say.



"Yes Taylor you are, you're coming home with me."



"My moms not going to let you take me away. I've lived here my whole life."



He goes out the door and comes back a few minutes later with mom and Officer Kates. Mom looks at me and then at the floor. "Taylor you have to go with Victor." she says. "I'm not your biological mother so I can't keep you here if they want you with them." she wipes her eyes.


"Victor and Christina still have custody of you Taylor." Officer Kates says. "You are their daughter and you need to be with them."



"But...mom." she still doesn't look at me. "Victor please don't make me go, this is my whole life we're talking about. My mom and my brother are here and I want to stay."



"Listen sweetie you'll still get to see them, and this wasn't supposed to be your life Taylor. But you can call them and visit them and they can come anytime they'd like." Victor says. "Its only about 150 miles."


I just look at him speechless. He doesn't even seem to care that he's about to ruin my life. I close my eyes and remember what my dad told me about why I didn't look like him. He told it was because I looked like my grandma who'd died before I was born he had this wole big story about my life but it was all a lie.



I open my eyes. "Are there...other kids?"


"Yeah, you have a sister shes 9."


"A sister." I shake my head, "and you and Christina? Are you still married?"


"Yeah, we are."


"And how did you find me?"


He looks at mom and shes nods. "Your dad called when he found he was sick. He asked me to wait until after he died to come here. He told me to call your mom after the funeral, he said she would know what to do."


"My dad..." I cover my face with my hands.


"Taylor look at me sweetheart." mom says. She pulls my hands away from my face and holds them in hers. "Your dad was an amazing man, and he loved you. I don't know why he did what he did sweetheart but there has to be a reason."


"12...12 years." I look up at her. "How could he keep that up for 12 years?"


"I don't know honey, but..."


"Please stop, don't try to explain this to me, okay? I don't want to know, because I don't want to think of dad that way." I say before she can finish. I look over at Victor and officer Kates. "He was my hero, he was funny and even when he was sick and knew he wasn't going to last much longer he made jokes."


My leg starts to burn again, and I wince. "Taylor, you okay?" Officer Kates asks. He touches my leg litely and I let out a cry.


"Don't touch it! She just had sugury on it." mom says.


"Oh I didn't know I'm sorry."


Victor goes out to the hallway and comes back with a nurse. "Is it just your leg Taylor?" the nurse asks.



"Yeah." I say through grited teeth.



She pulls the blanket down and looks at the bandages wrapped around my calf and knee. "Let me get the docter." she says and goes out the door.




It takes a little while for her to come back. She comes in with a man in scrubs. "Taylor I'm Docter Peters, how are you feeling sweetie?"




"My leg really really hurts."




"Alright lets have a look." he says. He pulls the blanket down and puts on a pair of gloves. He peels the tape back and pulls the gauze out of the way. "It actually looks really good, is beginning to heal. Pain is very common after a sugury like this." he says. He looks at the nurse. "Write in her chart that we'll leave the bandages on until Monday and then put the cast on." He puts on new bandages and takes his gloves off. "We're going to give her something to help her sleep," he looks at mom and then at Victor. "she needs a parent with her, so one of you stay, one of you needs to go home, only one person can sleep in the room with her."





The nurse puts something in the I.V. then she follows the doctor out of the room. Officer Kates walks over to the door. "Come on Mrs. Plamer, lets get some coffee." he says looking at mom.





"I'll be back later," mom says to me. "try to get some sleep." she smiles and they leave the room.






Victor sits next to me on the bed. He moves a piece of hair out of my face. "You're so beautiful Taylor, and I'm so glad that we found you. It was so hard when you went missing we just couldn't figure out why this had happened to us. Those few weeks before Walter died were the hardest weeks of our lives."






"I thought the day my dad died was the worst day of my life, and then you showed up." he looks like he'd been slapped. "You were at my house after Catie's party, how did we end up at the hotel?"






"You threw up and then passed out in your car." he says. "I called your mom and told her to meet me at the hotel."






"I thought you were like a rapist or something, I mean if I'd been sober I wouldn't have gotten in your car."






"Yeah I could tell that were scared, and you were fall down drunk." he says. "Do you drink a lot?"






"No that was the first time, I had gotten into an arguement with my brother that afternoon, and then I caught my boyfriend making out with my friend. I was pissed off and my best friend said it would make me feel better, and it did." I say. "I seriously don't know how I made it home."






The medicine starts to take effect and I close my eyes. "Good night Mackenzie." Victor says.






"Taylor..." my voice is barely a whisper. "Taylor." I fall asleep as soon as I say it.

When I wake up mom and Bobby are here. "Oh sorry sweetie did we wake you?" mom asks.






"No." I shake my head.






I notice a women siting in a chair by the window. She stands up and comes over to the side of the bed. "Hello Taylor."






"Hello."






"My name is Rachel, I'm a psychologist do you mind if we talk for a few minutes?" she asks.






"Ummm no I guess not."






"Taylor do you need anything?" Bobby asks.






"Can you get me something to eat?"






"Yeah, we'll be back in a little bit." Mom says. They leave the room.






"Taylor how are you doing with all of this?" Rachel asks.






"I don't know, I mean there are so many feelings all at the same time." I say .






"What do you think the biggest one is?" Shes askes.






"Anger."






"Okay, do you know who you're angrey at?" she writes something down and looks up at me.






"Dad, Mom, Victor...myself."






"Why are you angrey with yourself, Taylor?"






"I didn't figure it out...I look nothing like them and it never made any since."






"What about Victor why are you angrey with him?"






"He's ruining my life and he doesn't seem to understand that even though I wasn't supposed to have the life I have its still a big part of life that will never go away." I say. "He called me Mackenzie last night."






"And your mom?"






I sigh. "My mom told me that she was my mom, she told me stories about when I was a baby and then she found out, what happened and she kept it from me for 2 years."






"How about your father, Walter?"






"Ummmm..." I take a deep breath. "I don't want to think of him that way, but he kidnapped me." the words burn my throat. "He lied to me for 12 years, said he loved me and would never do anything to hurt me. Then he called Victor and told him to wait until after he died to contact me." I feel tears on my face.






"You understand that its okay to feel the way you do right?"






"Is it really okay?" I ask.






"Its okay and its normal. All the people that you're angry with, other than yourself, did something to hurt you." She looks at her notes. "So what do you think the second biggest feeling is?"






"I'm sad."






"Can you explain that?"






"I'm 16 and I just found out that the person I've always looked up to, the person who told me that he would always be there even after he died, my dad, lied to me." I wipe my eyes. "I'm sad because I don't know who I am anymore, I'm not Taylor Plamer but I'm not Mackenzie Baker either."






"Alright Taylor, I think you need to talk to Victor and Kelly about these feelings and when you get to Nashville give me a call and we'll set up another meeting." She says. "Does that sound okay?"






"You're from Nashville?" I ask.






"Yeah, I work for child protective services there. I'll be helping you make the transition for here to there." She stands up. "Any questions?"






"Ummmm...do I have to go to Nashville?" I ask. "I mean I don't even know these people."






"Taylor, I'm sorry sweetie but you have to go because you don't have a parent here." She says.






"Yes I do!" I say louder then I mean to. "I have my mom!"






"Your mother lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with your father and your brother and sister." She says matter of factly.






"My mom lives here in Louisville, Kentucky with my brother, and my dad died two years ago!" I yell. "Victor is not my father! Christina is not my mother!"






"Taylor I understand that you're upset and you don't understand this but denying what you know is true, isn't going to make it easier." She says this and then walks out the door.






Before the door closes Victor comes in. "Please..." I sob like a baby. "Please don't make me go. You don't understand, but I can't please Victor..." I can't finish.






He sits next to me on the bed and hugs me tightly. "Taylor you need to be with your family, we've been waiting for you for 14 years, we can't wait anymore." He says in my ear. "You're going to be okay, Taylor, I promise you're going to be alright."





I don't reply I just cry into his sholder. I know that I've lost this battle and when I get out I'll be going to Nashville. We stay like for a long time, when we finally let go its because mom and Bobby come back with my food. It smells amazing, and my stomache growls.





"We got you some chicken nuggets and some fries." mom says.





A nurse comes in and checks my vitals. "Eat that slowly Taylor," she says when she finishes. "The medicine they put you on for the pain can cause you to vomit if you eat to fast." She looks at the chart at the end of the bed. "Do you need to use the bathroom?"





"No?" I say.





"Okay well when you're done with your lunch I'll have the doctor come in and see if we can get you out of this bed for a little bit today." She looks at mom and Victor. "Make sure she doesn't eat to fast." She leave the room.





I eat a fry and it takes all the self control I have not to shove a bunch in my mouth. I eat slowly makeing sure that I chew each bite before I take another one. The chicken nuggets are a little harder to get down but I eat all of them and my stomache feels better. Bobby hands me a bottle of juice and I take a big drink.





I hand it back to him. "You keep it I have another one." He says and holds up another bottle.





"Thanks." I say and take another drink.





The nurse comes back in with a doctor. "Taylor, you want to get out of that bed for a little bit?" the doctor smiles.





"Yeah." I nod and smile.





"Okay, do you have the crutches?" he asks the nurse.





She goes out the door and when she comes back she has a pair of crutches in her hands. "Alright did you bring her a pair of pants?" he looks at mom. She nods and hands me a pair of pajama pants.




The nurse takes them from me and pulls the blanket down. She helps put them on and then I sit up. "Okay Taylor the main thing is to stay off your right leg thats what the crutches are for. Most of your weight will be on the left leg." The doctor has me turn sideways in the bed so me legs are hangging down. "Alright if you feel any pain tell me and we'll stop okay."




I nod and he helps me stand up. He supports most of my weight until they get the cruthes in the right place under my arms. Then the nurse moves behind me and buckles a belt around my waist she holds onto the back. When the doctor moves away from me I lose my balance but they catch me before I fall.




"It will take you a little bit to figure out how to use them, and once we get your cast on it will be easier." He says as the put the cructhes back in place. "Go slow, put the cructhes forward and then your weight forward."





I do what he says and I slowly move forward with the nurse following, holding on to the belt." Good just like that," the nurse touches my sholder. "come this way." She points to the recliner.




I make my way there and she helps me sit down. She reaches behind me and unbuckles the belt. "I'll come back in a little bit to help you move back to the bed." she says and they leave the room.





"You did good kiddo." mom says, she kisses me on the cheek. "You'll be bounceing around again in no time."





I look at Victor. "Do they have a gymnastics team in Nashville?"





"I don't know if they have a team but there the Nashville Gymnastics Training Center. Ellie does her gymnastics there." he replies.






"Ellie?"






"Your sister."






"Oh right," I say. "so does she look like me?"






He pulled out his phone and pushed a button. When he turned the screen around there was a picture of a little girl and it takes me a minute to realize that it isn't me. It's like looking at the photo of myself that my dad had on his bed side table. My eyes filled with tears again as I realized that dad necer showed me any pictures from before I was 3 and now I know he didn't show me because he didn't have them.






Victor kneels next to me and swipes his finger accross the screen. A picture of a kid comes up. He is wearing a football jersey and looks like he doesn't want his picture taken. "This is Liam he doesn't like having his picture taken." Victor laughs, and swipes his finger across the screen again. "And thats Christina, thats your mom."





I look at the picture and then at mom. What he says repeats itself in my head, and it pisses me off. I glare at Victor. "Stop doing that! You're not makeing this better."





"Taylor its the truth though sweetheart." mom says.





"I know, I saw the test but hearing it over and over is not helping me, its just pissing me off."





"Okay..."he stands up and takes a step back. "I'm sorry...I don't know how to make this easier. I'm trying to help."





I take a deep breath hold it for a few seconds and then let it out. "I know, but I don't know how you can do that right now."





"Well how about this...I'll go back to my hotel for a few days, and when you're ready to see me, call me."





"Really?" I ask. "I mean you're okay with that?"





"I'm okay with anything that will this...better for you Taylor."





"Just a few days, I promise." I say.





"Take your time." He hugs me and leaves the room.

After he leaves mom comes over to me. "Is there anything we can do to help you?" she asks.




I shake my head. "Just don't leave me."




"We won't sweetie, we'll be here as long as you need us." she sits in a chair next to mine and takes my hand. "Do you remember when you first started doing gymnastics, and you told us you wanted to quit?" I nod. "Do you remember what I told you?"




"That no matter what I chose to do you would support me." I smile.




"And when you told me you were moving away as soon as you could, do you remember what I said then?"




"You said that no matter where I was you'd only be a phone call or a plane ride away." I look at her.




"I still mean that Tater, no matter where you are, weather its Nashville or California I'll be there if you need me." I smile at the old nickname. She touches me cheek. "I may not be your real mom but I have been there for everything and that's not going to change now."




"Thank you mom." I say quietly. "That means more then you know."




The door opens and Kaylie Cassidy comes in. This is weird, Kaylie absolutely hates me, mainly because I made out with her brother. "Hey Taylor." She says.




"Hey, Kaylie." I say.




"I'm really glad you're okay...I brought these for you." She holds up a bouquet of flowers.




"Wow, thanks Kaylie those are really pretty." I say and they are really pretty.




"So...I'm sorry I was so mean to you. I don't really know why, but I think we can be friends now if you want." Mom takes the flowers from her and puts them in a cup of water.




"Sure...I guess we can be friends Kaylie." In the back of my mind there's a little voice saying to keep my guard up.




"Okay...well I have to get back to school." She says. "But I'll come back tomorrow okay?"




"Cool, see you then."She nods and leaves the room.




Before the door closes my Grandma Harriet comes in. "Hey baby, how are you feeling?"



"Pretty good Grandma Harriet, its good to see you."



"Good to hear." She hugs me and then mom.



"Is Grandpa Herb here?" I ask.



"Yeah, he's getting some coffee. I brought you some M&M's" She hands me a big box that's filled.



"Thanks Grandma Harriet I love M&M's"



She smiles. "I know that's why I got them." He looks at Bobby and hands him a big thing of mini Snickers bars. "Did you think I forgot about my favorite Grandson?" she kisses him on the cheek leaving a big lip print.



"I didn't think you forgot about me Grandma, I figured you get me something later." He smiles.



The door opens and all I see is a balloon and a Bouquet of yellow roses. "Delivery for the greatest granddaughter on the planet!" I recognize Grandpa Herb's voice. Mom takes the flowers from him and he hands me the balloon. "Hows my girl?" He asks after he hugs me.



"Wow thanks guys, I'm doing well grandpa." I say. "I walked a little bit today."



"That's my girl you show them doctors your strong!" He hugs mom and Bobby. Then he looks back at me, and his face gets very serious. "Your dad would be proud Taylor."



I wasn't expecting him to say this and a lump rises in my throat. "Herb!" Grandma Harriet yells at him. "I told you not to say anything about him look what you did."



"Well damn it, its the truth weather he's her father or not he's my son and he would be damn proud of the women she's become."



I hold back the tears that threaten to break through. "Thank you Grandpa Herb, but can we just not talk about right now?"


He shakes his head. "He may have made a mistake but he treated you right, that's what matters." he says and leaves the room slamming the door behind him.



"Taylor he's just having a hard time, because of what they are saying about Walter." Grandma Harriet says. "They're saying he kidnapped you when you were a baby. Its just not possible."



"Mom will you hand me those papers the cop gave me?" I ask.



She stands up and hands them to me. I unfold on of them and its the one I want.



"It's true Grandma." I turn the paper around so she can see.



"What is this?" She asks.



"Its proof that dad isn't really my dad." I say and the tears over flow. "Mom will you hand me the pictures?"



Mom hands me the stack of photos I find the one of Victor and me and the one of Christina and me. I hold them out so she can see them. "This is Victor and Christina, these are my parents."



She looks at me and then at mom. "How did this happen?" She wipes her eyes.



"He kidnapped her Harriet." mom stands up. "She was three years old when we got married, I wanted to adopt her but he wouldn't let me."



"Oh my god, that's what he was talking about..." she says this more to herself. "He came for Christmas and she was with him. He told that her mom had died in a fire and the police had found him." She wipes her eyes. "I knew something wasn't right so I had Herb talk to him...he said that he had done something wrong but that he was going to make it better. He wouldn't say what it was that he did."



"When was that?" mom asks.



"She was two." Grandma looks at me. "I'm so sorry Taylor, I'm so sorry." She hugs me again and I hug her tightly. "I'll talk to your grandpa." she says and leave the room.



I wipe my eyes but it doesn't help. "Taylor, are you okay?" mom asks.



"I don't know," I sob. "I don't know."



"We'll get through this sweetheart, don't worry about grandpa okay you know how he is." She puts her hands on my shoulders. "I promise you everything is going to be okay...do you believe me?" I nod. Mom turns and looks at Bobby. "Do you believe me baby?"



"Yeah I believe you mom." he comes over to us and they both wrap there arms around me.



"I love you both so much." mom says. "Nothing will take that away."



"I love you too mom, and I love you Taylor." Bobby say.



"I love you guys too and I'm gonna miss both of you." Another wave of tears comes but I just let them fall.



Bobby pulls away from us with a strange look on his face. "You'll miss us?" he asks confused. "What do you mean?"



"Bobby...Taylor has to go to Nashville with Victor." Mom says.



"No...Mom she can't leave." He shakes his head. "She can't."



"Its not my choice to make, they want her in Nashville with her family."



"So that's how it ends?" He puts his hands behind his head. "After all those years when we were growing up together they're just going to take her away from us? That's so wrong!" He leaves the room and slams the door.



"Mom."



"Taylor its okay...its okay." She's talking to me but starring at the door.



"Its not okay...none of this is okay."

The nurse comes back in. "Are you ready to get back in the bed?"



"I need to use the bathroom."



"Okay, lets get you up and then your mom can help you to the bathroom." She re-buckles the belt and put the crutches in front of me.



Mom holds one of them and the nurse holds the other, and the both grab one of my arms. They help me stand up and support my weight until they get the crutches in place. "Okay,take it nice and slow there's no rush." The nurse holds onto the belt again. "I'll get her in here and then you can help her," she looks at mom. "I'm sure she'll be more comfortable with you then me."



"Okay."



My face crinkles up as pain shoots through my calf and thigh. "Are you in pain hun?" The nurse asks.



"Yeah, it hurt when I stood up that time."


"Well do you need to sit down or are you alright?" She asks.


"I really need to use the bathroom." I say.


"Okay." she walks behind me as I slowly make my way to the bathroom. She helps me get situated and goes back into the room. "Just stand here, keep the door open enough so you can see her and when shes done I'll help you get her back in bed." Mom comes over and does what the nurse says. "So a lot of angry people came today."


"My father-in-law and my son." mom says. "There's a lot of family stuff going on."


Mom looks in at me, her eyes are still sad. "I'm done." I say.


"Okay, can you get your underpants up, or do you need help?" The nurse asks opening the door. I lean down and flinch as pain shoots through my ribs. "Hey hey don't hurt yourself, your mom can get them." She goes back out and closes the door that goes out to the hallway.


They get me standing again and mom pulls my underwear up. (Most embarrassing moment of my life). I get out the door and am halfway back the the bed when the door opens. Grandma and Grandpa come back in and close the door. Mom and the nurse help me turn around and sit on the bed and I bring my legs up and turn around.


"Alright I can't give you anything for pain right now do you think you can wait?" The nurse asks.


"Yeah I can wait." I say and lean back against the pillows.


"I'll get you a pillow for your leg." she says.


"Oh I brought one from home." Mom goes over to the chair she was sitting in and picks up my travel pillow.


The nurse smiles and puts it on the bed by my foot. She slowly lifts my leg and puts it down on the pillow. When she gets that done she leaves the room. Grandpa sits on the bed next to me. "It doesn't matter Taylor." he says.


"What?"


"It doesn't matter, you're my granddaughter no matter what. I don't care weather you're blood or not I've been your grandpa since you were two years old and that doesn't change now." I'm about say something but he holds his hand up to stop me. "I knew something was up when he showed up with you, he didn't have a birth certificate and you kept saying...Kenzie." He shakes his head. "Never in a million years would I have guessed this though and I'm sorry for that."


"Grandpa its not your fault. He was your son, he was my dad you know." I say. "Will you do me a favor?" He looks me for a long minute and nods. "Will you talk to Bobby?"


"Taylor...don't worry about Bobby baby." mom says.


"I am worried about him though mom and I need to be okay with this." I say. "I need him to come back."


"I'll talk to him." Grandpa says.


"Thank you Grandpa." I smile. "Mom can you hand me the M&M's?" She opens the box and hands me a bag.


"So...do you know who her biological parents are?" grandma asks mom.


"Her father is here," mom says quietly. "that's why Bobby got upset...because Taylor has to move to Nashville."


"You're kidding right?" grandpa asks. "They can't just take her away from you can they?"


"They can and they are." she replies looking at me. "I'm not her biological mother, I'm not even legally her mother. So I can't keep her here."


"That doesn't seem right, I'm going to talk to George, he's a lawyer I'm sure he can help you." Grandma says. "I mean you raised her that should count for something."


"I've spoken to the police and the lawyer that helped with Walter's funeral and insurance." Mom says, she walks over to the window. "I can't do anything, because they did the DNA tests and Walter called Victor and told him that he'd taken her. Since they never gave up their rights and I didn't adopt her they're taking her away from me." She sniffles and wipes her eyes.


"Kelly come on hun, lets get some coffee." Grandpa says. "Harriet stay with Taylor, I'll bring you a cup."


"Herb didn't you get coffee already?" Grandma asks confused.


"Yes, but I'm going to get more." He looks over at mom and Grandma nods.


"Okay...go Kelly I'll stay with her."


"Will you get me a soda?" I asks.


"Sure hun." Grandpa says and mom follows him out of the room.


Grandma sits on the bed next to me. "You know, your dad was a good man." She takes my hand. "And there has to be a reason why he did this. A reason we may never under but we can't let this change how much we loved him."


"I don't think I could not love him, I guess I just see him differently right now." I say.


"What do mean?"


I sigh. "Grandma he took me from my babysitter's backyard, and he made up stories about why he never had baby pictures or anything like that for me. He told me that mom was my mom and I mean I'm not complaining because I love her, but," I shake my head. "I feel like he betrayed me."

She nods. "I understand and when you think about it he did betray you to a certain point. But he treated you like a princess, and in the end that's whats really important. This is a hard thing to understand, mainly because your dads not here to explain, but we are still family and we're going to get through this together."


I feel my eyes water but I hold back the tears. "I..." my voice breaks. "I feel so...stupid."


"Taylor, you're not stupid, this is not your fault." She rubs my arm. "Its his, and theirs." Hearing this makes my heart skip a beat, and the tears betray me and are unstoppable. "Oh Taylor, honey I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you."


Mom, Bobby, and Grandpa come back in. "Taylor, whats wrong." Mom asks, she looks at me and then at Grandma.


"I just made a stupid comment, I didn't mean to make her cry Kelly."


"What did you say?" Bobby asks.


"I...I said it wasn't her fault, that it was his and theirs." Grandma stands up.


Mom looks at. "Taylor why did that upset you, sweetheart you already knew that."


"Can you guys go please?" I whisper and close my eyes.


Nobody say anything for a few minutes and I hear the door open and close. "Taylor, open your eyes?" mom rubs my forehead with the tips of her fingers. I open my eyes slowly. "Now tell me whats going on?"


I sigh and rub my face. "Hearing all you trying to make this better is making it worse. I don't want to hear how proud he would be, or how all of this is his fault. I have so much...going on in my head already, I can't all of you guys pushing all this on me at the same time." I blink back tears. "He's dead, and I feel dead too..."


"Sweetheart all we are trying to do is help, we know we can't make it better. But seeing you like this hurts all of us." She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. "And you're right he's gone but you are very much alive you're here with people who are going to love you no matter what."


"But I have to go to Nashville, I won't have any one there who loves me."


"Yes you will though Taylor. Victor and Christina and your brother and sister love you too. It's going to be hard for you but you will never be without someone who loves you."


My ribs start to hurt really bad and I realize I've been holding my breath. I let it go but the pain doesn't ease. My heart rate quickens and it feels like its going to jump out of my ribs. The machine that monitors my heart makes a very loud, and very awful noise. A couple nurses come running in the door.


"Ma'am step back." one of them says to mom.


"Please! Whats happening to her!" Mom screams.


One of the nurses pushes her out of the way. "Taylor we're going to give you something for the pain okay sweetie?"


They put an oxygen tube under my nose and my head starts to spin. I close my eyes and the pain begins to ease. "Taylor?" someone shakes my arm. "Open your eyes hun."


I open my eyes and someone shines a light in them. "Mom...I want my mom."


"She's here Taylor." someone says. "Give her some morphine."


I feel weightless for a few minutes, and then my body surges with energy. I don't like this feeling at all. Things suddenly calm down and all but one of the nurses leave. "Taylor we gave you something to make you go to sleep, are you still in pain?"


"No." My vision blurs, and I slip into a medicated unconsciousness.











***


I have a dream about my dad, and then it changes. I'm younger and the man who I'm talking to turns into Victor. Then I'm laying in a bed in a room with pink walls and a women is singing to me. I'm happy, comfortable, and I love this women but I don't know who she is.


"I see the moon and the moon sees me, the moon sees somebody I want to see." She strokes my hair. "God bless the moon and god bless me, and god bless someone I want to see." She kisses my cheek. "Good night Mackenzie, I love you baby."