Chapter Twenty-One

Parker Lowell

"You know," I said thoughtfully, resting my legs against the wall next to the bed, "I think I'm beginning to understand why all those famous musicians all go on drugs and stuff like that."

"Why is that?" Gina said without interest as she pulled a brush through her wet hair. She'd never admit it, but I knew she was just as bored as I was. It was her second shower that day.

"That would be because hotels are boring," I replied with an emphatic whine in my voice. "If you've been up one hall, you've been up them all. If you've been in one room, you've been in them all."

"What are you doing in other people's rooms?" she said.

"This morning?" I reminded her.

"Oh, yeah," she said "Why don't you watch television?"

"Gina, it's one o'clock in the afternoon. Nothing good comes on a one in the afternoon."

"Then go down to the lobby and scope out some cute girls or something."

"Yeah, and then what? Tell them I'm with Hanson?" I replied. The sound of the words was strange to me. I'm with Hanson, I repeated in my mind. I'm with my twin brother and I'm with Hanson. The two didn't seem to go together.

"I was thinking more along the lines of telling them that you are Hanson, but, you know, whatever works for you," she said, smiling at me in the mirror.

I threw her one of my withering glances.

"I just feel like I should be doing something," I said. Crying or calling someone or something like that. Not just sitting here like nothing's happened."

"Calling someone?"

"Yeah, I mean, I bet Theresa and all them were pretty worried when they were told to go home without me. And I am supposed to be at work about now, don't you think they're wondering where I am?"

"Probably," she said. "But I don't want to call the Mayfields yet. I wouldn't know what to say."

"Well, what am I supposed to say when I get back to work? 'Sorry I mysteriously disappeared for a while there, where do you want me today?' And then there's school."

"Stop it," she said, "You're not doing much good for my level of anxiety."

"You think you're anxious?" I said.

"I don't think I'm anxious, I know I'm anxious," she said.

"What I want to know is what's going to happen to Taylor and I? Are they just going to go on with the tour, or 'toor' as Taylor calls it, and forget any of this ever happened? Is he going to live with us or is he going to go back to Oklahoma? Not that I expect him to stay with us, after all that is his family. Sort of. Anyway..."

"Parker, shut up and find something to regale yourself with."

"Regale?" I repeated. "Gina, have you been pilfering my vocab book again?"

She smiled slightly at my tone. "No I haven't been 'pilfering' your vocab book, why?"

"That was just one of the words we had last week," I said.

"Oh yeah? Then what does it mean?"

"I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention," I said.

She snorted.

"So, what were you and Taylor talking to each other about before I came in earlier?" she asked.

"Stuff," I said, yawning. "Apparently he doesn't think we get Must See TV here in Western New York."

"I wouldn't think that either," she said. "Keep in mind where we live. Julian lives in the middle of a cornfield for Lord's sake!"

"Still," I said. "He made it sound like he thought that I was from Mars."

"You aren't?"

"Ha-ha."

"I wouldn't worry about it. He's probably still trying to convince himself that this isn't a dream. Either that or he's trying to convince himself that it is a dream," she said. "Either way, I don't think he's quite grasped the reality of what's happening. I don't think you have either."

"Well, would you be able to grasp the reality very well if you suddenly found out that your long lost twin wasn't just your average Joe, but an internationally famous pop star whose picture you constantly see on the covers of magazines and all that crapola?" I said.

"Would you be able to grasp the reality very well if, less than a mere day ago, you thought that your parents were your parents and your brothers and sisters were your brothers and sisters and there was never any reason for you to question that only to find out that your parents aren't your parents and your brothers and sisters aren't your brothers and sisters and now everything is just one huge question mark for you?" She said it all in one breath.

"No," I answered. "I didn't say that his situation was any easier than mine. I was only trying to convey to you--though I already think you know--the type of confusion that this is bringing all of us."

"Sure," she said sarcastically. "And I take it convey was another of your vocab words?"

"You have been taking it!"

She laughed and said nothing.

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Index
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-Two