Links to other sites on the Web
"Quiet. Ssssh" Madeline called out still laughing herself as she reached for the phone, answering, "Hello." is all she got out before the next burst of laughter. "Hey what's going on?" Isaac asked. "Oh hi babe. Ummm we're being music critics at the moment, BackStreet Boys. Did he just grab himself?" Madeline asked, adding, "Rewind that now. I swear he grabbed himself and he was smiling." "Maddy what are you doing? Who's there with you?" Isaac asked. "You jealous babe? I'm having fun without you." Madeline teased. "Maddy that's not fair." Isaac complained. "Poor baby out in LA recording a couple hours a day and partying every night with who knows who and one time you call and I'm having fun, you get bent. Tough Isaac." Madeline replied. "Maddy I am not upset." Isaac insisted. "Oh, not upset. Good then I don't apologize for having a good time without you because you're not upset. Why the grumpy gus then?" Madeline asked. "Man, why can't you come out here with me? Maddy, things aren't going so good and well it's going to be a while before we come home. Please come out here?" Isaac shared. "How long's a while babe?" Madeline asked. "At least another five or six weeks baby." Isaac answered. "Noooo. No Isaac. You promised me you'd be back home for, oh why did I believe you. I should have my head examined. Sometimes I wished you'd never signed that contract. I feel so second rate, like I don't matter to you anymore." she shared. "Madeline you know that's not true, you know it. Why do you do this?" Isaac asked "I, I.." was all she got out before the tears started. "Baby don't cry. Please Maddy, you know I can't stand it when you cry." Isaac pleaded. "I know but Isaac you promised. I'm sorry, I know you're not doing this on purpose." she answered breathing deeply to stop the sobs. "Maddy I swear I'll be home for your school dance." Isaac insisted. "It's just a dumb dance, it doesn't matter, honest." she said quickly, the words sticking in her throat as she wanted to scream 'It Matters' but as always she kept it to herself knowing things could be better. She had know him forever. Their folks had been high school friends and when the Hansons returned to Tulsa after their stint in South America, the two of them became closer and closer. Before they left for South America, Isaac and Madeline teased each other mercilessly, constantly picking on each other and Madeline was elated the Hansons had been transferred to Ecuador so she didn't have to put up with the boys anymore. If Isaac's teasing wasn't enough, when he was joined by his brothers Taylor and Zachary, most of their confrontations ended with Madeline in tears and when one of the adults noticed and asked what had happened, why she was crying, she would always lie and say she had tripped. Their mothers had been close friend and when Madeline received the first letter from Isaac, it had come along with his mother's letter to her mother. 'Hey Maddy are you still a baddy? Tay and Zac said to say hey, they miss you, they have noone to pick on anymore. It's different down here, you know we are the ones who don't speak the language. Even TV sucks, you can see but can't understand it. How is everyone doing? I sort of miss you but I don't know why so when Mom said to write to you I figured what the hey. If you have time write me back and let me know what is up in the old neighborhood. Your Friend? Isaac.' "You miss me and don't know why huh, you haven't got anyone to kick around down there." Madeline thought to herself after reading the letter and for the first time, she wrote him back telling him everything that had been going on in Tulsa. Like clockwork, Madeline and Isaac became pen pals getting along better long distance then they did in person. She remembers how excited they were over the Hansons' pending return to Tulsa and how hard they all took the news that now her father was being transferred and a week before the Hansons returned, Madeline and her family moved for a two year stint in Alaska. Isaac and Madeline continued writing each other, their letters becoming longer and more about each other than what was going on in Tulsa or with their friends. Madeline got excited, overhearing her folks talking about the early end of her father's assignment in Alaska only to be disappointed when she realized they would be moving to Washington D.C. for the next three years. 'Isaac, I can't believe it, instead of returning home next year, we're moving to Washington D.C. for the next three year. How can they do this to me, I was so looking forward to coming home.' Madeline wrote him. Over the next few years, Isaac began to write about the guys singing together and the songs he had started writing, telling her how much they enjoyed it and how he thought they were pretty good. Isaac began sending her tapes and asking her opinion and she became their first music critic. Actually Madeline became a staunch supporter of theirs, talking the guys into singing at MayFest in 1992 promising that she would be home to cheer them on. She smiled as she remembered that day. It had been almost six years since they had last seen each other. Their mothers had been pregnant with them together, Isaac being born two weeks before Madeline. The two learned to walk, talk, and tease each other through the years but as they entered school, Isaac and his family headed to South America. The Hanson Brothers' first public appearance was rapidly approaching and a hitch in her father's transfer sent Madeline into an emotional tirade until finally her parents agreed that Madeline and her mother would fly home for MayFest, staying with her grandparents, then returning to Washington D.C. until her father's transfer. Her mother and her arrived in town only hours before the guys scheduled appearance and hurried to the Festival where they found Diana and the rest of the children. "I was relieved when Mom told me you had had two girls, I was so relieved. I couldn't imagine a fourth Hanson boy to tease me." Madeline shared picking up Avie and talking to Jessie as her mother visited with her best friend. "Who's that with Avie?" Zac asked. Where?" Isaac asked looking out at the audience, finding his mother, and then his heart soared when he spied her, 'Wow she's gorgeous.' he thought to himself looking at the slender preteen, her long dark hair almost reaching the ground, dressed in tight jeans and a skimpy baby tee and the most beautiful smile on her face as she played with his sisters. "She's a knock out. Wish I hadn't teased her so." Taylor said walking up beside Isaac. "You! Tay she's never going to like me after all I teased her about over the years. I never imagined, well you know I guess I did Tay. About a year ago she was complaining about the onset of puberty and we really shared some personal stuff and I told her not to worry that I just knew she would turn out beautiful and she did." Isaac said gazing at her. Their performance was a big hit and as Isaac tried making his way to her, he was quickly surrounded by a hord of autograph seeking girls and he watched as Madeline lead Jessie, carrying Avie to safety, while their mothers and his father tried their best to protect the boys from the growing hord of fans. Walker ended up loading the boys and their mothers in the van and sending them on their way to the Hanson's house, while he returned to Madeline and his daughters. They walked the Festival having a glorious time together until their ride arrived and they headed to meet up with the others. "I told you that you guys would be great." Madeline said as Walker escorted her into the house. "You liked it?" Isaac asked. "Of course I did. I liked those cheap tapes you sent me, live is ten times better." Madeline answered smiling as their eyes met for the first time and they were both overwhelmed at the closeness they felt. "Look at that Lucy." Diana shared pointing at Isaac and Madeline. "I think our little boy has developed a strong appreciation of the opposite sex suddenly." Walker teased wrapping an arm around the two. "Madeline almost died when John announced we wouldn't be moving home for another month. She insisted on being here today, even bought the tickets with her own money. That's what got John's attention and he finally agreed that she could come." Lucy shared. "I'm sorry about all the fans. You didn't get scared did you?" Isaac asked. "Isaac, the fans, that's what you wanted. Remember we figured if you got enough fans you could go on making music and that's what you wanted." she reminded. "Yeah, you're right. Maddy can you stay? Maddy I don't want you to leave me." Isaac blurted out. "Isaac?" Madeline questioned unsure what he meant. "Your Mom said you are leaving early in the morning, going back to D.C. and I don't want you to go Maddy. Can't you stay here? I asked Mom and she said you could. Please say you'll stay?" Isaac pleaded, taking her totally by surprise. "I'd love to but I don't think my folks would let me. My Dad's really different lately Isaac, sometimes he scares me. He gets so, so." Madeline tried explaining. "What Maddy? Are you okay? Let's go in the family room." Isaac suggested taking her by the hand, leading her to the family room and setting on the couch. Madeline stopped, looked the room over two other couches and two chairs to chose from but she chose to sit next to Isaac. "Maddy are you okay?" Isaac asked again. "Yeah, he just scares me when he gets so overprotective. Isaac you remember I told you about Mike the boy next door?" she asked. "Yeah. I remember, wasn't to thrilled by it but I was glad you told me about him." Isaac replied definitely not thrilled. "Isaac, we are just good, no not really good, we are just friends." Maddy insisted reaching out and touching Isaac's hand only to be surprised when he took hers in his. "Isaac, Mike stopped by after school one day and I was working on my schooling and had to interview three people and had already intereviewed our mothers, so I talked him into and my Dad waltzes in as Mike is answering, 'I think when to people love each other it's okay to have sex before marriage.' and my Dad like blows. He ranted and raved, then threw Mike out of the house. I was never so embarassed and go screaming to my Mom who's in the kitchen with Mike's Mom. Then Dad starts screaming at them, like how much do you ignore our children, when she's pregnant do you think you'll notice her then. I wanted to crawl away and die." Madeline shared. "Baby I'm sorry. How terrible. Maddy, how long ahas he been this way?" Isaac asked concerned. "Since I started growing these." she replied pointing at her breasts, adding, "It seems everyone treats me different since I started developing. Why Isaac? I'm still me aren't I?" "Sure you are Maddy. I know what you mean though. mine was as my voice started changing. Man acted like it's the end of the world." Isaac shared. "Isaac I can't believe people sometime. Why do they think because they're older they can boss us around. Like you changed your voice on purpose." Maddy suggested. "Yeah like you grew those and now you're a totally different person. Maddy you look beautiful. I told you, you'd be beautiful." Isaac reminded her lightly squeezing her hand. "Yeah you did." Madeline replied gazing into his deep brown eyes, lost in all the emotions that were stirring. "Maddy I don't want you to leave me, I mean Tulsa. No Maddy don't leave me?" Isaac pleaded. "I'll be back hun. I promise you." she assured him, leaning closer, lightly kissing his cheek, as he quickly took her other hand in his before turning his face, pressing his lips against hers so softly. "Maddy I like you so much. I'm so scared you don't like me the same way that I like you." Isaac confessed. "Like you're the only boy in this whole world. Or at least the only one for me?" she asked. "Yeah Madd like you're the only one in this whole world or at least the onle one for me." Isaac responded, kissing her again but this time with all the passion he had for her these past years. "Oh Isaac." Madeline moaned as she caressed his face, gazing deep into his eyes as the others started to join them. They all sat talking about Madeline's return to Tulsa as Isaac and Madeline stole a few glances and stares. When Lucy announced it was time for them to leave, Isaac's heart began to break and he raced from the room as everyone stared at Madeline. "I didn't do anything. Don't stare at me." she insisted as she made her way to their rental car, looking up to see Isaac waving goodbye and she returned the wave before the others joined her and said their goodbyes.
Links to other sites on the Web
Get your own Free Home Page