Don't You Worry About Me

The early morning sun was bright and warm, unlike Taylor’s attitude as he slowly made his way to the kitchen. He could hear somebody moving about, most likely Devin, as he neared the room. It smelled amazing, he would give her that. Half asleep, Taylor entered the room rubbing his eyes like a little boy. Before him was Devin, a plate of food in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Ignoring the first sight of Taylor she set the plate and mug down on the table, signaling for Isaac to go ahead.

“Morning, Tay.” Devin chirped, passing back by him.

“Too early.” Taylor muttered pushing his hand through the back of his already messed up hair, “Why are you so happy?”

“A girl can’t be happy in the morning?” Devin asked, moving around Taylor to get breakfast for him.

Taylor only grunted and eyed Isaac, who was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his hand and Taylor’s paper in the other. “Why the fuck are you here?”

“Kara is at work; I can’t come by and visit.” Isaac answered with a shrug. “Come on Tay, perk up a bit.”

“Fuck you.” Taylor grumbled, trudging toward the counter where his glorious coffee pot sat.

Taylor Hanson was anything but a morning person, until he got his first four and some days five, cups of coffee into him. Taking out his favourite mug, he sniffed the air. The smell was intoxicating; in the three years he had lived in this house Taylor was certain he’d never smelled a breakfast this great coming from the kitchen.

“Shush! By the way, I made waffles.” Devin announced with a wide smile.

“I have a waffle maker?” Taylor asked curiously, reaching for the coffee pot and pouring himself a large glass of the warm, dark liquid.

Devin shrugged. “It may not be yours, but it was in your kitchen so I used it.”

Taylor nodded; taking the plate of waffles piled high with berries from Devin. Sitting his plate on the table, Taylor flopped down into a chair across from Isaac who was intent on his paper. Reaching across, Taylor pulled the portion that Isaac wasn’t reading toward him, seeing that it was just the boring parts, like engagements and obituaries Taylor let it be.

Devin sat down with her breakfast and cup of coffee, picking up her fork she swiped the part of the paper that Taylor didn’t want and Isaac was finished with. Flipping through the pages, she silently ate; listening to the rustling of the pages that Isaac was moving, flipping from page to page as he read. After this she had made a note of little things to do, before hanging out with Zac. Devin would have to call work, to make sure one of the assistants was able to handle all inquires and accounts that Devi had handed over to one of the junior managers before she’d left.

As a cell phone vibrated all three reached for their phones, Isaac quickly sat his back down, while Devin put hers back in her pocket, as Taylor played with the screen for a few seconds. Reading his latest text message, he smiled and set his phone back down, exchanging it for the bottle of syrup that sat in the middle of his table.

“That’s Joey.” Taylor mused, drowning his waffle in half of the syrup. “He’s at the airport.”

“He is.” Devin asked, shoving a piece of her own waffle into her mouth.

Taylor nodded. Devin knew that her brother was coming for Zac’s wedding, just not which day he was to arrive. It would be nice to see her older brother; they hadn’t been able to see one another since the spring.

“I suppose we should pick him up.” Isaac chimed in.

“Splendid, I’m going to have a house full of Andovers.” Taylor chuckled. Devin rose her brow in question “Joey asked me a few weeks ago if he could crash. So while I go pick up your brother, you have fun hanging out with mine.”

“I’m sure I will.” Devin grinned, taking a long sip of her coffee and licking her lips.

“Is Joey the only out of town member left?” Isaac asked, taking a long drink of his coffee and sitting the cup back down.

“I think so, from our group anyway. I have no idea about Rachel’s. I don’t really care.” Taylor added with a shrug, continuing with his breakfast.

“Do you have anybody else coming in?” Isaac looked at Devin who was engrossed in her section of the paper once more.

A quiet “no.” emerged Devin as she turned her attention back to the paper and her food.

“What about what’s his face?” Taylor asked.

When Zac had said Devin was coming he didn’t mention the guy she had been seeing. It was possible Zac had just forgotten to invite him, but Taylor knew his brother and Devin well enough to know that wasn’t the case. Last night, Taylor and Devin had spent time catching up, well into the early hours of the morning. They had talked about anything and everything, every time Taylor brought up relationships Devin changed the topic.

“Kyle?” Devin filled in the name for him. Taylor nodded. “We broke up, a while ago.”

“Oh, wow. I thought he was your one.” Taylor commented cocking his head to the side.

The last time Taylor had spoke to Devin, she had been pretty sure this Kyle guy was the greatest thing on the planet. Taylor had never actually met him, Joey approved of the insurance agent that his sister had picked. How bad could it have been? Taylor decided that leaving well enough alone would be his best played hand at this moment.

“No, he was far from it.” Devin replied with a shrug.

“Everybody eventually finds somebody.” Isaac smiled, finishing off his breakfast.

Finishing her breakfast and wanting a subject change, Devin grabbed her plate and stood up. “Want me to take yours?” she asked pointing to Taylor and Isaac’s empty plates.

“Uh, sure.” Taylor handed her the plate. “Although, you’re my guest I can do that.”

“No, I’ve got it.” Devin answered with a small smile as she gathered Isaac’s as well.

Placing the dishes into the sink, Devin carefully shuffled them about, not wanting to break anything. Reaching for the dish soap, she poured the appropriate amount into the sink and began running the warm water. Watching the sink fill up with suds, she turned to see Taylor pouring himself another cup of coffee. Taking a sip, once his coffee was just the way he liked it, he motioned toward the sink.

“Leave them until later. Zac won’t be pleased if you’re late to hang out. You know how he can get about time.” Taylor chuckled.

Zac Hanson would be late for his own funeral, but hate being kept waiting by others. Abandoning all tasks, Devin agreed, they could wait. As Isaac and Taylor prepared to go collect her brother from the airport, Devin ran upstairs in an effort to change and make herself presentable for Zac’s arrival. Zac had sent her a text, giving her an approximate time of arrival, which meant he would likely be at least twenty minutes late.

Devin had finished getting dressed, just as Zac walked into Taylor’s house. For once, he was almost on time, only five minutes late. Greeting Zac, the pair wasted no time on setting out for their day. Devin grabbed her bag and headed out the front door behind him, making sure to lock up Taylor’s house before leaving. Outside was warm, the Oklahoma air was still and the sun was setting things up to be a gorgeous day. Devin loved New York, but something about this was even better. Not able to point her finger on it, but she knew it was there. Opening the door to the shiny black truck, Zac ushered Devin into the vehicle.

“Milady.” He bowed cheekily and winked. “Your chariot.”

“Why thank you, sir.” Devin smirked. “You know I could have met you somewhere.” Devin added, slipping into the passenger’s seat of Zac’s truck.

“You could have, but what kind of a date would I be if I didn’t pick a lady up?” Zac laughed getting into the driver’s seat; putting the truck into reverse and slowly backing out of Taylor’s drive way.

“So, Zacy, what’s the plan?” Devin questioned his exact motive, picking up a stray pair of sunglasses from the dash and putting them on.

“Well.” Zac began, his eyes hiding behind the stylish aviator sunglasses, as he turned to briefly face Devin. “I have no idea.”

It was a shot in the dark, but Zac wanted to hang out with her. Devin was his best friend, he wouldn’t have much time after today to even think straight let along hang out with Devin one on one. He was taking full advantage of this. They hadn’t got to hang out and just... be, in years.

“You asked me to hang out, yet you have no idea what we’re going to do?” Devin asked looking at him, a crooked smile on her lips.

Zac nodded, his long hair hanging in his face, and laughed. “That is exactly what I mean.”

“Well then, let the adventure begin!” Devin exclaimed holding her fist up on the air for dramatics.

“That’s the spirit!” Zac loudly chorused in.

Aimlessly they drove; there was no destination in mind, which was kind of nice. There was no rushing to be somewhere, or to meet somebody. Zac tapped his fingers against the console in the middle of the truck, keeping rhythm with the songs on the radio as he skillfully navigated his pickup truck along the streets of their hometown. Every so often Devin would catch him singing along to a song, when she would catch him the corners of his mouth would turn up into a smile as he continued to sing. A couple of times, Zac encouraged Devin to sing along with him, not bothering to stop pestering her until she did so.

Devin half expected Zac to continuously talk her ear off about his upcoming wedding, wasn’t that was people who were about to become newlyweds did? Zac wanted to talk about anything but his wedding, when Devin asked about it he had given her short, one word answers if he could. Moving the subject along, Zac avoided any topic about Rachel as well. Devin left the subjects alone; if Zac wanted to talk then he’d openly tell her. Driving and singing along to yet another song, this time only half knowing the words, the pair laughed at one another and their inability to know all the words.

It was probably a waste of gas, but being able to just drive around, laugh and joke with Devin was worth it. Pulling into the small parking space of the park in the neighbourhood where Devin used to live, Zac turned to her and smiled. Opening his door, he announced that the last one to the swings had to buy the winner dinner. Throwing open the door, letting it slam with no concern, Devin took off as fast as she could go. Reaching the swings just before Zac, she shouted in victory and squealed as his arms wrapped around her.

“You had the advantage.” Zac shouted, tickling her sides. “Your side was closer.”

“I won, because I’m faster.” Devin replied, laughing as Zac continued to tickle her. Breathless, she wiggled her way out of his grasp, a few giggle still flowing. “You owe me dinner.” She stated, taking a seat on one of the swings.

“Fine, I give.” Zac held his hands up in defeat before plopping down on a swing beside Devin. I owe you dinner, fair and square.”

“You do.” Devin nodded, winking at him.

Settling into a comfortable silence, Devin pushed back and forth on the swing. It had been a while since she’d been on a swing; the last time had probably been in this very park before she moved. This park was only one of the four in the direct neighbourhood; it was always Devin’s favourite place to play when she was little. It was quieter than most of the others. It held a lot of fond memories. Ironic in a way that this is where Zac would decide to hang out, maybe he had just picked this place by pure conscience? Devin sighed, stealing a quick glance at Zac who was happily swinging back and forth.

“Why this park?” Devin asked, curious to know Zac’s motives.

Zac shrugged. “I figured it’s a place you’d be comfortable hanging out.”

“Oh.” Devin answered quietly. Clearly she was reading way too much into Zac’s reasons for being here.

“So, can I ask why you’re staying with Tay?” Zac asked, slowly moving his swing back and forth.

“My hotel lost my room. Apparently they have the capacity to keep my rental car reservation, but not my room.” Devin answered with a short laugh.

“Not because you have a crush on him.” Zac teased, winking at Devin.

“Oh Zachary!” Devin giggled, holding her hands over her heart. “You know me so well.”

“Either way, I’m glad you’re here.” Zac replied with another smile.