ChapterFive-Reunite The Babysitter

March 17th, 2008

    It's a few days later, and 7th Anthem were back in Boston...but not for long. They started packing up their things in their apartment to move to London. They're in the middle of doing an online condo-search in West London. They're also combining their bank accounts (both from their leftover UTurn earnings and their parents' funding) into a large account. They put their money into a bank in London.

    As the girls were cleaning out their room, Andrew came in. He approached Alyson, and asked, "Aly, can I talk to you?"

    She agreed, and the couple went to the kitchen to talk. Alyson asked, "So, what it is?"

    Andrew said nervously, "I've been thinking about visiting that babysitter that shook me when I was a baby."

    Alyson was a bit surprised by this, so she asked, "Why?"

   He replied, "I tracked down where she is. She lives in Hartford, and works at a Best Western Hotel as a receptionist. I want to know what went through her head when she shook me."

    "Do you want me to come with you?"

  Andrew nodded his head. Then the couple headed off to Hartford by plane (of course, they disguised themselves). Once they arrived, they searched around town for a Best Western Hotel. They went to one, and asked for "Holly Preston," (the babysitter's name) but she didn't work there.

   After two more hotels, Andyson went to a fourth one. As they went up to a brunette 30-something receptionist, Andrew asked, "Does Holly Preston work here?"

   The woman look up, and saw Andrew. She became apparently nervous, so she asked, "Why are you asking for her?"

   As he was about to answer, he read the woman's nametag. His blue eyes widen as he saw that the name was "Holly Preston." Andrew then looked at her, and said in a stiff voice, "You're the babysitter."

   Holly's face was full of fear. She felt his eyes burning with anger. Andrew said coldly, "I need to know everything."

  She then led Andrew and Alyson to an office lounge. They sat around a table in silence for a minute.

  Then Holly spoke up, "I was 19 and a drug addict. It seemed, at the time, unlikely for a girl who had wealthy parents to get into drugs, but it happens. Anyway, my parents cut me off from their money, so I took up babysitting just so I can get money for more drugs.

  "I looked up people that my parents worked with. One of them were Charles and Karen Hawthorne, Andrew's parents. I met with them, and asked if they had kids. They did, and they were grateful to have a babysitter. Their law firm didn't have on-site daycare.

   "I was hoping I would be babysitting a few 8-year-olds, but instead they were babies. Jeremy was about 2, and you Andrew were 6 months old. I was frustrated with both of you, and I was going through withdraws. So I hit you and your brother hard. I started taking up smoking, so I burned cigarettes on your arms and legs.

   "Your parents became suspicious of me, so they had me watch over you at their law firm. You and Jeremy were fussy, so I punched Jeremy in the mouth, and I shook you. Soon, your parents caught me. Before I knew it, I was sent to jail and I was being sued.

  "Years later, I straighten up my life. I went to rehab, I studied at a career college, and now I'm engaged to be married. But a few years ago, I was visiting my teenage nieces. They were arguing over who was the 'hottest' guy in this band called 'UTurn.' They were saying the name 'Andrew.' I immediately thought of the baby I shook. So I looked into the band. I went to the band's website, and I clicked on this profile of 'Andrew.' I saw that it was the baby. He grew up to become America's heartthrob. I was glad that he was successful, but I still felt guilty. All this time, I thought he died, or had a mental disability, but he was healthy."

   Then there was silence...until Andrew spoke up, "I had delayed speech when I was growing up. I couldn't talk normal until I had singing lessons and acting lessons. I'm fine now, though."

   Holly said to Andrew, "Andrew, I'm really sorry for everything I've done to you. I'll pay for damages."

  Andrew looked at her, and his face soften up. He then said to her, "You don't need to. I can be heartless towards you, or I can be forgiving. The best revenge for me was becoming a success, and you've felt more guilt than ever. Me, along with my band, will do everything we can to become a success again, but I won't gloat over you. Just buy our music, and that'll be it."

  Holly agreed remorsefully. Then as Andrew and Alyson were about to leave, Andrew turned to Holly, and gave a genuine smile as he told her, "I hope your marriage goes well."

    Alyson said to Holly, "He can be cruel at times, but he does have a heart."

  Holly gave a small smile, and soon the couple left. As the couple were heading towards the airport in a taxi, Alyson asked, "Why did you choose to be forgiving towards her?"

  Andrew explained, "It's been about 19 years since she shook me. I grew up struggling to speak, but I overcome that obstacle. I don't want to be angry with her. I'm not happy about what she did to me, but in a horrible way, she gave me the drive to break Hawthorne traditions by becoming a Broadway prodigy, a dancer, and a popstar. Who knows what my life would be like if she hadn't done that to me. I'd probably be another Hawthorne lawyer or attorney."

  Then the two kissed as they arrived at the airport.