Edith's Hanson Eclipse
77th Street
ZAC
Home, home, home, home, home, home, home! Zac sung quietly in his head to the tune of The William Tell Overature. He made his chair go up and down and fiddled with the tray.
"Hurry up, dumb plane!" he urged. "I want to go home! Maybe somebody high-jacked the plane, huh, Tay?"
He was answered with a snore. He didn't know how he always got stuck sitting with dumb, sleepy old Taylor. Tay is the only person on the whole plane sleeping! Or not. So what if the whole plane is asleep? What time is it, anyhow? 2:00am, Tulsa time. Gawd! Two more hours till we land. Maybe I can get some sleep......
"Na na na na na na na na na na na na, getting jiggy with it," Zac sung his impression of Will Smith under his breath, opening the window shade and then closing it. Open. Close. Open. Close. Open. Cl-
"Young man, could you please refrain from doing that? There are people sleeping."
Zac nodded and watched the flight attendant scurry away. He flicked the little light on and off. On. Off. On. Off. On. Off.
"Dad, can't you drive any faster?" Zac complained from the back seat.
"Zac, we are almost home," Mrs. Hanson said.
Zac checked his watch. 8:45. First, the plane had been delayed. Then, they couldn't find Avery's luggage. Then they couldn't find Avery. Then the van wouldn't start. It was too much for poor Zac.
The van pulled into the driveway and Zac grabbed his luggage and flew to the house, to phone Rose.
"Rose!" he puffed, after Mrs Harrison got her, "Guess where I'm calling from?"
"Dunno."
"Home!"
"You are? Cool! Maddy! Tay, Zac, and Ike are home!"
ISAAC
Isaac paced back and forth on Angie's door step. All he had to do was ring the bell and say good bye to Angie. Voila! Actually, if he had his way, he would use some very selected words. Quickly, he rang the bell and moments later, Angie answered.
All Isaac's fighting words flew away. Angie was so pretty when she looked like a girl from an English boarding school. Her hair was in braided pigtails and she was wearing a white blouse and a red and black paid skirt. The black was accented with her knee socks. Her shoes were penny loafers, and the buckles had been shined.
"Oh, Ikey, do you have to come in?" she asked to sweetly, twisting a braid around her finger and chewing on her pinky.
"Yeah, I do."
"I don't think this is a good time. Come back soon?"
"Now is an excellent time, I think."
Groaning, Angie stepped back. Isaac pushed past her and stalked off to the living room.
"This is Brent, my brother," Angie stated, giving Issac a stare that said it all.
The only thing Isaac thought was 'She cheated on me with that?' He was exactly like Rose's description, but cleary stoned and majorly out of it. The anger hit him hard.
"Look, it's over," Isaac spit out.
"Jealous of my brother?" Angie asked, her voice a cold dare and challenge.
"Brother? I don't think he is your brother at all! Zac's friend saw you."
"What does your dorky brother know? Let alone his dorky little friends? What do you do, huh? All get together and sing bloody MMMBop with all your friends? Oh, what fun!"
Angie?!?! An anti-Hanson?
"Zac's not a dork, and neither is Rose. I know a few people don't like MMMBop, or us, for that matter, but could you please can your opinions, Angie? Save that crap for somebody else."
"No! Here is another one: Tyler is a girl."
"Taylor! Taylor is a boy and a damn nice brother! So is Zac. Better than your 'brother'!"
"Brent here is a load more fun than you!"
"Slu-" Isaac caught himslef, said a curt good bye, and hurried out of the house. In his haste, he slammed into a girl on the side walk, sending her books flying and landing them both on the ground.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled, gathering her books. She ignored him and stood up. Ike stood up, too, and handed her the books.
"Sorry," he repeated louder.
She fluttered her hands and hurried away. Weird girl. Ignored me, didn't say a word, only does some wierd hand things!
TAYLOR
"Out in the van! Zac, help Avery with her boots! It won't kill you. Tay, take Mac! Where is Ike? Isaac! Aren't you coming? Why? Are you sick? Tired? OK. Try to take a nap. Zachary Walker! Didn't I ask you to help Avery with her boots? Tay, take Mac! Is there ever any order in this house!? Jess, where's your father? WALKER!"
Taylor watched his mom scurry around, trying to hurry everybody, but causing more commotion.
Laughing, he helped Mac with his boots and coat, because it was strangely cold out.
"Zac, help!" Avery whined, "I can't get the lining back in my boot!"
Miraculously, the Hanson family, minus Ike, was in the van. It was then that the situation totally dawned on Taylor. He was in the van, on the way to the Harrisons' for dinner. Out. He needed out.
"Hey, Mom and Dad, can I go home and keep Ike company?"
"Tay, we are already running late!" Mr Hanson said.
"Besides, dear, don't you want to see Maddy? She will be so glad to see you."
Sure. Taylor caught Zac's sympathetic gaze. Only Lacey and Zac knew. He felt awfully lonely without her.
"Tay, watch," Mac begged.
Taylor watched as Mac rolled his eyes so far back in his head that you could only see the whites.
"All right! Show Zac."
Mac did and the 3 brothers high fived. For weeks, Taylor and Zac had tried to teach Mac that trick.
"Hey, Mac, let's show Ave and Jess," Zac mused, "I bet they'd love that, huh, Tay?"
"Oh yeah."
The three turned around to the back seat and did the trick. Jess and Avie 'eeewed'.
"Boys! Leave your sisters alone!"
The van stopped and Zac scooted into the house, with Taylor on his heels.
"Hello boys!" Mrs Harrison greeted, "You look happy, Zac. Di and Walker, hi! Hi Mac, Jess, and Avie."
Rose came running in and went to Zac. They poised, about to kiss, before remembering their parents. Madeline came down, too, but stayed by the stairs. Her hair was half up, and the rest was in a curly mass on her blue sweater. She was wearing black flares. Taylor sucked in unconsiously.
The parents, kids, Rose, and Zac left, leaving Madeline and Taylor alone in the entrance.
"What do you want to do?" Madeline asked awkardly.
A gazillion things they used to do flew through Taylor's head. He'd ruined that. He'd ruined a lot.
"Want to play soccer?" Taylor ventured.
Madeline's eyes sparkled and she nodded.