Edith's Hanson Eclipse
77th Street
AUTHOR'S NOTE: IN THIS CHAPTER, () WILL REPRESENT A HEART SYMBOL. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO TYPE A HEART!
ZAC
Zac ran to the door and rang the doorbell.
"Who's there?"
"Rosie, it's Zac!"
Rose opened the door and smiled.
"Hi Zac!" she said, throwing her arms around him and giving him a kiss, "What's up?"
"Well, that depends on you."
"How so?"
"Ike's going to the park to see Brianne. She lives around here somewhere," Zac began, waving his arms to indicate all of 77th Street, "He seems to think that I have to go too. He wants to wish her a merry Christmas eve. Oh, by the way, merry Christmas eve. Would you come? Please?"
"Sure. But Grandma and Grandpa are coming at 5:00, so I have to be home. Hold on, I'll get my coat and ask Mom."
The door was slammed in his face. Rose opened it again and hurried out. Zac reached for her fingers and clasped her hand tightly.
"Come on," she said, tugging his hand.
They made it all the way to a jewelry shop before Rose stopped.
"Oh, Zac! Would you look at that?!?!"
She pointed at a necklace in the window. Gold letters (which Zac assumed weren't real) were dangling from it. It looked like those little silver letters that went on chokers.
"Aren't they gorgeous?" Rose freed her hand and placed it on the gold chain around her own neck.
"I dunno, Rose. They are $10 per letter, and I don't think that they are real."
Rose sighed.
ISSAC
He was surprised when Zac and Rose showed up. Brianne was good about it. Ike was glad when they left, though. Zac seemed rather preoccupied, but Rose was her lively self.
"Ike, I had better go," Brianne printed neatly, "Have a merry Christmas."
"You too, Bri."
"Bye," she signed, closing the book. She got up and began to walk away. Issac watched her leave and was rather surprised when she turned around and blew him a kiss. Ike blew her one back, sighing happily.
Ike stood up and hurried over to the flower shop. To his surprise, he bumped into Taylor and Zac.
"Ike!" they exclaimed.
"Hey. I'm going to the florist."
"I'm going to the jewelry shop with Zac."
The three brothers eyed each other for a moment before continuing. Ike hurried to the florist and rushed in. Because Christmas was the next day, it was very busy.
Issac carefully selected six red roses and some baby's breath and arranged them as best he could. The clerk arranged them better and he paid for them and one of those little cards. He filled it out while the clerk put the flowers in a box.
"To Bri," he wrote, "Hope your Christmas is as merry as you. Ike."
He taped the card on and left.
TAY AND ZAC
"Zac, how did you, uh, um, you know, do it?" Taylor stuttered.
"Do what?"
"You know, convince Rose to, uh, go out with you, since you were only friends."
Zac caught on. He thought that it was really cool that Taylor was coming to him, and not to Ike.
"Well, I didn't exactly ask. I, uh, just kissed her."
Taylor snickered. He knew that wouldn't work!
"Zac, let's just say, that if you and Rose broke up. What would happen to your friendship?"
Zac considered this question, not sure how to answer. It was a good question. What would happen to their friendship?
"Tay, I think that our friendship would be OK. You know, since it was strong before. This only makes it stronger. Same would happen with you and Maddy."
"Who said I was talking about Madeline?" Taylor asked, defensively.
ZAC
Zac looked at the tiny gold letters under the display case. He had considered many things. First, he wanted to do Zac plus Rose. But that was eleven letters, or $110. No. Then he'd wanted Rosie, but he still considered $50 far too high. He'd settled on Z()R. $30. Personally, he couldn't see why Rose wanted them so much. But, she did, and Zac liked to make her happy.
"See, Tay, this is what I'm getting Rose for Christmas. Isn't it cool?"
"For $10 a letter? And Zac, I don't think they are real gold. Probably brass or something."
"Yeah, well, that's what I said. But Rosie likes them."
"Rosie?"
Zac shrugged. He didn't know why he had begun calling Rose Rosie. It just fit.
"I'm glad she has a gold chain," Zac revealed,"or that would be a very expensive gift."
"Yeah. $30 for a Z, a heart, and a R is expensive. When are you gonna give it to her?"
"Tomorrow at church."
ISSAC
"Do you know where the Pattersons live?"
"Pattersons. Uh, two houses to the left, Ike."
"Thanks, Mrs Harrison."
Ike hurried away from the Harrisons' and went to the house, toting his flowers. It was a blue bungalow and was very narrow. He walked up the steps and rang the door bell. A short, chubby lady answered the door.
"Hi. Is Brianne home?"
"Uh huh. Hold on."
The lady who Ike asumed was Mrs Patterson, disappeared and came back with Brianne. Politely, she left the two alone.
"For you," Issac said, motioning the box towards her. Brianne smiled and opened it. She read the card and sniffed the flowers. She held up her finger, her way of telling him to wait. She left and came back with a card and a slip of paper that read "Open Later." Making a face at the slip of paper, Issac put the card in his pocket.
"Will I see you at church, Bri?"
She shrugged.
"We're going to church," Issac confirmed.
"No," she shook her head to say.
"Why not?"
She spelt it out for him, since he had been taught the ABCs.
"We are Catholic, and you aren't. We will go to that service tonight and the one in the morning."
Issac nodded.
TAYLOR
It didn't take Taylor long to figure out that not having a girlfriend really sucked. Zac was all excited about his gift and kept saying, "It says Zac loves Rose, but with a heart to substitute love. Isn't that cool?" and Issac read and reread his card over and over (He had obeyed the slip of paper for about 5 minutes.) Taylor was so jealous!
"It says Zac loves Rose, but with a heart to subsitute love. Isn't that cool?" Zac said for the trillionth time that second.
"She wrote me a wonderful poem," Ike gushed.
Taylor rolled his eyes and decided to get the presents for his best girls ready. He went to the closet and took out the two Barbies, one for Avery and one for Jessica. He wrapped them in Santa Clause paper and began to make their cards. He slipped an extra one in Jessica's.
"Dear Jes, Your dance was cool. You did good. Did you see me? Me and Jake were in the front row. Merry Christmas. Love, Taylor. xxoo P.S. Don't tell Mom. I don't think she'd be too happy!"
ZAC
"All right!" Taylor said for the sixth time, "Sweetness."
"Cool," Zac muttered, climbing on his dirt bike again. Issac was speechless.
"Mom, can I ride mine now?" Zac pleaded.
"No, Zac. When we get gome from church."
"Mom!" Taylor cried.
"Mom!" Ike whined.
"Diana!" Mr Hanson complained.
"No! I'm not taking four stinky boys to church. Now go get dressed!"
Ike, Tay, Mr Hanson, and Zac groaned, but followed the determined Mrs Hanson into the house. Taylor and Ike went straight to the bedroom, but Zac went to gawk at the presents under the tree. He couldn't open them until tonight, when the whole family (extended included) was there.
Zac's suit was uncomfortable. It was itchy and he didn't like his dress shirt. Rose didn't look uncomfortable. She was wearing a green and black plaid dress. Her curly red hair was hanging on her shoulders. Half of it was up in a green bow. He went straight to her, grabbed her elbow, and pulled her behind the church.
"Come on, Rose, church starts soon."
Rose followed and leaned against the church, not thinking about how dirty it was. Zac didn't think of that either.
"Merry Christmas," Zac whispered, landing a kiss that was meant for her lips on her nose.
"You too, Zac," Rose replied.
"I got you something," Zac said. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the tiny case, wrapped in shiny red paper.
Rose opened it in about two seconds.
"Oh! It says Zac loves Rose, but with a heart instead! Zac, I love it!" She gave him a kiss and hurried on, "Come on, Zac! Help me put them on my chain!"
Rose turned around and Zac helped her get the letters and the symbol on.
"Rose, you should see the back of your dress!"
"Why?"
"It's filthy!"
"Must be from that old wall! Zac, brush it off! Mom'll kill me! It's a new dress!"
"It's pretty," Zac complimented, brushing the dirt, dust, and cobwebs off of her back. He patted down her hair and fiddled with her bow.
"Is it gone?" she asked, frantically.
"Most o' it."
"Most? Zac, it has to be all gone!"
"Well, the top is done," he said, feeling his cheeks turn red, "But I'm only gonna brush so low."
Rose turned around to face him. She was blushing, too. Quickly, she brushed off what Zac had left. It was a funny sight.
"Is it gone?" she asked, turning her back to him, "And don't look too long."
Zac smiled. He gripped the fabric at her waist and shook it.
"There. It's gone."
TAYLOR
"Hey, Tay, nice suit."
Taylor looked up. Madeline was standing before him. She was wearing a navy blue dress with red fringe and her hair was held in the same way as Rose's, but with a HUGE red bow.
"Hey, Maddy. Nice dress, too."
"Thanks. I got it from Aunt Maria. I don't like the bow. I feel like Minnie Mouse."
"You don't look like Minnie Mouse."
"Yeah?"
Taylor rocked on his heels and gazed at her. Her cheeks almost matched her bow, in color. He didn't know what she had to be embarrassed about. He was only best friend Taylor. Best friend Taylor. Hah!
And with that thought came anger. If he was her best friend, then why the hell didn't she tell him about her ballet? Did she actually think he'd laugh? He wouldn't! She was always the first to be called to join their little bands before they had released Boomerang. She had never laughed! Why would he? And, sure, eventually she'd quit, followed by Ike and Zac's friends. But that wasn't the point. He was FURIOUS!
"Madeline, I'm going in," he snapped, ignoring the confused rather hurt look that crept across her face. It didn't matter. He was hurt more.