ISSAC
Issac wound the car around the block one more time, trying to decide what to say when he went to go see this Angie person. You just couldn't go up to her and say something stupid!
Summoning all his courage, he stopped the car infront of her driveway and walked slowly to the door. He pressed the doorbell and waited. The door swung open and a curly blond haired girl leaned against the doorframe.
Whoever she was, she was pretty and she looked like the girl Jake had described. She was wearing a gray tank top and blue jeans.
"Do I know you?" she asked.
Issac shook his head.
" Oh, I do so! You and your brothers are those MMMBop boys! No, don't talk! MMMBop ba duba dop ba du bop ba duba dop ba du!"
Issac laughed, her English accent clashed with the song.
" Oh, be quiet!" she laughed, " I am not planning on joining your band!"
Issac stopped laughing.
"I'm Angela Cook. My friends call me Angie."
" Hello Angie."
" So what can I do for you Issac Hanson?"
"Oh, uuh," Issac stalled, "The phone. I need the phone!"
"OK,"Angie said, holding the door open so that Issac could get in, "Excuse the boxes."
"No problem."
He hopped over boxes and made his way to the kitchen. Angie handed him the phone and Issac dialed home. On the 3rd ring, Avery answered the phone.
"Hello? Hanson residence."
"Hey, Ave, it's Ike. Is Tay home?"
"Uh-huh, just a minute."
Issac heard Avie place the phone down and then heard her yell, "Taylor, phone!" He heard some muffled sounds and then,
"Hello?"
"Hi, Taylor. I'm having car trouble. Would you bring a wrench over to the Cooks'?"
"The car was fine when you left."
"Well it isn't now!" Issac exclaimed, praying for Taylor to buy his hint and not ask why he'd been driving that way.
"I'd love to, Ike, but I'm watching Avery and Mac."
"Bring 'em with you!"
"I don't know where the Cooks' live, either."
"Next to Jake!"
"Ok, fine , but that is long walk."
"Thanks. Bye," said Issac, slamming down the phone.
Angie entertained him with a lively description of England. Ike listened intently even though he'd been there. He could tell she was homesick, because she went on about it until the doorbell rang 15 minutes later.
Angie exclaimed, "That must be your brother, Tyler."
"Taylor."
"Sorry!"
She went to the door and opened it. There stood Taylor with Avery, clutching one hand, and Mac clutching the other.
"You must be Tyler- no Taylor."
Taylor smiled and looked at Mackie who was yanking his hand.
"Taybear!"
"What Mac?"
"I have to go to the bathroom!"
Angie smiled and bent down so that she and Mac were eye to eye. "Hello there, I'm Angie. Come on Mac, I'll show you the loo."
"Loo???" Mac looked bewildered.
"Bathroom, Mac," Taylor helped.
Angie extended her hand and Mac caught it.
"Ave, go with her," Issac commanded.
"I don't have to go!"
Taylor glanced at Issac before saying, "Yes you do!"
Avie looked confused, but she took Angie's hand and followed her into the house. As soon as the door shut, Issac popped the hood.
"There is nothing wrong with the car,is there?" Taylor prodded.
"No, but I had to think of some excuse! You don't just show up on some girl's doorstep!"
"No kidding!"
ZAC
Zac restlessly squirmed in his chair at the kitchen table, the smell of bacon intoxicating his nose.
"How long 'til breakfast?" Zac whined.
"We can't eat until Ike gets out of the shower and Tay gets up. Will you get Mac up?" Mrs. Hanson asked.
"Sure Mom," Zac complied.
He got up and walked slowly to the bathroom, which was on the way to the room Mac shared with Mr. and Mrs. Hanson. He smacked the door and yelled, " Get out of the shower, Ike!"
" Zac, shut up! It's Saturday, some of us are trying to sleep," a groggy voice complained from across the hall.
Zac sighed and walked into his own bedroom. He sat on the bed and smacked the sleepy Taylor on the head with a pillow.
"Get up!"he ordered.
Taylor rubbed his head, the target of the pillow, and muttered a string of colorful words under his breath.
" Zac hell!"he exclaimed,"It's early!"
"Sure, Tay. 11:05 is early," Zac proclaimed, sarcastically.
Taylor mimicked him and pulled himself out of bed. Satisfied, Zac left the ever-so-pleasant Taylor to get dressed.
He went to the room where Mackie was sleeping and opened the door. He tiptoed to the bed and gave Mac a gentle shake. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open and he yawned.
"Morning, Mackie," he whispered.
"Zackie," was the sleepy replie.
" Are you gonna come and make yourself some breakfast?"
Mac reached his arms up and Zac pulled him into his arms and toted him into the kitchen.
"Ike out of the shower?"Mrs. Hanson asked, over the sizzling of the bacon.
"Taylor just got up and Ike is still in the shower."
Mrs Hanson came over and gave Zac a good morning kiss on the top of the head and ruffled Mac's hair.
"How are my babies?" she asked.
"Really great, Mommy!"
Zac pretended not to like being babied and made a face, "Oh, Mom!"
Zac carried Mac into the living room, where Jessie and Avery were watching Freakazoids. He paused to wonder whether or not to tell Taylor they were on. Oh, he wouldn't tell. It would serve Taylor right for swearing at him!
Zac deposited Mac on the floor by a pile of toy planes and began to play with them.
"Flight 61 has blown an engine! Mayday! Mayday! I repeat, Flight 61 is going to crash!" Zac made the plane crash and began to imitate crashing sounds. Mac caught on and giggled.
"Are there any 'vivors?"
Zac smiled, "Dunno! Send rescue planes to check!"
"Breakfast!"
Mackie dropped his plane and scooted to the kitchen, Zac, Avery, and Jess on his heals. Zac took his place beside Jessie and across from Taylor and waited. Issac appeared and gave a cheery good morning. Taylor appeared moments later, muttering that he had no idea what was so good about it. Jess leaned over and whispered, " He woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
Avery nodded solemnly at Zac and Jess, "Yeah. The left one."
Mr. Hanson sat down and said Grace. Then breakfast was served.
Josephine and Marian are coming over at noon," Mrs Hanson aannounced, " to discuss what we should see in England that we missed last time."
Zac smiled to himself. Josephine Harrison meant Rose.
" Jake coming?" Taylor asked, not bothering to look up from his plate.
"Probably."
Taylor smiled and then caught himself. Mrs. Marian Lemont might bring Jake, but she'd also bring Emily. Emily was not Taylor's favorite person! When she was 7 and he and Jake were 8, the family had come over to play in the sandbox. Emily had decided that it was her duty to kiss Taylor. The grossed out Taylor had hated her ever since.
TAYLOR
Grumbling under his breath, Taylor went to his room to get dressed. He settled on jeans and a t-shirt. By the time he was dressed, his mood hadn't improved. And it still hadn't improved when Taylor heard his mom say hello to the Harrisons.
" Hello Josephine! How are you, girls? Oh, that's terrific! I'm fine, thank you. Taylor, stop moping around and come say hello!"
Taylor made a face at his mirror and left his room to say hello. Mrs. Harrison gave him a big hug.
" Why so glum?" she asked.
Taylor shrugged. Madeline punched his arm and was rewarded with a scowl.
" I bet some Double 0 7 would cheer you up!" Maddy said charitably.
Taylor began to smile, but stopped when he heard a sugar coated voice cry, " Taylor! You look so hot today!!!"
Taylor caught Madeline's eye and was glad to see that her happy look had vanished.
"Marian!" Mrs Hanson cried," When did you get here? Come on in!"
Mrs Lemont followed Mrs Hanson and the 4 children were left at the doorway.
"Shut the hell up, Em!" Jake snickered, " You have such a bubble brain! Yoh, Tay! Hey, Mad! Nintendo open?"
"Me and Ma-da-line don't play those silly boy games!" Emily said, sticking out her bottom lip.
"Uh, yes I do."
Taylor glanced at Jake before glancing at the two girls.
Madeline was wearing her curly dark auburn hair in a clip. Her large grey eyes were flashing with angerand there was a line of freckles that arched over her nose. She was always rubbing them, as if trying to erase them. She was wearign black flares and a red sweatshirt that hung down to her thighs. She was wearing no make up, save for the pinkish polish on her nails.
Emily was a year younger than the three and though Taylor hated to admit it, the prettier of the two girls. Her hair had been bushed until it shone and hung in golden locks around her waist. She had blue eyes that were accented in eye make.
"Come on, let's play!" Jake implored.
Madeline and Taylor nodded and hurried to the the TV room, leaving Emily to pout on her own.
" You like her!"
Taylor put down the magazine and looked at Ike in surprize.
"Who do I like?"
"Madeline Harrison."
"Maddy?"
"Yeah, Mad!"
Taylor snorted and gave Ike a dirty look. Ike, who was sitting cross legged on the floor, had a contented smile on his face.
" No I don't. As a friend, sure, she is one of the best!"
"And more!"
Taylor felt his mouth drop open.
"Don't look so shocked! You Mr. Groucho until Mad came. Then your mood improved significally."
The door opened and Zac came in, munching on chips. Taylor waved his finger at Ike and cried, " He thinks I like Madeline!"
"Madeline?"Zac squeaked.
"Madeline!"
Issac waved his hands for silence before continuing,"Who's idea was it to call a certain song Madeline?"
"It fit. 3 syllables. So?"
"3 syllables, huh? Ok. Then why not Christina or Mary Anne or Maria? All 3 syllable names."
"Yeah well, hear this!'Oh,oh,oh my Christina! Here we go around again!' or 'Oh, oh,oh my Madeline! Here we go around again!' Which sounds better?"
"You still wanted to use Madeline."
"I asked her! She said I could! No! She said we could! Besides, it was practically her idea! Then she made us promise not to tell! Never tell there is a Madeline, she said. And there never will be in that way! NEVER! She isn't my type, anyway."
" Oh, I forgot. Your type is Emma Bunton or Jennifer Aniston."
Taylor saw Zac trying to leave the room and cried, " Where are you going? We are done discussing this! Done, done, done, DONE!"
Edith's Hanson Eclipse
77th Street