Isaac shrugged. "Sure. Mom and Dad gave me the money."

We got into line at the concession, which was unusually not crowded. I felt a foot kick me in the back of the leg. I whirled. "Would you QUIT IT?!" I snapped.

Mac looked at me innocently. He was the culprit, and he had been caught red-footed. "I was just doing what Sammy and Joey did," he said.

"If they were playing hide-and-go-seek in a burning building would you go play with them?" I asked. Mac screwed his mouth up into a sullen pout. I raised my eyebrows. "That doesn't work on me. You two knock it off. You're too old for that."

"Guys, be nice," Isaac said distractedly as he paid the cashier for the 2 large popcorns and 5 medium drinks he'd bought.

The three straightened up...momentarily.

I followed Isaac. I handed the lady my ticket and went down the long corridor, as she had instructed. Behind me, I could hear 3 little boys tittering mischievously.

I went into the darkened theatre right behind Isaac, trying not to notice that the boys were getting louder. We went and sat in the middle of the empty theatre, the three boys sitting in between Isaac and me.

The previews hadn't even gotten started when Joe and Sam had begun fighting across Mac's lap. I grabbed Joe and Isaac grabbed Sam, and we both set off into our own versions of lectures. After we had finished chewing them out, they got quiet...for about 5 seconds. When the previews came on, they got quiet.

I was so relieved that they were quiet, I completely forgot that they were there. About 5 minutes later, Joe leaned over and said, "Mac's gotta go pee."

"Okay," I said distractedly. "Go with him though."

He nodded, grabbed Mac's hand, and the two went off down the aisle to the restroom.

Soon, I was so engulfed in the movie that I had become completely unaware that Joe and Mac hadn't returned...