Somewhere Out There
Lump One.
“Hey, what’re you getting for Zac?” Taylor propped himself up with his elbows.
”Huh?”
”For his birthday, what are you getting him?”
Actually, Isaac hadn’t given it much thought. He’d kind of forgotten about it… “Probably something for the Playstation.”
He saw his brother frown. “But I was gonna get him a game too,” Taylor sulked.
”Interesting. Zac’s gonna get games from me, you and probably Mom and Dad as well.”
They both sniggered.
”But hey, are Mom and Dad really getting him Playstation games?”
Isaac groaned. “I dunno, I just said probably. Go ask them if you want.”
Taylor got up and tweaked his brother’s nose. “Okay Ikey,” Tay grinned, “I think I will.”
”ARRGH!!” Isaac swatted the hand away and shoved Taylor, but still the boy laughed while he stumbled out the room.
Tay found his Dad in the kitchen, making dinner, and started, “Dad. Me and Ike were talking-“
”Oh really?”
”Yes,” and Tay subsequently gave him a look which said ‘Oh, please.’
His Dad smirked and said, “Okay little man. I’ll let you finish.”
Taylor nodded, “Good, now as I was sayi-“
”I won’t interrupt you anymore.”
”Yes, okay. Me and Ike were talkin-“
”It was very rude of me before, wasn’t it Tay?”
”DAD!”
When he turned away from the cooking pot, Tay swore his Dad was wearing the cheekiest grin. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry, but you must admit Tay that was pretty funny.”
The younger Hanson only pouted. “It wasn’t funny. It wasn’t even the first time you pulled that trick. You’ve done it before, so it’s getting old, you know!”
”Ah. But you still fell for it,” the jolly man then started whistling and continued to stir.
”Whatever!” Taylor said, with a bored expression while Walker thought it was cute how his son was trying to play it cool.
Walker could see how Taylor was a bit edgy today so he made the first step. “Tay, so you were saying…?”
”Before you rudely interrupted.”
”Yes. Before that?”
Taylor took this as his Dad’s way of saying sorry, and started his story again. “Me and Ike were talking…” (Walker suppressed his sudden urge to say ‘Oh really.’) “…about what to get Zac for the 22nd.”
”22nd?”
”Please, Dad. I can see right through your little act. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Anyway, as if I’d fall for your tricks, twice in a row.”
”Well, I was hoping…”
”So yeah. What are you and Mom getting for Zac?”
Walker taunted (with a smile of course), “Why d’you wanna know?”
”Just so we all don’t get Zac the same thing.”
He teased, “Oh what we’re getting for him is way outa your price range. So you don’t need to worry about that.”
”Oh ha ha.” Taylor tapped on the counter. Tap, tap, tap. “Well?”
”Well what, Tay?”
Taylor did his Dawson Leery eyebrow thing and said, “You’re not gonna tell me, are you?”
”Neh, go ask your mother…”
Walker saw the rude look his son gave and overheard the whisper, “Well this was a waste of time, wasn’t it?!”
”TAYLOR!”
Oops. “Sorry.”
His Dad just shook his head. “Go ask your mother, okay?”
Ironically, at that moment, she walked into the kitchen. “Ask me what?”
”Mooom, Dad won’t tell me what you’re getting Zac!”
”Hey, don’t blame me,” Dad said. “She asked me not to tell.”
But, why so secretive, Tay wondered.
Taylor tried to look pitiful. “It’s not like I’m gonna tell him. Don’t you trust me?”
”Oh, of course I do Tay!” She came up to him with arms open wide. Just like putty in his hands, Tay knew he could manipulate her. Meanwhile, his Dad was making faces at him behind her back.
She let go of him and continued, “It’s just that we wanted to get all of you kids together, except for Zac, so we would only have to tell you guys once. You know, instead of explaining it six times.” Explaining it? What type of birthday present needs explaining?
Walker butted in. “And now’s a good time to tell you guys ‘cause Zac’s out. So can you go round everyone up, Tay?”
”Um yeah, okay.” So he went off to find his siblings, puzzled about Zac’s present.
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