 |
Day Tripper
She was a day tripper
She's a big teaser
She was a day tripper
Tried to please her
She was a day tripper
|
By the time I had found my way outside, there was a full-blown argument going on. Isaac was comfortably ensconced in the back seat, but Taylor and Zac stood next to the passenger door arguing over who got to sit in the front seat. I just rolled my eyes as I walked towards my car.
“Zac get in the car.” Taylor said pulling the seat forward.
“I don’t think so, you get in the car.”
“I should get the front seat.” Taylor said leaning back against the door.
“Why should you get shotgun?”
“Cause, it’s MY birthday.” Taylor answered, thinking he had found a faultless argument.
“Tay, this is MY trip into the city.” Zac said.
“But dude, she likes me better.” Taylor countered.
At that comment, Zac rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Get in the car.”
“Zac, I’m not sitting in the backseat.” Taylor said as I opened my car door. “I mean, technically, this is my car.”
“How do you figure that one?” Zac asked snorting through his nose.
“Cause, Cleo is my fiancé.” Taylor said sounding all sorts of superior.
“So?” Zac demanded. I leaned over, because even I was interested in this reasoning. Honestly, Isaac, Taylor and Zac had these senseless discussions all day long. I usually just ignore them, but this interested me. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, cause when we get married we will share everything and this will be ours.” Taylor answered. It was my turn to roll my eyes.
“Tay, you have 2 cars parked in the garage.” Zac pointed out. “Why would you even want the sweet Sentra? Aren’t you going to buy Cleo a new car?”
“Zac, get in the car.” Taylor said. I had to smile as I caught Taylor making a cutting action across his neck. This was a sticky subject that could get him in trouble with me and he knew it.
“No, I’m not sitting in the backseat.” Zac said crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. A few months ago, that would have been enough of a threat, but now Taylor could easily take Zac. Or so he believed.
“Neither am I.” Taylor answered.
“Oh for hell’s sake, get in the car.” I said leaning over and looking at the two of them. Both of them had their arms crossed over their chest and their bottom lip thrust out. They looked like a couple of great Apes, all posture and bluster.
They both looked down at me. “Yeah Zac, get in the car.”
“After you Tay.”
“Cleo, just leave.” Isaac said quietly from the backseat. I turned in my seat and looked at Isaac. He was looking down at the pictures and swatches spread across his lap. His hair was super-curly this morning, probably cause it was still wet and his skin was slightly tanned and smooth. I watched as he sorted through what he held, a look of intense concentration on his face. He pulled his lips in between his teeth and his labret stood straight out. Slowly, his dark eyes met mine and he smiled. I smiled back wondering when he became so good looking. And he was good looking; his nose was so straight and perfect (being the only brother who hadn’t gotten it broken), his eyes clear and deep, his teeth straight and white. “What?”
“Nothing,” I said.
“No really what?” He asked.
“I just remember a time when you thought you were ugly.” I answered reaching back and putting my hand on his cheek. “And you are anything but that… And if you don’t believe me, you can ask Jarrod, he’d tell you how beautiful you’ve become.”
“Cleo, shut up.” He said a blush creeping up his neck. He ducked his head down and starting organizing the stuff in his lap again, a huge grin on his face.
“Zac!!” Taylor yelled. Their fight had gone on long enough. I pushed in the clutch and popped my car into first gear. I gently applied the gas and the car began to roll forward down the driveway. “Hey! Wait!”
As the car began to pick up speed, both Taylor and Zac dove through the open door. Taylor ended up with his butt in the seat and Zac was on his lap. “I hope you’re comfortable, cause that is how you are riding all the way to Tulsa, cause I’m not stopping.” I said looking over at the two squirming boys.
“Zac, you have a bony ass.” Taylor said pushing on Zac.
“Well, you have the boniest legs ever.” Zac said pushing off of Taylor, jamming his elbow into his chest. “Cleo how do you sit on his lap?”
“Well, my ass has more padding than yours.” I said watching as Taylor and Zac continued to wrestle in the small bucket seat. “Would one of you get into the back seat with Isaac?”
“Go ahead Tay.” Zac said balancing himself so Taylor could get out from under him.
“You may be skinnier, but you aren’t so skinny I can slide out from under you.” Taylor said pushing on him.
“Oh my God, would you two stop it?” I asked. “Zac, get in the backseat for the ride in town and then on the way home you can sit in the front seat with me.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m Zoë.” Zac said as he slid between the seats and settled in the seat next to Isaac.
“Don’t act like her and I won’t treat you like her.” I said as I pulled out of their comfortable neighborhood. “And quit pouting.”
“I’m not pouting.” Zac said turning away from me and looking out the window at the passing scenery.
“Then how come I can see your lip from the front seat?” Taylor asked.
“And you stop gloating.” I said poking my finger into his chest.
“I’m not gloating…” Taylor mumbled. I heard someone chuckle in the backseat, I knew it was Isaac laughing at his brothers. Our eyes connected in the rearview mirror and we both burst into laughter. As we laughed, suddenly the car was filled with sound of the radio. Taylor in his snit had punched on my stereo with only 1 working speaker and had cranked it. A very tinny version of a Beatles song filled my car.
“Taylor!” I yelled over the music.
“What?” He yelled back as he started to sing along.
“Turn that down!!” I yelled.
“Sorry, I can’t hear you!”
“That’s it.” I screamed slamming on the brakes and pulling the car over to the side of the road. I got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side door. “Taylor and Zac out!”
“What? You’re going to make us walk home?” Taylor asked a definitely non-sexy whine creeping into his voice.
“Cleo, that’s pretty far for me to walk…” Zac started looking up the hill we’d just descended.
“Ike out of the car.” I ordered. Ike climbed out of the car with an amused expression on his face, he had a pretty good idea what I was going to do. “Okay! Taylor, get in the backseat!”
“But…” He started.
“Get in!!” I yelled as a carload of girls drove by. We could hear the squeals as they passed. “Unless you want me to leave you here by the side of the road for that feeding pack of teenies, I suggest you do as I say.” Taylor reluctantly climbed into the backseat, folding his long legs behind the drivers seat. “Now, Zac, get in.”
“Come on Cleo.” Zac said his eyes glued to the car of girls that had pulled into a driveway and was turning around for another pass.
“Hey, either get in or don’t. I’m sure the girls would gladly give you a ride home.” I said.
“Fine!” Zac said plopping down in the seat next to Taylor. He hit Taylor as he settled in and of course, Taylor hit him back.
“Ike, as the only resident adult, would you please sit in the front seat with me?” I asked as he climbed in the front seat a huge grin on his face.
“It would be my pleasure.” He said getting in as the girls did another pass at the car, this time with cameras out.
I ran around to the driver side and climbed in, hurriedly throwing the car into gear and pulling out. “See boys, this way, I win.” I said as I sped down the road.
“Cleo, which fabric do you like better for the couch in the living room?” Isaac asked holding up to color swatches. I looked at the two hunks of fabric in his hand and noticed that they looked almost identical. I love Isaac, don’t get me wrong, but this newly domesticated Ike was just about more than I could take. I couldn’t wait until the house was finished and decorated. Oh, and until he was married, cause I’d had about all I could take of wedding plans. “Cause I think this one with the smaller pattern would be better a little less busy, but Emory thinks the larger pattern would be better since the room is going to be so big. Seriously, what do you think?”
“I think you’ve gone a little queer on us.” Zac said from the backseat.
I rolled my eyes, maybe I didn’t win. And downtown Tulsa was still almost 20 minutes away.
| < | feedback | > |