chapterthirtyone

�Welcome to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The outside temperature is 40 degrees with a slight chance of some precipitation later. We hope you had a pleasant flight. Thank you for flying American Airlines, and we hope to see you aboard again soon,� the syrupy sweet voice of the flight attendant droned.

It took the boys and their father about an hour to get their luggage and get out of the airport and another hour to get home. By the time they reached the front door, Zac was fidgety as hell and itching to call the girl he left in Chicago.

�Zac, chill. Don�t you know about the two day rule?� Isaac asked.

�Umm�yeah,� Zac said. �And I think its crap�no offense here, Don Juan, but I�ve seen some of the people you date and I�d wait two days to call them too.�

Taylor burst out laughing. �Dude, that was harsh.�

�But true!� Zac defended.

�OK, so the one from Norway was kind of a fashion victim�but that�s been over for a long time.�

�Kind of? You do not wear jeans and a skirt at the same time. You just don�t!� Taylor cried.

�But I broke up with her, did I not?� Isaac fought.

�Thank god,� Zac said. �But anyway, going back to the main point here. I�m not waiting two days to call Mara. It�s not a first call deal. We�ve seen each other before.�

�It doesn�t matter!� Isaac said. �Two days!�

The guys had managed to lug their stuff upstairs and banter at the same time and it was when they reached their individual rooms that Taylor made the final call on the debate.

�Zac, listen. If you�ve slept with her, call right away. If not, wait a day. Not two like Rico Suave over there, OK?�

�K,� Zac said as he headed into his room.

�Dammit,� Taylor cried.

�I know!� Isaac said. �I thought you were gonna get some info from him!�

�Me too! I tried at least, right?� Tay said.

�Yep. You tried. Now what about your girlfriend?� Isaac asked.

�I�m gonna go call her right now,� Taylor said. He went into his room and dropped all his stuff on the floor and headed for his cordless phone. He grabbed it and picked it up to dial from the line he, Zac, and Isaac share. Instead of a dial tone, he was greeted with a female voice.

�I�m glad you called,� she said.

�Well, Isaac tried to get me to do the two-day thing, but Tay set the rules straight,� Zac said.

�Good for Taylor. I miss you already.�

Taylor hung up the phone and opened his bedroom door. When he reached Isaac�s room, he knocked and walked in.

�Hey Isaac?�

�What�s up?�

�Zac got lucky,� Taylor said.

�No shit�how do you know?�

�Cause I picked up the phone to call Nat and he was on it. With his chick.�

�Nice. We�ve taught him well,� Isaac said.

�Yeah we have. I think I�m just gonna drive over to Nat�s since I have no idea how long loverboy�s gonna be on that phone.�

�K. Drive safely,� Isaac said.

�Always the big brother, aren�t we?� Taylor said, rolling his eyes.

�You know it.�