A couple weeks later the family was getting ready to head for New York where they were scheduled to stay until the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. That would give them time to get back, get unpacked and have one day to rest before heading to Diana's sisters house for the yearly pigging out with extended family that always took place on the third Thursday in November. Taylor's mood had increasingly improved until he was downright jovial now. Isaac was glad as he now had his brother back and he was ripe for antagonizing.Chapter 7 Isaac and Zac both had taken particular pleasure lately in teasing Taylor about his role as president of the He-Man-Woman-Haters-Club. Strangely enough, Taylor had really stuck to it this time. He had taken no pleasure in the advances of the sales girl at Gadzooks who had gloriously noticed how big his feet were as she gave him a pair of cranberry colored boots to try on. The boots he favored were practically indestructable, but for some reason the right one always seemed to wear out faster than the left.
"Thirteen?!" she had asked. "Looks bigger than that to me."
"No," he had replied. "I'm pretty sure we're talking thirteen here." He had said dryly, hoping to end this before it started.
"Oh. Must be the pants." And she went back to the stockroom. As soon as she was out of earshot, Isaac and Zac had burst into laughter and high fives. Taylor's face was a shade just a tad lighter than the leather of the boots.
"Do not encourage her!" he hissed.
When she had returned Isaac said, "Don't waste your time on him. He's decided he's having nothing to do with women anymore."
She stuck out her bottom lip and looked at him. "Oh, turned to the dark side, have we?"
At that, Isaac and Zac laughed til their sides ached but Taylor would not join in. "I hope you all are having plenty of fun at my expense."
"Well," she said to the other two, "he is the prettiest of you three, but what a great gene pool you got there. You all come see me next time you need anything." And she turned and walked away assuming she'd lost the sale but maybe gained a future date or two.
Zac looked at Taylor as if he had 3 heads. "What, Zac?! Stop looking at me!"
"Tay, you will buy those shoes whether you like them or not!"
As she had given him his change she had included her phone number. Isaac and Zac had been told by Taylor that he'd buy them, but only if they left the store. He thanked her but asked if she'd mind if he gave her number to his older brother. "No problem." She'd said. "You hang in there, it always gets better."
Something made him feel like she knew what she was talking about.
Back Index Next