"Those are NOT the rules." Lucas said.
"Yes, they are!" Dustin replied.
"Not the ones we talked about, no!" Mike defended.
"What are you talking about? What did we talk about?" Dustin tried.
"Guys…" Will said, trying to calm the fight.
"Hey, hey, hey, what's going on down here?" Jonathan said, coming down the basement stairs.
"Stupid rules…" Will answered.
"Is Dustin making up rules again?"
"That's exactly what's going on." Lucas said.
"And we talked about this, Dus." Mike started. "Once we change the rules, we can't go back."
"And rules aren't rules if you break em'! We can't keep changing them all the time. And I don't even remember we changed it. Did we change it? "
"Yeah! My god, Dustin, please focus." Mike said.
Their constant little fights amused Jonathan a lot. He knew his brother was more the pacific kind. Will got the hint his big brother was there to pick him up so he gave him a smile and started gathering his things.
"You can't go! The game isn't finished! We're not done here", Lucas said, surprised.
"Um…I can come back later, Will…" Jonathan suggested.
"No, it's fine. Come on, we can finish it on Friday, guys, at the cabin." He turned around to look at his brother. "Right?" he asked.
Jonathan nodded. "Right."
"Fine…" Lucas said, disappointed.
"Don't be so grumpy, you were winning anyway", Mike said to Lucas.
"Bye, guys. See ya tomorrow."
"Bye Will!" they all replied.
"Ok, guys, careful, remember your character's current position and keep the same cards. No cheating. K?" Mike ordered.
While the two brothers were walking their way upstairs, Will asked about the cabin.
"You said there would be enough room for everyone?"
"Sure, more than enough. Lonnie isn't going to use it anytime soon, so…"
"Hi,boys! Mrs. Wheeler greeted them on their way to the front door, once more working in the kitchen.
"Hi Mrs. Wheeler" Jonathan replied, politely.
"So, Will, you're in for a great week-end, aren't you?"
"Yeah! I can't wait."
"It'll do you good to get away for a little while, all the boys together. No parents!" She hushed the last part with a wink and a complicit gaze.
"And no girls!" Will answered with a huge smile.
"No girls? What's wrong with having girls around?" Nancy appeared out of nowhere in the kitchen, teasing Will.
"Not you, Nance. You're one of us!" Will said.
"Is that right?" She raised an eyebrow and took a glance towards Jonathan to try to guess what he was thinking of all this. But he quickly dropped his gaze to his brother when she made eye contact.
"Yeah. You wanna come?" Will replied simply.
"Uh…"
"Will, she's probably busy, she doesn't wanna hang out with her little brother's friends …" Jonathan said.
"I…hum…no. I'm not." When she saw their lack of reaction, she realised she wasn't expressing herself correctly.
"I'm not… I mean I'm not busy. I won't be. It's this week-end, right?"
"Ya-huh" Will said, nodding.
"Fresh air would actually be nice…You're sure you don't mind me being there?" Nancy asked Jonathan.
"He offered." Jonathan said to her, looking down at Will while he stood behind him, his hands on his frail shoulders.
"I'd feel better", Mrs. Wheeler said, quietly, while whipping what looked like a cake frosting mix.
"Humm…well ok."
Jonathan raised his eyes to her, surprised, and smiled.
"Ok. Hum…We'll need an extra car, though..." Jonathan said.
"Oh…right." Nancy said, slightly apprehensive.
"It's ok; Jonathan, you can borrow Ted's van for the week-end. There'll be plenty of room for everybody." Mrs. Wheeler suggested.
"Really? Ok, thanks!"
"No problem."
"I'll bring the other boys over, 4 PM, we'll switch cars and hit the road then and arrive just in time for dinner." He said to Nancy.
"Ok, good plan. So…I guess I'll see you on Friday, then."
"Yeah." Jonathan answered for the both of them. He wasn't really sure to whom she said that, his brother or himself or both…
"Bye guys, say hi to your mom for me." Mrs. Wheeler said.
"We will." Jonathan took one last glance at Nancy before leaving the kitchen for the front door.