Joan bounded down the steps tying her hair back into a ponytail. "We're going to be late," Luke said.
Will Girardi tossed Joan the keys. "You have your license," he said. "I trust you to get you and your brother to school on time and to get home."
"Great," Joan said. "But I'm going to take a detour."
"Where?" Helen Girardi asked.
"I'm going to the woods and set Luke free and hope he doesn't find his way home."
Joan's oldest brother, Kevin laughed, wheeling himself into the kitchen. "And if you don't come home?" he asked.
"Luke ate me," Joan said.
Luke looked at his parents. "Have another kid to back me up," he replied.
Helen looked at Luke and smiled at him. "Joan, Kevin, leave your brother alone," she said.
"Thank you," Luke said.
"Leave yourself a trail so you can find your way back to the house," she said.
"Mom!"
"Just in case she does take you out and leave you."
"Dad," Luke replied turning to his father. He crossed his arms. "Are you going to gang up on me, too?"
"No," Will said. "You're a genius. You'll figure out someway to get home."
Luke threw his hands up and turned and opened the door and walked out to the car. Joan realized that she was laughing so hard that she was crying. She wiped the tears away and walked out and climbed into the car. Luke turned away from her.
"We were just joking," she said.
"Sometimes you guys take it too far," he replied.
"I'm sorry," she said, feeling guilty. She jammed the key into the ignition and drove to the high school.