Sorry for the long wait, computer virus + other complications. Enjoy!
"Now shake hands on it." Darrel commanded his sons as he finished his lecture on not letting the little things get in the way of friendship/siblingship.
"Wait Daddy!" Jean cut in, having heard the last minute of the lecture. "You should make them hug instead. It's more of a punishment and it's more friendly."
Jonathan and Meredith looked at her with aghast expressions of 'don't do this to me'.
Darrel, however, appeared thoughtful. "You make a good point, Jeannie." He motioned for his daughter to take the lead.
Jean wasted no time. She took hold of one of Meredith's arms and lifted it up. "Hold," she ordered. Taking his other arm she positioned it at the opposite angle to the other. Satisfied with her first brother she turned to Jonathan. She moved his arms to the same positions but opposite to Meredith's. Finished she stepped back to admire her handiwork.
Meredith scowled at Jean and she was pretty sure he was going to be mad at her for the next half hour before Jonathan slapped him on the back of the head and they'd be fine again. For his part Jonathan didn't seem to mind as much. Besides, Jean figured this was ample payback for ambushing her this morning while she was sleeping in! Abruptly Jean shoved them together harshly from their backs.
The two brother narrowly avoided headbutting and their chests thumped together forcefully.
"Now hug." Jean grinned.
Meredith delivered his sister another glare but nonetheless complied, placing his forearms against Jonathan's back as his brother did likewise.
"No, no!" Jean started. "You have to squeeze just a little. Hmm... I suppose that'll work. Hug like you mean it, Meredith!"
"I don't mean it!" Meredith snapped.
"Hey!" Jonathan mumbled.
"Pretend!" Jean ordered. She circled around to see Jonathan better. "Pretend you're hugging Mars, Jonathan."
"What does that mean?" Jonathan questioned, exasperated.
"Just do it." Jean commanded sternly.
Unsure Jonathan shifted his arms more tightly around Meredith's back, hoping to appease his sister. Thankfully it worked.
"Good, good. Stand closer, okay. Meredith, left arm higher."
"For goodness sake, Jean!" Meredith nearly shouted, lowering his voice as he remembered his mouth was right next to his brother's ear. "It's just a hug."
"Just a hug!" Jean exclaimed, hand fluttering over-dramatically to her heart. "It's never just a hug."
"Uh, guys?" Jonathan cut in. "Are we done here?"
"No," Jean responded quickly. "You have to hold it for thirty seconds."
"We've been standing here for five minutes already!" Meredith complained, though he didn't release his brother for fear of his sister's wrath.
"Only three, Mer, and it's thirty seconds of the correct hugging." Jean explained.
Meredith snorted and opened his mouth to retort.
Jonathan lifted one hand from Meredith's back and slapped him lightly on the back of the head. "7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12..."
"Fine." Meredith muttered. "Why thirty seconds?"
"It's the standard minimum for make-up hugs." Jean informed him seriously.
"Ohhhh, and where did you get that fact?" Meredith sneered.
"Well, obviously." Jean began. "From the book How to Hug."
"And who wrote that, Jane Doe!"
"Mer!" Jonathan snapped.
"What!"
"Ten more seconds. I'd still like to be able to hear out of my right ear."
Meredith mumbled something incoherent but quieted, mercifully. As soon as the thirty seconds was done Meredith jerked away from Jonathan and bolted before Jean could tell them what to do after a hug.
Mars, who had been laying by the steps during the whole event, at once took Meredith's vacated space and leaped onto Jonathan. Thankfully the boy was able to catch him, though just barely. Jonathan grunted as he caught him, the dog was not small nor light and then was bombarded with Mars' tongue.
"Ach, Mars!" Jonathan turned his face away from the large, slobbery tongue. The action only served to make Mars lick his neck. "Mars... Stop!" Jonathan ordered the dog, laughing as the rough tongue tickled him.
With a devilish grin Jean praised Mars and rubbed him vigorously behind his ears, which saved Jonathan. "At least Mars knows how to hug!"
"He does?"
"Of course he does, Jonathan! The hug is supposed to make a person smile. And Mars did it!"
