Chapter 31
"Let me know if you can come today," Jake told Sam before they left her.
"Okay, but I doubt it," Sam responded.
Jake nodded and followed his brothers.
"So, what's with the blond comment?" Bryan asked Jake.
"She thinks that boys don't like her because she's not blond," Jake answered.
"What?" Quinn yelped. "Where would she get that idea?"
"Maybe from your blond harem," Jake retorted.
"I'll make room for Sammy," Quinn teased.
Jake gave him a look which had his brothers laughing.
"So, did you convince that kid not to mess with Sammy again?" Bryan asked Jake.
"Yeah," Jake nodded with a grin.
"I bet he saw his life pass before his eyes," Quinn laughed.
"Dunno, but I think he wet his pants," Jake told them.
Bryan clapped Jake on the shoulder. "Way to go, little man. He'll think twice before he lifts Sammy's skirt again."
Quinn got a funny look on his face. Both Bryan and Jake gave him a look.
"Nothin'," Quinn was laughing.
"Oh come on, you have to tell us now," Bryan told his twin.
"When you said that about Sammy's skirt, all I could think of was only Jakey's allowed to lift her skirt," Quinn said between chuckles.
Jake colored which made both twins laugh. He didn't completely understand what they were getting at, but he knew his brothers and knew it couldn't be good.
"You'll understand better next year, Jakey," Bryan nudged him with his elbow.
"Why, what's next year?" Jake wondered.
"Sex education," Quinn grinned. "The great part of being a sixth grader."
Having older brothers, Jake knew some things but not the specifics. He knew Adam had girly magazines hidden in the barn. He knew Kit locked himself in his room with his girlfriend sometimes when his parents hadn't gotten home from work yet. Jake could hear moaning when he walked by on the way to his room. It sounded painful and Jake wasn't sure he wanted anything to do with it if it was.
He didn't say any of this out loud. Quinn and Bryan would tease him about it until he was old and gray if he did.
Living on a ranch, he had seen animals breeding but couldn't equate that with humans. He didn't want to. Jake gave a slight shudder as he tried to erase it from his mind.
All he knew now is that Sam had gotten into trouble and probably wouldn't be allowed to spend his birthday with him. Jake was upset about it, but there wasn't anything he could do to change it.
Not spending one birthday with his best friend wouldn't kill him, but he was surprised how much it bothered him. Jake didn't dig any deeper to determine why it did. He wasn't sure he'd like the answer.
The phone was ringing when the three of them walked through the door. Quinn went answer it.
"Hullo?" he said into the phone.
"I can't come tonight," Sam told him.
"Sorry to hear that, Sammy," Quinn responded. "Do you want to talk to Jake?"
Quinn looked at Jake who was frowning.
"I can't," Sam murmured. "I'm grounded and can't talk on the phone. I just wanted him to know. Bye."
"Bye Sammy," Quinn hung up the phone. "She's grounded."
"I figured," Jake gave a long-suffering sigh and headed for his room.
"He looks like he's just lost his best friend," Quinn said to his twin.
"He kinda did," Bryan responded. "Well, until she's allowed out of the house, anyway."
"Gosh, did you see her clock that kid?" Quinn was grinning.
"Then go after him again after Jake pulled her off," Bryan laughed.
"I hate that she got into trouble, but she was great," Quinn laughed with his twin.
"Did us proud," Bryan agreed.