It was turning fall and the leaves cluttered Charwood Street as Jess looked up into the sky. He was looking at the clouds that gathered above as he waited for his brother Jorgie to catch up with him. They had been down the street when their mother called for them. It was time to go home. The days were getting shorter and soon, night would fall even before suppertime.

“Hurry up, Jorgie”, said Jess, “You don’t want Mom to ground us, do you?”

Jorgie just pedaled the same and rolled his eyes at his brother, whom he considered to be too uptight for his own good. At home, their mom would be waiting with supper on the table. Jess hit the driveway first and let his bike fall in the grass next to the car. Jorgie followed suit. Jorgie ran across the porch to get to the door with his brother. Jess had not gotten the door opened the first try and Jorgie ran in to him crushing him against it.

“Dang, Jorgie. You almost killed me!” Jorgie grinned slyly and shrugged. Jess sized up the situation and decided to save his payback for later. He tried the big brass latch again and this time it worked.

As they opened the big red front door to their house, yellow light came invitingly from the kitchen and the warm inside air carried the smell of something good to their noses. Jess ran to the table excitedly, as he was starving. He sat down in his chair to wait.

“Uh, uh, Mister”, his mother said as she shot him a look, “you need to go wash those hands! Where is your brother?”

Jess looked around, but Jorgie was not in sight. He had been slow to get to the table and heard Jess get it. He was already in the bathroom washing his hands. Jess scowled and got up from the table. His sisters tittered from the other side of the table.

“Shut up!” he growled.

“Jesse Taylor!” his mother said sharply,”you better get your little behind in there and wash those hands!”

Jess snubbed his tormentors with a “humph” went to the bathroom to find his brother.