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"Hey, Ike! Tay and I got ya something."
Isaac looked up suspiciously. He recognised that tone of voice.
"Yeah?" he asked warily.
Zac (with Taylor standing behind him with a video camera) thrust the wrapped box in his hands. Isaac opened it, not trusting them at all. When he discovered what it was, a million thoughts crossed his mind as to what to say. Then he guessed they wanted him to get frustrated. Well, well, he'd hate to disappoint them...
"Oh gee guys. Thanks. But I wish you have given them to me before I got Charlotte pregnant."
Taylor and Zac started at him incredulously for a moment. Then they burst out laughing.
"Good one Ike. You nearly had us going for a moment there." Taylor chuckled.
"What? You think I'm joking?" Isaac asked seriously.
They stared at him.
"Yeah, of course you are... aren't you?"
"Look, I'd rather not talk about it."
Isaac got up and left. When his back was turned, that's when he burst into smiles.
'Two can play at this game.' He thought as he prepared to e-mail Charlotte.
"You don't think..." whispered Zac to Taylor.
"Nah, I don't." Taylor hesitated. "No, he wouldn't. Would he?"
"You'd think he would have told us before..."
"Yeah."
"Maybe he's only told Mom and Dad."
"Maybe. Or maybe he's lying to us."
"Would he really?"
"And Charlotte, of all people, I don't know. I didn't think she was like that."
"Neither did I."
"Wait, what are we saying? Of course she isn't. Ike's not like that! He wouldn't ever do something like that."
Taylor and Zac looked at each other nervously.
"He looked so serious." Zac commented quietly.
"If he's lying, he should win an Oscar."