Corporate Contract
By the time Jake and Connor made it to Connor's house, his parents had already left the building. Zoe and Tyler had already eaten, leaving the two of them to scrounge for food in the kitchen. Connor cooked himself a full spaghetti dinner, boiling the pasta and cooking some hamburger from the fridge. Jake, on the other hand, was content to microwave some frozen chicken strips.
Tyler was up in his room, but Zoe was still downstairs in the living room. She was watching cartoons in front of the TV, with her stuffed bear in her lap.
"I supppose this means channel 67 is out of the question," Jake said with a sigh.
"Do you think she'll let us watch something else if we ask?" Connor asked, emphasizing his speech with his eyebrows to gesture that it wasn't actually a question.
"Hmmph. Hey, Zoe," Jake asked, walking over to crouch down next to her, "Do you think Co- ahh, Jake and I could watch something else on the TV when you're done with this show?"
"Sure thing Mr. Connor's Boss!" she said, without looking away. Connor and Jake exchanged frantic looks with each other, while Zoe simply sat there, giving her bear an occasional hug.
"Ummm... Zoe... that's my boss," Jake said, pointing at Connor, who was still standing in the kitchen. "I'm your brother. You know that."
"Nuh-uh!" she said, standing up to walk into the kitchen. "Connor always cooks a real dinner, and he always smiles when he walks around the house. So you must be Connor," she said pointing at the real Connor. "You may have switched bodies, but you can't fool me!"
Jake glanced between Connor and Zoe. He was standing there dumbfounded, with his mouth slightly open; she was returning his confusing with a wide smile, as she rocked back and forth in a swaying motion, hugging her bear.
"Umm, Zoe, about that..."
Tyler was up in his room, but Zoe was still downstairs in the living room. She was watching cartoons in front of the TV, with her stuffed bear in her lap.
"I supppose this means channel 67 is out of the question," Jake said with a sigh.
"Do you think she'll let us watch something else if we ask?" Connor asked, emphasizing his speech with his eyebrows to gesture that it wasn't actually a question.
"Hmmph. Hey, Zoe," Jake asked, walking over to crouch down next to her, "Do you think Co- ahh, Jake and I could watch something else on the TV when you're done with this show?"
"Sure thing Mr. Connor's Boss!" she said, without looking away. Connor and Jake exchanged frantic looks with each other, while Zoe simply sat there, giving her bear an occasional hug.
"Ummm... Zoe... that's my boss," Jake said, pointing at Connor, who was still standing in the kitchen. "I'm your brother. You know that."
"Nuh-uh!" she said, standing up to walk into the kitchen. "Connor always cooks a real dinner, and he always smiles when he walks around the house. So you must be Connor," she said pointing at the real Connor. "You may have switched bodies, but you can't fool me!"
Jake glanced between Connor and Zoe. He was standing there dumbfounded, with his mouth slightly open; she was returning his confusing with a wide smile, as she rocked back and forth in a swaying motion, hugging her bear.
"Umm, Zoe, about that..."