Watermelon Wishes

Chapter 1

"I really hope you don't regret this," Ellen Templen said as Evey finished packing her blue Subaru.

Evey sighed. She wished that just for once, her big sister could show some enthusiasm and most of all, support. Evey would settle for even just an ounce of spunk. How could one go through life without any spirit for adventure?

"I won't," Evey said, determined to leave Los Angeles on a positive note. "I promise. And just in case I do, I'll remember that you said -"

"I told you so," Ellen finished solemnly.

Evey wished that her big sister was joking but she knew better. The only two children of their parents, Ellen had inherited Neal Markham's sensible yet stick-in-the-mud ways while Evey was blessed with their mother, Willa's free-spirited and jovial nature. Evey smiled as she put a box of road-trip edible goodies on the passenger seat. Her parents were such an odd match. But in their own wacky way, it seemed to work for them. She really missed them now that they were both gone. At thirty-two, she felt very much like a young orphan whenever she thought about it. She shook her head and stood. Positivity only.

Ellen was watching her from the sidewalk.

"I still think the smart move would have been to sublet your apartment for six months. If it doesn't work out, Dave and I just don't have the room," Ellen said. "And you know, you really should allow Dave to invest your money for you rather than spending it frivolously. He's good at what he does for a reason."

Evey took a deep breath. They'd gone over this a million times. She reached back into her car and retrieved a banana sitting on top of her goodie box, she walked over to her sister and handed it to her.

"I'm going to miss you like crazy, El," she said, giving her a hug. Ellen awkwardly embraced her. Like their father, Ellen never was comfortable with affection.

"You wrote something? I can't believe you're still doing this with bananas," she said, her hand on her hip, holding the banana in front of her like it might explode. "This is what worries me. You still have the tendency to act like a little kid."

Evey wanted to roll her eyes. Her sister had never acted like a little kid, even when she was one! Instead she smoothed Ellen's short blond wiry curls. Along with personalities, the sisters had also inherited their respective parents' looks. Evey and Ellen couldn't be any more different and often had a hard time convincing people they were sisters.

Ellen shook her head. "My hair is fine. Unlike your schedule, if you don't hurry." She cleared her throat. "You know, if you're still going through with this crazy plan of yours."

Evey knew that despite her sister's harsh exterior, she really loved her. They just had polar opposite ways of showing it. Polar bear opposite, their mother would have said.

Evey kissed her on the cheek and pressed her apartment key into Ellen's hand. Ellen had agreed to send it in to the apartment manager once Evey had cleared out her cramped studio, cleaned it and locked up. Which she had been more than happy to do. To start a new life.

She jumped into the driver's seat of the Subaru and rolled down the passenger window.

"Bye, El. I love you! I'll call you as soon as I'm settled in the hotel," Evey shouted towards the sidewalk as she started the car.

Ellen nodded and moved closer. "Be careful, Evey." She waved the key in the air. "You know, pie-in-the-sky dreams rarely work out. If you get there and you realize this was a bad idea, I'm sure your apartment manager will let you come back if you call soon enough."