9:43 a.m.

"Go back to sleep!" Elizabeth called out, grimacing at the pounding on her door. She looked over at her clock. Wow, it's later than I expected. I must really be exhausted—I slept 12 hours straight.

"No! Get up sleepyhead! Let me in!" Julie tried to persuade her older sister. "I brought breakfast!"

Elizabeth drug her body out of bed, weary from working with the kids the entire week. She opened the door to an enthusiastic face. "You are sort of like a yippie dog, you know."

"Well, you're like an old hound, snoring the day away! Let's eat and then go to the pool!"

Elizabeth looked at her sister, a serious expression on her face. "You woke me up so I would go out to the backyard with you? You're kidding, right?"

"Oh sweet Bethie. No! Not our pool! I want to go to the Club pool!"

"I don't know why you want to go to that place all of the time. Our pool is much nicer and it's in our back yard."

"Please Bethie! You know I can't drive yet and you're the only one that can take me," Julie handed Elizabeth a plate of bacon and eggs.

"Did you cook this?"

"No, of course not! I don't know how to cook. You and Mom are the pros in the kitchen. You sit here and eat and I'll go get my suit on. We can lay out and catch up today before I leave next week! Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

Elizabeth grimaced again as her perky sister left the room. "Yes, sounds wonderful." The sarcasm was heavy in her voice.

10:15 a.m.

"You never answered my question. Why do you like coming here so much Julie?" Elizabeth pulled a lounge chair under an umbrella, the summer sun already blazing.

Julie was in another world, so Elizabeth followed her gaze. She looked out across the pool and realized quickly why Julie liked coming to the Country Club pool.

"Who is he?" Elizabeth asked curtly.

"Hmm?"

"Who is that blonde guy over there that you're ogling?"

Julie's cheeks blazed as bright as her auburn curls as she replied haughtily. "Ogling? I'm not ogling. But that's Tommy. He's a lifeguard here. He's really nice."

"Tommy, eh? Does Tommy have a last name?"

"Uhm, I don't know. I haven't really ever talked to him."

Elizabeth immediately halted her sunscreen application and looked over at Julie. "You mean to tell me I've been bringing you to this God-forsaken pool all summer and you haven't so much as spoken a word to this boy?"

Julie grinned shyly.

"What's come over you? You're never nervous around guys—gosh, you have them falling all over you most of the time! Who is he?"

"Well, Jessica said that she heard that his Brother is the manager here and was a lifeguard the past two summers. He got Tommy a job this summer. She said their Dad was the cop that was killed on duty a couple of years ago by a drunk driver."

"Oh, that's terrible. It sounds like they're really hard workers. I guess they probably have to be."

"I've seen his Brother around too—he keeps everyone in line. And he's every bit as attractive as Tommy. Maybe he's here today." Julie raised her eyebrows quickly at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her little sister. "I'm going off to college this fall and I will not be carrying along a high school boyfriend."

Julie giggled. "But a little summer dalliance wouldn't hurt, would it?"

"Spoken from the girl who's spent her summer looking at a boy she's never spoken to."

"I've spoken to him! He brought me my sunglasses once when I accidentally left them on another chair." Julie's smile told Elizabeth she knew exactly where her glasses had been.

"Well, today there will be no accidents. You will meet him today if it's the last thing I do this summer!"

11:36 a.m.

Elizabeth purposefully swam into Tom's area, beckoning her sister to join her. Julie was trying to send all sorts of messages to her sister without words, begging her to stop embarrassing her. They were going unheeded. Julie at last gave in and started swimming to her sister.

Elizabeth pulled herself up onto the edge of the pool, only a few feet separating her from Tom's stand.

"Hi there, I haven't seen you here before," he soon spoke.

Surprised by his words, Elizabeth looked up at him. He had very piercing blue eyes. "Oh hi! Yes, I've been working a lot this summer, but my sister insisted we come over today." She motioned to her 16-year-old sister to join them, which she did, albeit awkwardly. "This is Julie."

"Oh yes, I recognize you for sure! Sunglasses right?!"

Julie blushed madly. Elizabeth thought she detected a little embarrassment in Tom's face as well after he let the words slip out.

"Yes, that was me," Julie finally answered him. "Thank you again."

"You're very welcome." He smiled warmly at her. "Where do you girls go to school?"

Since Julie's eyes were still searching the ground, Elizabeth spoke up. "We go to Morgan Park. Well, I just graduated and Julie will be a junior this fall."

Tommy's voice rose, "Oh, private school girls! I should have expected as much with the Country Club membership."

Elizabeth was trying to decide whether he had meant for that to come out like it did, as his words were stinging, but his demeanor was jolly.

"What do you mean by that? I'm actually going to UIC in the fall." Her tone was accusing and she didn't appreciate being lumped in with all of the other hoity-toity members of the club. And though she had been accepted to many Ivy League Universities, she had been thrilled to stay close to home at the public University in the fall.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. You seem very nice. You both do," he looked over to Julie. "It's just that most of the private school girls that come through here never even speak to us, much less thank us for anything."

"It's okay. We just don't like being grouped with all of those girls. Julie here is actually really friendly and is usually the life of the party!" She nudged her unusually-quiet sister. "I don't know what's gotten into her today!"

"Oh ya? Well maybe we'll have to hang out sometime. My brother says that about me all of the time!" Tommy chuckled and his eyes told Elizabeth that he indeed was capable of mischief.

12:10 p.m.

Jarrick checked his watch. Tom is late for his break. Again. He scanned the towers to see what was detaining him, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, and knowing he doesn't wear a watch. He grinned as he realized his brother had good reason this time. And two of them in fact. Such a ladies' man.

He ran his hands through his hair and put on his sunglasses. He stepped into his flip-flops, knowing how hot the concrete gets in the sun and started walking towards them.

Tommy was chatting with two girls, each sitting in the shade of his umbrella at the side of the pool. They looked remarkably similar, especially from a distance. When they stood, he could tell that one was several inches taller than the other. Maybe sisters? Definitely very beautiful. I think you're in way over your head this time little brother.

"What stories are you telling these nice ladies about me, Tommy?"

12:15 p.m.

Elizabeth turned to see a very handsome guy walking up to them dressed in bright red trunks just like Tommy. She stood up a little straighter and fussed with her curls, trying to flatten them into her ponytail. Wow. She diverted her eyes sheepishly from his bare skin, willing her cheeks to stop blushing.

"Hey Jarrick! I was just telling these lovely ladies how you think I'm such a fun guy! Ladies, meet my less-attractive big brother!" he laughed.

Jarrick smiled at his brother and shook his head. "Yes, the life of the party, but a terrible worker! You were due at the concession stand 15 minutes ago. Get your butt in there before I fire you!" he teased. "I'll cover for you out here since you'll be late getting back."

"That's mighty kind of ya!" Elizabeth watched as Tommy gave his brother a swat on the backside as he walked away. "Say, Jarrick." He turned to Elizabeth. "This is Emily, right?" He looked at her questioningly but didn't give her a chance to correct him. "She's headed to UIC in a couple of weeks just like you! You guys should chat!" Tom scurried off quickly to his next post, his feet burning from the concrete. "Nice to meet you both!" he called out over his shoulder.

Jarrick's eyes met Elizabeth's. "That so? Nice to meet you, Emily."

"It's Elizabeth actually."

"I'm sorry, my brother is terrible with names. I hope you won't fault me for it." His eyes were warm and friendly and his dimples formed deep creases in his cheeks.

Elizabeth was pretty sure there was no fault to be found anywhere with this guy. Julie was right. They are both very attractive. Elizabeth didn't manage to get any additional words out before they were interrupted by another employee who needed Jarrick's attention.

"I'm so sorry ladies. Please excuse me." The other lifeguard took over the post as Jarrick returned to the office.

Elizabeth was actually grateful for the interruption, as she was growing rather hot and welcomed the coolness of the water as she slipped back into the pool.

Julie suddenly started laughing. "See, now you know why I had such a hard time talking when they were around!"

1:22 p.m.

"Are you hungry?"

"Did you hear my stomach growling?" Elizabeth laughed.

"Yes, and mine is too. I was really hoping we might get to chat with Tommy and Jarrick again before we leave, but I don't think I can hold off any longer."

They gathered their towels and their bags and headed for the locker rooms.

Julie and Elizabeth showered and got themselves presentable in the locker room. They both spent a little longer than they normally would, silently hoping to see the brothers they'd just met earlier.

"Oh Elizabeth, where'd you get that? I'll definitely be stealing that one from you!" Julie admired the cobalt blue off-the-shoulder dress that her sister was sliding over her body. "The smocked neckline is very, very flattering."

Elizabeth smiled, suddenly a little more glad that she had picked the dress today in particular. "You know me well, Sister. I'll give you one guess where I got it."

"I should have known. Anthro?" Julie knew her Sister's style very well and often found herself borrowing from her closet, as long as the item wasn't too long for her. She hadn't been blessed with Elizabeth's long legs. She slipped into a green halter top and some white shorts, looking every bit as adorable as Elizabeth.

"You have such great style too, Jules. If those shorts were a little longer, I'd be stealing them too. I think they'd look like underwear on my stick legs though!" she laughed as she bent to put on her gladiator sandals.

"Bethie, I'd gladly trade you the shorts for your long legs!" She stepped into some flip-flops and the two were on their way.

1:48 p.m.

Jarrick and Tommy emerged from the office and quickly scanned the pool for the sisters they'd just met. Though Jarrick wouldn't admit it, he was a little bit disappointed that they didn't see them.

"What I wouldn't give for one more glimpse of those girls!" Tommy had always been one to speak his mind, even if it occasionally got him in trouble.

Jarrick grinned out of one side of his mouth. "I barely got to talk to them at all, and all I learned was that I'd called her the wrong name. .. Actually you called her the wrong name. Her name was Elizabeth, not Emily. What was her Sister's name?"

"Julie. She comes pretty often, but I'd never seen her sister before. We'd never spoken until a couple of weeks ago when she left her sunglasses over by me and I returned them to her. After hearing today that she's usually not shy, I'm wondering if she might've done it on purpose." He winked at his brother. "Maybe I'll get another chance if she comes in again. She's downright beautiful. Elizabeth too."

Tommy and Jarrick sat down at the front station and laughed at the whole notion of dating sisters until Jarrick's eyes grew large and he suddenly sat up straight and kicked Tommy into silence. "Looks like you might be getting your wish, buddy!"

1:55 p.m.

The two watched as Elizabeth and Julie emerged from the locker rooms, looking entirely different than they had just a couple of hours before.

Jarrick's eyes could scarcely believe his luck as he watched Elizabeth walk past, chattering with her sister. Neither had noticed the guys sitting in the quiet station. Elizabeth's dress swung lightly in the breeze, flitting about her long legs. The top of the dress clung to her upper arms, leaving her shoulders and upper back bare. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and Jarrick found himself admiring her much more than he should have been. You've barely met her. Get a hold of yourself. He couldn't even muster a 'goodbye' or a 'thank you for coming.'

Tommy finished his assessment of Julie's outfit and quickly broke himself from his musing. "Have a good afternoon ladies!"

Elizabeth and Julie both gasped and spun around. Then they burst into lighthearted laughter at their own fright, only slightly embarrassed. Jarrick and Tommy joined them in their laughter.

"Didn't mean to scare ya! We just wanted you to know that you're welcome to come back any time you like." Tommy flashed his signature grin, complete with dimples that matched his brother's. Jarrick's were on display too, as he tried to figure out what he could say to convince them to stay and chat for a minute.

He summoned all the courage in his body. "I imagine you guys have a schedule to keep, but Tommy and I are off in…" he checked his watch, "in about 30 minutes. Don't suppose you'd let us buy you ice cream or something before we head home?"

Julie's eyes flashed with elation as she glanced over at Elizabeth. "Can we Elizabeth, please?" she whispered, knowing that her sister held their fate in her hands.

"We'd love to, but I'm afraid we're starving and I have something else planned at 5, so it would have to be quick. We were already thinking we'd head to Big & Little's since it's nearby. Maybe you can meet us there?"

"That works for us, doesn't it Jarrick?" He turned to his brother with anticipation.

Jarrick nodded his approval, still in disbelief of his luck. "It's a plan. We'll change and head your way as soon as we can."

2:45 p.m.

Jarrick and Tommy entered the restaurant and quickly located the girls. Jarrick was pleased to see that they were sitting facing one another. Maybe I'll even get to sit next to her.

"Hey ladies, you looking for some company?" Tommy joked as they approached the table.

"Only if you're looking to supply it!" Julie chimed with a grin, suddenly finding her confidence. "Here, let me move over with Bethie so you guys can sit down."

"That's not necessary. I don't mind sitting with her!" Jarrick hoped his response didn't come out as desperate as it sounded in his head. In any case, both girls scooted further into the booth and didn't seem to mind their new seatmates.

They had already ordered their lunch and were nearly finished with it by the time the waitress brought the guys their drinks. "You boys like to order something?"

"We've already had lunch, but how about a basket of truffle fries? Jarrick and I can't come here without getting those every time."

3:15 p.m.

Conversation flowed easily between the four, keeping the exchange mostly light and non-specific. Elizabeth and Julie had learned early-on to avoid using their last name in conversation, nor to mention anything about their Father's business if they wanted to maintain any sense of normalcy in the interaction.

Tommy was accustomed to being around girls all of the time, and he seemed completely at ease sitting by such a beautiful girl. Jarrick, on the other hand, found that he was more than a little distracted by the gorgeous girl sitting next to him. She had brushed her smooth leg against his inadvertently while crossing them under the table and both had flushed a little bit. Then, while attempting to grab his napkin, he had grabbed her hand as she reached to retrieve one for him. A mixture of hope and fear had collided in his chest. Should I ask for her number? Would that be too presumptuous of me?

Elizabeth enjoyed the friendly banter and was having a nice time. But why did he have to come into my life right now, disrupting my neat and orderly world? In a couple of months' time, I will be heading off to college, and what then?

4:00 p.m.

The chirping of Elizabeth's phone startled her. "Oh goodness. Julie, we've got to go! I'm meeting Devin at 5 and I've got to get you home first." She didn't take time to explain that Devin was her 21-year-old cousin, who was taking her for a tour of UIC that evening.

Julie's disappointment was apparent on her face. But not as apparent was the displeasure on Jarrick's, which he quickly masked with his hand. Who's Devin? Of course a girl like her would already have a boyfriend. He rolled his eyes at himself.

Elizabeth laid $40 down on the table. "This should more than cover everything, including your all's fries and drinks, with a good amount for a tip if my calculations are correct. I do apologize that we have to leave so abruptly. Time just got away from us!"

Jarrick tried to persuade her to take the money back and to let him pay for their lunch, but the girls refused. "No, it's our treat. We had a great time! Thank you for joining us," Julie called out as the girls walked away.

9:35 p.m.

Elizabeth returned home and ran up the stairs and let herself into Julie's room. The walls were still pink, painted that way when Julie was a young girl. Elizabeth marveled at how the color still very much represented her bubbly little sister.

Julie exited the restroom in her pajamas. "Bethie! You scared me! How was your tour with Devin? Were his friends cute?"

"Is that all you think about Jules?" Elizabeth chided.

"The boring stuff is all… well, boring. I want to know about the interesting stuff!"

Elizabeth laughed and nodded. "Yes, we had a great time. I really enjoyed myself and I'm looking forward to starting classes in six weeks. I think it will definitely be interesting… Speaking of interesting, the summer's almost over, little Sister. You better be beckoning some courage from somewhere if you want anything to happen with that Tommy kid."

Julie giggled. "It's funny because Jessica and I have been plotting all summer, but I have to say we made more progress today in one day than we have all summer long. Turns out I should have been using you for my wingman this whole time! It's too bad he doesn't go to our school," she moaned. "I'm leaving Monday for the advanced acting program at Northlight again and won't be back until school starts again. I'll probably never see Tommy again…" her voice trailed off.

Julie traced her finger around her lips, deep in thought. "It's too bad that you didn't get Jarrick's number." She looked over at her sister with a wink.

"Hardly. He probably wouldn't have even wanted it. Guys like that don't give two cents about girls like me, Julie. Unless they know our last name… And he doesn't," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Girls like you? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know, plain. Nice. Smart." Elizabeth wasn't bragging—she was proud of her intelligence because she had worked hard for it. But she had, on more than one occasion, been told that she was intimidating.

"But you'll have all of next year too, Bethie! Maybe you'll run into him!" Julie erupted into an excited squeal.

The idea was not lost on Elizabeth but she was realistic. "There are about 30,000 students at UIC. It's a very large campus. I seriously doubt we'll ever see each other at all."

The warm, summery days continued to pass, one-by-one. The memory of their lunch in the diner soon passed too, replaced by fickle Julie's theater friends and activities and practical Elizabeth's busy schedule working at summer camp.

They both enjoyed their days immensely and forged ahead toward new things without much thought of the young men at the pool.