Chapter 1

It was raining; hard. Not really very unusual for the season but still, one had to give it to Mother Nature to give a few surprises once in a while.

Ellie sighed. She knew she shouldn't be so anxious. It was rather illogical by now. Stepping away from the window, she turned her attention to the television across the room. Her room; her apartment; her stuff. Alone. She turned it off and went back to her seat under the window.

To think, six months ago I thought going far away after college would be nice. She thought. Ellie had just graduated from college a few months ago. She wanted to start a new life. Somewhere way away from the loud naggings of her shallow mother. ("Good God! Eleanor Beth, you've already graduated, and you still haven't got yourself a perspective husband!").

Her three younger siblings ("Ellie you HAVE to get me to speak with that hunk you call a chemistry partner." "Ellie you look different. Janine, and the rest of us are all blondes, you're the only brunette of the family. Are you adopted or something?" "Ellie, Kierkegaard and Voltaire are so not from the same genres. Eyes rolling you are such an idiot if you don't know that")

And her weird, middle-aged Casanova of an excuse of a father ("Ellie, that woman was a business associate… don't tell your mother I saw her though").

That's right. She told herself. I went here to get away from all that. I applied for this job because I wanted to retain the human left in me after 22 years in that house.

Ellie took a deep, nerve-calming breath.

I guess it doesn't make it easier that I feel homesick… and a little out of place.

One consolation she had was having her older sister nearby. A 20 minute drive wouldn't encumber Janine's sisterly instinct to drop in now and then. She lived a couple of miles away from Ellie's new apartment comfortably nestled in her posh condo in the middle of the city.

Janine had a flourishing business, selling art pieces and miscellaneous items from exotic cultures from around the world. She was totally independent now. Not a total surprise; Janine was absolutely perfect. She was beautiful with her long, wavy golden locks and willowy model stature. She looked like Aphrodite personified. She was also their mother's favorite, what with all the men Janie had falling at her feet. She skated through school smoothly, class president, captain of the cheerleading team, Dean's listed, sorority alpha, you name it. And she was in the Varsity Basketball team in the university.

All Ellie was in high school was Associate Editor in the school paper, being in the Soccer team and the Film Club. She was never voted for Homecoming Queen like Janie, she wasn't known for her fair looks and over-all niceness. She was known as the cynical, pessimistic and opinionated kid who wrote articles to get back at the world for being born (it was a phase). At college, she was in the President's list, she joined the debate team, hung out with music fanatics, dated a future rock star she later broke up with (he was too hung up in grass…), contributed to the campus journal, she went to most of the rallies the school organized occasionally and was invited to a sorority because her older sister was Janie.

Ellie gave another sigh, being jealous of Janine is NOT a very productive way to spend the time.

And yet she was at the window seat of her apartment contemplating the reasons why she missed out on the good family genes.

Her cell phone rang. Ellie had to smirk, speak of the devil.

It was Janine.

"Hey Janie," she greeted.

"Hi, Lenny. How're you doing?" Ellie grimaced. Ah, the dreaded nickname. How Ellie hated being called that. "I know how you get when the rain starts to pour. I thought you might like a good chat to disrupt your unfounded emo depression."

"Ha-ha, nice one." Ellie answered dryly. "Thanks for the thought. In fact I am a bit down today. But don't you dare repeat that name again."

Janine laughed a musical tinkling that fanned the flames of filial jealousy inside Ellie. She quickly put it out. "Anyway, the shops been a bit slow since this downpour started. The only person who came in was the delivery boy."

Ellie could tell Janine was scowling behind her phone; she didn't like the creepy delivery boy with the wandering eye.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But I did warn you about hiring that guy."

"Yeah you did, I know. How are you getting on with your new neighborhood?"

"Fine, in fact the girl living next door seems really nice. Her name's Charmaine. She lives alone too."

"Hmm, that's nice…," there was a pause. "Ellie?"

"What?"

"I need to ask a really big favor of you…" Janine started slowly. "You see, I sometimes get really posh, really rich customers over who come in and like what they see and they sort of empty the shop at times. Because, you know, they like what I sell. And these posh and rich people, they come back a few times a month to see what new items I get…."

"Yeah?" confused, Ellie knew Janine only spoke like this when she expected a not-so-good reaction.

"you see, when they come over—customers I mean—I like to befriend them and I like to take their contacts and stuff if I ever get a good artifact or painting I think would be perfect for them and I get a good network of acquaintances because of that and I like to get a few new friends who can get me new items for my shop and---"

"Janie, out with it." Ellie cut in. she felt a small stab of guilt for speaking sharply to her sister.

Janine didn't speak for a long while. Ellie thought she hung up and was about to call back and apologize when: "I met this guy. He's really awesome. So nice, so polite and SO HANDSOME! He came over about two months ago to inquire about a painting I made—you know, I told you about that one because I put in a different name—and he loved it."

Janine stopped. She drew a breath and, "he asked me to come to a party he's having. He asked if I could come and I said yes."

"Well that's great Janie!" Ellie exclaimed. She had a fleeting memory of their mother inquiring first and only if their suitors were rich. She was about to ask the same, out of habit but stopped herself in time and asked instead: "When? Where? What's his name? What's he like? Is he tall? Is he a hunk? Wait… What's the favor?"

"The party's this weekend, his name is James Bingley and yes to answer your unspoken question he has a rather fat wallet. He told me that if it made me more comfortable I could bring two friends with me."

"And you're thinking to drag me along." Ellie rolled her eyes. For all the perfection her sister possessed, she was interminably shy. "What can I say to turn you down?"

"Oh Ellie, please!" Janine pleaded. "I need someone to be with me there. I don't know any of those he might have for guests. If you were there I wouldn't feel so out of place."

"Did you say he was rich? No way! If you can't handle pompously rich crowds, I won't be any better."

"But—"

"No, we've seen our share of mansion owners and jet plane hobbyists. Just look at the neighborhood we grew up in. If we didn't live in the country with sprawling lawns and animals strolling along, our mother wouldn't have married Dad. I'm tired of the posh and elegant. I thought you were too."

"Ellie, please just for one night. You can bring a friend of your own. He said two guests. PLEASE!!"

Elle wanted to give in; she hadn't seen people, actually sane people not over-anxious-collegiate people, in a really long time.

"Great! Awesome! I'll come over around Wednesday afternoon and we'll have ourselves a shopping trip."

"What?!?"

"See you!"

"No, I said nothing! I didn't say I would go!"

"Bye!" and Janine abruptly hung up.

Ellie blew an exasperated breath. She was too slow!!!!

Dammit.

"Well, this one looks nice doesn't it?"

Ellie scowled behind a fashion magazine she was holding. Janine tried out 3 different outfits at each store they went to today. Each and every garment looked stunning on her.

"They all looked nice, haven't you got an idea of what you want to look like when this Charles sees you? That may help our search. I kinda liked you in that dark violet number two stores back."

"Well thank you. But the dress was much too Prom and we're going on a Dinner Party. I have to look my age." Janine turned and twisted in the mirrors trying out every angle. "This one is really pretty.'

Janine was trying on a gold satin wrap around that had a simple design on one shoulder. Ellie grimaced again; I knew I was accurate in my assumption. My sister is the Greek goddess reincarnated.

"What about you, Ellie? Have you decided on what you would wear?"

Ellie gave a noncommittal shrug. "Not really, I thought maybe I could pass off my old dress on this one."

"Oooh! The scarlet silk and chiffon one?" Janine clapped her hands in delight. She remembered Ellie's last formal dress; Ellie wanted to look special and she personally helped her choose the dress. It made Ellie look like a princess.

Ellie snorted, "No, the one I used this February. The green cotton one."

"Cotton? No! Wasn't that the one you wore in the Valentine's Party mother threw?" Janine came towards her sister and took both hands in hers. "You have to look special in this dinner party. You just have to, I want to make a good impression on James' family and I want you to have one too!"

"But I don't know these people!" Ellie wanted to protest more until she saw that Janine put on her big puppy dog eyes. Ellie sighed, "That's not gonna work."

Janine simply stared on.

"How old are you Janie?" Ellie stood up in an attempt to lessen the puppy-dog-eye's effect. "You're Twenty-Four! You're damned 2 years older than me, don't make me!"

"Ellie…" Janine started to pout. "I need your support on this… please" the eyes started to grow bigger and her deep green eyes began to brighten and water. "I'm not as brave or witty or smart as you…" tears began to pool on Janine's lashes. "I need you there with me."

One beat, Ellie wanted to thump and shout NO.

Two beats, Ellie saw the tears start to shake like in cartoons.

Three and then, "Ah, Shit. When did I become so friggin' soft?" She threw her arms in the air in surrender and plunked down beside Janine on the store's sofa. "On one condition, Janie! One that you will pinky swear to keep."

Janine beamed in triumph and nodded enthusiastically. "Anything you say."

"I choose when we can go home. If I feel like I want to leave in the middle of a 20 course meal, you have no choice but to comply."

Janine's face fell at that but she nodded anyway. Ellie put out her pinky and Janine did the same. They shook on it and both sisters felt a fraction better about the compromise.

Janine returned to finding a good dress and Ellie went back to her magazine.

I'm totally gonna want to leave the moment dinner's over Ellie thought. I wouldn't pass up food, but I am totally not planning on staying for the whole shindig.