Eleanor sat outside in the cool breeze, looking out at the first stars that decided to spring out that night. The breeze wafted through the house and out to the back porch where she sat alone, bringing with it the scent of the remnant of the dinner she had cooked with Ms. Miller. The peace outside was chilling, and at the same time it relaxed her. She reclined, allowing the soft wind graze across her skin, sending shivers through her body. She closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of air rushing on her, and wished for the moment to last forever. As the breeze drifted by, she felt it carry away the burdening thought of her new assignment. Eleanor glanced back at the stars and grinned at the twinkling lights above her.
The moment lasted until a loud wail rang out next to her. She jumped in surprise and recoiled from the noise until she remembered the baby doll sitting next to her. She sighed deeply as she lifted the doll up, placing it in her arms and rocking it slowly. Its wail continued to pierce the night sky, and deep inside Eleanor hoped that its cries reached Alvin's ears and kept him awake all night.
"ELEANOR!" she heard a call, more like a roar, coming from inside the house. She stood up, still rocking her "child" and left the porch to see who was calling from the upstairs window.
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes when she saw that the voice belonged to no other than Brittany. "What is it, Brittany?"
"Keep that baby quiet!" she shouted. "I'm trying to get my beauty sleep!" Just as suddenly as she had appeared, she slammed the window shut and stormed back into her bedroom.
Eleanor sighed as the baby kept up its unholy wail. "It's okay, baby," Eleanor cooed to the plastic doll. "It'll be alright. Auntie Brittany is just cranky when things aren't going just right for her." After a moment of cooing and rocking the "baby", it quieted down and relaxed into what would be considered sleep. Eleanor sat on the porch again when Jeanette came out.
"Hi Ellie," Jeanette said. "How are you doing? How's the project coming?"
"I just got it to sleep," Eleanor released in a breath. "How's yours?"
"I don't know. Simon took the baby home with him today and said he was making stuff for him." She grinned a little. "This project is exciting. We'll get to see what it'll be like when we get older."
Eleanor doubled back, stunned. "When you're older? You guys have this talked about that already?"
Jeanette nodded her head. "He's already clarified that he doesn't want anyone else. And to be frank, I couldn't deal with anyone else. Simon gets me the way no one else would." She was prepared to continue, but one look at Eleanor's face told her she had said enough about the love of her life to her single baby sister. Instead she brought up another subject. "How are things going with Alvin?"
Eleanor resisted the urge to snort, but it was a misplaced snort due to her usual thoughts of Alvin. "He said that we would talk about the project tomorrow after Ms. Ingram gave us the rest of the information that we need."
"How do you feel about working with him?"
Eleanor sighed. "I don't know. But he made it clear that I'm definitely not his expectations. I'm pretty sure he had his hopes set on being paired up with Brittany."
"It's only natural that he would want to be paired up with his girlfriend."
"I know, but he reacted to me so poorly, like I was--,"
"Infected with the plague?" Jeanette offered. Eleanor raised an eyebrow at her. Jeanette shook her head. "Brittany berated Alvin for treating you so poorly. Those were her words exactly."
Eleanor grinned. Even though Brittany could be self-absorbed most of the time, she did have a good heart inside. She leaned over onto her sister's shoulder, still holding her project protectively in her arms.
