DISCLAIMER: This licence isn't mine. The opinions express by the characters are not mine. I do not support nor encourage the illegal acts or words present here. I can make a distinction between fiction and reality and I trust in my readership's ability to do the same.
Chapter eight: A brand new life
(This chapter is a flashback)
We followed Strawberry Shortcake's adventures for seven chapters, so let's see what happened to Lemon Meringue and Raspberry Torte in Big Apple City, would you care for it? (If you don't, just skip this chapter and go to chapter nine, bar it isn't published yet).
In the plane, Lemon and Raspberry were too nervous to chat. They could hardly believe what was happening. They were leaving Strawberryland, their home, forever! After all, Lemon thought, it was a blessing in disguise: Strawberryland was quiet, and enjoyable, but it was impossible to look to the future here. Yes, it was fun to go to the lake with all your friends for a picnic when you are eight years old, but now, they needed something… bigger. Something they couldn't find in Strawberryland. No, it was a good thing to go. When she was young, Lemon Meringue had already considered this possibility, but she never dared to act out, because Strawberry Shortcake and the others told her they would be so sad if she did. Now, she was twenty years old, she had plenty of projects, and she was free! Everything would be alright in Big Apple City; what could turn bad? Raspberry and she weren't going to be all alone in this huge city, after all: her beloved aunt, Edna, would be here for them and would put them up until they earn money with their business. Yes, their business was an excellent idea. She would mix her beauty salon with Raspberry's shop. They would both design clothes and cosmetics. They just couldn't fail. They would be rich and famous in no time at all!
Raspberry's voice pulled her from her thought.
-Hey, Lemon Meringue! Are you sleeping?
-No, I wasn't.
-Listen, I just got a text from your aunt. She says she's got a surprise for us. Do you know what is it?
Lemon checked her mobile phone and noticed she received the same text. She shook her head.
-Sorry, I don't.
-Of course… A surprise is a surprise, otherwise it's no longer a surprise, Raspberry Torte sighed.
The two girls chuckled. They couldn't wait to be in Big Apple City!
Aunt Edna was a blond woman, about fifty years old. It was impossible to miss her at the airport: She was holding a big panel where "Lemon Meringue/ Raspberry Torte" was written in big black letter. As soon as she saw Lemon, she ran toward her and embraced her.
-Hey sweetheart! How are you? It's been so long…
-Hello auntie, Lemon answered, embarrassed. "Meet my friend Raspberry Torte."
-Nice to meet you Mrs. Edna, Raspberry said politely.
-Please, call me Edna, full stop. I told you I've got a surprise for you…
She waved at two teenagers a boy and a girl, waiting next to her. Oddly, they both had a kind of family likeness with Lemon Meringue. Raspberry thought it was due to their blond hair, maybe… The girl wore a pale green dress with yellow polka-dots and an off-white cardigan. The boy wore a pale green polo shirt with yellow polka-dots and off-white pants. They both wore the same yellow boots and the same androgynous hairstyle.
-Lemon, try to guess who is just back from England to greet you?
Lemon shelled out for a large smile.
-My little brother Lem!
-And your little sister Ada.
Lemon Meringue kissed Lem but only nodded at Ada.
On the car that leaded them to Aunt Edna's house, Raspberry Torte was given more explanations about Lemon Meringue's family. Her mother, a businesswoman, hadn't got much time for her. Aunt Edna was often asked to look after her, when she was berry young (it meant when she was around two or three years old). Very soon, Lemon has shown her wish to be a model: she was fascinated by the fashion show on TV, and used to wear fancy dress to make her own parade in front of her auntie and her mother… when she was at home, which was rather rare. Edna always believed that Lemon was able to be a star, and give her as much support and encouragement as possible. During her fifth year, Lemon had a weird surprise: she had to meet her new brother and sister, a pair of twins named Lem and Ada. Aunt Edna remembered that Lemon was relighted to have a little brother; but she was particularly jealous of her little sister and was in a sulk each time someone took care of Ada. Her mother was extremely nervous, too, as she was aware of all the effort Edna already made for Lemon Meringue, giving her the love and caring she couldn't offer her, and she didn't want to demand her to look after two more children. She finally found a solution: Lemon's mother had a crush for London, its importance, its culture and its wealth. She thought it would be a good idea to make Lem and Ada spend their childhood over there, in company of Sugar Woofer, a faithful bearded collie. They would be given an excellent education, she said. Aunt Edna had a plan for Lemon Meringue's education, too: she found her an efficiency apartment in Big Apple City, where she would be able to go to all the audition and casting she wanted. Lemon has been extremely grateful and used to send her plenty of her pictures to show her progress to Edna. She spent one year in Big Apple City. After, she met Strawberry Shortcake (and you know what happened next).
Lem and Ada talked about their childhood, too. Aunt Edna found them a home in Pickle Dilly Circus. Under the watchful eyes of Sugar Woofer, they quickly discovered the world. He was such a protective guardian… Anything bad could happen to them. And London was so diversified! Lem and Ada weren't scared of anything, and always ready to learn new things. When they grew up, their mother them to the school of Oatsford: she could afford for that. Now, they wanted to study economic and were ready to help Lemon and Raspberry in their business, but when Raspberry Torte tried to ask them why they decided to come back in America, they stayed rather evasive: Lem answered they wanted to see their big sister, and Ada said they were now old enough to do so. Raspberry didn't insist.
Aunt Edna's house got four bedrooms: One for her, one for Lemon Meringue, one for Raspberry Torte and one for the twins, who categorically refused to be separated.
-You can have rest for the rest of the day, Edna said, showing their rooms to Lemon and Raspberry. "Tomorrow, we'll visit the premises you bought for your future shop. Have you got your first dafts?"
Edna had asked Lemon and Raspberry to mock up the clothes they wanted to sew and sell.
-Of course we have them, Lemon answered. "But we left them in our luggage, auntie."
Aunt Edna nodded.
-Alright. So, I'll let you unpack your belonging. Oh, and I wanted to give you a last advice: you'd better forget all that you learnt in the country. You're starting a brand new life.
To be continued…
Nota bene: My choice of introducing Lem and Ada as Lemon Meringue's brother and sister has been long-considered. In the show "Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City", I noticed something strange: Lemon Meringue mentioned she had a brother, a mother an a aunt, but no explanations are given about those characters. Trying to understand who they were, I came to the following question:
What if Lem and Ada were the brother and the sister of Lemon Meringue? Let me talk it over:
-Lemon said she has a brother, and Lem is a boy, isn't he? So, he could be her brother... -Lemon Meringue has, in the 80's, curly blond hair, just like Lem and Ada.
-Lemon's emblem is the lemon, just like Lem and Ada's ones.
-Also, their names are rather similar (Lemon/Lem)
There, you might think my theory doesn't hold up, because Lemon never mentions the existence of a little sister. I can explain it, too: Lemon loves her little brother Lem and wants to be his star, his role model; she wants him to admire her. It's why she used to send him her pictures. On the other hand, she dislikes/envies/ignores Ada (delete as appropriate), because she's afraid of her sister becoming cutest and prettiest than her; it's why she never talks about her.
I have a last point to develop: Lem and Ada are British, while Lemon Meringue is American. Theoretically, they can't be her relatives... But I've found an explanation for it: Lem and Ada are Americans too, but they has been sent in London for some reason and stayed here for a so long time that they were mistaked with British people.
As for Edna, she was certainly extremely important for Lemon Meringue, for getting so many picture from her, more than Lemon's mother...
