"Crooked little smile on her face,
Tells a tale of grace,
That's all her own,
Spinning, dancing, laughing
To her favorite song."
~ Norah Jones, 'Seven Years'
~
Lily sighed heavily. It was a humid summer day and she was bored. There was nothing to do, because it seemed to her like she had done it all. Her two friends were nowhere to be found, and her eccentric and bossy sister was out with a boy at the pool. All she had was the boring old telly to watch, and that wasn't much. Yesterday she had so much fun, nothing seemed to compare. Her mother would easily volunteer to take her somewhere, but where? She didn't know of anywhere to go. She got up and sauntered into her mother's room, where she was talking on the phone with-who else-but Lavinia Potter. Lily's mother looked up when she entered the room, but she didn't say anything. After a few minutes, Violet hung up.
"What's the matter, Lily flower?" Violet asked tenderly.
"I'm bored," Lily said, sighing again. Violet nodded.
"Where are the boys?" Violet said, affectionately referring to James and Sirius. Lily shrugged.
She told her mother that she didn't know.
"Well, I want to do some shopping. Go find the boys and maybe they can come with us if they would like," Mrs. Evans offered. Lily scampered off to find her friends. She went back into her room first, to look out her window. She did not see them in the courtyard. So she took the lift down to the fifth floor. She knocked on their door, and they weren't there, either. She arrived at the lobby minutes later, and they were nowhere to be seen. She checked the pool, and sure enough, there they were, splashing about. Lily called to them, and they got out and dried off. She told them she was going shopping, and that she wanted to know if they would come. They said they would be at her room in fifteen minutes, and they were. They three trotted into Mrs. Evans's room.
"I've found them. When are we leaving?" Lily asked her mother.
"Whenever I get ready. I've called Lavinia Potter, and she said it's all right if they go. You go on to the room, and I'll get you when I'm ready," Violet Evans said. The three turned back around and headed to Lily's room. They sat down, and a long silence stretched out.
Finally, James broke the silence. "What do you think you'll be when you grow up?"
"I'll have some kids and a husband and be really rich! And with a big house and big car and my own television!" Lily said, answering the question first. Sirius said he wanted to have plenty of girlfriends and live in an apartment. Soon, Mrs. Evans came to get them, so their miniscule conversation was wrapped up. They took the elevator to the lobby and climbed into the Evanses' car. They pulled up into the shopping complex and went into the store. It was big, with many aisles and beautiful displays. Violet sighed.
"Please, don't run, kids," she said, trying to hold in her patience. They slowed down. She smiled. She directed them into the women's clothing section, and they stood around sulkily. Violet shuffled the racks. She looked at the kids, but something seemed wrong! There was only one. Ugh, James, Lily, and Sirius had disappeared! Petunia started to roll her eyes. But she and Violet jumped back when all three jumped out at them.
"Okay, you can roam around the store. Petunia, watch them," Violet said with a sigh. James pumped his arms and Sirius shouted with glee. The four ran off. They ended up in the women's plus aisle. Big women were everywhere, looking through the racks, so James, Sirius, and Lily ducked in a rack of underpants. A large, blond woman was looking at a pair of underpants. Sirius giggled, looking at the frilly pink ones. He poked them with his finger in disgust. He jumped out at the blond woman and she stumbled back.
"Goodness me!" she said breathily, but she started to laugh. Lily and James plugged their noses, to stop them from giggling. Sirius stood still and looked around at all these fat, old women staring at him and laughing. He shook his head and a pair of purple polka-dotted underpants fell off his head. He blushed and ducked around a corner with Petunia, James, and Lily in tow. They found themselves in a hardware section, with little door and bathtub models. James went behind a French glass door and knocked. Lily opened it and said, "hello sir, what may I do for you today?" James giggled and bowed. He stepped on the other side of the door. When Violet found the children, they were laughing and giggling. She told them to come along, and she paid for her items. They rode back to the hotel and Violet gave them some Coca-Cola and sent them to play. They played at the courtyard until it got dark, and Lavinia came and took them to their rooms. Maybe Petunia was starting to lighten up a little. She had fun today, and laughed with the other three.
~
Lily sighed heavily. It was a humid summer day and she was bored. There was nothing to do, because it seemed to her like she had done it all. Her two friends were nowhere to be found, and her eccentric and bossy sister was out with a boy at the pool. All she had was the boring old telly to watch, and that wasn't much. Yesterday she had so much fun, nothing seemed to compare. Her mother would easily volunteer to take her somewhere, but where? She didn't know of anywhere to go. She got up and sauntered into her mother's room, where she was talking on the phone with-who else-but Lavinia Potter. Lily's mother looked up when she entered the room, but she didn't say anything. After a few minutes, Violet hung up.
"What's the matter, Lily flower?" Violet asked tenderly.
"I'm bored," Lily said, sighing again. Violet nodded.
"Where are the boys?" Violet said, affectionately referring to James and Sirius. Lily shrugged.
She told her mother that she didn't know.
"Well, I want to do some shopping. Go find the boys and maybe they can come with us if they would like," Mrs. Evans offered. Lily scampered off to find her friends. She went back into her room first, to look out her window. She did not see them in the courtyard. So she took the lift down to the fifth floor. She knocked on their door, and they weren't there, either. She arrived at the lobby minutes later, and they were nowhere to be seen. She checked the pool, and sure enough, there they were, splashing about. Lily called to them, and they got out and dried off. She told them she was going shopping, and that she wanted to know if they would come. They said they would be at her room in fifteen minutes, and they were. They three trotted into Mrs. Evans's room.
"I've found them. When are we leaving?" Lily asked her mother.
"Whenever I get ready. I've called Lavinia Potter, and she said it's all right if they go. You go on to the room, and I'll get you when I'm ready," Violet Evans said. The three turned back around and headed to Lily's room. They sat down, and a long silence stretched out.
Finally, James broke the silence. "What do you think you'll be when you grow up?"
"I'll have some kids and a husband and be really rich! And with a big house and big car and my own television!" Lily said, answering the question first. Sirius said he wanted to have plenty of girlfriends and live in an apartment. Soon, Mrs. Evans came to get them, so their miniscule conversation was wrapped up. They took the elevator to the lobby and climbed into the Evanses' car. They pulled up into the shopping complex and went into the store. It was big, with many aisles and beautiful displays. Violet sighed.
"Please, don't run, kids," she said, trying to hold in her patience. They slowed down. She smiled. She directed them into the women's clothing section, and they stood around sulkily. Violet shuffled the racks. She looked at the kids, but something seemed wrong! There was only one. Ugh, James, Lily, and Sirius had disappeared! Petunia started to roll her eyes. But she and Violet jumped back when all three jumped out at them.
"Okay, you can roam around the store. Petunia, watch them," Violet said with a sigh. James pumped his arms and Sirius shouted with glee. The four ran off. They ended up in the women's plus aisle. Big women were everywhere, looking through the racks, so James, Sirius, and Lily ducked in a rack of underpants. A large, blond woman was looking at a pair of underpants. Sirius giggled, looking at the frilly pink ones. He poked them with his finger in disgust. He jumped out at the blond woman and she stumbled back.
"Goodness me!" she said breathily, but she started to laugh. Lily and James plugged their noses, to stop them from giggling. Sirius stood still and looked around at all these fat, old women staring at him and laughing. He shook his head and a pair of purple polka-dotted underpants fell off his head. He blushed and ducked around a corner with Petunia, James, and Lily in tow. They found themselves in a hardware section, with little door and bathtub models. James went behind a French glass door and knocked. Lily opened it and said, "hello sir, what may I do for you today?" James giggled and bowed. He stepped on the other side of the door. When Violet found the children, they were laughing and giggling. She told them to come along, and she paid for her items. They rode back to the hotel and Violet gave them some Coca-Cola and sent them to play. They played at the courtyard until it got dark, and Lavinia came and took them to their rooms. Maybe Petunia was starting to lighten up a little. She had fun today, and laughed with the other three.