Eleanor headed up the stairs as the morning continued on. It was brighter, livelier and far more vibrant in the house now that lights were turned on and curtains were pulled back despite what little sunlight managed to get through the clouds from outside. Coming up to the second floor on the way to her and her sisters' bedroom with a mug of extra coffee in hand, Eleanor could hear Brittany's melodic humming. She couldn't quite make out which tune she hummed along to but she figured it was sure to be one of their greatest hits. Just like downstairs, the curtains in the upstairs windows were also parted and ceiling lights provided more clarity from each of the opened bedrooms, showing now that all of the Miller women had woken up to join Eleanor. The only one of them she couldn't account for was the Lady Miller, but before heading up Eleanor noticed that her cup of coffee had already been used and left to soak in the sink.

"Mornin' Britt," Eleanor said while she approached the loft between the rooms where she heard and felt the pitter-patter of Brittany's feet going around.

"Gooood morning Ellie," Brittany nearly sang as she headed out of one room and into the other to get herself ready. She already changed out of her pink designer sleepwear and walked throughout the hall in a matching hot pink robe with her hair in a towel.

"You're awfully chipper," Eleanor answered back. "Someone excited for their photoshoot today?"

"They must be! Anyone would be honored and excited to have me as their model for the day. Ask the other scheduled clients." Brittany said this with such confidence that it would impress anyone who heard it, all except for those truly closest to her. She paid little attention to everything but her morning routine that she didn't see Eleanor catching up and playfully rolling her eyes.

"That's the spirit Britt. Knock 'em dead," Eleanor let out a hint of sass in her voice with a quick yawn.

"I always do. But today is special."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because these shots are going to be used to promote the 'Big City Solstice Festival' concert!"

"Wow, that's great! Is it that time of year already? When's the audition?" Eleanor snuck in behind Brittany in the spare room the Miller girls fitted to be a dressing room and politely sat with one leg crossing over the other in an extra chair behind her sister who sat at one of the vanity desks.

"Pfft, auditions?" Brittany asked sarcastically. "Alvin and I already have our set planned. We just need that blank check from Mr. Rochelle when we go to his office next week to get it started."

"Oh, because you guys are just so going to get the performance then and there, right?" Brittany let out a catty laugh at her sister's question.

"Dear baby sister, we get it every year and this year is no different. Honestly, they might as well just put our names on it as a permanent fixture."

"What if you have competition this year?"

"We never do. If you could even call those other auditions 'competition'."

"This year could be different. You never know."

"Oh yeah? Who's going to try? You and Theodore? "

"Well… what if we are?"

"Are you?" Eleanor locked her eyes with Brittany who looked from the corner of her view through the mirror's reflection, refusing to give any more effort. Then they both smirked and soon after giggled, breaking their facade.

"No, we're not," Eleanor answered playfully, but then Brittany gasped and turned around to face Eleanor with a warm smile on her face.

"Ellie you totally should though!"

"What," Eleanor asked, surprised by her reaction.

"Totally! If you guys join me and Alvin and-and we get Jeanette and Simon too, it could be like the old days! Think… a 'Chipmunk Reunion' concert!"

"Even though we never separated?"

"You so know what I mean."

"Do I?" Eleanor shrugged. "Well, as fun as that sounds, you know that's just not really us anymore."

"Nonsense," Brittany scoffed, flipping back to her mirror. "It's always going to be who you are, even if you avoid it. You're a Miller and a Chipette, through and through. It's in your blood."

"Riiight," Eleanor half-heartedly answered while she took another sip of her coffee. Her eyes wandered away from Brittany at the desk towards the open doorway across the hall. "Speaking of, where is Jeanette?" She tried to lean towards the door to get a better view into the room but to no success.

"She's sulking in her bed and refuses to get up. I even offered to make her breakfast but she didn't bite." Completely surprised, Eleanor snapped back to Brittany when she said that.

"YOU? Make her breakfast?"

"Okay okay you caught me. Get her the breakfast you already made for us downstairs."

"Much better." Brittany didn't have to look back again but she could feel the air of satisfaction emanating from Eleanor's response.

"Anyway," Brittany continued while Eleanor grinned to herself from within her cup. "She's just not getting up. I think she's still bent out of shape from last night."

"What happened last night?"

"More like what didn't happen. You know, the usual. Her and Simon…" Brittany snidely commented, ever ready to gossip. Eleanor quickly jumped in to quiet her down out of fear of Jeanette listening in on them. Brittany stuck her tongue out and even Eleanor couldn't help but snicker at Brittany's audacity.

"I'll go check on her," Eleanor spoke out. She calmed herself and headed into the other room, but not before taking her mug with her. "Don't forget to eat something too," she said real quick before completely leaving the doorway. "You know, you did make it after all."

"Oh har har," Brittany mocked while she remained behind at her desk, sending Eleanor off with a flick of the wrist. Once Eleanor stepped into the bedroom proper, her other sister stuck out like a sore thumb. Jeanette laid there perpendicular on her bed resembling a plank with her arms to her side and her feet dangling off the edge, still in her purple oversized pajama shirt and winter pants. Her hair had not quite yet been put up in the bun she finally felt was right after years of trying.

"Heyyy, Jean," Eleanor greeted, trying to get her attention. Jeanette hardly budged, staying exactly how she was. Eleanor plopped down on the bed beside her and put her mug on Jeanette's end table, then she tried to get her sister's attention again. "Good morning sleepy head!"

"Morning…" Jeanette let out, muffled by her face being buried in the bed covers.

"I made coffee downstairs. Want some?"

"No thanks…" Her words were difficult to hear, but Eleanor had developed a knack for understanding Jeanette and Brittany when they acted like this.

"Well, what about breakfast? You gotta eat and it's all warmed up and ready to go."

"Maybe later…"

"'Later' will be lunch at this rate and your 'hot-cakes' are going to be 'not-cakes'."

"That's fine…"

"What's the matter Jeanette." This time, Eleanor asked with a more tender, motherly tone, one that never failed when it came to either family. When she spoke like this, it was genuine, even when her patience was tested and everyone knew that they could come to confide in her.

"You know I can hear you guys from the other room…" Jeanette muffled, causing Eleanor's eyes to nearly pop out. Eleanor awkwardly cleared her throat and scrambled to come up with an excuse.

"O-Oh what? That? Pfft come on-on, that was just- Britt was just-"

"She's right though…" Jeanette opened up again. "I totally chickened out again… even Brittany and Alvin think so…"

"Oh Jean," Eleanor tried to be more empathetic. " Do YOU think you chickened out?"

"Yes…"

"Oh." Eleanor paused. She tried to think of what to say next, not expecting Jeanette to answer like that. "Well it's okay. Don't even worry about it! There'll be other chances. Like… tonight for example!"

"Or tomorrow," Brittany interrupted as she walked in, passing by into the walk-in closet. "Or the next day, or the next day…" Eleanor glared at her in annoyance but Brittany didn't notice.

"Thanks for that Britt, super helpful." Eleanor defended while Jeanette groaned with her face still inward.

"I don't know what the problem is," Brittany joined in. "You guys have always been into each other since the moment you met. What's the deal?"

"Brittany come on," Eleanor tried to defend again.

"I-I-I- just get too nervous to speak up…" Jeanette muttered, at greater length than her responses to Eleanor. "Besides, it's just too awkward now…"

"Because of what? That little agreement and hand shake you guys had when you were kids," Brittany asked using air quotes and a sarcastic tone. "You're not seriously still using that as an excuse? Come on Jeanette, that is so lame."

"If-If I could just- I-" Jeanette whimpered then let out a sigh. "I dunno… nevermind…"

"No no," Eleanor spoke up. "Go on Jeanette, what's up?"

"I-I…" Jeanette finally turned her face outward from the bed and towards her sisters. "If-If maybe I just… knew how Simon still felt, maybe it would… maybe it would be easier…"

"Then what," Brittany tagged back in like a bad cop to Eleanor's good cop. "You'll finally say something to him? What if he still thinks your little 'contract' or whatever is still on? What then?"

"Okay Brittany, that's enough." Eleanor said with a stern voice. She looked at Brittany ready to get in between them, even if Brittany could tell that Eleanor thought the same way.

"I-I mean- I just-" Jeanette stuttered before sinking her head back into the bed.

"Why wait? You've only waited for like an entire lifetime already! What you need Jeanette is to take charge!"

"T-Take charge," Jeanette asked, whipping her head back out.

"That's right," Brittany said, waltzing out of the closet with her stylish casual outfit consisting of a white fur laced coat over a pink wool low shoulder sweater, pink skirt and black tights, all complimented by her hair in a nice ponytail as she always did. In her hands was another bag with clothes for her photoshoot. "Take a chance and roll the dice! How long are you going to wait for Simon when you can just make him make a move!"

"Okay you lost me," Eleanor said.

"Wh-What," Jeanette had to ask.

"You know, charm him. Woo him, impress him. Send him a message that whatever you two agreed to back then belongs in the dumpster!"

"But Alvin said-"

"Forget what he says. If you can't take the lead yourself, then take the lead in other ways." Eleanor looked at Brittany, then she and Jeanette looked at each other with a raised eyebrow.

"But isn't that just a really roundabout way of handling it? Sounds kind of cruel too."

"Well the other way isn't working now is it? It's time to try a new tactic. She can't just sit there and be defeated!"

"Tactic? Defeated? What are you, some kind of general now?"

"Why not? Everyone knows that love is war. There are winners and there are losers and I will be darned if my own sister lost this war!"

"Okay now you just sound ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous if it's true. It's all about who controls the situation in a relationship. And sometimes that means making them think that they do."

"You've been watching way too many of Miss Miller's 80's romance flicks."

"And you're still too young and innocent to see how it really is."

"Uh huh," Eleanor said, growing a devious look to her face while she picked back up her mug. "So tell me, oh wise older sister. Who's winning right now? You?... Or Alvin?" Brittany's eyes shot open wide as her cheeks grew red. She looked away to collect herself and then answered.

"Nice try but that's so not the case. We're not dating, so we don't have to win or lose anything." Eleanor and Jeanette cocked their brows again as Brittany tried to take back control of the situation.

"Sounds like 'loser talk' to me," Eleanor quipped, getting Jeanette to snicker.

"So we still like the occasional movie night without you guys, sue us," Brittany tried to explain, but that only received more giggling from the gallery. "He's free to do whatever he wants and come and go as he pleases. Just like me. And if I want to use that to my advantage and get him to be extra nice to me when I'm bored then so be it. I'm keeping things casual and superficial right now. I do have other things going on in my life you know."

"Mmmhm," Eleanor egged on.

"Oh yeah? Well, what about you and Theodore huh?" Eleanor showed little emotion as she removed her lips from her mug.

"What about me and Theodore?"

"Last time I checked, you guys haven't exactly put a ring on it. Or even a label." Brittany smirked, hoping to get the edge over Eleanor this time but Eleanor immediately caught on. She only looked on in confidence, giving Brittany no inch to take advantage of.

"Theodore and I are doing just fine. Thank you SO much for caring."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. We're very happy with the way things are now. And there's no need to rush him for something he's not ready for."

"Not ready for? Oh please. Have you ever even had a talk with him about any of this?"

"Of course we have, and if he's not ready to take that next step then I won't push him." Brittany scoffed and rolled her eyes. For a moment, Jeanette looked at Eleanor in awe. That is until she spoke back up again. "Just like Jeanette. If she's not ready, then she doesn't need to be pushed either." Jeanette looked on in confusion, then her face lowered.

"W-Well- I th-think-" Jeanette tried to answer for herself, but was cut off by Brittany.

"That's exactly why she needs to be pushed! She is way out of her element and she needs the help of her more experienced sister to get her started."

"You're right, she needs to listen to ME," Eleanor mocked.

"Right, me! W-Wait hold on no-" Brittany stomped her foot but when she tried to get another word in, she noticed the clock behind them and gasped. "This is far from over. We'll finish this tonight when I get back."

"Bring it." Brittany and Eleanor stuck their tongues out at each other and made faces before Brittany left in both a hurry and in a powerful stride directed at Eleanor. Eleanor nodded and with an audible tisk, she focused her attention back to Jeanette.

"Can you believe her Jean?" Eleanor teased. Jeanette tried to fake a giggle, but then she lowered her eyes, avoiding contact with Eleanor.

"Do you…" Jeanette answered back. "D-Do you really believe that Eleanor?"

"Oh totally," Eleanor answered as she looked at Jeanette, then she looked back out into the open air. "Don't listen to her, Jeanette. She's definitely not the kind of role model you need when it comes to this. Her and Alvin are… a special case."

"R-right, b-but what I meant was-"

"No, no you don't need to humor that. Or prove yourself to her on her own weird terms."

"But I-"

"You'll get there when you're ready. And that can be today or today ten years from now. Whenever you decide!" Eleanor reached closer to Jeanette with an inspirational look on her face. "But you will get there Jean, I know it!" Jeanette laid there and looked at Eleanor, unable to find the right words to say. The only thing she could do is force the kind of physical response Eleanor was hoping for.

"Y-You're right Ellie, thanks."

"Anytime." Jeanette watched Eleanor sit up from the bed and adjust her gown. "Well, I gotta get ready and head out too. Today's a big extra credit lecture and I can't miss it. Then after that I have to help get the next session ready in my other class."

"Oh… o-okay. You'll be joining us tonight though right?"

"Of course, wouldn't miss it!"

"G-Great. I… can't wait." While there wasn't a whole lot of conviction in Jeanette's words, Eleanor was already too far to notice, heading towards her side of the room and shuffling around her clothes that were outside of the closet.

"See you tonight," Eleanor said as she carried her mug, backpack and clothes into the hallway towards the other rooms. But as soon as she left, she peaked back inside to get the jump on Jeanette. "And don't forget…"

"R-Right, get some breakfast downstairs."

"Well yes that, but I meant confidence. Don't forget about confidence!" Once Jeanette felt that Eleanor had completely left with no chance of returning, she dropped her face right back into the bed covers and let out a large sigh.