Not Daddy's little girl anymore!
Fran observes her daughter very closely over the next few days. She can't shake off the feeling that something is wrong with her little girl. One night when the two are alone at home, she carefully tries to coax Eve out of her shell. Eve doesn't come clean, instead she asks her mother what it was like dealing with the boys when she was her age. Fran suddenly becomes quite embarrassed.
"Well Sweety, things were completely different for me back then. You know I grew up in Flushing Queens. This was a total different life and different rules..."
Eve grins.
"Oh yeah? Grandma once told me you never followed any rules and were a real tomboy." Fran's lip pushes forward, secretly cursing her mother.
"You know Grandma was exaggerating. It wasn't all that dramatic. Basically, I always behaved pretty well consider the circumstances. Didn't Grandma tell you that once I went to a kibbutz to learn more about our Jewish folk?"
"Yes, she mentioned it once. You hated it. Obviously it was so terrible there that you really wanted to come home early and then she told a strange story about you losing your hat. What did she mean by that? Why was she so angry about it?" Fran gasps for air and can't spill out a word at first.
"Um... well... that was a very special hat that meant a lot to your grandma. You know what Sweety how about you go to the kitchen and ask Edward to make us some popcorn? We could watch a movie just the two of us."
Eve jumps up excitedly. Fran decides to postpone the conversation with her daughter for the time being,
The next Friday, Eve and Jonah don't show up for breakfast in their school uniforms as usual. Their father looks at them in surprise.
"Today is 'Casual Friday'! It's always once a month." Jonah explains to him.
"Oh yes, right!" Maxwell scrutinizes his children critically. "You look beautiful today, Eve!"
Eve is wearing a dark long skirt and a red blouse that her father gave her.
"Thanks, Daddy!" Eve discreetly pulls the collar of her blouse higher. "Where is Mom? Isn't she joining us for breakfast?"
"You know, she's on her weekly morning run with Val." He and the children exchange meaningful glances.
Fran's best friend Val also moved to Los Angeles a few years ago together with her husband Fred. At the time, Fred had to close his pharmacy in New York and Maxwell had supported him to find a new shop in LA. Val works as the assistant manager in a donut shop. Every Friday, Val and Fran meet up for a morning run. Everyone knows that the two women don't do any sport. Val usually picks Fran up with her car and the two drive to the nearest snack bar and buy a smoothie. The two just use this time to update each other on the latest news about their families.
Eve and Jonah are just saying goodbye to their father when Fran comes into the kitchen, completely out of breath. Everyone knows that she only run the distance from the gate to the house. Fran hugs each of her children before she sits down next to her husband.
"Is it Casual Friday at school again today?!"
"Yes! Somewhat a silly idea if you ask me. But luckily both Jonah and Eve have a good sense of how to dress appropriately. I don't want to know how some of the kids are going to show up at school today."
Fran doesn't answer but smiles mysteriously. Maxwell looks at her, confused.
"Didn't you think they were both dressed decently?"
"Oh yeah, but didn't you notice something about your daughter? Like the second label sticking out of her blouse?!"
"What do you mean?"
Without an answer, Fran pulls her husband to the living room, where the two of them discreetly position themselves in front of the window. They see Jonah and Eve standing at the gate, waiting for the limousine. Eve looks around carefully once more. Then she takes off her skirt. A second skirt appears underneath, which is much shorter. Next she takes off her blouse, revealing a very daring top underneath. Jonah stares at his sister, dumbfounded.
"What are you doing?"
"You don't seriously believe I'm going to school dressed as Daddy's little girl?"
Eve finally opens her hair clip and rearranges her hair.
Finally, the car arrives and the two get in. On the way, Eve redoes her make-up.
"Why didn't you get changed here in the car?" Jonah wants to know.
"Pretty simple! Because we're almost there to pick up Claire and Steward. Claire cannot see me getting changed. Otherwise she immediately tells her mother all about it and she'll tell Dad everything just to prove that she's the better mother."
Claire and Steward are the children of Niles and CC. Even though both families are good friends, CC has a secret competition running as to whose children show the better upbringing.
Shortly afterwards, the two of them get into the limousine with the siblings. Claire and Steward attend the same school as the Sheffield twins and they are not wearing their school uniforms either. Eve's heart is pounding very strong during the rest of the ride. She has worked on her new outfit and style for a long time and hopes it will impress the boys.