“Okay, seriously Monica. How many more outfits can you try on in this store?” Evangeline asked loud enough for her younger sister to hear through the fitting room door. They’d been shopping together all afternoon and had been in Banana Republic for the past hour. Evangeline enjoyed shopping just as much as the next girl, but right now she was ready to go.

She knew that shopping with Monica tended to turn into an all-day event, so she dressed appropriately for the occasion – comfortable, yet cute in a white BeBe camisole with BeBe written across the front in colored crystals, her favorite pair of Express boot cut blue jeans, and a simple pair of white flip flops. Her hair was up in a flirty ponytail.

“What do you think about this top?” Monica asked opening the door, showing off a spaghetti strap yellow tank.

At 25 years old, Monica Williamson stood approximately 5’2”. She was considerably shorter than Evangeline who stood at 5’8”. Though she’d been through various hair styles as a way of expressing herself, at the present time, Monica wore her dark brown shoulder length hair naturally curly.

Short and petite, Monica was full of energy and had a thirst for life. She was a graduate student at Llanview University, pursuing her masters in broadcast journalism. She had big dreams of becoming a media mogul like Oprah Winfrey.

“It looks great. Buy it so we can go.”

“Are you sure? If I get it, I’m going to wear it with that cute mini skirt I just bought from Arden B.”

“Okay, what is this for?” Evangeline was semi-confused. She thought they were out shopping just because. She didn’t know there was a purpose behind it.

Monica walked back into the fitting room. “Oh, it’s no big deal. Shannon and I are going out tonight with some guys we met at a party a few weeks ago.”

Evangeline chuckled and shook her head. “You know, for someone in graduate school, you sure do go out a lot. When I was in law school…”

“Yes, I know Evangeline,” Monica interrupted. “When you were in law school, you only left the library to eat, sleep, and attend classes. You were a law professor’s dream and you graduated at the top of your class. Did I miss anything?”

“No, you didn’t,” Evangeline said smiling, proud of her achievements.

“I might not have missed anything, but you sure did, Evie. You forgot to live a little. I’m not just going to go to school studying day and night. I’m having fun! And you know what? You should too. It’s not too late,” Monica commented, exiting the fitting room.

“It’s not too late? What are you talking about? You make me sound as if I’m just a few years away from an AARP membership!”

Monica laughed. “That’s not what I meant at all. You know what? I’m glad you moved back to Llanview. I’m going to make sure you make time to have fun.”

“I do have fun.”

“No, big sis. Being an attorney is your life.”

Evangeline rolled her eyes at her young sister’s comment. She wasn’t ready for another one of Monica’s ‘live free like me’ lectures.

“Seriously, Evie. You’re forever buried up to your eyeballs in cases. Working lunches at Rodi’s and business dinners at The Palace don’t count as fun. And don’t even say that watching your DVD collection of Law & Order counts either.”

“Hey, you don’t know the meaning of fun until you’ve seen Claire Kincaid in action! She’s amazing!”

“Okay, that’s it. Now I know you’ve lost your mind!” Monica said approaching the register.

For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you-thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you
Ooohhh

The sisters rode in Evangeline’s white Range Rover singing in unison to the classic theatre-like tune, Mr. Roboto, by the legendary band, STYX. Evangeline loved the song when it was out in the 80s. She looked over at Monica and noticed how into the music she was.

“What do you know about this song anyway? There’s no way you’re old enough to remember it.”

“I remember you and Alex always singing it around the house. I think I knew all the lyrics before I ever heard the song.”

Both sisters laughed. “Yeah, Alex really thought he was Dennis DeYoung, didn’t he?”

“Oh gosh. Who didn’t Alex think he was!” Monica replied.

Evangeline laughed. “You’ve got a point.”

“Oh, Evie. I just remembered that I need to stop by mom’s house.”

“Weren’t you just over there last night?”

“Yeah, but I’ve got to get my gold satin espadrilles that match perfectly with the top I just bought. You know I can’t keep everything in my mini-apartment.”

“Yeah, I know that’s what you always say. Don’t get anymore ideas of storing more stuff at my place either. You put anything else in there and I’ll start charging you rent!”

“See, that’s exactly why I kept telling you to unpack. It looks like so much space is being occupied when you leave everything boxed up.”

“But of course -- the wonderful world of logic according to Monica Makenna Williamson.”

“You know it!” Monica replied with every bit of confidence.

The two arrived at the home of Deloris and the late Stephen Williamson. Evangeline had grown up there with her older brother, Alexander, and younger sister, Monica. They had such a wonderful, loving childhood. When Stephen suddenly passed away from a heart attack, the family was devastated. Even now, it was sometimes still hard for Evangeline to visit her mother knowing that her father wouldn’t be there.

As Evangeline parked, she saw Alex’s black Lincoln Navigator in the driveway. She also noticed a forest green Jeep Cherokee parked behind it. She hadn’t remembered the Jeep ever being at the house before and wondered who was visiting her mother.