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Elinor showered quickly. It had been ages since she'd swum in cedar water and she'd forgotten how smooth her skin always felt afterward. It made her smile -- something she hadn't done enough of lately.
She dressed simply, just an old tee and some cut-off shorts, a quick brush and a toss of her hair. A glance in the mirror told her she'd "do in a pinch" before hurrying downstairs. She knew her brother was probably still fiddling with the fire and she wanted him to go up to shower before they ate.
Watching him from the patio door, she couldn't help but wonder how he'd do without Joyce to look after him. Oh, he'd been the man of the house, but he'd always looked to his wife for advice and a gentle nudge in the right direction from time to time. Maybe he'd come for a visit, though she didn't think he'd leave the ranch for love or money just now. (As if he ever did.) At any rate, she was always only a phone call away. Moving quietly, Elinor walked up and slipped her arms around her brother from behind.
"Hey! Watch out, you'll get burned!" he protested, though none too convincingly.
"Hey!" she countered. "You're right!" Knowing he meant the barbecue pit, she winked and touched her forefinger to his butt. "Tssssss!"
"Flattery, Mrs. Daniels, will get you everywhere. I think the fire's going pretty good."
"Looks like. Now get your hot self upstairs and showered before dinner."
Elinor smiled wistfully. It seemed, if only for a moment, as if they had gone back in time. She, the bossy older sister, and he the dirty and always in need of a wash, younger brother. Why couldn't things just stay simple like that? Why did everything have to go and get all complicated?
Following her brother inside, she watched as he slowly climbed the stairs before turning back to the kitchen. Once there, she put some green onions in a glass of water on the table, followed by a plate of sliced cucumbers and tomatoes fresh from the garden. The potatoes were almost done baking and Elinor was pleased to see a small pot of chives on the windowsill.
"Lovely!" Elinor said, looking around for a pair of kitchen shears. She'd wait to put the steaks on til James came back downstairs.
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