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fingers.
    Taking the chocolate syrup bottle from his hands, Margaret began applying liberal amounts onto each banana split. “Do you want one, too?” she asked Ellie who shook her head. Shrugging, the young girl resealed the container and reached for the nuts.
    Picking up his camera, which always seemed on hand lately, Edward snapped a few pictures of Margaret as she continued to garnish her dessert.
    “Ellie,” Marianne called from where she was sitting, pulling out her earbuds, “Come look at my painting and tell me what you think—but be honest.”
    Edward watched Ellie as she walked over to her sister and studied the artfully created masterpiece Marianne had been working on for weeks. It was ablaze with passionate blends of orange, purple, blue and green. On it was calligraphy writing which Ellie quietly read aloud, “Love is to burn, it is to be on fire. . . .” Ellie reflected on the piece in its entirety before giving Marianne an answer. “It’s terrific, Marianne,” she finally said, conveying the sincerity of her words by placing her hand affectionately on her sister’s shoulder.
    “I don’t know how it should finish though,” Marianne said, blushing as she tapped her paint-stained brush thoughtfully on the rinsing jar. “Love is to burn, it is to be on fire, it is to. . . .” Turning suddenly to Edward, she asked, “Edward, what do you think?”
    Ellie had to muffle a giggle upon seeing Edward’s surprise at being called upon. Startled and looking quite ridiculous with his mouth full of ice cream, Edward’s eyes darted curiously between the sisters. Attempting to avoid further embarrassment, he turned around while proceeding to finish chewing the large bite. But this only made him appear even more absurd. Trying to stifle their laughter, the sisters watched Edward as he set aside his half-eaten banana split, and with a tinge of red to his face, advanced to get a closer look at the artwork. Nudging them playfully, he looked at the painting and pondered it for a moment. Ellie observed him as he did so, admitting to herself that there was something about Edward which she found overwhelmingly attractive. Maybe it was his gentlemanly manner or his expressive eyes. Whichever, she knew she wouldn’t mind spending more time with him to ascertain exactly what it was.
    Edward opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again and Ellie noticed the furrowed brow on Marianne’s fair face as she awaited his opinion. “Ignite, thus. . .” he began in asemi-querulous tone, “keep the fire department number . . . handy?” Marianne couldn’t control the laughter that rose up inside her. “I told you, I’m not a poet!” Edward defended himself, “I just take pictures!”
    Marianne turned back to her painting and dipped her brush into the paint. “Edward, you’re pathetic!” she joked.
    Edward winked at Ellie and she replied with a similar grin. She liked him—she liked him a lot. . . .

After cleaning up the kitchen together, Ellie and Edward collapsed on the fluffy couch behind Margaret who had already stationed herself on the floor to watch Cartoon Network. An old episode of
Tom and Jerry
began to play as Ellie closed her eyes momentarily in an effort to ease her exhaustion. She had been on her feet all day and the thought of turning in for the night had never sounded sweeter. Yet, it was useless to attempt leaving Edward’s company or trying to relax. Being near him made her insides feel all twisted up. She was excited but also nervous by the realization that mere inches separated their bodies. Ellie couldn’t help thinking how sensual it was watching the slow rise and fall of his chest as he silently watched the cartoon.
    Interrupting her thoughts, Edward turned his face to better look at her while toying with his camera. He’d been snapping pictures of the three sisters all evening after confessing there was something about their close bond which intrigued him. “Has your mom had any luck