The Tiger Lily

Scene Three

~*~*~*~

The Song of Hope Series:
"The Tiger Lily"

Scene Three:
"Home"

~.~.~.~

Alvin had remained on the large balcony in front of the treehouse, speechless but optimistic. He stood there, wondering if Brittany might pop out the door at any moment. Instead, he was suddenly hit square on the head by a plump, warm raindrop that dripped from the branches overhead.

Alvin scurried to the side of the deck where a long zip line had been strung from the Chipettes' roof to the Seville home, right over the window of the chipmunks' bedroom. He swung neatly down to the windowsill and hopped into the bedroom.

There were three small beds laid against a custom brick wall, each bed color-coded to the chipmunk that owned it. Alvin was surprised to find Theodore and Eleanor sitting on Theodore's green bed, reading out the long list of planned events for the night's performance. Jeanette was standing by a hand mirror laid against the wall, trying on a selection of stage outfits, while Simon was fiddling with what looked like long twigs on a metal tray.

"Oh hello, Alvin," Simon said, adjusting his glasses as he looked up from his work, "We were beginning to wonder where you and Brittany were."

"Or, you know, that she'd murdered you already," Eleanor added with mock seriousness.

"No, no, we're cool! Everything's just fine," Alvin said. To change the subject, he knelt by Simon's work tray and picked up one of the long twig-like objects. "What are these things, Si?"

"Oh, just a little festive surprise I've cooked up in the last few hours," Simon grinned smartly. He was wearing his stage outfit as well, and as Alvin watched, the middle chipmunk took one of the twigs and slid it into the back of his shirt, adjusting something hidden in the shoulder.

Simon reached just behind his neck and whipped out the twig, which burst into a spray of color-changing sparks that sizzled down the tip of the sparkler.

"Wa-lah!" he smiled proudly, extinguishing the sparkler in the corner of the tray, "That should dazzle the crowd, right?"

"Catching yourself on fire is a crazy way of dazzling somebody, Simon," Alvin said with his usual coy grin.

"I'm not catching myself on fire for anyone, Alvin," Simon muttered.

Alvin raised an eyebrow and pointed at his brother's smoking foot. With a squeak of surprise, Simon leapt about, batting at his foot with his fallen hoodie. He dashed off to the bathroom sink with a long, comical squeal, leaving a wispy trail of smoke behind him.

"Waaaaaah!"

Alvin was beside himself with laughter. He held his sides and called out after Simon, "Si, come back! We need a comedy act, you were doing so good!"

"Alvin," Jeanette scolded, hiding a smile, "If you're done burning down my husband, would you come help me button this thing?"

"Oh sure, Jeanette," Alvin replied. He helped the tall chipette into a sparkling lavender vest and a decorative tie, which was fastened to the vest at her midriff to avoid tripping during dance. She retreated into a shoebox serving as a changing room, and came back out to reveal a frilly silver skirt with red, blue, and green stars. The clip that held up her bun was shaped like a shooting star.

"What do you think?" Jeanette asked, somewhat shy.

Alvin clapped his hands once and did an exaggerated bow. "The stars have surely fallen to earth, milady," he said. Jeanette hid a blush by turning away, pretending to study herself in a mirror.