Chapter 3

"Ready or not, here I come!" A young Jim opened his eyes, quickly pacing around his parents' home and searching every nook and cranny. Despite having already located Evelyn in countless locations, she impressed him by somehow managing a new hiding place every time. Even spots that Jim didn't even know existed. But even at their young age, Evelyn had demonstrated her clever mind, a trait Jim always failed to take into account when volunteering as the seeker. "Did you see where she went?" He would always ask his mother, who this time sat in her rocking chair in the corner of the room reading a book.

"Nope." She would always answer back, smiling.

Jim groaned, but continued his search, determined not to repeat the infamous hide and seek game of just a few months back that lasted nearly four hours. And that game only ended for lunch. Jim's parents even made sure he hadn't seen them retrieve Evelyn from her hiding place so she could use it again in the future. Now, everytime Jim unlocked or opened a hiding place, he'd only grunt at Evelyn's absence. He conceded after an hour.

Evelyn popped out from inside an antique bronze newspaper box, spooking him and laughing. "I thought you were going to find me for sure this time! I thought I heard you walk by so many times!"

"Wait, seriously? You hid in there?"

Evelyn grinned. "Yep!"

"Let's play again. I hide this time," Jim suggested.

Evelyn looked towards Jim's mother, Mrs. Hughes, who gave a nod.

"Alright then. Let's see if you can hide for more than 5 minutes this time." Evelyn walked off to another room. A few moments later, she counted down from 20. That's as far as Jim knew how. "20."

Jim took a few seconds inspecting his surroundings. The living room alone offered various hiding places, but most lacked quality. He then rushed to his mother's side. "I need help, Mom. Where should I hide so she won't find me so easily?"

"15!"

Mrs. Hughes lowered her book, not looking at Jim, but instead at the room. She replied seconds later. "Try the same spot. I'm sure Evelyn won't expect you to hide in the spot she just hid in."

Jim's eyes widened. "That's brilliant!"

"10!"

Jim squeezed into the newspaper box. He discovered why he didn't think about searching there last round. He barely fit, but Evelyn was considerably smaller than him, and more flexible. When the lid closed, he couldn't see a thing.

"5!"

Jim took one last deep breath before crouching completely still, remaining very silent.

"Ready or not here I come!"

He heard Evelyn's footsteps walk into the same room. He thought he heard them stop right in the doorway. And he would be right, but not for the reasons he thought.

Jim saw the light again when Evelyn lifted the lid. "Seriously? How did you find me already? You are really good at this game!" Jim squeezed out of the box. "I don't know how you do it! That was a really good hiding spot too!"

Evelyn giggled, beaming with joy. "Your mother told me."

"Mom!" Jim glanced at her. "That's not fair!" His initial reaction evaporated quickly, joining in the laughter.

Suddenly, both Evelyn and Jim perked up to the music their ears have attuned to. Mrs. Hughes sighed, reaching into her back pocket and grabbing two 5 dollar bills. She handed one to both of them. "Go ahead. But don't get too much. Dinner is in a couple hours."

After grabbing the money, Jim and Evelyn dashed out the front door. The ice cream truck hadn't reach the house yet, so Jim and Evelyn ran over to a couple houses down the street. A line had already formed by the time they made it to the ice cream truck, a line longer than usual due to an abnormally hot day. Thankfully their small neighborhood kept the line tolerably short.

"I'll take a chocolate chip," Jim told the server.

"Big surprise," Evelyn teased. "I'll try a Mint Oreo." They each handed their money to the server.

The server grabbed the bills, inserting them into the register. Then he backed away from the counter. Shortly after, he returned, offering the requested orders to the two children. "Enjoy!" The server replied cheerfully.

Evelyn and Jim rushed back to the Hughes home, both mothers awaiting their arrival. They sat in their usual positions, talking in the living room across from each other.

"I see Jim got the chocolate chip again," Mrs. Collins commented.

"What's wrong with that? I really like it," Jim replied, his face covered in ice cream.

"You know you are supposed to eat it, right?" Evelyn teased. Jim just shrugged.

"What are you trying this time, Evelyn?" Mrs. Hughes asked.

"Mint Oreo," she answered. Evelyn ate slowly, taking time to appreciate each bite. "I believe that leaves me with only 3 more flavors to try."

"Which one is your favorite so far?" Her mom questioned.

"That's a tough one." Evelyn paused in thought. "I'd have to say Cookies and Cream."

"Ooh, that's a good one!" Her mom agreed.

"Come on, Evelyn," Jim grabbed her hand. "Let's go back outside and enjoy our ice cream on the porch."

"Good idea!"

They retreated to the porch and sat on the swing bench. The heat melted the ice cream faster than usual, so the two talked little until after most of the ice cream had been consumed. They simply both sat there, Jim occasionally looking over at Evelyn, and Evelyn staring at the clouds.

Jim couldn't remember what the conversation that followed had been about, nor did he believe it important. He cherished the innocence of his childhood, the moments spent with Evelyn before he screwed it all up, the moments when he was arguably the happiest in his life.

All he needed to remember was that sitting down with Evelyn and talking on a personal level, not just about their interests, but about themselves, had been the first time he truly understood another person. Though he may not have realized it at the time. And for the rest of his life, Evelyn had been one of the only people, if not the only person, he felt that way toward.

Maybe I should write about that. But then he shook his head. No, that won't do either. Jim remembered that he focused best in solitude, and the gathered patrons loudly conversing in the bar distracted him from his thoughts. He noticed a bench in an empty park just outside the bar. He stood up, carrying the paper lantern bag and his other possessions with him as he claimed a seat on it, where he could reflect on his past more efficiently.