The Lemonade War

Evan is having a hard time finding his rhythm on the basketball court with Scott Spencer. Evan keeps feeling Jessie’s money in his pocket, reminding him of his immoral decision: “And every time he moved, the envelope slapped against his thigh like a reprimand” (156). As the boys pause to discuss how hot it is, Evan’s friend Jack comes running back to the court, reporting back that his mom said it was okay for the boys to go swimming.

When the boys get to Jack’s house, Evan borrows an old bathing suit and wraps up the clothes he had been wearing into a ball on Jack’s bed. Scott leaves early while the other boys are still in the pool. When Evan returns to Jack’s room to retrieve his clothes, he finds them in disarray and suspects Scott.

Mrs. Treski is waiting for Evan and Jessie to come downstairs to see the fireworks, and the siblings discuss the conclusion of the lemonade war. At first, the two argue back and forth about the validity of the war. Evan claims to have no money saddening Jessie. When Evan makes a feeble joke and Jessie doesn’t respond, he too is saddened by the futility of the ordeal: “Now it was all just money and numbers and bad feelings” (162).

Jessie opens her lock box to take out her earnings, but she realizes that the money inside isn’t hers. There’s only $62.11, and Jessie immediately demands to know where it came from. Evan explains that it’s his money and that Jessie’s money is gone; someone took the envelope out of his shorts at Jack’s house. Evan apologizes, but Jessie physically attacks him. Evan feels guilty and doesn’t fight back.

When Jessie finally calms down, she lies down next to Evan on the bed, and they consider who stole the money. Evan thinks it was Scott Spencer, who Jessie says is a jerk. Evan compliments Jessie for having earned so much money, and Jessie asks Evan why he took it. The siblings share all of their grievances with each other. Jessie finally realizes that Evan has been upset because he doesn’t want to be embarrassed by Jessie’s academic success in their combined classroom. When Jessie tells Evan that he isn’t dumb, he protest, arguing that she earned twice as much lemonade money than him; Jessie reveals that she also had Megan’s money. Evan is relieved that the Lemonade War ended in a tie.

As the siblings begin to reconcile, Evan realizes that he’s lost Megan’s money. He’s upset that he has to tell Megan about it, so Jessie tells him that Megan likes him. Jessie also has the realization that their arguments were futile: “This war was stupid” (170). Evan agrees. Finally, the two head downstairs to watch the fireworks with Mrs. Treski. The family watches the fireworks together until a sudden thundershower. Later that night, Jessie comes up with an idea to get Megan’s money back.

The end of Chapter 14 shows a large first-prize poster board made by Jessie and Evan Treski with the title “Ten Tips for Turning Lemons into Loot” (174-75), featuring 10 business tips. Following the illustration is a short newspaper clip explaining how the siblings won $100 for their poster board followed by a handwritten note showing the plan for paying Megan’s money back.