“He seems like a great dad. Where’s mom?” I ask.
“She died when Pepper was a baby.”
“That’s terrible!”
“Yeah—I don’t think Brandon has ever gotten over it.”
When we reach the amphitheater, an anxious Brandon is talking to Annie. Nearby, other guests take their seats on tree stumps arranged in a semicircle around a flat clearing that serves as a natural stage. The hill behind descends steeply, leaving an open view of ocean and sky.
“I’m sorry,” Annie says. “I didn’t see a little girl wearing rain—wait, hold on a sec...” My sister stops mid-sentence and walks across the clearing to the sycamore tree at the far edge of the stage area. A pair of pink rainboots sits at the base of thetrunk. Annie peers up into the tree. Following her gaze, I spot Pepper sprawled on the wide limb like a big cat. Her bare feet wave happily in the air as she scribbles intently in her notebook.
From where I’m standing two rows above, I can see more of Annie’s face than Pepper’s.
“Hello there!” my sister says, absolutely enchanted. “You must be Pepper?”
Pepper looks up from her book and nods. “My name is Penelope, but I go by Pepper.”
“That’s a great name! My name is kind of like that too. My parents named me Marianne, but I go by Annie. Are you here for the poetry class?”
“Yes! Is it okay if I listen from this tree? It’s just somajestic,” she says this last line with flair.
“Best seat in the house,” Annie answers with an understanding smile.
“Pepper!” An irritated Brandon interrupts. “How many times have I told you not to run off like that?”
“Annie says I can stay in the tree!”
“Annie,” he says the name with irritation, “is not your father. Please come down from there.” He reaches out his arms and a smiling Pepper jumps into them. “Don’t scare me like that,” he says into her hair as he holds her tight.
Annie’s face softens watching the father and daughter reunion. She used to jump into Dad’s arms like that.
“Looks like you’ve met Elinor’s sister,” Edward says as we join the group. “Brandon, this is Annie. Annie, these are my friends, Brandon and Pepper.”
Annie gives them a dazzling smile, and I half expect Brandon to fall in love with her right there—or at least be momentarily stunned upon receiving her full attention—but he barely seems to notice her. Pepper, on the other hand, is definitely smitten. She climbs out of her father’s arms and walksright up to Annie.
“You look just like a fairy princess,” she says with awe.
“Thank you! That’s the ultimate compliment.”
“I like the flowers in your hair,” Pepper adds
“You do?” Annie plucks out a sprig of small white daisies from the complicated knot holding her hair half-way up. “Here!” She tucks it behind Pepper’s ear.
“Thank you!” Pepper grins ecstatically.
“You should come to my flower crown class tomorrow,” says Annie.
“Can we, Daddy? Don’t you think she looks like a fairy princess?”
“I thought we were going to the aquarium,” he says with barely a glance at Annie.
“We can do that next week,” says Pepper.
“How about you don’t run off anymore,” Brandon says to Pepper, “and I’ll consider the flower class.”
“Thank you,yes!” she jumps up and down.
“I spoil her rotten,” he says apologetically, I’m not sure why. If I had a daughter that precious, I’d give into her every whim. I already kind of do that with my own sister.
