“We’ve been very blessed with these three,” Kim said, nodding at her kids. “They’re not angels, but we think we got pretty lucky.”
Anna beamed. Billy Jr. rolled his eyes. Sophie winced.
Dad put his arm around Kim, lightening up. “We’d have liked to have one more, but—”
“Dad,” Sophie groaned, mortified. “Gross.”
Anna tugged on my arm. “We’re going to sleep in a tent,” she said, excited.
I looked around, confused.
“We’re going to Yellowstone next summer,” Dad explained. “On a camping trip.”
The whole family perked up at the mention of the trip. They spoke over one another in their eagerness.
“We’re going to rent canoes,” Sophie said.
“And roast marshmallows,” Anna announced.
“I get to build the bonfire,” Billy Jr. added. “And we’re going to go fishing. Right, Dad?” He peered at our father so earnest and full of hope that I realized he might not be a brat after all. Maybe he was just a kid who wanted his father’s approval, who didn’t know how to act around his long-lost sister.
Dad nodded and grinned, his bad mood gone.
“When is the big trip?” I asked.
“Over the July Fourth holiday,” Kim said, relaxing a little. She smiled at the kids’ excitement. She was pretty when she smiled. “We haven’t gone camping in years, not since before Anna was born.”
“When I was in your tummy?” Anna asked.
“Even before then,” Kim said.
Anna looked confused, but didn’t comment.
Sophie piped up again. “Anna thinks she saw me and Billy in Mom’s tummy.” Everyone started to laugh. “She said there was a Toys ‘R’ Us in there too.”
“No, I didn’t,” Anna protested.
“Yes, you did,” they all chimed back. They sounded happier now, laughing and playful. This was the kind of family I’d wanted.
“I’m going to show these guys how to make waffles over a fire,” Dad said. He was as thrilled as the kids. I imagined myself wedged between Sophie and Billy Jr. on a log in the dark, telling the scariest ghost stories I could come up with. We’d stay up all night, eating and laughing. Dad would put me in charge of grilling the burgers.
“I’d love to join you,” I blurted.
Kim did a double take. Even Dad was at a loss for words. Sophie and Billy Jr. watched their parents.
Anna clapped her hands and yelled, “Can Rose come? I want to sit next to her in the car!”
Dad smiled weakly at Anna. “We’ll see, honey.” He turned to me. “Let’s talk about it later, okay?”
I nodded. That meant no. Crap—had I screwed everything up? My heart pounded. I shouldn’t have invited myself like that, but they’d made the trip sound so fun. I could picture myself next summer, not alone on my couch in Deadwick with a sad stack of movies, but nestled in a sleeping bag with my siblings snoring quietly beside me in our tent. I hadn’t wanted something this bad since Disney on Ice when I was ten.
Kim began clearing the table. “Anna, why don’t you take Rose to the living room and show her the DVDs? How about we let her choose the movie for tonight?”
Anna pulled me by the hand to the living room and showed me her collection of Disney movies. My fingers brushed the spines of the films I’d watched tirelessly for the past two years: Peter Pan, Mulan, Dumbo. I pulled the last title from the shelf.
“I hate that movie,” Anna said bitterly.
“Why?” I asked with surprise.
She looked at her feet. “The girls at school say I have Dumbo ears.”
My heart hitched.
I squatted to her height. “You know, Dumbo gets to fly at the end. He’s the coolest of all the elephants.”
Anna glanced up at me, doubtful.
I tucked her hair behind her ears, which were big, but not as big as she probably feared. She watched me, waiting. What was I supposed to do, tell her to love her flaws while I saved every spare dollar to get rid of mine?
“What’s your favorite Disney movie?” I asked.
“Frozen,” she said immediately.
I gasped. “Mine too! Let’s watch that, and I’ll braid your hair.”
Anna shook her head, letting her hair cover her ears again. “I don’t like braids.”
No, you don’t like that they show your ears. I knew every trick in the book.
“Oh, come on, you’ll look just like Anna and Elsa!” I said. “Tell you what. If you hate the braids, we can take them right out. But let’s see if you like them?”
Anna thought about it, then nodded. “Deal.”
While the rest of the family cleaned up dinner, I braided Anna’s hair like my life depended on it, even weaving a purple ribbon through. I’d practiced on my wigs countless times, but had never braided a person’s hair before. Now I knew all my practicing had been for this moment. When I finished, the braid was perfect. Anna ran to the bathroom to check herself out in the mirror. I held my breath. Seconds later, she darted back into the living room and hugged me tight. I grinned, resting my cheek on the top of her head and basking in the simple joy of making another human being happy.
Once the dining room was cleaned, all the Gillespies settled on the couch to watch Frozen together. Anna informed me I was sitting in Daddy’s spot, but Dad said that was okay and he wanted to try a new spot tonight. I beamed, thankful he was including me in his family.
Billy Jr. and Sophie didn’t enjoy the movie as much as Anna and I. They were on their phones the whole time. Sophie sighed when Anna sang along to “Let It Go” at the top of her lungs. I thought she was cute. She played with her braid the entire time.
After the movie, Kim told the kids to get ready for bed and led me upstairs. She gave me a brief tour of the second floor: the master bedroom and bathroom; Sophie and Anna’s room; Billy Jr.’s room; and the guest room, where I would sleep.
The guest room had a queen-sized bed and pastel yellow walls. The bottoms of the walls had ducklings stenciled onto them. Kim noticed my gaze.
“This used to be the nursery,” she said, pulling an extra quilt out of a trunk for me. “We haven’t gotten around to repainting yet. God, is Anna six already? Now I’m embarrassed.” She forced a laugh. I waved her off, said I loved it.
She draped the quilt along the foot of the bed. “In case you get cold.”