IT�S DECIDED THAT DADDY WILL
propose to Ms. Rothschild on Saturday, after hiking on one of their favorite trails. He�s going to do it right by a waterfall. The plan is for Peter and Kitty and me to hide behind trees and record the whole thing, then pop out with a romantic picnic basket. Daddy was nervous about the video part, in case Ms. Rothschild doesn�t say yes, but Kitty begged. �It�s for Margot,� she kept saying, when really she�s just nosy and wants to see it go down. Of course I do too. Peter�s along for the ride, literally. He�s giving us a ride.
That morning, before he leaves to pick up Ms. Rothschild, Daddy says, �Guys, if it doesn�t look like it�s going to be a yes, can you stop videotaping?�
I�m carefully wrapping roast beef sandwiches in wax paper. I look up to say, �She�s going to say yes.�
�Just promise me you�ll quietly slip away,� he says. He gives Kitty a pointed look.
�You got it, Dr. Covey,� Peter says, lifting his hand for a high five.
As they slap hands, I say, �Daddy, did you pack the ring?�
�Yup!� Then he frowns. �Wait, did I?� He pats his pockets and unzips the inside compartment of his windbreaker. �Damn, I forgot it!� Then he runs upstairs.
Peter and I exchange a look. �I�ve never seen your dad so stressed out,� he says, popping a grape in his mouth. �He�s usually a cool customer.�
I slap Peter�s hand away from the grapes.
Kitty steals a grape and says, �He�s been like this all week.�
Daddy runs back downstairs with the engagement ring. Kitty and I helped him pick it out. It�s a white-gold princess cut with a diamond halo. I was certain about the princess cut and Kitty was certain about the halo.
Daddy heads off to pick up Ms. Rothschild, and I finish putting together the picnic basket. I�m glad to have an excuse to bring it out. I bought it from a yard sale ages ago, and I haven�t used it once. I pack a bottle of champagne, a perfect cluster of grapes, the sandwiches, a wedge of Brie, crackers.
�Pack a bottle of water, too,� Peter says. �They�ll be dehydrated from the hike.�
�And probably from all the crying after she says yes,� Kitty says.
�Should we play some music for them, when he gets down on one knee?� Peter suggests.
�We didn�t discuss that part of the plan, and Daddy�s nervous enough as it is,� I say. �He can�t be thinking about how we�re hiding in the bushes waiting to cue up music for them. It�ll make him self-conscious.�
�Besides, we can add the music in post,� Kitty says. �We need to be able to hear the dialogue.�
I give her a look. �Katherine, this isn�t a movie. This is real life.�
I leave them to go to the downstairs bathroom, and after I wash my hands, I�m turning off the faucet when I hear Kitty say, �Peter, when Lara Jean�s gone, will you still come visit me sometimes?�
�Course I will.�
�Even if you guys break up?�
There�s a pause. �We�re not breaking up.�
�But if you do?� she presses.
�We won�t.�
She ignores this. �Because we never see Josh anymore, and he said he�d visit too.�
Peter scoffs. �Are you kidding me? You think I�m the same as Sanderson?
Me?
I�m a completely different league than him. I�m insulted you would even compare us.�
Kitty lets out a relieved kind of laugh, the kind that sounds more like a sigh. �Yeah, you�re right.�
�Trust me, kid. You and I have our own thing.�
I love him so much for that I could cry. He�ll look after Kitty for me, I know he will.
* * *
Daddy told us they�d get to the waterfall around noon, so we should be there by eleven forty-five to get into position. We end up going a little earlier than that, just to be on the safe side, at Kitty�s insistence.
We pick a hiding spot far enough away that Ms. Rothschild won�t spot us, but close enough to see. Kitty and I hide behind a tree, and Peter crouches behind one close by, phone in his hand, ready to record. Kitty wanted to be
the one to do it, but I make the executive decision that it should be Peter, because he isn�t as emotionally invested in this moment and will have a steady hand.
Just after twelve, they come up the trail. Ms. Rothschild is laughing about something, and Daddy is laughing robotically with that same nervous look on his face. It�s funny to watch them interact when she doesn�t know we�re watching. Kitty was right; it is a bit like a movie. He looks somehow younger next to her�maybe it�s because he�s in love. They walk over to the waterfall, and Ms. Rothschild sighs with happiness. �God, it�s gorgeous up here,� she says.
�I can barely hear anything,� Kitty whispers to me. �The waterfall is too loud.�
�Shh. You�re the one being loud.�
�Let�s take a picture,� Daddy says, fishing around in his windbreaker pocket.
�I thought you were morally opposed to selfies!� She laughs. �Hold on, let me try and fix my hair for this momentous occasion.� She pulls her hair out of its ponytail holder and tries to fluff it up. Then she pops what looks like a cough drop or a piece of candy in her mouth.
Daddy�s taking so long that for a second I�m afraid he�s lost the ring or his nerve, but then he gets down on one knee. Daddy clears his throat. It�s happening. I grab Kitty�s hand and squeeze it. Her eyes are shining. My heart is bursting.
�Trina, I never expected to fall in love again. I thought I got my shot, and I was okay with that, because I had my girls. I didn�t realize anything was missing. Then came you.�
Ms. Rothschild�s hands are covering her mouth. She has tears in her eyes.
�I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Trina.� Ms. Rothschild starts choking on her candy, and Daddy leaps up off his knee and starts pounding her on the back. She�s coughing like crazy.
From his tree Peter whispers, �Should I go do the Heimlich on her? I know how to do it.�
�Peter, my dad�s a doctor!� I whisper back. �He�s got it.�
As her coughing subsides, she stands up straight and wipes her eyes. �Wait. Were you asking me to marry you?�
�I was trying to,� Daddy says. �Are you all right?�
�Yes!� She claps her hands to her cheeks.
�Yes, you�re all right, or yes, you�ll marry me?� Daddy asks her, and he�s only half kidding.
�Yes, I�ll marry you!� she screams, and Daddy reaches for her, and they kiss.
�This feels private,� I whisper to Kitty.
�It�s all part of the show,� she whispers back.
Daddy hands Ms. Rothschild the ring box. I can�t quite make out what he says next, but whatever it was, it makes her double over laughing.
�What�s he saying?� Kitty asks me, just as Peter says, �What did he say?�
�I can�t hear! Both of you be quiet! You�re ruining the video!�
Which is when Ms. Rothschild looks over in our direction.
Shoot.
We all pop back behind our respective trees, and then I hear Daddy�s wry voice call out, �You can come out, guys. She said yes!�
We run out from behind the trees; Kitty launches herself into Ms. Rothschild�s arms. They fall over onto the grass, and Ms. Rothschild is laughing breathlessly, her laughter echoing through the woods. I hug Daddy, and meanwhile Peter�s still playing videographer, recording the moment for posterity like the good boyfriend he is.
�Are you happy?� I ask, looking up at my dad.
His eyes brimming with tears, he nods and hugs me tighter.
And just like that, our little family grows bigger.
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