Alyssa or Nyssa?

Chapter Ten: Ice Cream

Dad took us to my old room, which was exactly as I left it. Pepper and I had had a great time decorating it. It was themed after nature. It was a large room. The carpet was grass green and soft. The bed had four posts, like tree trunks. The covers were light green and the pillows a darker shade. Draped over the top was a thin net with small lights sewed into it. They almost looked like fireflies.

A small table was shaped like a chopped down tree trunk, with two chairs that had saplings weaved into designs that shaped a leaf form. A small tea set was on top of the table, covered in a small layer of dust, from my last tea party with Pepper, who I used to call Mama. I really missed Pepper, my only real parental figure in life.

A large hallowed out fake tree was located to the right of the bed in the middle of the room, while the table was on the left. The tree had a small opening at the bottom, and I knew that inside the tree there was a staircase that opened at the top. Fake branches filled the top of the room like a jungle gym, a couple feet below the ceiling.

I remember when I was little and my dad had missed my 2ed grade science fair, working on his own project. I had made my own solar panel and used it to power a small children's toy of my father's suit. I had been so proud, and so disappointed when Pepper was the only one who showed up, and had cried in the tree tops.

*Flashback to 2nd Grade Science Fair*

I stood at my small fold up table, waiting for Dad to show up. I had my small solar panel, with a toy of Dad's suit attached. A small sun light was hovering over it, waiting to be turned on. I had a 17 page packet on the project. The teacher had given me a four, the highest grade in elementary school. Everyone passed by my project, which I had worked very hard on, heading to their own children's spaces.

I glanced around the gym, looking for Dad's beard, his face, or even one of his fancy suits. I saw nothing. I took a deep breath. I saw a familiar face walking towards me.

"Pepper!" I yelled across the gym, earning a few looks. Pepper smiled at me, but it looked forced. Her orangish blond hair was in a bun on the back of her head. She was wearing a white skirt and suit jacket. She hurried towards me, a small briefcase in hand.

"Alyssa, dear," she held out her arms for a hug. I leaped into her grasp. Then I used my hands to push myself up on to her shoulder and looked anxiously over her head.

"Where's Daddy?" I asked, climbing back in front of my table, "he promised he would come to this one!" I smiled, still thinking he would be there, hiding somewhere. Thinking he would jump out like he used to when I was really young, and wrap me in a hug saying, "there's my little Alyssa, my little genius."

Other parents were starting to look over, though I supposed that was my fault for talking so loud.

Pepper smiled forcibly again, "Daddy, he-" she paused, grabbing both my hands and kneeling down to my level, "he couldn't come. He said he would definitely make it next time." She rubbed the backs of my hands. My smile dropped.

My eyes stung, but I wasn't going to cry. My jaw tightened in determination.

"Oh," was all I said. Then I turned back, "do you want to see my project then?" I pulled my solar panel and figure off the table. Parents of other children cooed in pity, and gathered to see what I had put together. It didn't matter, I had only made it for my dad, not for them.

"The solar panel connects to..." I explained everything to them, talking them through the steps of building the small project. Everyone listened carefully. Pepper smiled sadly again.

"She is truly her father's daughter," she whispered, but I heard. Once I finished, the crowd of parents dispersed slowly. Pepper hugged me and lifted me up.