"Aunt Lucy?" Pepper said, her smile gone, her face much too worried for a five-year-old.

"You'll be a huge help," Lucy said hastily. "Huge. Now, where is your mama-Ouch!"

Her head snapped back as Gloom yanked on her long black braid from behind. "Connor Nash," he said, and she dropped Pepper's hand and grabbed the base of her braid to take the pressure off her skull.

"Yeah." Lucy tried to pry her braid out of his hand. "I was going to mention that."

"Really? When?'

"As late in the game as possible. Which appears to be now."

"What were you thinking?' Gloom glared at her, his gawky form looming beside her.

"Gloom?" Pepper said, and he looked down and let go of Lucy's braid.

"Peppermint!" He picked her up, swooshing her up to hug her, almost getting beaned by her binoculars as he smacked a kiss on her cheek.

Pepper giggled, happy again, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said, strangling him. "We will have a party."

"You bet." Gloom peeled one of her arms away from his windpipe. "Tell you what, go get your mama and tell her we need to make plans. There will have to be a cake-"

"Yes!" Pepper said, and tried to wriggle her way to the ground. Gloom set her down, and she was off like a shot, blond hair flying and binoculars bouncing as she headed for the craft services table set up near Connor's van, the source of apples and candy and water bottles and, evidently, her mother.

Lucy frowned up at the sky. "We didn't order a helicopter today, did we?"

Gloom yanked her braid again.

"Ouch. Stop that."

"Now about that Aussie bastard," Gloom said.

Down the bridge, Connor looked up at them, distracted by the commotion, and saw Lucy for the first time. His face lit up-God, he's beautiful, she thought-and then he started up the bridge to her.