On a sunny afternoon in August of 1991, a large moving truck rumbled down the sleepy, Toronto street where Gail Peck had resided for the full 4 and 3/4 of her young life.
Gail shouldn't know about the truck because Gail was supposed to be taking a nap. But she was a big girl now and didn't need naps anymore. Besides there was something much, much cooler happening outside.
The large moving truck was pulling just 4 houses down, and across the street from Gail's own home. She could see its flashy, orange exterior from the window in her bedroom. The truck was loud, rumbling down the street before squeaking as it came to a stop. A giant butterfly was painted on the side with words that Gail didn't know how to read yet. Following behind the truck, Gail could see another, much smaller car, which pulled past the truck and into the driveway of the house. Gail tried to get a better look at things, but she was just too far away. There was no way to tell if there were any kids moving in.
Because if there was one thing Gail knew, it was that she was going to be best friends with any cool, new kids that came along with that big, orange truck. No "ifs", "ands", or "buts" about it. The new kid, or kids, would be friends with her if it killed them.
But Gail still couldn't see anything. And that little obstacle was killing her. She had to find a way to see. Sneaking out of the house was a definite no-go. Gail knew that would be big time trouble - especially since she was supposed to be asleep. She might be able to sneak into Steve's room. He was still at school for a little while longer. As quickly as that idea came, Gail discarded it. Steve's bedroom window didn't really give her a better view than she already had.
Then it struck Gail: Steve's binoculars. Of course! She could just borrow those for a little while. The chubby, blonde toddler scurried off of the window bench in her room and cracked the door open ever so slightly. She couldn't hear her mom, who was home on one of her rare weekdays off from work, so Gail tip-toed towards Steve's room at the end of the hall.
The first thing she noticed was that is smelled. Ugh, Steve always smelled. He called her Garbage Pail Gail but Gail knew he was the actual garbage-smelling one. Smelly Steve - Gail smiled to herself at that new nickname. She would have to use that one soon.
Despite the sort-of-smelly nature of Steve's room, it was still mostly clean. Gail's mom, Elaine Peck, was not one for too much clutter or mess, even in her children's own bedrooms. Still, Gail couldn't complain too much about that at this moment. It was, after all, thanks to her mom that Gail was able to so easily locate her brother's binoculars. Triumphantly snatching the binoculars off of Steve's desk, Gail returned swiftly to her room - hiding under her covers for a minute just to be sure no one heard her and came to check on her.
When she felt relatively certain no one was coming to check, Gail hopped out of bed and returned to the window. This time with increased vision to scope out the new family.
Mostly, Gail just saw boxes. And adults. Did these people not have any kids? What was wrong with them? Gail got especially frustrated when she saw the baby car seat in the back of the car. Maybe these people only had a baby. And Gail was much too old to be playing with a baby. She was 4 and 3/4, nearly five, and would not be friends with a baby. Even if it was a cool new kid baby. No babies. That was Gail's first rule. Besides babies smell and cry a lot.
Gail had nearly grown bored of looking at the new family when she saw her: a little girl with scrawny arms, and the longest, brown hair Gail had ever seen. She looked like a princess, Gail thought.
Her mind turned to more pressing matters when she the tell-tale thump of her mother's footfalls on the staircase. Scrambling off of the bench, Gail slid underneath the covers just as the door creaked open, and her mother's head poked through the opening.
"Gail darling," Elaine spoke, "it's time to get up from your nap".
Gail stayed still, knowing that if she got up too quickly her mother would know immediately that she hadn't been sleeping at all. Elaine opened the door more now, stepping through the doorway and crossing over towards Gail's bed. She sat on the bed and began to rub small circles on Gail's back, "Abigail, you need to wake up now"
Gail faked a yawn, and rolled over to look at her mom. Despite the theatrical performance, Elaine was not fooled. She could see the lack of drowsiness around Gail's eyes and the yawn Gail had just tried to fake was altogether over the top.
"Abigail Lauren Peck, did you sleep at all during your nap?" Elaine questioned, narrowing her eyes at her youngest child, who was now hiding her face partially below her bedspread.
"Maaay-be?" the young girl squeaked, now fully hiding under the covers - as if not being able to see her mom would make things better.
"You, my darling, are a terrible liar," Elaine said unsmiling, but with a warm glint in her eye, "do you know what mommy and daddy do to liars?"
Gail tore the blanket off her face and paled for a second, "Do I have to go to jail?"
"I think we'll settle for time-out for now." Elaine conceded, laughing softly at her daughter's unnecessary panic, "And I will be napping with you tomorrow to make sure you're sleeping. What kept you awake this time?"
Gail looked at her mom for a moment, as if sizing her up. Then she sat up, leaned over, and whispered to her mother, "I think there's a princess moving in."
"Oh really?" Elaine played along, "Where exactly is this princess moving into?"
"Just down the street", Gail responded, "Look!" Gail clambered off of her bed and back over to the window she had just been spying through. Elaine turned and stood behind Gail, who was pointing to the moving truck down the street.
"Oh, the Jamesons finally sold the house," Elaine mused, more to herself than to Gail who was still excitedly pointing.
"And they have a princess!" Gail insisted, "The Jamesons just had, Kyle the crier. Cry-le Baby-son."
"Gail!" Elaine reprimanded, "that is incredibly rude. Where did you learn that?"
Gail blanched. She had heard it from Steve, but knew it was a terrible idea to rat out her brother. Siblings don't tattle on each other. It's a rule. Instead, Gail settled for a white lie, "I heard it from Callum Reynolds in playgroup. All the kids were calling Kyle that." While that was true, Steve had been the first one she had heard use the name.
"Bullying is unacceptable Abigail." Elaine explained, "As a Peck, I expect you to be a leader. You need to be someone who stands up to bullies, because sometimes they can't stand up for themselves. Someday day you might be a police officer, just like your father and I, and your whole job will be to stand up to bullies."
"But bullies are scary," Gail admitted, "and what if they pick on me instead?"
"Then you find a good partner to support you, and who will always back you up if anyone is ever silly enough to try and pick on a Peck." Elaine answered, "Come now Gail. Would you like to go meet the new neighbors? I believe Steve and your father just got home. Go get dressed and we will go over there in a bit."
Not waiting for a response from her daughter, Elaine Peck left the room. Gail couldn't believe her luck. Not only was she going to meet the maybe-a-princess, new girl, but her mom had forgotten all about the time-out she had threatened.
She was, however, faced with an exceptionally difficult task: what to wear when meeting a probable princess.
One hour later, and with an appropriate housewarming dessert in hand, the Peck family, sans Steve (who had elected to play with his best friend Jerry instead), were standing outside their new neighbors' house. Bill Peck knocked politely and a few moments later, a young mother answered the door with a baby in hand.
"Oh hello," the woman greeted.
There were pleasantries exchanged at the door, but Gail wasn't paying attention. Instead, she was trying to see into the house; trying to spot the long-haired girl from before. So keen was her search that she was momentarily startled when Bill gently pushed her forward - they were going inside.
Gail could hardly contain her excitement, her eyes peeled for a glimpse of the girl. Suddenly, there she was, coming out of the kitchen calling for her mother, "Mo-om!"
"I'm right here sweetheart." her mother responded, "Look we have visitors".
Her daughter walked over slowly, hiding slightly behind her mom's legs. It was the first time Gail had gotten a good glimpse of the girl. She was just as lanky as Gail had remembered seeing through the binoculars, though her hair was impossibly longer than Gail had imagined. She was also wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, a trait that Gail though made the girl look very smart. Maybe she was a princess and a genius! That would be super cool, Gail thought to herself.
A few moments later and the parent's excused themselves telling the girls to "get to know each other" and "play nicely with one another". Gail continued to stare at the new girl awkwardly while the adults walked off into the living room.
Gail fiddled with the dress that she had worn. It was one of her favorites, blue with little beaded flowers along the bottom of the bodice. It made Gail feel like a princess. And she definitely needed to feel like a princess if she was going to be near the new girl who might as well be an actual princess.
"Are you a princess?" Gail blurted, not being able to stand the silence in between them any longer.
"Me?" the girl asked looking confused, "I'm not a princess."
"You look like a princess. Your hair is sooooooooo long. Longest I've ever seen." Gail explained, "I'm Gail"
The girl smiled, "I'm Holly. And thank you. Sometimes I think my hair is too long because it gets in the way and tangles super easily."
"No it's beautiful." Gail protested waving her hands wildly in front of her, "you should probably never cut it. Then you could be rapunzel!"
Holly giggled, pulling a strand of her hair over her shoulder and playing with it, "I don't think hair can ever get that long."
"But if you cut it you'll never know." Gail argued, "plus if you get rapunzel hair then you'll be a real princess. And then you can make me a princess since I'll be your best friend."
"You want to be my best friend?" Holly asked shyly
"Duh. You're the cool, new girl and maybe a princess, of course I want to be your best friend." Gail gestured in the air, as if it was absurd she needed to explain these things to Holly, "but we can't be best friends yet."
"Why not?" Holly inquired, her curiosity piqued by the vibrant girl in front of her.
Gail gestured to have Holly move in closer, "Because I haven't told you all of my secrets yet Holly. We can't be best friends without secrets."
"So we have to earn out best friendship?" Holly concluded.
"Yep!" Gail exclaimed, her lips popping at the end of the affirmation, "We should make a list. Of things to do before we can be best friends."
"I'd like that." Holly replied, "Can you show me the good parks around here? And the best place to get ice cream?"
"Absolutely! I'm gonna be the best friend ever." Gail proclaimed, smiling at Holly.
"You promise?" Holly asked, "I've never had a best friend before."
"Me neither. Andy from playgroup wanted to be but I don't like her very much." Gail admitted, "We can just be each others first best friends."
"Okay but you have to pinky-promise okay?" Holly stuck her pinky finger out towards Gail, "best friends is serious."
Gail nodded furiously. Best friends was definitely serious business. Without hesitation, Gail wrapped her own finger around Holly's and very simply agreed, "I promise".