It was completely clear day as the fairly small plane finished its taxing into Napa airport. The place was quite small and it felt quite isolated. Like Hallie before her Annie had become rather anxious about meeting her father knowing he'd be waiting for her to come of the plane any minute. It was very early in the morning in Napa, California and Annie was fairly tired as all the thoughts were rushing round her head making sleeping very difficult indeed. The plane stopped and the luggage was unloaded from the back of the plane. Just a minute later and the door at the front of the plane was opened too. This was the moment that Annie had been wanting all her life. The passengers, not that there was many there anyway walked out of the plane one by one, down its steps with Annie being first. The sun was shining brightly, a perfect compliment to how Annie was feeling in terms of how happy she was. She walks down the steps and collects Hallie's duffel from the pilot, who had unpacked the plane and was now on 'bag duty' while Annie carries Hallie's duffel.
Then, arriving from the crowd, Annie saw some-one she instantly recognised from all of Hallie's photos. All of Annie's nerves seem to melt away to be replaced by a grin. It was her father, Nick Parker, dad to both Hallie and Annie. He was a classic, ruggedly handsome sort of bloke, with a very Cheesy infectious grin and was wearing blue jeans, white shirt and a thin brown leather like jacket and is in his mid-30's. He broke into a large smile as he saw her daughter, thinking obviously it was Hallie not Annie, While Annie rushes towards her Dad, though not to fast thanks to all of Hallie's stuff.
Annie: Oh god, its him.
Nick: Hey Hal, welcome home, kiddo!
Get into these arms, you little punk.
Annie continues to run towards her father then stops just short of him, unable to look anywhere but at him, Nick the same and opens his arms out. Annie stays put for a second before rapidly dropping the heavy duffel on the floor and leaping up into her father's arms while Nick pulls her in close. Nick swings Annie round and the pair hug tightly for several seconds. Annie felt amazingly calm, it was all very surreal for her but inside she felt extremely emotional, it was a similar feeling to what Hallie had with her Mother, except Annie wasn't going to cry like her more emotional sister. Nick gives Annie a kick kiss on the head before placing her carefully back onto the ground and holding her hands.
Nick: I hope you had a lousy time at that camp 'cause you're never going back - I missed you too much.
Annie lets out a brief giggle just after Nick gives Hallie another little kiss. Nick had missed his daughter a lot and Annie knew already that her Dad was exactly how she hoped he would be, infact he was very similar to her Mom who had Hallie at the time. Everything was going well it seemed and Nick, like Elizabeth before him hadn't a clue that the two girls had swapped places. Still Annie knew that there was much more work to be done before she would totally convince him. Nick picks up Hallie's yellow duffel and then stands upright, measuring to see whether Hallie had grown. Out of the two girls Annie was marginally taller then Hallie but only very slightly, using his chest as a indicator, getting a little laugh out of Annie as Nick put his arms around her and once again giving her a placid kiss on the head and walking towards the small terminal, quite a size difference to Heathrow.
What happened to you? Something's changed. Did you get taller?
Annie: So, what's up, Dad? How's Chessy and everybody?
Nick: Great. Everybody's great, can't wait to see you. Eight weeks really is too long, Hal. So much has been happening around here.
Annie A lot's happened to me, too. I feel like I'm practically a new woman.
Annie couldn't help but keep looking at her father, she had waited her entire life to see her father, now she was standing next to him she just couldn't stop looking at him no matter how hard she tried, it was like a spell had been put on her, to nick of course it was odd why she kept looking at him, of course not realising the real truth. Annie lets out a small giggle as Nick notices just how much Annie was looking at him, turning to her to see just why she couldn't stop staring at him and as Annie replies she nearly slips up the truth, sharply correcting herself and quickly changing the subject as Nick pulls Annie in close again wrapping his arm round her shoulders.
Nick: What's the matter? Did I cut myself shaving?
Annie: No, it's just seeing you for the first time. I mean, you know... in so long. (giggling) You look taller to me, too.
Nick: C'mon, squirt, let's go home.
The two walk through the terminal with Nick asking just what Camp Walden was like, remembering the story that she and Hallie made up while there and with both of the girls using the same name if they need to phone each other not nick knew this of course. The two walked to the dark green Suburban which is nick's car and get in it, with Hallie sitting in the front with her Dad. The drive to the house and vineyard was a fairly short but scenic one, with Nick still asking plenty of questions to Annie, who was trying her hardest to keep the story of the camp straight and not over-complicate things to much though it was a lot for just an 11 year old kid to try and remember and other matters were pressing her brain then camp like Chessy, who Hallie had said was quite sharp as well, Annie had managed to fool her Dad but Chessy would be much harder to do, the journey continued through the vineyards, something which this area of the world was famous for, even though Annie had never tasted wine before in her life. Nick puts his straw hat on making him look very much like a cowboy with the sun still rising making the vineyards and hills look even more magnificent, Nick continues to ask Annie, who every now and then slips up saying something that she didn't want to.
Nick: Hey, by the way, thanks for all those newsy letters. I'm really glad I bought you all that personalized stationary you just had to have.
Annie: we meant to write, Dad, but we just got so busy with...
Nick: We?
Annie: Oh. Me and my friend. I met this girl at camp and we got really close.
Nick: Great.
Annie: Practically like sisters. She was a lovely girl.
Nick: 'Lovely'? You seem to have gotten very Proper all of a sudden.
Annie lets out a fake laugh as she realises she spoke just like she would at home and remembering that she wasn't at home but in the US and Nick was latching onto the way she was speaking already, so Annie sat there for a few second remembering just what sort of words Hallie used while at the camp. Nick at the same time reaches for Annie's left hand which was sitting on the rest in-between the two chair, looking at her hand then noticing that she had stopped chewing them, or more like Annie never started, despite the plea from Hallie that night in camp.
Stopped biting those nails I see.
Annie: Dad! You noticed!
Nick: Whaddya mean, noticed? You've been biting them since you could chew.
Annie: But I've decided to stop, Dad. It's a horrid habit, really it is, Dad.
Nick: 'Lovely' girl, 'Horrid, habit? What did they do, send you to summer camp or finishing school?
And why do you keep saying 'Dad, at the end of every sentence?
Annie once again realises she spoke like she would at home and a slightly anxious mood descended upon her though she was somewhat relieved when Nick mentioned the summer camp, and the relieved Annie let out a little giggle with nick also letting out a small giggle as the two kept smiling, with the pair of them once more laughing when Annie once again couldn't help herself.
Annie: I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was doing it, Dad.
Sorry, Dad.
Do you want to know why I keep saying Dad... ? The truth?
Nick: Because you missed your old man so much?
After not having the chance for so long to say the word Dad, it was almost unstoppable to say the word, so Annie had to sharply think of a excuse to why she did indeed keep saying Dad, nearly slipping up again when she does finally come up with something and very quickly gets carried away with her thoughts but she meant every single word, as she hadn't even known her Dad at all till just recently and she knew just what it was like to go through life without a father.
Annie: Exactly! it's because in my whole life, I mean for these past eight weeks, I was never able to ever say the word 'Dad'. Never. Not once! And a Dad is an irreplaceable person in a girls' life. I mean think about it, there's a whole day, devoted to celebrating Fathers, right? Just imagine, someone's life without a Father. Never buying a Father's Day card, never getting their Father a' birthday present, never sitting on their Father's lap, never being able to say, 'Hi, Dad', 'What's up, Dad, 'Bye, Dad, catch you later, Dad'. A baby's first words are always Dada, aren't they? Then there's 'Daddy', 'Daddio', 'Pop', 'My old man'... Not to mention, 'Wait 'til your father gets home, and...
Nick: So, let me see if I get this ... you missed being able to call me Dad.
Annie: Yeah. I really have, Dad.
Nick has a little smile to himself wondering why his girl had turned all sentimental all of the sudden. He drives towards a large sign, saying 'Parker knoll'. Annie turns around in time to see this and she gets quite surprised by the sign, realising that this was the vineyard that Hallie had talked about back at camp so merrily about and this was where she was going to live for a while, and where Hallie lived all her life not even knowing Annie existed. The scenery was amazing and the place was huge, it left Annie rather stunned.
Annie: Oh my God. Oh my God!
Nick: Now you sound like your old self.
The driveway up to the house was fairly long up a fairly large hill and through some of the vineyard, with Annie having a great big smile on her face, with Nick looking pleased that Annie was so happy. Finally they reached the house with Annie leaning forward and looking at it with great excitement. She quickly opens the door of the land rover and on the other side Nick does the same and steps onto the gravelled parking area. Annie just looked around the place, it was huge, even larger then her own place at home from the outside. The house itself looked very Victorian-style ranch place with terracotta coloured walls and wild weeds growing up the sides. On the balcony was Hallie's dog, Sammy, a fairly large dog who was barking away at the car, standing on the metal railings one the second floor through a opened window.
From the door came a screaming voice of excitement. As with her Dad she knew instantly who it was just from remembering Hallie's description of her. She was Chessy. Chessy is a very powerful personality but also very warm and loving woman, in her mid 30's as well with a great sense of humour. She runs towards Annie and grabs her, then picks her up, hugging her quite tightly with Annie sort of trying to hug back but being slightly squashed by Chessy's loving hug before finally putting her down then proceeding to hug her again with Annie this time properly hugging Chessy, before finally separating and holding hands.
Chessy: Hell-o, Gorgeous! Oh look at you, oh you grew!
Oh we missed you so much. Hey, don't you dare let your old man talk you out of going back to camp, okay. You're a grown girl, you need adventure.
You hungry? I made cornbread and chilli.
Why you so quiet? What's wrong?
Annie: I'm just so happy to be home.
Nick walks round to the back of the car, smirking at Chessy hyper-active welcome. He gets Hallie's yellow duffel from the back and his ears prick at hearing the mention of food which prompts him to walk round , to see Chessy still holding hands with the slightly over-whelmed Annie who was grinning every now and then thinking of what to say, because as Hallie said Chessy was very chatty and she had never met anyone quite like Chessy before, though it was clear from Hallie's personality that some of Chessy's personality rubbed off on her.
Nick: Did I hear something about cornbread and chilli?
Chessy: It's on the stove...
Nick quickly walks towards the kitchen where the food was being prepared. Shortly after the two females start to walk towards the stairs that leads onto the ground floor balcony, with Chessy wrapping her arm around Annie's shoulders and both walk towards the open door which Nick had just walked through., with Annie looking at Chessy who was once again talking away, and also looking at the stunning scenery which included the vineyard. Annie stops just before the door to take a quick look at the house's grounds crossing her fingers as a sign of good luck before turning round to see Sammy the dog running towards her barking away at the girl he had never met.
You've changed, Hal ... I can't put my finger on it, but something about you has definitely changed..
Annie: Really, well its just the same old me. Honest.
Hi Sammy!
Chessy: What's with you, goofball! It's Hallie.
Annie: I probably smell like camp, that's all.
Chessy: What's wrong with you? it's like you didn't even recognize her.
Chessy playfully messes about with Sammy outside leaving Annie to wander through the door to the interior of the large ranch. It was a large place, much larger then her own place back in London and very spacious with very high ceilings, Annie was pretty surprised at just how large it was in real life, the pictures that Hallie had didn't really do it any justice and she was walking around the place slowly, twirling around to get a better view of the whole place, with Chessy leaving Sammy to run of into the garden she heads into the same room that Annie was in, carefully placing the cushions on the terracotta coloured sofa and then walking towards the astonished girl.
Annie: Wow! It's even better than the pictures.
Chessy: Whaddya want to do first, kiddo - unpack or eat? Or eat, then unpack? Or, we can eat while we unpack.
Annie: You mean I can eat in my room?
Chessy: Yes, I would say that's a definite possibility.
Annie's response to Chessy's question got a rather weird look from Chessy, with Annie remembering she weren't at her Mom's home anymore and that her other side of the family was far more relaxed about things like that. From behind the wall in the Kitchen area came the voice that Annie had already learned to recognise, her father. His figures emerges through a hole in the wall, with a bowl of cornbread and chilli.
Nick: Hal, when you're done, come on down, there's someone I want you to meet.
Annie: Okay, Dad.
Nick: Okay, Hal.
Nick then walks out into a little courtyard area while taking a spoonful of his food from the bowl. Annie's eyes follows her father closely then turns to see the courtyard and another figure sitting down in one of the wooden chairs with Annie father walking around to sit on the table just beside her. Annie was a little confused as to who this lady was and why exactly she was in the house in the first place and what the lady said pricked Annie's ears.
Lady: Look at you, always eating.
Did you tell her?
Nick: No.
Nick: I will, I will.
Annie: Tell me what?
Annie steps forward, a little uneasy about who that woman was but also curious. She turns back to Chessy and looks her in the face trying to coax some sort of response from her but to no avail just yet. Instead Chessy turns round and heads towards the stairs as Annie stands there staring at the young lady before following Chessy up the stairs. Chessy awaits the mystified Annie at the top of the stairs before finally giving Annie a response she had wanted.
Chessy: He didn't tell you?
Hallie's room was nice and large, with lots of wood furniture, as well as a computer and TV and the odd horse racing award pinned up on a few cabinets beside the garden facing window. Chessy takes Hallie's duffel which was laid there neatly by Nick just outside Hallie's bedroom and walks into Hallie's cleaned room and Annie follows, trying to figure out who the lady was, after-all Hallie never mentioned anyone else, at least no other females bar Chessy. Chessy lays the duffel on the bed and proceeds to open it while Annie takes a quick look out of the window before taking off Hallie's blue jacket and resting it on the bed.
Annie: Who's the blonde?
Chessy: Hal, it's none of my business how your father makes a fool out of himself, you understand? He's a big boy, he can do what he wants.
Annie: Right. So who is she?
Chessy: Her name's Meredith Blake. She's a publicist from San Francisco. Your father hired her at the beginning of the summer to do some publicity for the vineyard and if you ask me, she's done a better job selling herself than the grapes.
Annie: Whaddya mean?
Annie walks over to the window to see Meredith and Nick walking into the garden, while Chessy starts to unpack Hallie's duffel, firstly taking out a Camera, before pausing, trying to think of a way to answer Annie's question. Annie turns around to see the pausing Chessy then sees the camera on the bed, which she picks up. She then walks back over to the window to do a bit of spying on her father and the flirtatious Meredith, using the camera to zoom in and watch the actions of the pair before finally taking a photo of it, evidence to give to Hallie in case she didn't believe what was happening, Annie knew full well what was going on though with her Dad.
Chessy: Boy... Look, you and I both know your Dad's no suave debonair Bachelor of the Month-type, so I wonder what a young hot thing like her sees in a guy who walks around with his shirt-tail hanging out and his cereal bowl full of chilli. Then I realized, there's a .million reasons why that girl's giggling and they're all sitting in the Napa Valley Community Bank.
Annie: You mean you don't think she even really likes him?
Chessy What do I know? But I'll tell you one thing. This one could sell snow to the Eskimo's. She's got your father eating out of the palm of her hand. They ride together, they swim together, they're out to dinner every night. Not to mention she treats yours truly like a slave, calling for help all of the time which has really endeared me to her, as you can imagine. You go down and meet her and see for yourself. Don't let me influence you.
Chessy quickly finishes the unpacking then rushes down to start yet more cleaning leaving Annie up in Hallie's room on her own, and finally a time to collect her thoughts before heading down to see Meredith, though Annie was already rather sure that they were more then just friends, Chessy made that much perfectly clear. So after changing out of her clothes and putting on a new pair with Hallie's swimming gear under her long t-shirt with a faded 'Parker Knolls' logo written on it. She heads down the stairs. On the walls were plenty of pictures of Hallie and Annie couldn't fail but notice them as they were everywhere, with one very large one of when Hallie was just a little toddler with the younger looking Nick. Annie just stood there for a few seconds admiring the photo and smiling.
Annie: We were such cute babies.
She muttered to herself before walking further down the stairs and putting on her sunglasses. It was an ideal chance to explore the ranch on her own but she decided to meet Meredith first, unsure exactly what to think of her apart from slight abhor. Annie walks outside towards the pool area, where sure enough there was her father and Meredith who was lounging around on one of the deck chairs by the pool drinking her Martini and coke. Meredith is a tawny beauty of twenty-six, wearing a chic sleeveless dress, sleek hair with a black hat and heels. Nick was in the middle of talking to her when he spots Annie walking out towards them unleashing a large grin on his face, as it always had done when he saw Hallie, Annie sparked the exact same emotion in Nick as Hallie did and made his daughter feel secure in the presence of the unknown Meredith. Gently Nick rests his hands on Annie as Meredith is introduced, and for a better idea of just what she looked like Annie takes of her brown sunglasses while Nick decides to crouch down to Annie's height.
Nick: There's my girl!
Honey, I want you to meet a friend of mine, Hal this is Meredith Blake.
Annie: Hi, Meredith Blake.
Meredith: Wow. I can't believe I'm finally meeting the famous Hallie. I've looked forward to this all summer.
Annie: Really? Well ... here I am.
Meredith: Nicky, she's adorable.
The way your father talked about you I expected to meet a little girl but you're so grown up...
Nick sharply looks to the pool, getting slightly embarrassed, remembering all the weeks where all he could think about was how his little girl was doing and what she was doing at this very minute, generally driving Meredith crazy, though obviously she was not going to show it, while Annie mouths the word 'Nicky' repeating what Meredith had just called him in a rather mockingly way, with Meredith catching this, before Nick turns back round to see Annie smiling at him.
Annie: I'll be twelve soon. How old are you?
Meredith: Twenty-six.
Annie: Only fourteen years older than me. How old are you again, Dad?
Nick: Oh, suddenly she's interested in math. I'm gonna get some more chilli and a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
Annie: What are we celebrating?
Meredith: You're home-coming of course.
Meredith gives Nick a quick exchange, knowing it was a possible time to tell Annie before deciding that maybe it wasn't actually the best time to tell Annie the big news. Nick walks off to get the champagne while Annie stands in front of Meredith, arms crossed showing her displeasure at the situation. At that precise moment Meredith's mobile phone begins to ring and unable to ignore it she picks it up, raising her finger to Annie in a sign to tell her to wait. Annie turns around and slips of her little sandals then sits down besides the pool slipping of her shirt ready to take a dip into the pool. It was what Meredith was saying that was gaining most of Annie's attention, every now and then turning away from the pool to stare strangely at Meredith who was clearly being very devious to the other person on the other end, saying she was doing something when Annie could clearly see she wasn't doing anything she said she was, not it bothered Annie till her Father's name was mentioned which drew instant attention, causing Annie to once again turn round to stare at Meredith, this time more out of curiosity then anything else. What exactly was the woman talking about?
Meredith: Hello. Yes, Reverend Mosby... Uh-huh. I'll certainly ask him but I doubt if he'll be available. I understand it's for a local charity. Um-hmmm... I'm writing it all down. Okay, got it. Sounds very worthwhile, I-agree but unfortunately, I see that Mr. Parker will be out of the country those days. Yes, I'll be sure to mention it to him. Thank you. So. How was camp, Hal? Was it fabulous?
Annie: Yes, I loved it actually. My Dad's going out of the country? When?
Meredith: No, no, I just had to say that to get him out of something. You know I never heard a man talk about his daughter the way Nicky talks about you. You two are obviously incredibly close.
Annie: We're closer than close. We're all each other has...
Annie pulls a quick smirk in the direction of Meredith having thought of a way of being mischievous to Meredith without raising her suspicions, just like back at camp Annie was going to be rather inventive with what she said and done, call it a warning shot to Meredith that Nick isn't to be taken for granted. So she stands up, turns around to face the water and with a great big smile on her face, jumps as hard and as high as she can into the water in the 'bomb' position, causing a large splash which took Meredith a little by surprise, jumping up with a little scream and just a tad annoyed with Annie, though she kept it hidden from her just to pleasant and to make a good impression on her, knowing that co-operation could be vital in her plan. Annie swings towards a little red doughnut shaped float and swims into it, pulling herself up to sit in it while Meredith walks keenly acting as interested as she could be towards Annie, though obviously not having a clue that it wasn't Hallie she was talking to like she thought but Annie, who was by now already trying her hardest to sabotage Meredith's and Nick's obvious occurrences.
Annie: Sorry, did I get you wet, Mer?
Meredith: Just a little, Hal. Hey, guess what? Your Dad took me riding the other day and he let me ride your horse. I hope that's okay with you.
Annie: Oh, sure. Sprout's used to strange women riding her. Not that you're strange or anything.- Actually, compared to the others, you seem relatively normal.
Meredith: Others? What others?
Annie: What others? Puh-leeze. You want the 411?
Annie: The 'information'... the low-down on the other women. Can't say that I blame you. I'd want to know if I was number twenty-eight ... I mean... number twenty-nine in a man's life.
Meredith: I'm number twenty-nine!
Annie: Well, yes but I didn't start counting 'til I was about four. God knows how many there were before then. it's always the same routine... horseback riding through the vineyards ... long romantic dinners with his special reserve label wine... moonlight swims ... But I always say, it's none of my business if a man his age wants to make a fool out of himself. Although, maybe he's changed and you're the real thing, Mer.
Nick: okay, here we go. A bottle of my special reserve label. You girls find something to talk about while I was gone?
From the distance of the ranch out came Nick shoutingand sure enough with his wine, just as Annie had said with a couple of glasses. Annie quickly smiles at her father while Meredith just looks on at the pool and Annie with intent, with the hint of a smile suppressing the real feelings she already had for Annie, she certainly wasn't the little girl that Nick had gone on about all summer in her eyes. Annie finally decides to dive into the water completely, leaving Nick and Meredith standing side by side.
Does that mean 'yes'?
Meredith: it sure does.
The two walk off, with Meredith offering to hold hands though a rather resilient Nick declines to do so in case his daughter saw. It didn't matter any way what Nick done, Annie already knew that they were a couple just from the way they act with each other, and certainly Annie did not want them to be together, because not only was she more then likely a money grabbing girlfriend, but it also posed another major problem, the whole swap was more then just about meeting the other side of the family, it was planned to get the family re-united. With Meredith that now faced a serious dilemma and she seemed quite intent to stick around, and despite Annie's best efforts to put her off, it had clearly no effect on Meredith at all, all the more backing up Chessy's hunch about her intents. Annie was going to need some major help from Hallie to get the trap back on the road, because Meredith had de-railed it….