Page 148 of These Summer Storms

“Excuse me if I took this revelation to be a bit more serious and a bit less salacious gossip,” Claudia cut in.

“Yes, it’s very serious,” Alice said. “Andalso…oh mygod.”

“Right?” It felt so good, this moment. This honesty. Living this out loud.

Alice set her palms to the table. “You see Mike and Twyla! Is it, like, a thing? Are you on the hunt for a new family? Not that I would blame you.”

Another laugh. “No.”

“Not for lack of my trying,” Claudia quipped, returning for more ice cream.

“Can I come?” Alice asked.

Another laugh, making Emily feel a little lighter. “Mike didn’t know.”

“Oh my god.” Alice’s eyes went wide. “I guess that makes sense, though. He doesn’t seem like a guy who’d just disappear if he knew.”

He had disappeared, though. And now they knew why. Because Franklin and Elisabeth had kept the circumstances of Emily’s birth a secret from everyone. “Dad told him not long ago.”

Alice nodded. “A few weeks ago.”

“How do you know that?”

“I know things,” Alice retorted before confessing, “He mentioned a phone call to me. Said he hadn’t heard from Dad in years.”

Emily nodded. “He’s been really cool, though. He called me right after he talked to Dad. Invited me out to their place in the Hamptons. It was nice. He said he didn’t know, or he would have—”

“For the best, probably. It would have made holidays awkward.”

Emily chuckled. “That’s what I said.”

“I’ll give it to you, Em. Having not one but two billionaire dads and still finding space to be remotely down to earth…a feat.”

“Would we say I’m down to earth?” She waved in the direction of the candle. “I’m burning a Peace candle.”

“Yeah, but it’s not working, so…”

Emily let herself laugh, and let herself like it, let it roll through her like the thunder outside. “He’s not my dad, though. Mike.”

“Nope.” Alice offered her the ice-cream bucket. “He can’t have you,” she said. “Dad or no Dad, you’re a Storm. You were his. You are ours.”

Ours.

She loved that word, especially coming from Alice. Tucked it away for safekeeping. “I’m glad you came back,” she said, finally, looking to Alice. “I missed you.”

Alice reached for her hand, holding it tight, as tight as she had in the library. “I missed you, too. I’m sorry I was so…distant. I didn’t know how to be in with you and out with everyone else.”

“I didn’t know, either.” Emily nodded. “I could have done better.”

Something flashed in her sister’s eyes, turning them glossy with tears. “Jesus, Em,” Alice said. “You really are the best of us.”

It was Emily’s turn to tear up, and she dashed it away with a little laugh. “Yeah, I kind of am.”

“What a secret they kept,” Alice said with a shake of her head. “I mean, I knew the family was full of them—no one loved privacy like Franklin and Elisabeth Storm—but still.”

“I can’t believe they never told me the truth. Not until…”

Alice nodded. “I hate to break it to you, my friend, but you’re goingto need therapy for this one. For a while, probably. Unless you’re even more balanced than I thought.”