Page 149 of These Summer Storms

Another surprised laugh bubbled out of her. “I’m not.”

Another wicked crash of thunder punctuated the thought as Emily considered what she would say next. Whether it was time.

“Where did everyone go?” Emily asked.

“Sam went after Greta,” Alice replied with a wince, and Emily nodded. That was good. It had always been Sam and Greta, and if Alice’s story were even a fraction of the truth of what had gone on with Greta and Elisabeth, she would need him.

“And Jack?”

“He’s in Dad’s office. Finishing up some stuff while I—” Alice cut herself off when she looked from Emily to Claudia and discovered them both smiling at her. “What?”

“Only that he’s finishing up some work or whatever while you come hang out with your baby sister is pretty…” Emily teed up her wife. “What’s the word, Claud?”

“Domestic?” Claudia offered, reaching for the ice cream. “Like, sexy domestic. Did you see him waiting for her in the hallway earlier? Hot.”

Emily smiled and leaned in to Claudia. “I mean, you basically told my family to fuck off, so that was pretty hot, too.”

Claudia blushed and gave a little shrug. “You deserved it.”

“We sure did,” Alice said, setting her spoon down on the table and crossing to the fridge. “You’re a real still-waters-run-deep girl, aren’t you, Claudia? Everyone asking why you don’t talk more, why you’re so silent in the corner.” She opened the door and groped around inside for a moment, bottles clanging together in the darkness within. She found what she wanted and closed the door. “You’re just waiting to jump in and pull some touch-her-and-die shit.”

Claudia didn’t respond, but she didn’t have to. Alice was right. Emily considered her. “Speaking of touch-her-and-die shit…”

Alice put two cans of seltzer on the table as her own blush rose high on her cheeks. “I don’t know. I keep having to remind myself that he remains Dad’s lackey and the judge and jury of this stupid game…Which is over tomorrow, and since I am now trapped on this island by the universe, congratulations, Em. Your first billionaire father’s inheritance looks like it’s coming through.” She lifted her own can in a toast.

Emily calculated the days. Her sister was right.

“It’s over.”

“Assuming we’re not blown off the island, yes.”

Another heavy rumble of thunder startled everyone, Claudia the most. “I don’t know how you all put up with these,” she said. “We don’t have these on the West Coast.”

“This one isn’t normal,” Emily said, reaching for Claudia’s hand. “They’re not supposed to last this long.”

Alice drank deep from her can, then said, “Maybe Dad’s not ready to go.”

The words were light. Meant to be funny. But Emily couldn’t help the memories that came with them. Claudia caught her eye, understanding. She nodded, and Emily took a deep breath. “He wasn’t ready to go,” she said. “He told me so.”

Alice’s gaze grew sharp. “What do you mean, he told you so?”

“My letter—the one Jack delivered?” She winced as she said it, remembering that Alice didn’t receive a letter. That she didn’t have the strange closure the rest of them had. Or, at least, the closure Emily got.

Emily’s letter had said two words.Thank you.

“It wasn’t a task, because I’d already finished my task.”

The room was still, cloaked in the ever-present rain outside, and the near-constant rumble of the storm overhead. Alice watched her carefully. “Go on.”

“I kept his secrets.”

Alice nodded. “You don’t mean Mike Haskins.”

“No,” Emily replied, looking to Claudia, ever supportive, encouraging her.

“Tell her,” Claudia said.

“Tell me what?”