She positioned herself between Frankie and her father. “It’s getting late, and I think based on how tonight has gone, if everyone is amenable to it, you should all spend the night.” Her dad opened his mouth to argue. “Rich, it’s not an inconvenience at all. There are more than enough spare suites that are never used in the main house to accommodate everyone, plus the annex.”
His cheeks colored pink. “Suzy-kins, raising a daughter, I learned that the lady of the house is the boss. Whatever she says goes.”
Frankie and Gemma nodded.
“Excellent. Then there’s only one other issue to take care of. We skipped out on the introductions earlier. Rich, this is Charlie. Charlie, meet Rich Tomlinson, his daughter Frankie, whom you already seem to know, and her friend Gemma.”
Charlie and Frankie exchanged nervous glances. “We work and skate together at the rink,” he said, his neck, cheeks, and ears all flushing.
“You’re Mr. Blanks?” Dad coughed.
Gemma threw her head back and roared with laughter.
Frankie covered her face with her hands.
Charlie looked on in confusion, and Suzy shrugged.
“I’ll tell you later,” Frankie murmured.
* * *
Later that evening, Frankie lay in bed next to Gemma. It was past midnight, and despite her exhaustion, she couldn’t quiet her thoughts.
“Frankie”—her half-asleep friend groaned—“you’re shaking the bed.”
“Sorry, I just can’t get comfortable.”
Rolling over, Gemma repositioned her body, so she faced Frankie. “Talk to me. What’s eating at you? Your long-lost sister?”
“Earlier it was, but now it’s my biological parents.” Frankie turned from her back to her right side. “When I was younger, every so often, I’d go through these periods of time where I’d feel like I had been abandoned. I’d try to tell myself that maybe they were just young and dumb and couldn’t care for a child. Or that they’d given me up for my own good.”
She fidgeted. “But now that I know that there were two of us, everything’s changed. What if I take a look at the adoption records and find out that my sister is my twin? What if our parents surrendered us to child services because we were both accidents? What if I have other siblings besides my sister and my biological parents kept them and not us? What if—”
“You’re going to rip yourself to bits if you keep thinking like this, Frankie.” Gemma pulled the covers back. She sat up cross-legged on the bed, giving her best friend her full attention. “You’re not going to start in on the what-if questions. I forbid it.” She cleared her throat. “Repeat after me . . . I amnotan unfortunate accident.”
“Gemma,” she whined.
Gemma glared. “Frankie. Come on. Humor me. Repeat after me.”
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes, sat up, and came to a sitting position. “I amnotan unfortunate accident.”
Gemma nodded. “I am exactly where I am supposed to be.”
“I am exactly where I am supposed to be,” she said softly.
“I have a family and friends who love me no matter what. Nothing I learn will change that.”
Frankie repeated her friend’s words.
“Feel any better?”
“Not really.” She pulled her knees to her body.
“Anytime those negative thoughts start to resurface, promise me you’ll start repeating what I just said to you. Full stop.”
“I’ll try,” Frankie said.
Gemma gave her another hard stare.
