I threw my head back and cheered. I’d prepared for her to do what she’d done since we were kids—leap onto her much taller little sister like a baby koala bear.

Alexis was shrieking, “What are you doing here, what are you doing here?” as I spun her around. Half the block came out to investigate, of course.

“Surprise,” I said, hugging her tight. She slid down my body and took a step back, grabbing my arms like I was a mirage she worried might vanish.

“But we video chatted last night,” she said.

“I know.”

“You were at the airport and told me you were flying to Miami.”

I winked. “I was lying to you the whole time.”

Her eyes widened. “Because you were coming here?”

“You got it.” I propped my hands on my hips. “I took a red-eye all the way from Sacramento. Dad and Kathleen helped me plan it.”

I nodded at the man standing behind her in the doorway. He and I shared the same auburn hair, freckles, and dark brown eyes.

“Dad, you sneak,” she said.

“Did you tell her the best part yet?” he asked.

We were interrupted by my stepmother, Kathleen, pushing past my dad and sweeping me into her arms.

“Hi, babe,” I said, coughing a little at the strength of her hug. She and my father had remarried when I was in my early twenties. She was a fierce defender of her stepdaughters, my biggest champion, and my most ardent social media follower.

“I sent your last video to everyone in my book club, you know,” she said in her low, expressive voice. “They loved it. They love you. They want you to come to our next meeting because they’ve never met a real live internet celebrity before.”

Alexis and I shared an amused look. “Oh yeah? Sign me up. I’ll give them all the hot gossip as long as they provide the alcoholic beverages. And don’t care that I’m not actually an internet celebrity.”

“Oh, the girls will be so excited. And we’ve been drinking something called adult water ice at book club, which is mostly tequila,” she said, squeezing my hands with a happy smile. Kathleen was my father’s age and came from a mixed Italian and Polish family. She had big, curly black hair; an addiction to hot-red lipstick; and glasses she wore on a chain around her neck.

And then she was turning and pushing me up the stairs while ordering my dad to make me a plate of breakfast and a cup of coffee. I pulled Alexis against my side for another hug. For sisters, we looked almost nothing alike—she’d inherited our mother’s blond hair and blue eyes and had not a single freckle to her name.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, sighing. “I miss you so much.”