Her email dinged, and she welcomed the opportunity to click away from one of the many billing tabs she had open. It was the DNA company where she’d sent her sample a few weeks back. She followed the prompts to see her results.

“Well, let’s see,” she said to herself. “I’m mostly Irish. No surprise there…”

As she continued clicking around, she learned about different genetic traits she had, possible diseases she could contract - what a happy thought - and where her ancestors had originally come from.

The site also had a way to connect with relatives. She clicked on it and immediately saw some matches. Mostly, they were very distant cousins, people who probably wouldn’t relish the idea of a perfect stranger contacting them and asking if she could come to the next family reunion or eat Christmas dinner with them.

Just as she was about to click away and go back to crying over the bills, she noticed another family connection. This one didn’t say cousin. It said… sister?

Only she didn’t have a sister. No siblings at all. Her mother was only twenty when she had her, after all. Basically just a baby herself.

Mia had never been more confused in her life, but she was determined to get to the bottom of this. And she knew just who could help her.

Kate was livid. She stood in the principal’s office for the umpteenth time, shaking her head as she looked at her daughter. Evie was sitting in the chair, slumped down with her arms crossed. Kate had gotten used to the scowl on her face, but today it was particularly irritating, not to mention embarrassing.

“Mr. Hayes, I’m so sorry. Again. I just don’t know what to do with her right now. Evie, don’t you have something to say for your behavior?”

Evie glared up at both of them standing over her. “Nope.”

“Evie!” Kate scolded, although it rarely worked.

“Look, it wasn’t even a big deal,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Miss Miller, I can assure you that putting gum in another student’s hair is a big deal. The school nurse had to cut it out, and Sherri lost a few inches of her hair.”

Evie stifled a laugh. “She deserves it. Do you know what a skank Sherri is? She’s slept with half the football team!”

“Evie Miller, shut your mouth!” Kate said, wanting to tackle her daughter and tape her mouth shut.

“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes again. That was her go-to move, mainly because she knew Kate hated it.

“Evelyn,” the principal said to his secretary, who was standing near the door, “please take Miss Miller to the other room so I can speak with her mother.”

Evie sighed and followed Evelyn to the other room, the door slamming shut behind them. Kate knew this wasn’t good.