Page 99 of Dash

“In that case, please, hack away.”

“Tell me about Missy,” Mina said. “She’s the youngest, right?”

“Yeah.” I smiled at the memory of her lovely face. “She’s the family’s baby and the sweetest person you’ll ever meet. She’s on the quiet side, but she’s a great listener. She’s a dreamer. Her dreams are modest but also grand. She dreamed of changing the world one person at a time. I wonder where she is right now.” Ibit back a sudden surge of tears.

“We’ll find her, and the others, too.” Mina reached out and squeezed my hand. “What’s Cece like?”

“She’s the brainiac of the group, the pragmatic, dedicated, never-quit type.” I smiled when I remembered her stubborn streak. “She’s been hell bent on finding a cure for the disease that killed our mother ever since she passed.”

“She sounds like a go-getter.”

“She’s intense and she can be standoffish with strangers, but behind her serious façade, there’s a kind, lovely woman who wants to fix everything that’s wrong with the world.”

“Like you.”

The comparison took me by surprise. “I don’t have Cece’s clarity of purpose and grit.”

“Don’t you?” Mina cocked her eyebrows.

The question dangled out there for a few seconds. Cece had taken the lead when I’d stayed with my father. She’d engineered her freedom along with Affie and Missy, while I’d stayed in my lane and acted like a braindead zombie. I chewed on my lip. Yeah, no. Cece wasn’t like me. She was stronger, better, smarter. I wished I was more like her.

“You look so sad I want to cry.” Mina picked up a tiny cheesecake and handed it to me. “This one packs a lot of yum. Sugar always pumps my optimism.”

I popped the tiny cake in my mouth and gobbled it down, knowing that I had to work on both my optimism and gaining a little weight.

“What about Aphrodite?” Mina asked.

“Oh, man, if you don’t want to see her lose her cool, don’t ever call her by her given name.” I warned. “Affie absolutely hates it. She’ll go off on you like an IED.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Mina said. “What makes Affie tick?”

“Affie is our family’s creative.” I grinned. “Her antics are legendary around here. She’s got a lot of our mom in her. She’s a free spirit, quirky, fun, and original. You remind me of her.”

“Are you saying that Affie’s weird?”

“Weird? No way!” I casted a glance of disbelief at my newest friend. “Affie’s darling, whimsical, and amazing, like you are.”

“Oh, please, you’re embarrassing me.” Mina fanned her face. “Do go on. I bathe in compliments.”

I laughed. “Affie’s beautiful like you, too. Guys melt when she bats her long eyelashes. Her imagination knows no bounds.”

“I like her already.” Mina grinned. “All your sisters sound interesting.”

“They’re great. I think you’d like them. They would for sure love you.”

“Ladies,” Sandy’s soft voice preceded her gliding into the room. “Dash has summoned the two of you to the library. If you’ll excuse me, I need to update the arrangements for dinner.”

“Thanks, Sandy.” I set the teacup on the silver tray and watched the woman depart.

“Wow, I’ve never been ‘summoned’ anywhere before.” Mina drew quotation signs in the air as we both pushed to our feet. “I like it.”

My cell buzzed and I looked down to see a name on the screen. “You go on,” I said. “I’ll catch up in a second.” When Mina disappeared around the corner, I clicked on the call. “Hi, Uncle Arthur. What’s up?”

“My dear Thena.” My uncle’s scraggy voice crackled in my ear. “It’s good to hear you.”

“Same here,” I said. “I’m sorry I haven’t called as promised—”

“Don’t apologize. I know you’re busy, but the talk in town is that you’re staying at Astor House. Is it true?”

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