Page 108 of Promise Me Sunshine

He charges into the living room, shoves the box of cookies toward my mother, and then yanks me off the couch and into his hug. I press my face into his familiar brown cardigan. He hugs me so tight I can’t breathe and then pulls me back just far enough to kiss my cheek. His eyes are red and glossy with tears. “Oh, sweetheart,” he murmurs.

Yeah. I’m the worst.

My parents have been missing me so much that all they can do is hug me and cry and meanwhile I’ve been sleeping on the Q train and sending their calls to voicemail.

My dad glances down at Miles and, without unhanding me, shakes his hand. “Kevin. I’m Lenny’s dad,” he explains unnecessarily.

My mom is crying now too, just watching our reunion, and it’s all a big soggy mess. “Kev, will you help me with the—”

“Yes,” he says, wiping at his eyes and immediately following her to the kitchen to compose himself.

I plunk back down on the couch in a heap. I don’t know if I can even remember the last time I saw my dad cry at something that wasn’tField of Dreams.

“Elena?” Miles asks, looking fully confused.

“Oh. Right. My full name is Helen Elena. My dad wanted to name me afterhismom, Helen. And my mom wanted to name me afterhermom, Elena. So they gave me both names,only now my mom usually calls me Helen and my dad calls me Elena. Go figure.”

He considers this. “And Lou only called you Lenny.”

I nod with a little smile. “Yeah. I guess the people who love me the most all have unique names for me.”

“All of them?” His brow immediately furrows as he stares into nothing. I have the distinct impression he’s racking his brain.

“Eat up!” My mom is back from composing herself in the kitchen and she’s realized that the olive plate has gone untouched.

“Miles,” my dad says, reemerging as well. “Do you play Hearts?”

I snicker and Miles barely restrains himself from glaring atme.

“Yes. I do.” He clears his throat and takes another sip of his drink.

“The last time we played Hearts, he almost threw me in a river.”

“Dunked,” he quickly corrects. “I almostdunkedher in a river.”

My parents are delighted with this information. “Oh, Lenny is the absolute worst sport when it comes to Hearts,” my mom says.

My dad is digging in the desk drawer. “Losing to her inanythinghas always been miserable. Who raised you?” he demands as he turns back around with the cards in hand. “They did a terrible job.”

“I really like that everyone here has already agreed they’ll be losing to me.”

Miles is ignoring me and scrubbing his hands together, mentally preparing for battle.

“What should the teams be?” I ask the group. “Girls v. boys? Geminis against the world?” I gesture to myself and my dad.

My mom cracks her knuckles. “Let’s show ’em how it’s done, Kev.”

“Ah,” I say. “Good call. Youngs v. olds. If we’re on the same team then he’s far less likely to throw me in a river.”

“Dunk,” Miles asserts again. “I would have gone in with you.”

Of course he would have. This makes me chest-tight and achy and I gulp at my aperitif to soothe the burn.

We eat olives and play Hearts and my parents wheedle bits of information about Miles between hands of cards.

My parents absolutely spank us at Hearts, and Miles is stunned. I try to yank him to a stand but he just sits there in a pile. “I win at Hearts,” he insists. “In my normal life.”

“Welcome to your new reality.”

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