Page 209 of Silver Sweet

“Oh Tom.” Jane puts a hand to her heart. Her dramatic response makes me glad she overheard. She even squeezes me in a warm hug.

“It’s big news, right?” I ask my sister when we separate. “Monumental. Like will definitely eclipse whatever Audrey’s got going on.”

Her humongous,humongoussmile suddenly vanishes.What the fuck.“Possibly.”

“You’re lying, Jane Eleanor. A bald-faced, mean lie.”

“I’m leaving room for the possibility of being wrong.”

“You are mywisesister. You just said it! You’re never wrong.”

She plucks off a dangling feather. “I am sometimes wrong.”

“You know something about Audrey’s news,” Eliot realizes. “Spill.”

Jane reaches for her baby in a clear tactical diversion. “Maeve.”

“Ah,” Eliot holds Maeve away. “First, I want the intel.”

She squeezes her eyes at him. “You’re not using my daughter as collateral.”

“But she is such cute little collateral,” Eliot bounces her on his hip, and Maeve lets out a breathy giggle that makes all three of us smile.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Jane says. “I’m not spoiling Audrey’s announcement.”

Okay, maybe my news isn’t as big of a deal than whatever Audrey has planned. The realization smacks me hard like I just did a belly flop in the pool. Why am I so bummed? My little sister outshining me—not the world’s worst-case scenario.

I can be happy for her.

I can.

I must be wearing my emotions on my face because Jane and Eliot are now givinguh-ohlooks to each other like I’m about to crack open the case of the self-inflicted blues.

“Look, I’m dressed for your terribly wonderful news,” Jane lifts her arms and feathers flap around, and I want to die.

“I’m not dating abird.”

“Phoenix is a?—”

“A man.” I groan into the sink. Literally I am slumped into the countertop. “He’s a fuckingman.” This is karmic payback for all the bird jokes I’ve made.

“Tom,” Eliot begins to console.

I rotate out of my pity party. “I’m fine,” I tell them. “Totally fine. Maybe I’ll just wait to tell everyone about my boyfriend.”

“No,” Jane shakes her head. “It’ll be nice to have something far less controversial in the mix.”

Eliot chokes on air. “Sister.Controversial? And you’re keeping these details from me. It’s unlawful.” He bends his head to whisper in the baby’s ear. “Maeve, tell your mommy I can keep a secret.”

Jane smiles. “She hasn’t spoken more than thirty basic words.”

“Toyou,” Eliot says. “We have whole in-depth conversations. Maeve has already told me her hopes and dreams and declaredIam her favorite uncle. We’re working on her penmanship so she can write it down for you.”

“Book,” Maeve says into another giggle, clasping her hands together.

“See, she’s a genius,” Eliot notes.

“Controversial?” I frown, stuck on this point.