Frankie lay with her head hanging off the edge of the top bunk and watched Robyn spell the alphabet with her fingers.
She held up her hand. Her thumb was tucked behind her ring and pinky fingers; her index and middle fingers were held horizontally. “What’s this?” Robyn asked.
“G?”
“No, G is this.” Robyn closed her middle finger so only one finger was left pointing. “That was H.”
“H,” Frankie said.
“That’s right,” Robyn nodded. “I’ll draw them for you and it’ll help you to remember. And then we can talk privately.”
“How about ig-pay atin-lay?” Frankie asked.
“Too many people know it.”
“I guess.”
“Just follow my hands and you’ll get it eventually.”
Frankie copied Robyn and, as they slowly moved through the alphabet, Frankie let her thoughts drift.
If Robyn was Frankie’s blood sist
