My heart sinks like a stone as I realize there's no way to explain this situation without causing a huge mess. "Just a sec," I mumble, then I open the door and let her in. She glances at us suspiciously, clearly picking up on the tension in the air.
"Everything okay?" she asks carefully.
I force myself to nod, forcing a smile onto my face even though I feel like I might be sick. "Yeah, just... talking late, you know."
While Nikki is on her knees behind the kitchen counter, she's out of sight, and I'm standing alone in the kitchen for my sister. She can't see Nikki.