Summary: Chapter 19
“My karma ran over my dogma.”
—Bumper sticker
Bridget tries to write to Carmen so that she can send
her the Pants, but she has a hard time figuring out what to say.
While she sits on her cabin porch, Eric comes over to talk, pretending
nothing happened between them. Bridget doesn’t want to pretend,
but Eric grows awkward. He says what happened was his fault, and
he apologizes, which angers Bridget. She finally writes to Carmen,
saying only that she’s confused.
Tibby and Bailey interview Carmen for the documentary.
Carmen tells Bailey she and Tibby had an argument, but Bailey says
it doesn’t matter since they love each other. Carmen is taken aback when
Bailey asks direct questions about Albert and the upcoming wedding.
Carmen denies being angry at Albert, then starts sobbing. Bailey
tells her it’s okay to be angry.
One day, when Tibby’s shift ends, Bailey is nowhere in
sight. Tibby is alarmed, not minding anymore that Bailey spends
so much time with her. She rides her bike to Bailey’s house, which
is empty, but a neighbor tells her the family is at the hospital.
Tibby hurries over, reassuring herself that Bailey is fine. At the
hospital, however, Mrs. Graffman tells Tibby how sick Bailey is.
The cancer keeps coming back. Bailey’s parents decided to let her
live normally for a few months, but now Bailey has an infection
and things don’t look hopeful. Mrs. Graffman tearfully thanks Tibby
for being Bailey’s friend. Tibby, overcome with emotion, quickly
leaves.
Summary: Chapter 20
“You can take a road that gets you to
the stars. I can take a road that will see me through.”
—Nick Drake
Lena returns to the olive grove near the pond at the beginning
of August. She loses herself in her painting. When she’s done, she decides
to give the painting to Kostos as an apology.
Tibby doesn’t go to work because she hates knowing that
Bailey won’t be meeting her afterward. She tries to play with Mimi,
but when she taps on Mimi’s box, Mimi doesn’t move. She lifts Mimi
up and realizes she’s dead. Unwilling to admit this fact, Tibby
puts Mimi in a paper bag and puts the bag in the freezer, sure that
she’ll be able to revive Mimi someday when science comes up with
a method. She tries to write to her friends, but she gives up.
Lena writes to Carmen about how she and her grandfather
have eaten breakfast together in silence all summer. She vows to
learn a little Greek so they can talk before the summer ends.
