Summary: Chapter 13
“Before you criticize someone, you should
walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are
a mile away from them, and you have their shoes.”
—Frieda Norris
Carmen, Lydia, and Krista go to a dressmaker to try on
the wedding gown and dresses. Barbara, the dressmaker, is shocked
that Carmen is related to Albert, and Carmen tells her snippily
that her mother is Puerto Rican. Carmen’s bridesmaid dress doesn’t
fit, and Barbara complains about having to fix it. Carmen, insulted
by Barbara’s tone, storms out, insulting Lydia’s dress on the way.
At Wallman’s, Bailey compliments Tibby’s Pants, which
she just received from Lena. Tibby tells her a little about what
the girls have been doing. Bailey asks what happened to Bridget’s
mother, and Tibby says she had “bad depression.” Bailey has started
spending a lot of time with Tibby, even working on the movie in
Tibby’s room while Tibby is at Wallman’s. Today, they interview
Margaret, a woman who works at the movie theater. Margaret has worked
there for more than thirty years and knows whole movie scenes by
heart. Tibby is ready to inwardly mock her, but she then notices
how tiny Margaret is. She and Bailey are both chastened. Bailey
suggests they all watch a movie together. Tibby realizes that Margaret
probably watches most movies alone.
Bridget sneaks to Eric’s cabin late at night. Along the
way, she remembers what a psychiatrist once wrote about her: that
she was “single-minded to the point of recklessness.” At the cabin,
she accidentally wakes Eric up. He chastises her for coming over,
but, half-asleep, he doesn’t pull away when Bridget touches his
head and chest. Then he tells her to leave because he can’t deal
with it. Bridget interprets this as encouragement.
Summary: Chapter 14
“Time tells the truth.”
—Fortune cookie
Bailey wants Tibby to interview her for the movie, and
she tells Tibby to ask her hard questions. Tibby asks Bailey what
she’s afraid of, and Bailey says she fears not having time to figure
out other people or for them to figure her out. Tibby sends the
Pants to Carmen with a note that says she isn’t really sure yet
what to make of her time with them.
Lena’s grandmother is upset because Kostos’s family is
ignoring her. Lena feels guilty to have shattered her illusions
about Kostos, but she still can’t tell the truth. Her grandmother
hints that Kostos has suffered some kind of hardship. When Lena
finally tells Effie what happened, Effie says she feels sorry for
Kostos.
Bridget tries to call Tibby, but the connection is bad
and the housekeeper, Loretta, says Tibby isn’t home.
