Chapter 13 Summary

Rachel writes a letter to Jeremy. She knows Mom already told him about Grandpa, but she wants to as well. When she was 10, Rachel read Little Women about five times and cried all the way through when Beth died. Now her real grandfather is dying, and she can't cry. Rachel tears up the letter and starts again, several times. She wonders whether something is wrong with her. Shirley is deeply upset and accuses Rachel of not caring. Rachel becomes so angry she pushes her mother's favorite English china sugar bowl off the table, and it breaks, upsetting her mother even more.

Chapter 13 Analysis

Rachel continues to pour out her feelings in letters to Jeremy. Although Rachel feels close to her brother, it's not a fully developed relationship. Their communication is exclusively focused on Rachel's adolescent thoughts and feelings. Rachel wonders whether Jeremy is...