Chapter 17-20 Summary

Flashback to Sticky's second foster-care parents, Carmen and her husband Ruben. Ruben and Sticky play baseball together obsessively, and watch horror movies while eating popcorn. But from behind their closed bedroom door, Sticky overhears Carmen complain that Sticky creeps her out and that he's just a stray and not a real part of the family. Ruben and Carmen seem to be divided over their loyalty to the boy. After a week, they return him to the foster-care agency. During the ride back, Ruben confesses to Sticky and Carmen that he witnessed his own father moving out when he was a kid, something that was eventually for the better. Ruben realized that he really didn't need his father, he tells Sticky. Back to a fast-paced game at Lincoln Rec, which is "bursting at the seams" with guys waiting to play. During a...