Summary

Chapter 31 advances the narrative to December and contains just five words: "Scooter is in the hospital."

In Chapter 32, John explains how he had heard Scooter hammering something in the backyard, but then John suddenly realized that the sounds had stopped. He and Abby discovered Scooter sitting against a tree. John later learns that Scooter had a stroke, and Scooter is admitted to the hospital. John is resentful because his family does not decorate the Christmas tree the way he would like. The Webbs come over one night with food, and for once Penn is not his cheery self. John wakes up on Christmas Eve and realizes he never bought Scooter a gift. He panics and thinks this means he does not expect him to live. He buys the first thing he sees at a shop, a pair of red, glittery high heels.

Meanwhile...