Summary

Chapter 23 is titled “Memories of Mom.” It opens with a photo of Dewey sleeping on top of several boxes. In 1976, Vicki's brother Steven was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. By 1979, he had lived longer than expected and wanted the family to go all-out for Christmas. He said he was enrolled in a new experimental treatment beginning in January, but that was a ruse meant to give the family hope during his final weeks of life. He died January 6, 1980. A few years earlier, Vicki' brother David began to struggle with mental illness. David turned to drugs to cope with Steven's death. David had a daughter, but her mother refused to let David see her until he got off drugs. He called Vicki one night, and she could tell he felt hopeless. She made him promise they would talk again, but he shot and killed himself...