Summary

In Chapter 6, when Alice and Kevin's daughter, Candle, turned 12, she decided to make "some changes in her life" (174). She wanted people to start calling her by her real name, Kendall. She also wanted to get her hair done and her ears pierced. Everyone kept calling her Candle and her hair grew out. "The pierced ears" were the only change that lasted (177).

"That summer," Candle attended "sleepaway came in Maine" (176). While there, she developed an interest in painting. When she returned home, however, her "paintings were forgotten . . . Or forgotten by her parents" (177). Desperate to keep working on her art, she made a plan with Alice to spend some time with Mercy, a professional painter.

When she arrived at Mercy's studio, Candle was relieved when Mercy called her Kendall. They spent the afternoon painting in silence together. Afterwards, Alice arranged for Candle to spend regular...