Summary

In Chapter 1, Meredith Oliver could predict her brother’s, Evan Oliver, mood by how much of his morning routine he completed. Since he had been almost completely blinded in one eye in a freak baseball accident, sometimes he just got up and took a pain pill. On this morning in particular, Meredith heard Evan not only shower but also shave. Six months ago, Evan had been hit in the face with a foul ball. No mistakes had been made, everyone was wearing proper gear, it was just a freak accident. Evan had progressed into a really good player and was anticipating a full scholarship for college, but his injury ended his baseball career.

The family routinely ate breakfast together. Meredith and Evan’s parents were dentists who worked in the same office in a medical complex they called “Sick City” (9). Her father...