Part 1: Chapters 4-8 Summary

Chapter 4. Three years after their mother's death, Merry and Lulu have settled into the orphanage. Merry and Lulu often visit their paternal grandmother, Grandma Zelda, who has custody of the girls but is unable to care for them due to failing health. Every other weekend, Grandma Zelda takes Merry to visit her father, but Lulu refuses to go along on these visits. The visits are difficult for Merry, but she feels as though it is her duty to visit her father. On this visit, like all the others, Merry and Grandma Zelda stop to buy candy. Then they take the Staten Island ferry to the prison before standing in line to be searched with all the other visitors.

Chapter 5. Merry finds herself telling her father lies in order to make her life at the orphanage seem better. When her...