Chapter 2 Summary

Julie and Chris have come to live with Aunt Cordelia while Laura, who is seventeen, remains at home with their father. Julie is envious of Laura, who retains all the securities of home but does not realize that Laura's memories of their Mother are more defined. Her grief is a burden that Julie cannot understand. With the gift of adaptability given to the young, Julie and Chris begin to meld into their new lives with Aunt Cordelia, who now acts as their guardian as well as their schoolteacher.

Each day Julie and Chris walk to school alongside Aunt Cordelia while she monitors their posture and instructs them on nature's transitions during the change of seasons. Aunt Cordelia could be counted on for her pleasant demeanor and sense of humor, too. Julie begins to feel a love toward this woman, who has taken her...