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Back The Copycat Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Chapter One
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Chapter Two
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Chapter Three
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Chapter Four
  19. Twelve
  20. Thirteen
  21. Fourteen
  22. Chapter Five
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Chapter Six
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Chapter Seven
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Chapter Eight
  34. Twenty-Three
  35. Twenty-Four
  36. Twenty-Five
  37. Chapter Nine
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Chapter Ten
  41. Twenty-Eight
  42. Twenty-Nine
  43. Thirty
  44. Thirty-One
  45. Chapter Eleven
  46. Thirty-Two
  47. Thirty-Three
  48. Thirty-Four
  49. Thirty-Five
  50. Chapter Twelve
  51. Thirty-Six
  52. Thirty-Seven
  53. Thirty-Eight
  54. Chapter Thirteen
  55. Thirty-Nine
  56. Forty
  57. Forty-One
  58. Forty-Two
  59. Chapter Fourteen
  60. Forty-Three
  61. Forty-Four
  62. Forty-Five
  63. Forty-Six
  64. Forty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifteen
  66. The Following Summer
  67. About the Author
  68. About the Publisher

Since it was Ali’s turn to do the dishes, her parents took her comment as a sign to get lost. Anxious to check on Gigi, Ali zipped through the dishes and hurried upstairs. She paused outside Gigi’s bedroom, pressed an ear to the door, and listened to Gigi’s raspy snore. They should never have let Gigi take the first day of school photo outside in the fog. What were they thinking? She decided to take a quick peek, knowing she wouldn’t sleep unless she checked on Gigi. The door creaked when she opened it, but the snores continued. Gigi’s body was such a tiny bump under the thick duvet that Ali feared she was shrinking. She backed out of the room. The door made a whiny screech, and Gigi stirred. Ali cursed her stupidity and waited for the snores to resume.

Instead, Gigi cleared her throat. “Don’t worry, Alison,” she whispered, her voice so weak Ali could barely make out what she was saying. “I’ll be fine.”

Ali ran into the room and planted a kiss on Gigi’s cheek. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“I don’t want to have to move again.” Ali knew she shouldn’t say this to Gigi; it wasn’t fair. But she needed Gigi to know she was counting on her. Whether or not Ali ever came from anywhere was wholly dependent on Gigi getting well.

“I know you don’t. Now let me sleep. I need my beauty rest.”

Ali crept out of the room. She didn’t shut the door until the snores began again in earnest. This time, they weren’t raspy. They were like the sigh of the wind passing through the trees, gentle waves lapping the shore. Hopeful, Ali smiled. Maybe she’d be like the heroes in her books. Maybe her adventure was to find a home at last.

Fourteen

By the end of the weekend, Gigi was on the mend, but the household remained on edge. Ali’s parents didn’t mention the possibility of moving again, but when Ali overheard her mom tell Digger that they should squirrel away a little money “in case,” she knew they were worried. On Saturday, when a cruise ship was forced to dock at the harbor because of the worsening fog, Digger rushed down to the wharf and sold six caricatures to the bewildered tourists who’d expected to land in Boston. On Sunday, her mother took a double shift at the nursing home. Ali couldn’t think of a way to make money, but she could think of a way they could stay in Saint John: end the Sloane Family Feud. Gigi’s birthday party was now more important than ever.

The last to arrive at debate team on Monday, Ali took a seat in the second row and tried to make herself invisible. When Ms. Ryder called on Ashok and Carolyn, Ali couldn’t stifle a loud exhalation of relief.