Chapters (68)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Chapter One
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Chapter Two
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Chapter Three
- Ten
- Eleven
- Chapter Four
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Chapter Five
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Chapter Six
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Chapter Seven
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Chapter Eight
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Chapter Nine
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Ten
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Chapter Eleven
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Chapter Twelve
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Chapter Thirteen
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Chapter Fourteen
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Chapter Fifteen
- The Following Summer
- About the Author
- About the Publisher
His mother sighed and closed her eyes, then opened them and smiled. But it was an anxious smile, which made Ali’s queasy stomach lurch. “He’s in his study. I’ll tell him you’re here.”
Alfie pulled Ali toward a nearby wall covered in family photographs. One pictured three couples: an older man and woman, along with two younger couples. They all wore red sweaters and big smiles. Ali studied the photo for a few seconds, surprised to realize it had been taken at Riverview Memorial Park; she could see the old museum in the distance. The idea that the Other Sloanes were taking family photos down the street from where she now lived made Ali’s heart squeeze with loneliness.
“Which one is your dad?” she asked Alfie.
“That’s him there.”
Ali leaned in. Teddy was a mixture of Alfie and Digger and shared their same lopsided grin.
“His real name was Edward,” said Alfie. “He was named after Gigi’s first husband, Edward Montgomery, who was Granddad’s real father. He died in the war.”
Ali stared at him in surprise. “I never knew Gigi had a husband who died in World War II.”
“Yeah. My granddad never met his real dad.”
Just like you never met your dad.
“Gigi’s second husband, Richard, was a distant Sloane cousin and became his stepfather. But he was more like a dad, because Gigi married him when my granddad was three years old.”
How did Alfie know all this? Ali slumped forward as she continued to stare at the photograph. It was like she didn’t know anything about her family.
“How old is your grandfather?” she finally asked.
“Almost seventy-six. My grandmother died a couple of years ago.” He pointed to the picture. “That’s my aunt Karen. She and my uncle Tim live over on the west side. They have eight-year-old twin girls named Jennie and Jordan. They’re funny. My mom calls them the life of the party.”
The word “party” brought Ali back to the task at hand. “I hope your granddad agrees to come to Gigi’s party.”
“Me too.”
“Ali!” Colleen called from somewhere at the back of the house. Ali bugged her eyes out at Alfie and walked toward the voice. Colleen gave her an encouraging smile as they passed in the hallway. “First door on the right,” she whispered. “You’ll be fine; he’s nice.”
Ali swallowed. If Andrew Sloane was so nice, why did he hate Digger and Gigi?