Pages 23-56 Summary

Beth and Robert travel all day and night before finally arriving at their new home. Lake Plata is a small, dusty town, and the duplex could sit in their old living room with space left over. However, they are both too tired to care. Robert goes upstairs and falls asleep immediately. The duplex reminds Beth of all the places Frannie lived as a child, the small apartments they would leave every few months for reasons Frannie never understood.

Robert befriends a young boy next door, Bennie Castro. Both Robert and Beth like the entire, large Castro family and Beth is relieved that Robert has a friend to make the transition to their new life easier. Shortly after their arrival, Robert comes to Beth and announces that he knows this is not a vacation. Beth does her best to explain things to...