Chapter Fourteen (Noel) Summary

Ruby's mom has been asked to go on tour with her one-woman show, but her parents are fighting terribly about it. Ruby's dad doesn't want her to go, but Ruby's mom desperately wants to embrace this opportunity in her career. The couple use Ruby as an excuse: Ruby's dad says his wife can't abandon Ruby for the entire summer, and Ruby's mom says that Ruby can come on the road with her. At school the next day, Ruby bumps into Gideon Van Deusen, Nora's older brother, who has stopped by the school for a visit. He's a peace-loving hippie now, traveling the world and having mind-expanding experiences. He tells Ruby that Nora really misses her, even if she won't admit it, and now that both Cricket and Kim have steady boyfriends, she spends most of her time alone.

In...