Summary

In Chapter 1, the narrator Jean “Bean” Holladay relates how her sister saved her life after their mother left Bean in her car seat on top of the car when she left her childhood home after a fight with her family. Bean’s mother had laughed when she later told about what happened but Liz, Bean’s sister, didn’t think what happened was funny. Because Liz took such good care of her, Bean wasn’t really worried when their mother had left them alone for four days. Their mother was supposed to be in Los Angeles auditioning for a job as a singer. Bean tells the reader her mother had no way to contact them because their phone was off.

While their mother was away they ate chicken potpies, which Bean loved. They were eating their pies and playing the Lying Game when...