Chapter 22 Summary

Astrid is taken to MacLaren Children's Center. Now she finds it easy to imagine her mother's life at the Frontera prison. She gets a call from Ron, who is taking Claire's ashes back to Connecticut. He offers to pay for her ticket if she wants to come. She tells him that he did not know Claire at all. Claire didn't want to be cremated. Instead, she wanted to be buried with her pearls in her mouth and a jewel over each eye. Ron never knew what Claire wanted but always thought he knew best. Astrid also realizes that she was taken in to be the suicide watch, not the baby.

The next day, Astrid meets a boy in the art room. His name is Paul Trout and, like her, he's always drawing things. He stares at her all the time; this doesn't bother...