Summary

When David is ten, his principal’s secretary, Jane, quizzes him about the solar system. David wonders how Paige is doing. Paige is giving birth in a hospital. Mom and Frick are at the hospital with Paige. So is Paige’s case worker, Marla. David is not there because he was coughing in the morning and Mom was afraid he would get the child sick. Jane tells David the name of the planet she is pointing at rhymes with “birth,” and David correctly replies “Earth.” David writes “home” on the paper instead. That day, Frick picks David up from school, where David stays late to do extra work. David asks if the baby is home and Frick says he is sick. Frick brings David home. The baby is suffering from methadone withdrawal and cries all the time. Paige has been taking...