1 January 2011

Lorelei wishes Jim a happy new year and reveals more about herself. She has not seen her children since her partner’s funeral over four years ago. Phone conversations with Meg end in arguments, and though she emails Rory, he doesn’t email back. She does not reveal why she and Beth are no longer in contact, but she alludes to her relationship with Rhys as “a metaphorical can of metaphorical worms” (186). She signs off by calling him her “dearest Jim.”

April 2011

Meg and Molly’s relationship has improved since Lorelei’s death. Stella Richards from the coroner’s office calls Meg to say that they have discovered her mother’s cause of death. Meg agrees to drive over that afternoon with Molly.

April 2003

Lorelei has discovered that several paperback books have disappeared. Even though she can’t remember the titles, she misses them and accuses Vicky’s daughters of going through her things. Vicky confesses that she took the books to a school sale, and they argue.

Maddy has been sharing a room with Sophie and asks Lorelei if she can move into Rhys’s old room, but Lorelei swears at her. After that, Maddy wants to move in with her father or for her mother to leave Lorelei.