Lucy: For the second time today, my heart sinks into my stomach.
“What?! Why?” The only times I had been to Connecticut were for my brother’s wedding and his funeral – both memories I wish I could forget. Connecticut is a cold, snowy place with too many cows and too few beaches. It’s like going to a foreign country.
“It’s Gretchen … She’s having a really rough time with things. Andrew is a handful, and she’s still trying to keep her event planning business afloat. I think she just needs some support – just for a week or two.” Mom looks at me hopefully and grabs my hand.
“But it’s the middle of summer vacation! Who wants to be in Connecticut in the summer?” I cry, pulling my hand away from her and standing up. “Why can’t her own mother take care of her? She certainly has enough money!”
“Her parents are vacationing in Belize until September,” Mom says softly. “And besides, Gretchen is still family. You don’t quit being family when someone passes away.”
“No, you just quit being family when one person decides to up and leave to become someone else,” I mumble under my breath, my eyes cast down on the floor.
Silence. And then, “We are going to Connecticut. And that’s that.”
Mom waits until I raise my eyes to meet her own. Then she stands up and walks out of the room, closing the door behind her.
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The story of six South Haven Middle School 8th graders who are introduced at their parents' Single Parents In Transition (SPIT) club and become lifelong "sisters"
Join the Story!
Hi SPIT Sisters out there! If you're new to the story, make sure you start at the beginning - January 19, 2009 - and learn more about the characters in the sidebar below.
Please share your comments; Lucy and the rest of the girls need all the advice they can get! xoxo
Please share your comments; Lucy and the rest of the girls need all the advice they can get! xoxo
Posts
Meet the SPIT Sisters
The SPIT Sisters are six very different girls brought together by their parents' divorces.
When the "Single Parents In Transition" decide to involve their daughters in their weekly meetings, the lives of creative Lucy Malone, free spirit Sara Brown, sensitive Ellie Peterman, studious Hannah Smith, outgoing Angelica Martinez and popular Gwynn Roberts are changed forever.
When the "Single Parents In Transition" decide to involve their daughters in their weekly meetings, the lives of creative Lucy Malone, free spirit Sara Brown, sensitive Ellie Peterman, studious Hannah Smith, outgoing Angelica Martinez and popular Gwynn Roberts are changed forever.
Followers
The Characters
Want to catch up on the story? Meet the characters so far:
Lucy Malone: The narrator of the story, Lucy is a 14-year-old girl who lives with her mother in Fort Myers, Florida. Lucy is quiet and serious, but also very positive and creative. Lucy's parents are divorced, and Lucy's mom still struggles with the recent death of Lucy's older brother Billy.
Bonnie Malone: Lucy's mother. Bonnie used to write children's books, but ever since Billy died she's been working as a receptionist at a law firm during the day and as a Merry Maid three nights a week.
Mark Malone: Lucy's father. He moved into his own apartment after he and Bonnie separated, and Lucy does not talk about him much. He's a ranger at Everglades National Park.
Billy Malone: Lucy's brother. He was much older than Lucy and died in a car crash when he was 25. He lived in Connecticut with his wife Gretchen and son Andrew.
Gretchen Malone: Lucy's sister-in-law. She's a successful event planner who is having a very hard time adjusting to life as a single mom. Gretchen comes from a wealthy family and is used to being taken care of - not taking care of others.
Andrew Malone: Gretchen's 4-year-old son who is cute but a handful!
John Bainbridge: John is a reporter for the Connecticut paper The Hartford Courant. He became "pen-pals" with Lucy's mom after Billy's death, when he would send Bonnie copies of the local articles covering Billy's tragic accident. He and Bonnie meet in person for the first time when Lucy and her mother visit Gretchen in Connecticut.
Katie Heeley: Lucy's (second) best friend in Florida. Although she can be a little selfish, she does care about Lucy.
Brandon Bennett: Lucy's next-door neighbor and true best friend. Brandon has a crush on Katie - although Lucy thinks he's not really her type, or maybe it's the other way around!
The Bennett Boys: Brandon is the middle child of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. He has two older brothers – 18-year-old Jim and 16-year-old Jesse – and two younger brothers – 8-year-old twins Taylor and Tommy.
Lucy Malone: The narrator of the story, Lucy is a 14-year-old girl who lives with her mother in Fort Myers, Florida. Lucy is quiet and serious, but also very positive and creative. Lucy's parents are divorced, and Lucy's mom still struggles with the recent death of Lucy's older brother Billy.
Bonnie Malone: Lucy's mother. Bonnie used to write children's books, but ever since Billy died she's been working as a receptionist at a law firm during the day and as a Merry Maid three nights a week.
Mark Malone: Lucy's father. He moved into his own apartment after he and Bonnie separated, and Lucy does not talk about him much. He's a ranger at Everglades National Park.
Billy Malone: Lucy's brother. He was much older than Lucy and died in a car crash when he was 25. He lived in Connecticut with his wife Gretchen and son Andrew.
Gretchen Malone: Lucy's sister-in-law. She's a successful event planner who is having a very hard time adjusting to life as a single mom. Gretchen comes from a wealthy family and is used to being taken care of - not taking care of others.
Andrew Malone: Gretchen's 4-year-old son who is cute but a handful!
John Bainbridge: John is a reporter for the Connecticut paper The Hartford Courant. He became "pen-pals" with Lucy's mom after Billy's death, when he would send Bonnie copies of the local articles covering Billy's tragic accident. He and Bonnie meet in person for the first time when Lucy and her mother visit Gretchen in Connecticut.
Katie Heeley: Lucy's (second) best friend in Florida. Although she can be a little selfish, she does care about Lucy.
Brandon Bennett: Lucy's next-door neighbor and true best friend. Brandon has a crush on Katie - although Lucy thinks he's not really her type, or maybe it's the other way around!
The Bennett Boys: Brandon is the middle child of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. He has two older brothers – 18-year-old Jim and 16-year-old Jesse – and two younger brothers – 8-year-old twins Taylor and Tommy.
About Me
- SPITsisters
- Consider me the big "sister." I'm writing the story of the SPIT Sisters, hoping to connect with Young Adults and YA authors who enjoy the concept and are willing to provide feedback and share experiences.
The Splash Award
The SPIT Sisters thank Wrighty for giving us the Splash Award! The Splash Award is given to alluring, bewitching, impressive and inspiring blogs.
The Rules:
1) Put the logo on your blog/post.
2) Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4) Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
5) Remember to link to the person from whom you received your Splash award.
6) Have F-U-N
So The SPIT Sisters Splash:
Bumble Bee Running
FolkHeart Press
The Rules:
1) Put the logo on your blog/post.
2) Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4) Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
5) Remember to link to the person from whom you received your Splash award.
6) Have F-U-N
So The SPIT Sisters Splash:
Bumble Bee Running
FolkHeart Press
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