My hands jerk back out of his instinctively. "Wait - what?"
Dad looks down, uncomfortable. He runs his palms back and forth against the tips of the grass. "I mean, I know the apartment would be kinda crowded, but we could make it work--"
"Wait. Dad--"
"And I'm not the best cook, but I'm learning--"
"Dad. Dad!"
He looks up. His eyes are hopeful. I break his gaze. "Dad, thanks and all, but I just don't think... I mean..." I push myself up off the step. I suddenly feel claustrophobic in our postage-stamp square of a front yard.
I cannot believe my father is here -- and not just here, but here asking me to move in with him. My father, who said he felt so contained by his life in Fort Myers that he had to break free. My father, who had seemed perfectly content to see me on a few weekends and holidays and no more. Why is he doing this now? Why is he doing this to me?
I lean against the front fence and look out down the street. I had just been so excited and anxious to leave this place, and now I suddenly have a whole new option to consider. Why can't things ever be easy?
Behind me, I can hear Dad stand. "Luce, don't leave me."
His words catch me off guard. I freeze. Don't leave me. Is he serious?
The warm anger that I have been able to keep contained until now begins to trickle through my body. Don't leave me. How could he say that to me?
"Don't leave you? Don't leave you?" I feel the tears threaten to pour over, and it makes me even more angry. "That's impossible, Dad. You already left me."
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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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