If Only Chapter 38 Summary

The Trail

  • Corinna and her dad go for a walk on the Billy Goat Trail along the Potomac River.
  • He brings up the trip to Japan they were planning to take before her mom got sick—he thinks they should still go.
  • Corinna's totally into it: Japan was a big part of her mom's life, and she thinks Sophie would want them to visit, with or without her.
  • She walks home from school with Olivia the next day, and Olivia rags on a girl named Norah's boots.
  • Corinna doesn't like how Olivia makes fun of people's clothes and she doesn't join in; it's not like making fun of other people makes her feel any better about herself.
  • Out of the blue, Olivia says she feels sorry for Corinna for not having a mom.
  • Corinna says it's hard, but what she really wants to say is that Olivia doesn't know how lucky she is.
  • Olivia goes back to making fun of people's clothes.
  • That night, Corinna calls Clare, and Clare invites her to spend the night that weekend. For the first time since her mom died, Corinna thinks a sleepover sounds like fun.