The Blackberry Kiss
- When Sal starts to write in her new journal, she writes about her mom.
- She remembers how she used to watch her mom when her mom thought no one was looking. Her mom would plop a few blackberries in her mouth and kiss a tree. It's a little weird, but we'll go with it.
- Sal would go to the very same tree later on and could almost see a purple stain where her mother had kissed it. And ever since then, Sal loves kissing trees. No matter what species, they always taste like blackberries.
- In English class the next day, they read e.e. cummings' poem "the little horse is newlY." Sal really likes this poem, even though she's not quite sure what it means.
- After school, Ben tricks Sal into thinking he can read palms. Really, he just wants to hold her hand.
- She storms away from him, but he continues to follow her until she gets to Phoebe's door. Then, he kisses her on the ear. Seriously? Her ear? We're thinking he might have a bit of a problem with his aim.
- At Phoebe's, Phoebe and Sal find there are three notes from Mrs. Winterbottom: one for Phoebe, one for Prudence, and one for Mr. Winterbottom. Sal and Phoebe read the note for Phoebe, which simply tells her to lock all the doors.
- As the evening wears on, Sal and Phoebe discover that Mrs. Winterbottom has gone away for several days. Phoebe totally freaks out because she believes that the lunatic has kidnapped her mother.
- Later that night, Sal tells her dad about what has happened at the Winterbottom house, and he tells her that people usually come back, which makes Sal hopeful that her own mother will come back home, too.