Let me sum up.

Cecelia would not tell me what she and Neil talked about. She told me that if I really wanted to know, I could ask him myself, but I missed my chance because his crazy father knocked him unconscious and dragged him away. Poor kid.

Adam left the lake soon after, followed shortly by Butterfly dragging a crying Raymond. He didn't want to leave the popsicles, you see. It was his only chance to eat food not made by the family cooks.

I got an email from Taki. It pretty much contained nothing, just those routine "how's the weather?" sort of questions. It was as if he could think of nothing to say. He signed it "I miss you a lot." I considered deleting the message, but didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I had to keep it.

I also got an email from Hans and Frans, who told me everything about their time in Germany. Everything. Even the part unsuited for women's ears (or eyes in this case.) I deleted that message, unsure of what my parents would do if they ever had the irrepressible desire to read all my past emails.

Then Cecelia made ramen. She was supposed to make chicken noodle soup for her sister for lunch, but she didn't want to make a whole, family-sized can for just one girl. "You know how to make soup." She shouted. "And, if that's too hard, just make yourself some stupid, f-ing ramen." But she did not say 'f-ing.'

I received a letter in the mail today from the Zachs. It was entirely in code. I have not yet cracked it.

I found a recording device in my purse. I say recording device because it was not a tape player or a CD or anything I could identify. When I hit the 'play' button, the Second Violin's voice came through as clearly as if he was right next to me. "I'm bored, Nathi. Play a song for me." He--it--said. I'm still wondering how it got into my purse.