The List of Things That Will Not Change

When Bea told Miriam about Sonia and how excited she was to have a new sister, she was met with caution from Miriam, who warned Bea to consider how Sonia might feel with all the changes and coming to a new place, away from her mother and the rest of her family. All Bea could think about was Sonia being just as happy and excited as she was, no matter how Miriam tried to explain.

In the same timeline, Bea’s fifth grade teacher, Mr. Home, held monthly lunch parties for all the kids who got a perfect score on their spelling test. Since Bea was never one of them, she always ended up eating with kids she disliked. Bea’s mom suggested finding a way to make the day special, and Bea decided to use it to write letters to Sonia. The first of these told Sonia about Bea’s experience of eating with annoying classmates, introduced her best friends, and told a story about getting hurt in second grade.

Bea’s next letter thanked Sonia for the postcard (which was much shorter than Bea’s letter) and told Sonia about Bea’s colonial America project and making butter from scratch. It also mentioned having two different breakfast setups—one for each of her two homes.

Bea’s next letter was very long, and she also suggested to Sonia to start writing longer letters. She talked about her parents, their kitchens, and an irritating classmate who was always looking over her shoulder. She signed the letter, “Your future sister” (69).

Presently, Bea feels like she and Sonia have a lot in common, including their family backgrounds, their shared parents, and their food preferences. But unlike Bea, Sonia is impossible to read.

Bea remembers how on Sonia’s first night in town, she was smiling all through dinner until she suddenly ran out of the restaurant with Jesse chasing after her. Bea’s dad tried to explain that Sonia was upset and exhausted, but Bea didn’t understand. She thought Sonia was being mean and didn’t want to be her sister. Bea forgot that Sonia’s family was much further apart than her own. Miriam tried to explain that feelings often have other, deeper feelings behind them—sometimes many layers of feelings. Bea sometimes thinks of herself as a person with many layers, and wonders if Sonia ever feels the same.

On Sonia’s first night in Bea’s room, she said little, and pushed her couch as far away from Bea’s bed as possible. Bea’s excitement remained intact, and she asked her mother if she could spend the whole week at her dad’s. Her mother agreed but seemed sad, and Bea felt guilty but too overwhelmed by her hope for a new sister. Embarrassed about her eczema, Bea neglected to put her lotion on before bed and woke up itching. She went to the bathroom and ran her hands under the water, and her dad came in to stop her, reminding her to use the ointment instead.

Since she was little, Bea has listened to old tapes that her grandfather recorded of himself reading stories out loud for Bea’s dad when he was a child. She took it out on Sonia’s second night to try and connect with her, and they listened to Frog and Toad together. Sonia had cried after talking to her mom just before this, and she seemed relieved to be able to lie in the quiet and listen to a story after Bea’s endless questions. Bea cried but bravely told Sonia she was glad they would be sisters, and Sonia surprised Bea when she replied “Yeah. Can we put in another tape?” (81).

Bea remembers telling Miriam about her time with Sonia, and how they went to the museum and ate cookies, made by Jesse, together. Bea was enjoying her time with Sonia despite the tension, but when it came to the subject of Sonia being homesick, Bea realized she missed her own mother, too. After the session, she called her mom on the phone and was glad to talk to her.

The story shifts to address another time Bea and Sonia listened to the taped recordings of Bea’s father being read to as a child. When Bea and Sonia listened to Harriet the Spy, there came a moment during the tape when Bea’s dad started to cry, not knowing why, and his dad comforted him. Sonia admitted she missed her mom upon hearing it.

Bea remembers an art project in second grade where she had to color an entire page with crayon, then color over it in dark blue. Afterward, the class was instructed to scratch out the blue to reveal the colors underneath. As Bea learns more about Sonia, she feels like Sonia is similar, like slowly unveiling a mystery.

For Sonia’s last day visiting, the family went skating, and Bea invited Angus as well. She had a great time and felt surrounded by love and happiness all day. Bea even ran into Lizette at the end of the day. She felt bad that she had such a great day without her mom, as though a piece of her was missing.

Later, her dad received news that Bea’s cousin, Angelica, was exhibiting symptoms of a neurological condition (her face was drooping). Bea wondered if it had anything to do with the night she fell off the loft at the cabin.

Although Bea did feel a little closer to Sonia by the end of the week, she also remained confused about how Sonia felt about everything. Still, Sonia smiled when she said goodbye, and Bea felt like they shared an understanding about how their lives were both going to be split into two. They gave each other a hug and continued writing letters.

Bea’s letter to Sonia in January talked about once again being left out of the spelling party, but also how her dog seemed to miss Sonia. Bea also found a hair tie that belonged to Sonia and promised to hang onto it until Sonia’s next visit.

Bea’s next letter to Sonia detailed her success on her colonial America essay and thanked Sonia for her most recent postcard. Bea also expressed her excitement at seeing Sonia at their dads’ wedding.