Chapter 2 Summary: Sister Mary and Best Friend Ann

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens with a portrait of the Shannon household's early-morning routine. Molly and her sister Mary would wake up and watch a televised church service called Mass for Shut-Ins, a broadcast intended for disabled Catholics who couldn't leave home, which counted as mass attendance. The sisters turned it into a game, guessing how many communicants would be wearing glasses. They'd follow it with the claymation show Davey and Goliath.

When Molly was five, she met three-year-old Ann Ranft, who wore glasses and an eye patch for a lazy eye. Ann was rocking in her crib to soothe herself; Molly jumped in and imitated her, and from that moment they were inseparable. Ann's parents were heading toward divorce and she had three older siblings. Because Molly had lost her little sister Katie, Ann became an instant replacement—Molly's father would later say that Ann took over Katie's role.

The two girls built an elaborate imaginative world. They cut paper dolls from J.C. Penney catalogs, played with Barbies, and invented Catholic scenarios, constructing churches and confessionals for the dolls. A Stretch Armstrong toy became the muscular priest who heard their confessions. They spent entire days doing impersonations of people they knew—a friend's Italian father, Ann's grandmother with her southern Ohio accent—honing voices and mannerisms until they had to force themselves to break character. They also played a board game called Mother's Helper that sent them running to complete chores.

Summers were spent riding bikes, swimming, and exercising. They took the rapid transit to the airport to watch travelers say hello and goodbye, and rode the bus to a hospital cafeteria to eat lunch surrounded by doctors in scrubs, pretending to be part of the hospital staff. Molly reflects that changing atmospheres was stimulating and inspiring.

As they grew older, they discovered Robert Altman films like Nashville. Ann was the first person to tell Molly she could imagine her in the movies, giving her crucial confidence. Ann herself wanted to be a country singer but was nervous about performing; when she practiced singing for Molly, she turned her back and never faced her.

Molly, Mary, and Ann attended St. Dominic's Catholic School from first through eighth grade. Molly's first-grade teacher, Sister Christina, had an odd habit of asking students if they wanted to smell a hall pass—a warning about being whacked. Molly was curious about the nun's life and visited the convent for extra credit, where Sister Christina served Tang in tiny Dixie cups. Years later, Molly was delighted to hear Sister Christina had left the convent.

In first grade, professional choreographers Ms. Patty and Ms. Jackie taught the grades an Irish song-and-dance number for the St. Patrick's Day show. Molly loved the spectacle—the costumes, the makeup stations staffed by mothers, the finale spelling out Father Gallagher's name. But the night was shadowed by her father's drinking; St. Patrick's Day was a big drinking day for him. Molly told him not to come to her classroom, worried all day, and could tell from his waving and slurring onstage that he was drunk.

Another incident showed Molly's protective side. When her lunch card ran out of punches, she crumbled a hot dog into her pocket to bring to Mary on the playground—only to find Mary had already eaten thanks to a classmate's punch. The sisters always looked out for each other.

Molly was elected class president two years in a row. She attributes her popularity to not wanting anyone to feel left out, the way she had felt. At recess she played a game called Family with her friend Amy Wahl, where they drafted kids into families; Molly was always the best mother, the fun mother, and her kids could fly.

In fifth grade, a boy named Billy Fox passed her a note saying she didn't have a mother. Molly broke down crying—the first time she'd cried about her mom. She insisted to herself that she did have a mother, in heaven, but the note punctured her fantasy. The principal called her dad, who asked if she wanted to talk about her feelings; Molly said no, wanting to blend in. The incident made her realize how vulnerable she really was.

Key Events

Molly and Mary watch Mass for Shut-Ins and Davey and Goliath each morning
Molly meets Ann Ranft at age five; they become inseparable and Ann replaces Katie
The girls build elaborate Catholic-themed play worlds with paper dolls and Barbies
Summers of biking, swimming, airport-watching, and hospital cafeteria lunches
Ann gives Molly early confidence about acting; practices singing with her back turned
The St. Patrick's Day show in first grade, shadowed by her father's drunkenness
Molly saves a hot dog for Mary when lunch cards run out
Molly elected class president twice; plays Family at recess
Billy Fox's note about her mother's death triggers Molly's first breakdown

Character Development

Molly: Shows early show-business instincts—savvy about picking the best makeup artist, love of performance—alongside deep protective instincts toward Mary. Her grief over Katie is channeled into play and into being the best mother in games. The Billy Fox incident reveals her vulnerability and her desire to blend in after loss.

Ann: A bright, imaginative friend who struggles in school but excels at storytelling and impersonation. She gives Molly confidence about acting while struggling with her own performance anxiety, practicing singing only with her back turned.

Mary: A quiet presence; the hot dog incident shows the sisters' mutual care.

Dad: Present but unreliable; his drinking casts a shadow over the St. Patrick's Day show, and he's the one who notes Ann's role as Katie's replacement.

Sister Christina: A fascinating figure—a nun who seems unhappy, whose eventual departure from the convent delights Molly.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Replacement and grief: Ann literally replaces Katie; Molly's play as the best mother compensates for her own loss.
Catholic imagination: The girls' play is saturated with Catholic ritual—churches, confessionals, priests—making faith part of their fantasy world.
Performance and impersonation: From imitating Ann's grandmother to the St. Patrick's Day show, performance is both escape and identity.
Escapism through play: The paper dolls, Barbies, and Family game create a world where Molly controls outcomes.
Parental alcoholism: The St. Patrick's Day show is shadowed by her father's drinking; Molly's worry and hope are a constant undercurrent.
Sibling care: The hot dog incident shows Molly's protective love for Mary.
Fantasy vs. reality: Billy Fox's note punctures Molly's fantasy world, forcing her to confront her mother's death.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter establishes the emotional foundation of Molly's childhood: the loss of her sister Katie, the friendship that replaced her, and the grief over her mother that she kept buried. It also shows the origins of her performing instincts—the impersonations, the love of show, the savvy about audiences—and the way her father's alcoholism shadowed even her happiest moments. The Billy Fox incident is a turning point, the first time her carefully maintained fantasy is broken.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Ann function as a replacement for Katie, and what does that reveal about how the Shannon family processed grief?

Ann filled the role of the lost little sister—Molly's father explicitly said Ann took over Katie's role. The family didn't talk openly about grief; instead they found a living child to fill the gap. This shows a pattern of coping through substitution and forward motion rather than direct mourning.

2. What does the St. Patrick's Day show reveal about the tension between Molly's love of performance and her home life?

The show is the highlight of Molly's school year—she loves the costumes, makeup, and applause—but it's also the night her father gets drunk. She has to manage his behavior, telling him not to come to the classroom and praying he'll sober up. The chapter shows that even her happiest moments are shadowed by her father's alcoholism.

3. Why does Billy Fox's note affect Molly so deeply, and what does her reaction reveal about her coping mechanisms?

The note is the first time anyone punctures her fantasy that her mother is still present. She insists to herself that she has a mother in heaven, but the note forces her to confront the reality of death. Her refusal to talk to her dad about her feelings shows her desire to blend in and not be treated differently—a common response to childhood loss.