- It’s the day before she starts 8th grade, and Dicey’s chillin’ in Gram’s barn with the sailboat she’s restoring. In fact, that's where she spends most of her time these days.
- She’s reflecting on the events that brought them to Gram’s house that summer, which means we get a quick recap of Homecoming. In short, the Tillerman kids were orphaned when their mother abandoned them, but now they’ve got a home with their mom’s mom, Gram.
- Dicey digs Gram, who’s offered them a home not just in her big old farmhouse, but in her heart. She’s been watching Gram interact with James, Sammy, and Maybeth, and she likes how Gram encourages them.
- She feels really happy and tired at the same time, but she doesn’t want to go to bed because happiness is fun.