#88: Farewell, Dawn
…or, as I like to call it, Bye, Bitch. (I’m sorry, but Dawn bugs me so much. One of the first things she does in this book is talk about how fat Norman Hill used to be.)
Dawn decides that she wants to move back to California (again)… this time permanently. She misses her hometown, her dad, her brother, and her friends — especially Sunny, whose mom has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Dawn’s parents agree, and then Dawn has the hard task of breaking it to Mary Anne and the rest of the BSC. (Honestly, if I were Sharon Porter I’d be pissed.)
Dawn breaks it to Kristy first, because she can’t figure out how to tell Mary Anne. She tells Kristy to keep it a secret for now but when has Kristy ever not been a big-mouth? Kristy tells Claudia… Claudia tells Stacey… Stacey tells Robert… Robert tells Logan… and Logan tells Mary Anne, who snaps and becomes cold and distant to Dawn after they have a big fight in which they both say harsh things to the other.
Really, Mary Anne doesn’t know how to process her hurt and disappointment, so she gives Dawn the cold shoulder for the full two weeks leading up to Dawn leaving, even while the BSC is planning Dawn’s going-away party and a “Christmas in Summer” party for James Hobart, who broke his leg (on Mallory’s watch, might I add). In the end, of course they make up and send each other photos of themselves brushing their teeth — they each tape the other’s to their bathroom mirror to pretend they’re still getting ready for bed together each night.
I mean… that’s it, really. PEACE, SCHAFER! I’ll see ya in California Diaries #1…
