Love, Aubrey

Eleven-year-old Aubrey and her mom struggle to cope in the aftermath of a tragic car wreck that killed Dad and Aubrey’s younger sister, Savannah. Mom was the one driving, and though the wreck was an accident, she struggles with a debilitating sense of guilt for the role she played in the tragedy. Unable to cope with her grief and uphold her parental duties, Mom neglects Aubrey before eventually abandoning her. Aubrey enjoys “playing house” at first. She eats cheese and crackers—her favorite—for every meal, and she watches TV all day. She buys a pet betta fish, Sammy, to feel less lonely. She tries not to think about her family. To process some of the painful feelings she can’t share with others, she writes letters to Savannah’s imaginary friend Jilly.

But everything changes when Aubrey’s maternal grandmother, Gram, arrives outside Aubrey’s door in Virginia, having correctly ascertained that something was wrong after her many phone calls to the house went unanswered. Though Aubrey tries to hide the fact of Mom’s absence, Gram wrangles the truth out of her and announces her plans to take Aubrey back to live with her in Vermont.

Aubrey’s time at Gram’s gets off to a bad start. Aubrey doesn’t want to be there, feeling that her real home is with Mom, in Virginia, and so she stubbornly refuses to unpack her things in a childish act of protest. She’s annoyed with Gram’s routine of leaving her daily to-do-lists of chores to complete around the house (feed the pets, water the plants) though she reluctantly does most of what Gram asks her to do. Meanwhile, Gram makes call after call, tirelessly searching for her missing daughter.

Aubrey meets Bridget, a girl her age who has recently moved in to the house next door to Gram’s, though she is initially too shy and lacking in confidence to introduce herself to the girl—Aubrey’s experience back home has taught her that her peers treat her differently once they learn about Aubrey’s tragic past. Almost from the start, though, Aubrey realizes that Bridget is different than the kids back home. Though she notices the scar on Aubrey’s head (a daily reminder of the horrible accident), Bridget comments on it as though it were the most “normal” thing in the world. Aubrey later learns that Bridget and her whole family have known about Aubrey’s past all along, and Aubrey is profoundly touched when they treat her with kindness and patience rather than distancing themselves from her.

Fall approaches, and Gram informs Aubrey that she’s enrolled her at the local school—confirmation that Aubrey will be living at Gram’s for the foreseeable future. Aubrey and Bridget grow closer, though tensions arise in their friendship due to Aubrey’s inability to be honest with Bridget about her feelings. One day, while Aubrey is playing near the woods behind Gram’s house with Bridget and Bridget’s younger sister, Mabel, she has a memory of playing with Savannah. All the pain and sadness Aubrey has been suppressing up to this point comes to the surface, and she blacks out. Bridget and Mabel call for help.

When Aubrey comes to, she’s lying in bed, and Gram is beside her. Recognizing Aubrey’s struggle to cope with her grief, Gram tells Aubrey about how she managed to go on in the wake of Aubrey’s grandpa’s death when she realized that she was surrounded by so many living family and friends who loved and cared about her. Gram’s story resonates with Aubrey, giving her the strength to finally open up to Bridget about the accident and talk openly about her grief.

School starts. Aubrey has regular sessions with the guidance counselor, Amy Carlisle, who praises Aubrey for how well she’s adjusting to life in Vermont and gently encourages Aubrey to start opening up about her feelings.

The evening after Aubrey’s second day at school, Aunt Janet, an old friend of Mom’s, calls Gram’s to let her know that Mom has been staying with her in Colorado—though Mom had claimed to be on a road trip, Aunt Janet sensed something was wrong. The family begins the process of getting Mom home so she can receive the treatment she needs to get better.

Aubrey isn’t sure how to feel—though she feels angry and hurt that Mom abandoned her, Aubrey misses her mom and understands that Mom wasn’t in her right mind when she left. After Gram confirms that she’s not going to let Aubrey return to Virginia until she confirms that Mom is ready to take on the responsibility of parenting Aubrey, Aubrey decides to take matters into her own hands. She concocts a plan to ride her bike to the train station, where she’ll use what little money she has to catch a train home to Mom. Bridget, ever the caring and attentive friend, realizes what Aubrey has in mind and tells on her, foiling Aubrey’s plan before she can through with it. Though Aubrey is initially angry, she realizes Bridget was only looking out for her.

Time passes. At a school Halloween party, Aubrey chats with Marcus, a boy who most kids in her class stay away from, considering him strange. She learns that he, too, has regular sessions with Amy due to family issues. Aubrey and Gram celebrate Thanksgiving with Bridget and her family. Christmas comes around, and Aubrey’s aunts, uncles, and cousins stay at Gram’s. Aubrey holds out hope that Mom will come, too, and she’s heartbroken when Mom doesn’t show up—and doesn’t even call to wish Aubrey a Merry Christmas.

One winter night, Mom arrives unannounced at Gram’s. Aubrey, overwhelmed, runs to Mom’s arms, and the two embrace. Though Aubrey is happy to see her, it’s confusing to be around Mom after so many months apart. Gram, meanwhile, is furious with Mom for trying to destroy the stability Aubrey has only recently started to regain in the aftermath of Mom’s abandonment of her. Gram ultimately relents and allows Mom to stay for a while, and Mom and Aubrey gradually learn to trust each other again. They talk about the accident and about Savannah and Dad, and they slowly begin to mend their shattered relationship. Eventually, Mom returns to Virginia to resume treatment and continue getting her life back on track.

In February, during Aubrey’s weeklong break from school, Gram goes to Virginia to check on Mom while Aubrey stays at Bridget’s house. Aubrey enjoys her time with Bridget and her family—until Mabel drinks a bottle of cough syrup, necessitating a trip to the hospital. The incident leaves Bridget worried and afraid for her sister. Though being in a hospital upsets Aubrey, bringing back memories of the aftermath of the car wreck, she musters the strength to be a good and supportive friend to Mabel. Mabel ultimately makes a full recovery, and Bridget’s family praises Aubrey for being such a good friend to Bridget.

Aubrey’s 12th birthday comes around, and Gram throws her and her closest friends a party. Mom doesn’t attend, though she calls to wish Aubrey a happy birthday. Aubrey feels joyous and loved. Not long after Aubrey’s birthday, Gram informs Aubrey that Mom has a new job and is finally well enough for Aubrey to come home. Gram has given her blessing—but, Gram stresses, the choice must be Aubrey’s.

Aubrey’s frets over her big decision. Though she loves Mom, she’s not sure if she’s ready to leave the new life she’s formed in Vermont. Bridget assumes that Aubrey will want to return to Mom as soon as possible and is heartbroken at the prospect of losing her new best friend, though she assures Aubrey that she’ll understand, whatever Aubrey chooses to do. In the end, after thinking long and hard about it, Aubrey decides that she does want to return to Mom, and she plans to do just that—but she’s not quite ready. She writes Mom a letter expressing all this and promising Mom that she’ll return to her as soon as she’s ready.