says
she married a dreamer； and because of that； one of the
two of them will always be unhappy。
Whatever。 Maybe Juli's aesthetic sensibilities have been permanently screwed up by her
father and none of this is her fault； but Juli has always
thought that that sycamore tree was God's gift to our little corner of the universe。
Back in the third and fourth grades she used to clown around with her brothers in the
branches or peel big chunks of bark off so they could slide
down the crook in its trunk。 It seemed like they were playing in it whenever my mom took us
somewhere in the car。 Juli'd be swinging from the
branches； ready to fall and break every bone in her body； while we were waiting at the
stoplight； and my mom would shake her head and say； “Don't
you ever climb that tree like that； do you hear me； Bryce？ I never want to see you doing that！
You either； Lyta。 That is much too dangerous。”
My sister would roll her eyes and say； “As if；” while I'd slump beneath the window and pray
for the light to change before Juli squealed my name
for the world to hear。
I did try to climb it once in the fifth grade。 It was the day after Juli had rescued my kite from
its mutant toy…eating foliage。 She climbed miles up to
get my kite； and when she came down； she was actually very cool about it。 She didn't hold
my kite hostage and stick her lips out like I w