Time elapsed in this book: 2 weeks
Length of their junior year: 11 months
Jessica’s love interests: Aaron Dallas, Neil Freemount
Entertainment rating: 5/10
This book was kind of a dud, both when I read it as a kid and when reading it as an adult. The twins aren’t the starring characters in this book, plus there is a lot about Steven’s love life and who cares about that? But it does have its moments!
We open at the hospital, where Tricia has been admitted into the ICU and taken a turn for the worse. I’m pretty sure Sweet Valley High is where I first even heard of leukemia, so I guess this series is educational in some ways. The Wakefields have all rushed to the hospital to be with Tricia in her final moments, while Tricia’s own family is nowhere to be seen. Her dad’s a drunk and her sister, Betsy, is hooked on drugs, booze, and boys, so what do you expect? Tricia tells them the past few months have been the happiest of her life and that she feels like she’s part of their family. Jess is even moved by how brave and kind Tricia is and tries to apologize for ever being nasty to her, but Tricia tells her there’s nothing to apologize for. They all say their final goodbyes and then everyone but Steven files out of the room so he and Tricia can have a few minutes together. The two of them reminisce about the first time they met, which was apparently on the beach in the rain as Tricia was trying to catch raindrops on her tongue. Tricia tells Steven he needs to let her go because she’s in so much pain but that before she leaves, she wants him to promise to take care of Betsy. Steven thinks that Betsy couldn’t even be bothered to show up to the hospital in Tricia’s final moments, but Tricia presses him so he agrees he’ll look after Betsy. With that final bit of business wrapped up, Tricia closes her eyes for the last time.
As the Wakefields prepare to leave the hospital, Betsy Martin rushes in. Her eyes are bloodshot and wild, and she’s screaming that she needs to see her sister! Steven goes over to Betsy and breaks the news that she’s too late, Tricia is dead. Betsy howls with grief. Mr. Wakefield says Betsy should come home with them and Steven agrees. Jess is appalled by the idea of Betsy being in their house. Betsy is inconsolable at not having arrived at the hospital in time to see Tricia, and Mrs. Wakefield tells her there’s nothing she could have done.
“But I could have been there with her,” Betsy sobbed. “Where I belonged. Instead–instead I was busy drinking and smoking everything I could get my hands on…”
A good reminder for all readers that drugs are bad and that Betsy is trashy. Betsy says she promises to never touch any of that stuff again. Jess looks at her suspiciously, not believing that she can redeem herself.
On the drive home, Jess and Liz talk about Betsy. Jess says Betsy was at Miller’s Point last week with Charlie Cashman and Jim Sturbridge at the same time. Jess also mentions how Betsy rode around with Rick Andover, and Liz is quick to point out that Jess once went out with him herself.
At school the next week, Liz is sad because Tricia isn’t there. Enid and Todd ask her how she’s holding up and then they move on to watch Winston try to eat four mini pizzas in four minutes as part of a dare. I’m curious how big these mini pizzas must be. The fact that they’re called “mini” pizzas makes them sound small, but apparently it’s a huge feat for Winston to eat for of them, so they can’t be that small. Winston succeeds in completing this dare.
When Liz gets home, she finds Betsy alone in the Wakefield’s study (where she’s staying), sketching. Betsy is alternately nice to Liz and gruff, calling milk a “good girl’s drink” when Liz offers her a glass and saying she guesses she’ll have to get used to it. Betsy says art is sometimes the only thing that’s kept her going, and Liz tells her how good she is at it. Betsy tells Liz, “I know what people say about me. About the booze, the pills, the guys. And it’s all true.” It’s heavy handed but I do kinda feel sorry for Betsy and her self-esteem/self-worth.
The next day is Tricia’s funeral. Liz and Jess take the morning off school to attend. While getting ready, Jess tells Liz that Betsy didn’t get home until super late and that she was probably out with guys, back to her old ways. When they talk to Betsy, however, she mentions that she had gone home to go through some of Tricia’s things. Steven gives Betsy a gift of acrylic paints and different brushes, saying Liz had told him that Betsy liked art so he thought she’d like this. Betsy is touched. The Wakefields and Betsy go to the funeral. Mr. Collins attends it too and offers his sympathies. Afterward, the twins and Betsy pile in Steven’s car. Betsy tells Steven to take her to Kelly’s, the seedy bar. Steven says no. Jess tells Betsy not to worry and that if Steven won’t take her, she’s sure to find some other guy who will. It’s totally not the time to be so rude to Tricia’s sister, but it’s kinda funny nonetheless. Betsy says she just doesn’t know how long she’ll stay at the Wakefields and what comes after that for her? Steven tells her that their home is her home for good now!
At school, Jess tells Cara and Lila that Betsy’s moved in. They’re outraged. Lila says, “Why, our stable boy has more class than Betsy Martin.” I love that Lila has a stable boy! Because of course she does. Lila suggests that Jess go through Betsy’s stuff, find the drugs they all know she has hidden, and then Betsy will be kicked out. Jess follows their advice after school but doesn’t find any drugs. She does, however, find a portrait that Betsy has drawn of Steven and assumes this means she must be in love with him!
The next day, Jess tells Cara and Lila that she didn’t find drugs in Betsy’s room. Cara tells her that everyone’s talking about how Betsy and Steven are basically an item now because everyone sees them around town and Betsy’s always hanging off of him. The conversation does not make Jess happy. She goes home and overhears Betsy on the phone to Crunch McAllister, a SVH dropout and local sleaze bag who caused the motorcycle accident that Liz and Todd got into. Betsy tells him that her days at the Shady Lady (another sleazy bar in Sweet Valley) are over.
Liz and Todd go to the Beach Disco, where the Droids are playing. Jess shows up with two guys, Aaron Dallas and Neil Freemount. I need to point out the absolute hypocrisy of Jess complaining about Betsy supposedly going to Miller’s Point with two guys. Is it because Jess hasn’t sealed the deal with either yet? Because Betsy isn’t as brazen about it? Because Jess is jealous? Who knows. While there, Cara fills Jess in on the latest gossip: Roger Barrett’s mom had a heart attack, is now in a coma, and needs to fly to Houston for open-heart surgery but their family can’t afford it. Just then, Steven shows up at the Beach Disco. And he’s not alone!
Betsy and Steven dance for a bit, then find a table. Jason, one of Steven’s friends from college, comes over to say hi. He teaches a community art class and knows that Betsy’s into art, so he invites her to attend. Betsy gets cold toward him and asks what he wants in return. He doesn’t want anything, so Betsy agrees to check it out.
Saturday morning, Betsy goes to the art class as promised. She comes home after and tells Liz it was terrible. Jason complimented her art during the class, but afterward, he asked her out! She’s furious! Betsy says she knows what it means when a boy asks her out. Liz says maybe Jason actually likes her. Betsy says that is never her experience when boys have asked her out and walks off. So sad.
The next morning, Liz tells Jess that Bruce Patman’s father is paying for Roger’s mom’s heart surgery. Jess is shocked and can’t understand why. Before they can discuss more, Jess has to leave; she has a date with Neil. Jason drops by to return Betsy’s sketchpad, which she left behind in class the day before. He asks if Betsy’s ever thought about applying to art school because she’s super talented and says he’d be happy to put in a good word for her. Betsy says she knows what he’s really after and leaves. Liz and Steven realize Jason is trying to do something legitimately nice, so they scheme and decide to apply for Betsy using the art in her sketchpad.
Steven heads back to college. The twins go to school. Jess and her friends ask Bruce why his dad is paying for Roger’s mom’s surgery, and Bruce tells them that Mrs. Barrett used to work at Patman Canning. Bruce says his dad is taking care of the less fortunate, kind of like what the Wakefields are doing for Betsy now. Jess is not pleased and vows to get Betsy out of her life for good!
The gang heads to Guido’s Pizza, where Winston is attempting to set a new pizza eating world record by eating seven extra-large pizzas in a single sitting. Even the local news crews are there! I’m wondering how much bigger these extra-large pizzas are from the four mini-pizzas he ate at school. Seems like a large leap. Anyway, Winston makes it through six and a half pizzas before he has to run to the bathroom to puke. So close!
At home that night, the twins are watching themselves on the news, since they’re in the background of the shots at Guido’s, when the doorbell rings. It’s Mr. Martin, Tricia’s and Betsy’s alcoholic dad! Betsy doesn’t know what to do so she calls Steven, who immediately drives home from college to be with her. Ned Wakefield has a talk with Steven, telling him he can’t be responsible for Betsy forever and that she eventually needs to be able to take care of herself. Steven says he made a promise to Tricia and he intends to keep it. Jess, who’s eavesdropping, realizes this is why Steven has been so kind to Betsy.
After dinner, Jess finds herself alone with Betsy and chats with her a bit. Betsy gushes about how much Steven has helped her, and Jess says it’s too bad he can’t help himself the way he helped Betsy. Jess casually lets it slip that Steven had promised Tricia to take care of Betsy and — oops, Betsy didn’t know about that? Betsy is furious and says she understands now that Steven doesn’t really care about her and neither does anyone else! She quickly packs up and leaves.
Steven comes home with Jason, giddy with the news that Betsy got into art school. Talk about a fast turnaround on her application! Jess informs them that Betsy has left. She doesn’t know where Betsy went but heard her making plans to meet up with Charlie Cashman somewhere. Steven immediately starts to worry and is determined to find her! They pile into his car and head over to Kelly’s. No sign of Betsy. They drive to the Shady Lady. Betsy’s there, Charlie Cashman on one side of her, Crunch McAllister on the other. Betsy is miserable but once she sees Steven, she perks up for his benefit and tells Crunch she’s having a great time before giving him a kiss. She turns to Charlie and gives him a kiss too. Jason and Steven make their way toward Betsy.
“Betsy, are these wimps friends of yours?” Charlie asked.
I love the tough talk in these books!! Betsy says no, they’re not her friends. Betsy tells Steven that Charlie got hold of some “dynamite pot” that she plans to use. Whoa, these guys are bad news!!! But in reality, Betsy hasn’t had any alcohol or drugs except the drink she had for Steven’s benefit. Charlie tells Steven to leave or else he’ll “mop the floor” with him. Charlie punches Steven! Steven tries to hit him back, but Charlie moves. If only Todd were here to help punch the lights out of Charlie! Charlie keeps on swinging at Steven, backing him into a corner. Jason comes to Steven’s defense. Charlie tries to punch Jason, but Jason ducks out of the way and then flips Charlie over. The entire bar is stunned! Jason says he’s a brown belt in karate. Betsy is overwhelmed with gratitude and realizes that Jason doesn’t actually have a hidden agenda and that she kinda likes him.
The Wakefields host a BBQ to celebrate Betsy having gotten into art school. Steven and Betsy make up, and he forgives Jess for telling Betsy about his promise to Tricia. During the party, they get the news that Roger’s mom died. And there’s more! Apparently Roger’s dad was Paul Patman, Bruce’s late uncle who was even richer than Bruce’s dad! No one knew this, not even Bruce or Roger! Roger’s now the richest person in Sweet Valley and he’s going to live with the Patmans!
Coming up next: Roger adjusts to becoming Roger Barrett Patman.
Notes:
We find out in this book that Mr. Wakefield drives a rust-brown LTD and Steven drives a little yellow VW.
Jess mentions at one point that she should never have gone up to Miller’s Point with Paul Sherwood since he’s the worst kisser in the galaxy and kisses like a dead fish. Unintentional foreshadowing for her later using a similar metaphor for how Bruce kisses?
Liz says she and Todd are having dinner with Regina and Nicholas. It sounds like a normal double date until you realize that Regina and Nicholas are siblings, and Nicholas was all over Liz just one book ago. What a weird non-double date.
There is absolutely no way Betsy would be wearing the outfit on the cover of this book. She looks like a nurse or waitress straight out of the 1950’s.