Closer Than a Sister (Paperback)

In the small, southern town of Calico Woods, Aimee Apperson is born into a poor family. She is the center of her parents' world until a brother shows up. The day after he is born, Aimee tries to kill him and is kept from being a murderess by the quick thinking of her father. She has a doll named Abby who 'talks' to her. Through childhood, long after the doll is discarded, Abby gives Aimee advice. She has a caustic attitude and sometimes gets Aimee into trouble. At other times, she takes over Aimee's will and defends Scott, the brother. Nelda, Aimee's mother, dies from cancer when Aimee is fourteen. This is bad enough, but when she finds out that her father started an affair with the caregiver before Nelda dies, she is furious. When he finds that the caregiver is pregnant, he sends her away and sets her up in a house. Although he loves his wife, he is a weak man. A month after Nelda dies, James marries Joanne. The baby, Jamie, finally captures Aimee's heart, but Joanne remains a hated person by both Aimee and Scott. Joanne's brother comes to live with them. Joanne and Rob seem to despise each other, but there is a bond that makes Joanne accept whatever Rob wants. Aimee has an affair with him to show rebellion against her father. She backs off when Rob wants to get married. He thinks he will get control of the truck terminal that James owns. Aimee goes to California right after high school, running away from home to do so. Only her grandmother Sellers knows where she is and why. This is her second secret. When she comes home, Rob rapes her with Joanne's approval. Then he disappears. Aimee goes to Jr. College but someone shoots James while he works at the terminal one night. She takes over her father's job while he recuperates. Eventually James is able to return to work. Her father's partner has a grandson who comes home from Washington to work there. Eventually, he and Aimee fall in love and marry. Abby, still a secret, still talks to Aimee, gives advice and argues with her. Chuck and Aimee have two boy babies that die at birth. Then a girl, Jessy, is born. Aimee then has an ectopic pregnancy and has to have a hysterectomy. Chuck is furious because he wants a son. Their marriage falls apart. He seems to blame Aimee, but has a secret of his own and can't face her with it. They get a divorce; he goes to Vietnam and breaks all contact with his daughter and grandfather. When he does come home, he has a son. The boy's mother, a Vietnamese, stepped on a land mine and died. She and Chuck were married, so Chuck was able to bring his son home with him.