Despite her expanding waistline and

Despite her expanding waistline and often being the subject of cruel teasing, Sara knew she was smart as a whip and could always rely on her sense of humor to get her out of a tough situation.
Sara had one best friend who lived down the street; her name was Jenny. Sara and Jenny shared every- thing: they conspired to grow up and have fantastic lives. Sara was going to become a pediatrician and help sick children, get married, and have a perfect house with three kids. Meanwhile Sara’s family con- tinued to spiral down. They had stopped going to church, dropped out of the social functions they used to attend, and lost contact with family friends. Sara often found herself home alone or left at school until early evening, forgotten by her parents. Nonetheless, she did not bother to complain, tried to stay out of her parent’s way, and generally took everything in stride. She dreamed of the day she would be off to college and medical school working hard to become a doctor.