Coming Apart (9780545356152) by Ann M Martin

was peering out a window. After a few moments, she left the window to turn and press her face into her mother’s waist, as if she were a toddler.
    Nikki, who was now listening for the sound of a knock on the door, was so startled when the door suddenly opened that she actually let out a cry.
    â€œI’m home, everybody!” announced Mr. Sherman. He set down two shopping bags, closed the door behind him, and shrugged out of his coat. And then he stood by the door, his arms dangling at his sides.
    No one moved. No one spoke. The Shermans formed an uncomfortable picture. In those few seconds before the strange spell was broken, Nikki studied her father and was surprised by what she saw. He was dressed neatly and he was wearing a jacket. No necktie, but a jacket and a clean white shirt and corduroy pants.
Corduroy
pants. Where were his falling-apart jeans? Where was his stained T-shirt? And where had the jacket come from? She noted that his hair was clean and that he had combed it, leaving noticeable comb tracks on either side of the part. His nails had been trimmed and he had shaved that morning. Also, he was growing a mustache.
    â€œWell,” said Mr. Sherman at last. “This is some greeting.”
    Nikki glanced at Tobias and saw him tense.
    â€œCat got your tongue?” Mr. Sherman asked Mae, who nodded.
    Otherwise, no one moved.
    â€œHi, Dad,” said Nikki finally.
    â€œI got something for you,” Mr. Sherman told her. “Got presents for all of you.”
    Mae released herself from her mother’s waist. “Presents?”
    At this, Nikki and Tobias smiled, and Mrs. Sherman said nervously, “Well, that got her attention.”
    Mr. Sherman began to remove items from one of the shopping bags.
    â€œAre
both
bags full of presents?” asked Mae incredulously. She leaned in for a closer look.
    â€œWhy don’t we sit down?” said Mrs. Sherman.
    They sat around the kitchen table, and Nikki’s father handed out gifts as if he were Santa Claus. The presents weren’t wrapped, but Nikki didn’t care. She found herself feeling as incredulous as Mae looked. Their father had never bought gifts for any occasion. He hadn’t remembered birthdays; he hadn’t even bought Christmas gifts.
    â€œHere you go, Tobias,” said Mr. Sherman, pulling a heavy green sweatshirt from the first bag.
    â€œWow,” said Tobias softly.
    â€œAnd this is for you, Nikki.” He handed her a small box. When Nikki opened it, she found a pair of silver earrings inside. They weren’t for pierced ears, but they were pretty, and Nikki thought she might be able to wear them anyway. “Thank you,” she said politely.
    Mr. Sherman reached for the bottom of the bag and finally withdrew a box of perfume, which he handed Nikki’s mother.
    Mae was now eyeing the second bag. Her father set it on the floor next to her chair. “Everything in there’s for you.”
    Mae’s eyes widened. “Everything?” She scrambled from her chair, knelt on the floor, and began pulling things from the bag — a princess costume, a book about horses, a sticker book, and finally an elaborate doll. “This is for me, too?” she asked, cradling it and gazing fondly into its face. “Really? This is for me?”
    â€œWho else would a doll be —” Mr. Sherman started to say, but then he caught himself. “For my special girl,” he said instead, and patted Mae’s shoulder.
    It was on the tip of Nikki’s tongue to ask why her father had given so much to Mae, but she remained silent. Maybe it was okay. Mae was little, and she was fun to shop for. Still, an annoying mosquito of a thought was buzzing around in Nikki’s head, demanding to be caught. And examined.
    â€œWell,” said Mr. Sherman, “I guess I better get a move on. It’s going to take a while to go through everything. I’ll start in the bedroom. I’ve got