In 1995, Steve has a reason to reach back out to his siblings. At Martha’s Vineyard, he meets a woman named Tonya. He is attracted to her, but she is engaged. The following summer he sees her again at a party. They begin talking. Her engagement did not last, and Steve gives her an abridged version of his history. He then spends most weekends in the summer of 1996 traveling to visit her.

When Steve meets her family, he is impressed at how intimate and comfortable they are with each other, despite past challenges. He wonders if he and his siblings should have, or could have, made more of an effort. His relationship with Tonya progresses to the point that he takes her to meet his grandmother in Tuckerton. Ben is there for a visit as well, and Steve also meets his aunt Josie and her husband George for the first time.  

That evening, Loretta shows Steve a letter that his mother wrote. The letter was addressed to Marian’s father. In it, she said she wanted to get back on her feet and regain her children. She lists them by name. However, as Steve reads, he sees that his name is not there.