Ophelia knows she has to make it work with this new foster family. She's been through too many homes since a terrible tragedy left her alone and emotionally isolated, and the state is not going to move her again no matter how unhappy she might become. So when her new foster mother asks her to take a job reading aloud to Portia McKay, an elderly neighbor, Ophelia grudgingly agrees.At first Ophelia only goes because she gets paid. But as they get to know each other, Portia and Ophelia discover that they have much more in common than their Shakepearean names. They both have horrible secrets that they have never shared with another living soul. And it seems that this unlikely friendship may be just what they both need to break free of their emotional prisons.Anna Myers seamlessly blends contemporary and historical narratives as Opehlia's and Portia's tales unfold.