The Good Sister

Fern is at her job as a librarian at the front desk of the Bayside Public Library when she is approached by a customer. To get Fern’s attention, the customer says, “Excuse me” (5), which confuses Fern since the literal meaning of the phrase is pardon me or let me go. Fern and the customer talk at cross-purposes till Fern’s co-worker Gayle intervenes and whisks the customer away. Fern reflects that she does not look like a typical librarian, which may throw people off: she’s only 27 and dresses up in colorful t shirts and long skirts with her hair in looped braids. Fern notices a tall man head toward the library’s shower stalls and follows him. The showers are sometimes used by people without homes. Fern hands the man a toiletry kit, referring to him as Wally, since he looks like the children’s book character from the Where’s Wally series. The man understands this as Waldo, the American name for the character. Fern uses visual cues she has learnt from Rose and others to communicate her friendliness to Wally and bids him goodbye.

When Rose and Fern were five, their mother Nina took them to the library every day for a year. Fern loved the freedom of exploring the library. The librarian, Mrs. Delahunty took an interest in the children and discussed books with them, quizzing them about characters and vocabulary. By the end of the year, the children had excellent vocabulary and were admitted straight to Grade One, skipping prep. When people congratulated Nina for her unconventional training methods, Fern wanted to say it was actually Mrs. Delahunty who read with them. Rose would tap her bracelet against Fern’s as a sign for her not to say this. The bracelets have their names engraved and were given to the twins by Nina when they were infants. Rose and Fern have used them as a silent means of communication ever since. Fern believes there has been only one time when Rose couldn’t stop her from doing the wrong thing “and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life” (16).

In her journal, Rose remembers the library year very differently from Fern. She counts it as one of her earliest traumatic memories. Though Fern thought the library year was about endless fun and exploration, the Castles were unhoused at the time. After their father left, Nina couldn’t afford rent, so the family would crash in with friends and acquaintances. During the days, Nina took the girls to the library. Once, Fern told Mrs. Delahunty they did not have a home. Nina was furious when she learned this. Rose took the blame for Fern. Nina yelled at Rose and ignored her to punish her, not giving her dinner and even pushing her off the bed. Later at night Fern snuggled up to Rose on the floor to comfort her. Rose notes that while most people think she is Fern’s protector, it is Fern who has protected her “in her own funny way” (20).

After work, Fern heads over to Rose’s neat and beautiful house. Fern has dinner with Rose on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. She greets Alfie, Rose’s cavoodle dog, and notes how pretty Rose is with her petite frame and large eyes. Fern and Rose look different, as they are fraternal twins, with Fern being taller with reddish gold hair. Rose asks Fern if she got them milk. Fern is mortified that she completely forgot Rose’s request. Fern can be surprisingly absent-minded, despite having a photographic memory for books. While Rose prepares dinner, Fern notes a bottle of pregnancy vitamins in Rose’s bag. Rose tells Fern she had bought the supplement expecting to be pregnant; however, she is having fertility trouble because of a condition called premature ovarian ageing. Fern asks Rose if she too could have the same condition, but Rose says it is unlikely. As the sisters eat dinner, Fern reflects that she likes children since they speak directly, “without subtext or agenda” (26). Fern has accepted she can’t raise a child, but she can have a baby for Rose. This would be her way of paying Rose back for always supporting her. Meanwhile, Rose is going to London for four weeks to see Owen.

Most of Fern’s coworkers at the library like to go out for lunch. Fern is happy to stay back and hold the fort. But now her new boss Carmel insists Fern join the group. Gayle comes to Fern’s rescue again and takes Carmel away. Fern uses the free lunch hour to conduct research about getting pregnant. She concludes the easiest way is to fall pregnant naturally. Fern’s research tells her most men are eager to have no-strings-attached intercourse, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find someone. She notices the man she called Wally in the library and greets him. She notes that when Wally talks to her he doesn’t look her in the eye but fixes his gaze over her left shoulder. Fern finds this a relief.

Wally tells Fern he is a dual citizen with his mother being Australian and his father an American. Though he is not technically unhoused as Fern had assumed, he willingly lives in a van as a lifestyle choice. Fern notes that Wally is handsome and has a pleasing American accent. Wally tells Fern he doesn’t read much but has an IQ over 140. Fern has an epiphany that she might like Wally to be her baby’s father. She asks him out on a date. Wally, whose real name is Rocco, seems discomfited.

Rose is terrified about the reunion with Owen, fearing he may have cooled off toward her. He may even be having an affair. Rose writes in her journal that a part of her thinks she deserves this, as she is no good. The negative perceptions about herself are linked with her mother’s abuse. Nina loved to show off her daughters. This meant Rose always felt pressured to perform for her mother. Nina reserved the worst of her behavior for Rose. Yet, Rose notes she harmed Fern in her own way. For instance, she never had Fern tested for neurodivergent traits because if Fern had been given a diagnosis it would have meant she was special, and in their family, only Nina could be special. Once when they were seven, Nina instructed the twins to do their homework on the coffee table. Fern took this literally and wrote all over the table. An enraged Nina broke all the children’s toys as punishment. Rose felt it would have been better had Nina hit her.