“Beyond the Limits of the Sky” Summary

Rachel is taking a slow drive to Beth’s so she can enjoy the countryside scenery. She is on her way to Beth’s annual Plan of Care meeting. On her way she sees Jesse riding his bicycle. They pull over to chat, and Rachel tells Jesse that she’s on her way to get photos developed (photos from Beth’s makeover day). Jesse explains that he doesn’t like to keep pictures of Beth; pictures of her remind him of when she got dropped off at her first group home and she was left all alone. He says that “now all pictures of Beth make me think of her being alone” (325). Rachel tells Jesse that he is a good man. He says he just tries to follow his mother’s advice to do the right thing each day and take life one day at a time.

As Rachel drives off, she realizes that she doesn’t know Beth the way Jesse does. She doesn’t “know the melancholy that Jesse sees” (325), although she has wondered about it. Rachel understands that though they now have a strong, loving relationship, in Beth’s “eyes I will always be the big sister.