Summer must cope with her own grief while worrying about Uncle Ob, who is overwhelmed by the thought of living without his beloved wife.

He is assisted in this endeavor by Cletus Underwood, a classmate of Summer's, who provides information on a supposed spirit medium of some renown.

Uncle Ob is initially crushed by this news, and Summer fears that this disappointment was the last blow to his will to live.

However, on the return trip, Uncle Ob suddenly snaps out of his depression, deciding to continue living on for Summer's sake.

[1] A review in Publishers Weekly described Summer as having a "direct, matter-of-fact voice occasionally laced with irony and wry humor", although the distance of the narrative from the grief of its main character was criticized.