True Colors: A Novel

Winona, now 43 and unmarried and childless, channels all her energy into her professional life. This has been successful, justifying her hard work. Aurora and Vivi Ann now help her campaign to be mayor. As they wrap up, Winona mentions to Vivi Ann that she heard about Noah’s fight. Vivi Ann asks Winona if she will talk to Noah; Winona, who has grown afraid of Noah’s moody temperament over the last few years, reluctantly agrees.

Noah journals about how he desperately wants to know more about his father; however, Vivi Ann never gives him any real answers.

Vivi Ann visits Noah in his room, asking to talk. Noah rebuffs her, angry that she took away his gaming console and TV as punishment for the fight at school. Noah refuses to participate in the Bits and Spurs 4-H Club activities over the summer, claiming that “[o]nly girls show horses” (250). At her wits’ end, Vivi Ann turns to Aurora for advice about what to do with Noah over the summer.

On Aurora’s suggestion, Vivi Ann requests that Winona employ Noah over the summer; Winona has just bought a new beach house that needs deep cleaning before renovations can begin. Winona agrees on the condition that if Noah slips up even once, she will fire him.

Noah responds to Mrs. Ivers’s prompt about what he cares about, listing all the things he doesn’t care about instead. He describes how Winona used to like him and spend time with him when he was younger. Now she seems scared of him.

Winona notices new neighbors moving in next door and heads out to meet them. She meets Mark and his teenage daughter, Cissy, and they invite Winona and Noah to join them water skiing. Winona and Noah get ready. Having noticed the mutual interest between Noah and Cissy, Winona encourages Noah to clean himself up and tie his hair to be more presentable. As Noah and Cissy discuss school, Winona learns that Myrtle Michaelin is Cissy’s grandmother.

Noah and Winona return to Water’s Edge just as Vivi Ann is checking up on Renegade. She is astounded to find her son laughing and joking with her sister. Noah explains that he learned to water ski and had a lot of fun. After he goes in, Winona reveals that Noah asked her questions about Dallas; he wants answers about his father, but Vivi Ann is conflicted about what to tell him. Winona also confides that Mark, Myrtle’s grandson, has asked her out; despite Myrtle’s role in Dallas’s conviction, Vivi Ann gives Winona her blessing.

Noah journals about what a wonderful time he had that day and how he is drawn to Cissy. Later that night, Vivi Ann told him she was proud of him, and he describes how good it felt to hear that.

Aurora and Vivi Ann help a nervous Winona get ready for her date with Mark. Before she leaves, Noah, who is cleaning up her dock, asks for advice on love. She explains that she was in love with someone once but that he didn’t love her back; he is now married to someone else and has two daughters.

Mark and Winona go out to dinner and talk about their lives. Mark mentions how his ex-wife, Cissy’s mother, left one day without any warning or explanation. When Mark and Winona head home after dinner, they kiss goodnight, but Mark draws back; he apologizes, as he is still not completely over his ex-wife’s departure. He leaves, telling a disappointed Winona that he will call her.

Noah journals about how elated he is to have spent time with Cissy while Mark and Winona were on their date. Cissy tells Noah about her mother, and while he doesn’t talk about Dallas, he tells her about the fights he gets into because the other boys pick on him. Cissy is surprisingly understanding, and Noah kisses her. They make plans to meet again.

Winona can’t sleep; to her surprise, Mark comes over, unable to sleep as well. He claims he doesn’t want to waste time waiting, and they sleep together. Afterward, Winona brings up Myrtle’s involvement in Dallas’s case and explains that Noah is Dallas’s son; however, Winona vouches for Noah, which reassures Mark.

Noah journals about how he and Cissy have been spending time together in secret all summer. Winona and Mark plan an overnight trip to the Sol Doc hot springs and take Noah and Cissy along. In a bid to spend time together without the teenagers, Winona and Mark send Noah and Cissy on a hike together. Overjoyed, Noah and Cissy spend time together and confess their love for each other. However, Noah discovers a carving on a tree that reads, “D.R. loves V.G.R. 8/21/92” (286). Jolted, he resolves to ask his mother about Dallas when he gets back.

Noah gets back home on August 21 and finds Vivi Ann withdrawn, as she always is on her anniversary. He brings up the carving and the significance of the date; a shocked Vivi Ann agrees to answer whatever questions he has. Vivi Ann explains that Dallas carved that during their honeymoon and says he loved both her and Noah deeply. She doesn’t believe Dallas murdered Cat but explains that it was too painful to keep hanging on to hope, especially as it was making her a bad parent to Noah. Noah asks if he can write Dallas a letter, and Vivi Ann acquiesces.

Noah journals about how he cannot stop thinking about Dallas. He finally confides in Cissy, expecting her to shun him once she learns the truth about Dallas; however, she reveals she already knows his history because of Myrtle. Together, they hatch a plan to visit Dallas in prison.

Mark and Winona return early from a canceled trip to Seattle to find both Noah and Cissy missing. Winona recruits Aurora and Vivi Ann to help search; they find a bus schedule in Noah’s room but no clues as to where they might have gone. Noah hasn’t taken his things, so the adults are sure he and Cissy will be back. They wait at Mark’s house.

The teenagers finally return home, and Mark is livid to discover they have been to the prison, even as Cissy proclaims it was her idea. He forbids her from seeing Noah ever again, and Vivi Ann takes Noah home. Vivi Ann asks Noah why he made the trip; he explains, and she understands the desperation and vulnerability he expresses at wanting to see his father. He and Cissy weren’t allowed into the prison as they were underage and unaccompanied by an adult. Vivi Ann praises him for keeping his temper but also grounds him for the rest of the summer as punishment for lying and sneaking out.

Noah journals about the pain he feels at not getting to see his father and now at the separation from Cissy. Although Mrs. Ivers has passed him to high school and he doesn’t need to keep the journal anymore, Noah continues writing in it. He describes how good it felt when he encountered Cissy on the first day of school and she told him she still loves him. She also handed him a copy of Seattle magazine, which gave him an idea.

Winona and Mark continue dating, but in secret; Cissy is still angry with Mark for keeping her away from Noah. Mark, in turn, refuses to change his opinion about Noah; he is even more furious when Cissy upsets Myrtle by asking her if she is sure the man she saw the night of the murder was Dallas.

Noah visits Winona at her office and requests her services as a lawyer. He shows her an article in Seattle magazine about the Innocence Project and its use of DNA testing to exonerate those wrongly accused. Despite Winona’s reluctance to get involved, Noah begs her to read the article and look through the case record to see if anything can be done.

Winona reads the case transcript, reaching the portion where Myrtle claims she saw Dallas. She only saw his profile but identified him by his tattoo. Exhausted and in the mood for ice cream, Winona heads down to Myrtle’s to get some. While she is there, she looks out at the streetlamp under which Dallas supposedly passed on the night of Cat’s murder and realizes that Myrtle would have seen Dallas’s right side; however, Winona remembers his tattoo being on his left arm.

Winona heads over to Water’s Edge, where Vivi Ann confirms Dallas’s tattoo was on his left bicep. Winona reveals that Noah wants her to petition the court for a new DNA test for Dallas. Vivi Ann talks to Noah about this later. She promises not to stop Winona but warns him not to get his hopes up. She also suggests that Dallas might refuse to do the test—not because he is guilty, but because he doesn’t trust the courts at all.