A
Theory of Relativity (ISBN 0-06-103199-2) is a 2001 novel written by American
author
Jacquelyn Mitchard. The
book tells the story of a custody battle for a young girl following
the sudden death of her parents.
Plot summary
When Ray and Georgia McKenna-Nye are killed in a horrific car
crash, leaving their daughter Keefer Kathryn an
orphan, the couple's respective families both believe
they are the right people to raise the girl, and consequently file
for
custody. This book is essentially
about the events surrounding the ensuing legal process which will
decide Keefer's future.
Keefer's
maternal family are the McKennas, a Catholic family of Irish descent, and of modest means, living in
rural Wisconsin
. Prior to their deaths, Ray and Georgia had
lived nearby and the family are fairly close.
The paternal family,
meanwhile, are the Nyes, born again Christians living in Florida
who, though
much more financially better off than the McKennas, do not appear
to be as close.
The McKennas are initially given guardianship of Keefer after
managing to file their case first. However, Georgia's parents, Mark
and Lorraine, realise that they may be too old to
adopt the girl, so Georgia's brother, Gordon, is
encouraged to seek custody of his
niece.
There are problems here, though, as Gordon is single, while he and
Georgia were adopted, and adopted children do not have the same
rights under Wisconsin law as blood relatives. As a result of these
factors, Gordon's petition is eventually turned down by a Wisconsin
judge and interim custody granted to the Nyes with a view to Keefer
eventually being adopted by her father's relatives. Gordon is given
permission to
appeal the decision and quickly
decides to do so.
The driving force behind the Nyes plan to adopt Keefer are Ray's
parents, Raymond Senior and his wife Diane. However, they do not
personally seek custody of Keefer either, and because of
circumstances, their children are also unable to. So, their niece
(Ray's
cousin) Delia, and her husband Craig,
file for custody. Delia already has a teenage daughter, Alex, from
a previous marriage, but she and Craig believe they are unable to
have children. They also live in Wisconsin, and are seen by the
social services as having a more suitable family structure for
raising a young girl.
While Keefer is living with Craig and Delia, the McKennas launch a
campaign to have the law changed
in a bid to prevent other adopted people from facing similar
problems in the future. Their efforts bring them to the attention
of local
politician Phil Kay, who
champions their cause in the Wisconsin
legislature, and the relative changes are passed
unanimously.
Shortly before the appeal is to be held, it emerges that Delia is
suffering from
Multiple
Sclerosis, and has also become
pregnant. She is unable to take her
medication during her pregnancy and is not coping
very well with having to look after a young child.
At the appeal, the
judge advises the two
families that it would be better for everyone concerned, and
particularly Keefer, if they were able to sort things out between
themselves rather than through the courts. Taking this on board,
Gordon decides to give up his bid to adopt Keefer, but only on the
proviso that Delia and Craig stay in the area until Keefer is at
least five. An agreement is reached and the adoption process
begins.
However, shortly after giving birth to a boy, who is named Hugh,
Delia suffers a severe
brain
haemorrhage and is placed on a
life
support machine. When the McKennas learn what has happened,
they go to the hospital to offer Craig their support. He is at
first reluctant to accept this, but as Delia's condition
deteriorates, he begins to realise the full gravity of the
situation. He and Gordon then have a heart to heart in which they
discuss Keefer's future.
The final chapter of the book catches up with Keefer as a ten year
old, and she narrates the events of the intervening years. She is
adopted by Gordon after Delia dies. Delia's daughter, Alex, goes to
live with her father, while Craig raises Hugh with Gordon's help
and advice, and the two become good friends. Gordon and Alex then
meet again some years later when Alex becomes a
counsellor at Keefer's school. They have a
relationship and the story concludes with Alex giving birth to a
daughter.
References
- A Theory of Relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard ISBN
0-06-103199-2
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