The Willoughbys

One morning in Switzerland, Ms. Melanoff tells her son to eat his breakfast, but he hates it. She and the postmaster sit and complain about the boy, talking about how he never keeps his room clean and has become “wasted and weak” (117). The postmaster suggests sending the boy away on his own to find his way in the world, and his mother agrees. When the boy contemplates the possibility of finding his father, he becomes excited and quickly finishes his food. Within hours of his departure, the boy’s mother has already painted his room and has packed away all of his belongings.

With his meticulous wife gone, Mr. Melanoff revels in his newfound happiness with the nanny, baby Ruth, and the Willoughby children. He starts creating candy recipes again. He experiments with nuts, chocolate, and caramel, searching for the perfect combination. Mr. Melanoff is thrilled to be back at his craft and is still surprised that his life was not rendered meaningless after all. He ponders what to name his newest creation.

Mr. Melanoff’s son walks from one Swiss village to the next, through the hills and past the Alps where the Willoughbys’ parents now lie frozen and dead. The boy has no idea where his father lives, but when he enters a town and stops for something to eat, he recognizes a particular type of candy on the shelf. Buying a Lickety Twist, he notices the address for the factory on the wrapper. Now, the boy knows exactly where to go to find his father; he just has to figure out how to get there.

A month later, Mr. Melanoff has settled on the final recipe for his new candy bar. He gazes at his new family with pride and fondness and spontaneously decides to name the candy bar after Ruth. Mr. Melanoff calls the whole family together and makes a speech, stating his appreciation and hopes for them all. He hopes that Tim will become an attorney and that the Barnabys (referred to only as A and B) will finally have real names. He also compliments Jane on being so self-assured. Mr. Melanoff tells the nanny that she has turned his house into a home. He then announces his plans to burn the stack of letters from Switzerland. Jane casually remarks that she read some of them, and the nanny asks her about the contents. Jane states that the letters contained many repetitive questions about when Mr. Melanoff would be coming for his wife and son. The letters slowly turned to anger, then dismissal. When Jane repeats the words of the most recent letter, which announces that Mr. Melanoff’s son is just as messy as he is, Mr. Melanoff suddenly realizes that his son is still alive. At that moment, the doorbell rings; Mr. Melanoff’s son is standing outside, tattered and cold.

After the story’s happy ending, the author steps in to clear up all remaining questions and provide anecdotes about the characters’ futures. She notes that Mr. Melanoff’s son traveled across the world by stowing away on a ship, and that his name is Barnaby as well. For this reason, the twins choose new names (Bill and Joe), and all of the Willoughby children are adopted. Mr. Melanoff marries the nanny and they live happily together. Mr. Melanoff’s son takes over the candy business. Baby Ruth eventually finds her mother and sends her the basket she was left in as a “gift.” She later marries Tim, who does indeed become a lawyer. Jane becomes a “professor of feminist literature” (146), and the twins open a clothing store, offering a discount to parents with twins. In Switzerland, Mr. Melanoff’s ex-wife and the postmaster live out solitary lives. Occasionally, Mr. Melanoff takes the family to Switzerland on vacation, and during these trips, the Willoughby children stare up at the Alps, thinking of their parents and thanking them for being gone.