Heart of the Hide

Somewhere Nicky realized from the truth that telling lies was much more fun. They never ended. Nicky made them up and changed the rules as he went along. It was so much easier than dealing with the truth.

On the outside, twelve-year-old Nicky Palmieri is just a little different from the average kid who loves baseball. Several surgeries on his cleft palate have left noticeable bumps and scars on his...