Summary

This section includes the two chapters “‘Emptiness’: January 2007” and “‘Unwanted’ - ‘Wanted.’” “Emptiness” starts with Madalena commenting on how there is an emptiness where the twin towers used to be and she can see it. Naomi is looking out the window overwhelmed with the view from her grandmother’s New York City apartment. Naomi is 19 and taking a hiatus from life, recovering from Luther’s death and staying with her grandmother. Madalena Kein, Gus’s mother, had always been elusive, a Professor of philosophy, she is sardonic and sharp. Recently she had seemed to take an interest in her grandchildren.

After Luther’s death, Naomi had tried to return to archiving her father’s life. She thought about dropping out of college, or transferring, or killing herself. Out of the blue Madalena invited Naomi to talk to her about Gus but...