Summary

Part 2, Chapter 12 takes place one year after the Explorer began living with Rosalinda, Rufina, and Rafa. One day, a married couple called Mr. and Mrs. Soto—friends of the Explorer—came to visit. Mr. and Mrs. Soto were a middle-class couple who had immigrated from Chile after their friends began being kidnapped by military forces. The narration briefly states that the Explorer came from a fairly prosperous background, and he considered himself a traveler and artist. The couple—Blanca and Paulo Soto—arrived at the house. Still feeling shaken from having to leave their country, they appeared eager to connect with the family, especially the children. During dinner, Rosalinda grew agitated and irritated from the erratic energy of the gathering. Rufina and Rafa explain—in their own words—that their mother has suffered deep traumas. The Explorer almost seems jealous of...