Chapter 2, Threats of Invasion Summary

It is in the early morning hours that the telephone rings at Tycho Potter's house. The ringing telephone wakes up the entire Potter household, including Tycho, his parents, and his brother, Richard. In a sleepy haze, Mrs. Potter answers the phone. It is Tycho's older sister, Africa, in hysterics. It is a phone call they have received before: Africa has had a fight with her husband, and she wants her parents to rescue her. Richard is fed up with his sister's drama, saying, "She's always in trouble. That's why she had to get married, remember?" Further, Richard does not want his sister to return to their family home with her baby, invading his space and disrupting their lives. Richard now resides in Africa's old room, and if she returns home, she will want her room back, forcing...