Summary

At Charlie’s funeral, numerous people tell Sylvie about “how wonderful her father had been” (68). Rose remains angry at Cecelia, believing that she caused Charlie’s death. Sylvie recalls Charlie telling her that they shared an openness to the world. She notes that Charlie would always greet his daughters with the phrase “Hello beautiful!” (74). Rose tells Sylvie that she should move out. Sylvie begins sleeping on William and Julia’s couch. Julia, now pregnant, appears “panicked” (77) in the wake of Charlie’s death. She asks Sylvie to read William’s manuscript. Sylvie focuses on William’s footnotes, in which he expresses a profound unhappiness and asks, “Who am I?” (80). Sylvie recognizes these emotions in herself. Rose announces that she will sell the family home and move to Florida.

William, a graduate assistant, excuses himself from teaching in order to care for Julia. He...