Summary

In Chapter 9, “Valencia,” Valencia is in the grocery store at the same time as Virgil and Chet. Valencia is the narrator. She is thinking about her name. She thinks that it is a good name and that it is the only thing she and her mother agree about. They do not agree on the food to buy. She had not wanted to come to the grocery store, and she is grouchy because she had the nightmare again. Then, her mother asks her to get avocados, which she does not like, but she is good at picking out. An announcement comes that she can hear about the specials of the week. She moves close to the automatic door to get away from the sound of the announcement that is bothering her. The announcement stops as soon as she sees Kaori’s business card. She decides...