Summary

“Two Houses: 1999-2000” (continued)

In “Hello, Beauty,” Nola comes to meet with Father Travis. While she waits, she notices a harmless garter snake which always seems drawn to her. The snakes nest deep in the rocks of the area and always sneak into houses. Nola calls the snake a beauty. Then, she begins to tell the snake her problems, such as realizing that her relationship with Peter is now a love-hate relationship. Father Travis then enters his office, leaving the door to the hall open. He learns from Nola that Dusty had sneaked out of the house the day he was killed while she was attending to Maggie. Nola blames Maggie for what happened although she knows that she should not. Father Travis tells her that she cannot blame herself either. Father Travis still worries about Nola’s safety.

The novel then returns to...