Summary

In Chapter 7, Liam is relieved to arrive home to Colleen. They live in a two-story house on Gooseberry Lane built by Colleen's parents. Dilsey moved back to the reservation after her husband died but often visits and sometimes spends the night in the guest room. Dilsey had told Colleen that Cork and Billy went to Lightning Strike, and Colleen tells Liam. He worries that will make it more difficult for Cork. Cork arrives home from his paper route, and Liam talks to him about the entire situation, including that Big John drank heavily after his experiences in the war. Cork does not understand why Big John, who quit drinking, started again. Liam does not have a definitive answer.

In Chapter 8, Cork, Liam, and Colleen join the gathering at the community center in Allouette for Big John's wake. The ceremony is steeped in tradition...