Chapter 3, The Tongue Summary

Lucy discovered that tongues had no taste at age fourteen, when she was kissing Tanner, a boy. She had a crush on him. Apparently cow's tongue also has no taste. During these thoughts, Lucy is at dinner with Miriam, the youngest of the four girls. Lucy had to make her eat stewed plums and yogurt with a trick; Mariah did not like that style of motivation, so Lucy hid it from her with soft speech. The summer had begun, and Mariah and the girls were down at the Great Lake.

One day Mariah turned forty; Lucy saw her as aging and felt sorry for her. She had grown to love Mariah. Lewis enters the room. He is a lawyer and is always reading but gives Mariah a lick on the neck, which Lucy sees as contrived. Lucy does not...