Summary

This chapter begins when Ward gets to know Demond as an adult when Nerissa is living in her own apartment in Long Beach. Nerissa has been kicked out of her mother’s house after a disagreement on the raising of Nerissa’s son, De’Sean. Demond visits Nerissa’s apartment with Rob, Nerissa’s boyfriend. Ward is drinking beer, which is in abundant supply. There is a lot of drinking and partying among Ward and her friends that year as they have already lost three friends.

Demond grew up in DeLisle, is an only child, and still has both his parents who are working steady jobs. Demond’s house was the place everyone wanted to be when they were growing up. Having worked many other jobs in the past and, like most Black people in the area, not having attended college, Demond works...