Summary

In Chapter 1, the novel opens in its present day, January 2010. Evelyn is awakened at 2:43 a.m. by banging on the door. Evelyn, sometimes called Evie, painfully gets herself out of bed to answer the door, since she is on call this evening. We learn that Evelyn is 69, and joined the convent 50 years ago. She laments her aging body and wonders why God would make the human body get frail

When Evelyn makes it downstairs, she enters a code into the security system, and opens the door to an injured young woman. Evelyn is a trained nurse. The young woman asks nervously if they have room, to which Evelyn replies “there’s always room for one more” (5). Evelyn makes tea and takes out a pre-made sandwich for the new resident. Evelyn asks her name, and the young woman responds “Lucia” (6). Evelyn mentions that...