Summary

The next poem is titled “What's Wrong.” Reha sees Daddy holds Amma's hand. She suddenly thinks of all the times Amma has been tired and sick recently “while I've been preoccupied/with dresses and dances” (103). Reha holds Amma's hand while thinking about holding Pete's hand. Daddy hugs them both. Amma asks Reha about the dance. In “The Diagnosis,” Rupa Auntie and Sunny leave. The doctor says Amma will have to stay in the hospital for more tests to confirm his diagnosis. She interrupts, saying she already knows she has leukemia. She has not told anyone, but her experience in the hematology lab made her aware that all the blood cells originate in the bone marrow and have specific roles to play. When one kind of cell continues dividing, taking up too much space in the marrow and then in the blood, “It's a...