Summary

In Chapter 6, "Tara," first person narrator, Tara, recalls her mother Frankie's former relationship with a wealthy man named Gil. When Gil proposed and Frankie expressed uncertainty, Gil ended the relationship.

Later, Frankie married. They raised Tara and her sister, Apsara, in Kathmandu. The girls' childhood was pleasant, until they moved to California. Tara struggled to adjust to American culture, and largely ignored Apsara's needs. When Tara's father got a job in "Devils Postpile National Monument," Frankie moved the girls to New York (210). Tara's father visited infrequently. Meanwhile, Frankie worked hard, and the girls spent most of their time alone together.

As an adult, Tara was careful with her money, remembering her parents' constant struggles. She put herself through school, where she studied filmmaking. Afterwards, she worked at Starbucks. Though her life was small, she "was doing better than" Apsara, who...