Summary

Gil remembers Stoney’s birth, which coincided with the September 11th attacks. He believes that his inattention during the birth caused Irene to stop loving him; he apologies to Irene for his behavior, clearly demonstrating that he has read her diary. Stoney draws a picture of his mother with a wine glass. Florian tells her that “he thinks it’s part of you” (53).

Gil often visits a museum to look at Lucretia, a Rembrandt portrait. He is struck by the “look of a woman so deeply shamed, and so in love” (55). Gil considers his tense relationship with his children; he admits he is jealous of their closeness with Irene. He finds Riel particularly hard to please. Riel, meanwhile, grows increasingly aware of her identity as “an Indian, an American Indian, a Native person” (59). She hopes to become “a person of example” (62) and resolves...