Summary

Leonie assumes the narrator role in Chapter 7. She recognizes that something is wrong with Jojo because of a strange expression on his face, despite his protests that he is fine. Now accompanied by Michael, the travelers return to Al's house because Kayla is sick. Al takes them in and leaves with Misty to go buy medicine for Kayla. Meanwhile, Leonie struggles with her anger as she cleans the vomit from Kayla. She remembers that when she and Given were young, Mam would invoke saints and goddesses to help her overcome her anger at the misbehavior of her children.

Leonie mutters the same names her mother did, but her prayers fail to lessen her feelings of anger: she wants to hit Kayla, and she ridicules Jojo for a layer of baby fat around his middle to humiliate him (146). "It feels good to...