Summary

Tess encounters Cora coming in from one of her nighttime excursions and believes her to be sleepwalking. Cora refuses food, then reveals that she goes walking at night to “see her” without explaining who “she” is (82). Tess attempts to contact Alice about medicating Cora, but the phone lines are down. The next day, Tess visits her flood-wrecked office and successfully reaches Alice. Alice chides Tess for overstepping professional boundaries in becoming too involved in Cora’s treatment. After hanging up Tess reflects on her elder daughter’s sensitivity and concludes that Cora is exhibiting “compulsive reenactment” (89). One of Tess’s former patients arrives at Tess’s office, unannounced. She extensively narrates her experience of Katrina; once it becomes apparent that Tess has no interest in engaging in a therapeutic session, the patient leaves.

Meanwhile, Del arrives at the Boisdoré cabin. Joe is made...