Summary

In the fall of 1982, Rachel’s grandmother takes her from the hospital to live with her at her house in Portland, Oregon. Rachel still feels like her grandmother is a stranger to her and is polite for that reason. She knows only her grandmother likes to garden, has soft hands, and smells like lavender.

Grandma talks to Rachel during the ride home on the bus. Rachel cannot understand her because her Grandma talks into her bad ear. They arrive at the house where Rachel’s Pop and Aunt Loretta grew up. Rachel’s Grandma comments that they need to do something better with her hair. She does not mention anything about Rachel’s mother or what she had done with Rachel’s hair. Rachel knows it is because she no longer has a mother. In her narration, Rachel tells the reader that...