Summary

In Chapter 23, although Alma had thought she was infertile, she got pregnant by Ichimei during their meetings in 1955. She turned to Nathaniel for help. She couldn’t tell Ichimei about the pregnancy because he would insist on marrying her and she didn’t think she could stand the lifestyle their marriage would impose on her. She wanted Nathaniel to accompany her to Tijuana where she could get an abortion for $100. Nathaniel agreed to go with her but once he saw the abortion would take place in a house with no antiseptic and a man who didn’t appear to be a doctor doing the procedure he refused to let Alma follow through with her plan. It was at this time in her life that Alma had to face the reality of who she was. She broke off the relationship with Ichimei. She knew...