Summary

Chapter 29, “Barbara Baker, Rest in Peace” (231), covers Barbara’s funeral, which took place in a Quaker church. Astrid, Porter, and Cecelia arrived together, and Birdie was planning to meet them there. Astrid was nervous about being in public with Birdie at what she thought of as “An Occasion” (231). Among themselves, Astrid, Porter, and Cecelia made irreverent comments about religion and talked about Barbara’s sister, a dog breeder who Astrid thought compared unfavorably to Barbara, behind her back. When Birdie arrived, Astrid did not feel confident. Astrid’s thoughts turned to Russell, and the narrator details that while Russell was still alive, Astrid had occasionally been attracted to other people, both men and women. Astrid thought about marriage and how and why people stayed together, wondering if she would have developed feelings for Birdie if Russell had not died. When she encountered Birdie...