Summary

Conrad and his sister lost their parents when they were younger and have been raised by their aunts and uncles. Their parents had a volatile relationship with each other but were indifferent to the children for the most part. After their mother's suicide, they were taken in by their Uncle Louie and Aunt Lucille, along with their Uncle Hector and Aunt Susan in the vicinity. The aunts and uncles are a source of amusement for Conrad, as he enjoys listening to them argue about his parents but never with any conviction as to what they are talking about. They are all controlling and it is with his sister Carmen, the rebel, that he shares a bond with.

Conrad and Carmen often talk about their parents's beauty and their mental illnesses. Carmen is the only person Conrad truly loves, because she was consistently...