Summary

On their way to Savannah, Patricia and her mom, Karen, stop in Nashville for the night. Karen is convinced that there is semen on the bed and wants to call the police but Patricia stops her. It is very late, so they cover the stain with a towel and go to sleep. The next morning, she registers a complaint and the manager of the hotel gives them ten thousand Hyatt points.

Patricia returns to her parents’ house and gets the good news that Jason has found a nearby job. The heat of the summer compels her to plan a swimming trip with her mother, sister, and sister’s children. Among the extended family and their dynamics, it becomes clear that Patricia is “the heathen aunt” (153). Patricia’s sister Christina is very Catholic and is raising her children in the Church. On the trip...