Part 9 Summary

Elizabeth thinks about cleaning women that she has known over the years. Two especially stand out in her mind: Josette and Ida. Josette cleans several houses a week, making the possessions of wealthy people shine and sparkle, and going home to a tiny apartment with cheap furniture. She often talks with Elizabeth about her sister, who has health problems. Once, Elizabeth and Josette go to see the sister, who is fiercely proud of her diseases, and has grown so fat (from not moving around) that she cannot get out of her wheelchair. The sister is sometimes taken care of by a young man who boards with her. When the sister finally dies, Josette does not know how to react, since she both loves her, and resents her for being so lazy and whiny. Josette has a nice husband named Michael, who approaches his...