Summary

In Chapter 10, Aislyn has a conversation with her mother, Kendra, up on the roof. She has always seen her mother as a passive figure but Kendra reveals that she used to be a pianist and had dreams of escaping from Staten Island. She wants Aislyn to have a life outside of Staten Island because she was not able to.

When Aislyn comes downstairs she is surprised to find that her father has a friend over. The man, Conall, is young and covered in tattoos. Aislyn notices a white tendril protruding from his neck. Later that evening, Aislyn goes outside to sit by the pool and finds Conall is already there. Aislyn is alarmed by the swastika tattoo on his chest. He asks her if she has ever slept with a black man before. Aislyn is angry when he crudely bumps “his hips up...