Summary

In Chapter 7, Diana makes dinner for Cassie. Cassie tries not to engage Diana in conversation, but Diana is intent on conversing and bonding. Diana asks Cassie if she is dating anyone. Cassie says that she does not date; she also says that love is weak and unnecessary. Cassie has never told her mother about the time Thompson raped her. Diana says that love is a brave and necessary thing; Diana seems confident that Cassie will fall in love, potentially someday soon. In Chapter 8, Cassie arrives at Lillian Fire Department for her first day of work there. The shift captain is Captain Murphy. Despite his misogynistic views, he does not appear to be openly hostile towards Cassie. He introduces Cassie to the other firefighters on her shift. Cassie succeeds in preliminarily ingratiating herself to them. There is also a rookie firefighter—Owen Callaghan—starting that...