Summary

Part 2 of this novel covers July through December of the year following the death of Deraniyagala’s family. December marked the one-year anniversary of the tsunami. Deraniyagala had remained in Sri Lanka this entire time.

In July, Deraniyagala visited her parents’ house and her own childhood home for the first time since their deaths. It was the place where the members of the family had intended to go after they checked out of the hotel on Dec. 26, 2004.

Looking at the outside of the house made Deraniyagala think of the times she and her family shared there. Up to this point she had been unable to think about the deaths of her parents. On this visit, Deraniyagala did not go inside the house.

Deraniyagala returned to the house after dark. She made several visits before she managed to go inside. There was little left inside...