The novel begins with fifteen-year-old Rayona playing cards with her hospitalized mother, Christine, in a hospital in Seattle, Washington. The card games are interrupted by the arrival of Elgin, Christine's African American husband and Rayona's father. Christine and Elgin are estranged and Christine hopes that Elgin's appearance at the hospital today indicates Elgin's intention to return to her and Rayona.
Elgin had borrowed Christine's car and has come to return the keys. Elgin is living with a younger woman and has no plans to return to the marriage with Christine. Rayona leaves soon after Elgin does and takes the stairs to avoid meeting her father. Approaching Christine's car in the parking garage, Rayona can see that a candy striper from the hospital is attempting to break into a locked car with a.....
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