Summary

Chapter 1, “Devon by Day,” opens in the present tense. Devon is at the store in search of “books, booze, and Sensitive Care skin cream” (3). She considers purchasing a children’s magazine for Cai, but she knows that he may no longer be interested in such things after this evening. She leaves the store without purchasing anything after the employee will not sell her the alcohol without identification. She feels like such a failure because not only did she not get his cream, but she has also failed him in many ways throughout his life.

Out in the city, she has to be careful to act like a human, not being one herself. She must pretend not to be able to see in the dark and to act afraid walking at night like a human woman would be. She has to pretend to be...