Summary

Chapter 9 opens with Iris having a bad dream in college of Aubrey's mom burning. It was springtime during her freshman year, and Iris is beginning to understand that "she could never be happy at home again" (103). She doesn't like the connection she has with her daughter, the feeling of constant need from Melody. Iris looks out at the other black students on her campus, taking in their skin and hair. When people asked Iris where "your people" are from, she always said Brooklyn or Chicago, never really mentioning Tulsa, but now realizing that it might "add a depth to her story" (105). She remembers, vaguely, the stories from her mother.

Iris turns to thinking about making friends and how she missed out on this in high school because of her pregnancy. The girls used to tell rumors about her, and the nuns called her...