Summary

In Chapter 16, the novel returns to the present. Ginger is interested to see how quickly her mother has adjusted to life at The Meadows. However, the brief burst of Glory’s mental clarity gives way to confusion again. Ginger not only worries for her mother, but desperately worries about Julia in Portland. She decides to begin sending care packages to the Portland Family Crisis Shelter, hoping to at least help someone, if not Julia directly. Ginger asks Glory how she coped after Charlie’s death. Glory responds by speaking in numbers, such as six-one-eight-two-four and five-four-two-eight-ten.

Ginger does not know whether this means her mother is losing it even more, or being deliberately stubborn. Glory falls asleep, so Ginger sets to tidying up Glory’s clothes. While leaving, Ginger learns from Glory’s social worker, Tracy, that Glory had previously suffered a TIA...