Summary

Chapter 6 occurs back home in Washington, where it is spring. Niru attempts to follow Reverend Olumide's advice to behave in ways that are manly, "God-given and natural"(81), so he joins in the crude talk about having sex with girls. The reverend has counseled Niru in one of their weekly meetings that being gay is merely Niru's attempt to avoid becoming an adult. Niru ogles girls, but he feels little desire as he does so. Girls just look like a collection of body parts to him.

At home, life has settled into a calm that has existed since Obi and Niru returned from Nigeria. Conversations between father and son are short and informational, while Ify continues to hover over Niru. Niru, who is angry with his mother, engages in passive-aggressive behavior such as leaving dirty dishes for her to wash.

At...