Summary

Dom and Maddie sit next to their unconscious mother, preparing to pour water on her. Their grandparents, Veronica and the Colonel, plan to visit. The children are nervous about their grandparents’ arrival as the Colonel is a serious, curt man who critiques their lifestyle, the cleanliness of their house, and their mother’s weight. Maddie and Dom still worry about the criticism that they will receive from Veronica, such as being told not to lick ice cream from their spoons (43). The children pour the water on their mother, Ginny, waking her from her pill-induced sleep.

Veronica and the Colonel sit at their daughter’s kitchen table and Veronica observes how Ginny tries unsuccessfully to impress Bob (the Colonel). She adds “cottage renovation” to her mental list of things that she needs to complete (49). Veronica has not worked out how...