Chapter 12 Summary

Reta has become extremely concerned about the development of her two main characters, Alicia and Roman, in her sequel to her first novel. She struggles with the question of how much background information a writer of fiction should give to the reader, wondering whether accounts of childhood reminisces should be included. Her thoughts segue back into her own life, and memories of her childhood observations about nature and her mother's disinterested reaction to those childish opinions come to the forefront. She thinks once again about Norah and her curiously strange ideas about life. Reta recalls how her daughter had once talked quite openly about hearing voices in her head; both Reta and Tom had decided that Norah must have become aware of that inner dialogue, "the longest conversation," that goes on for a lifetime in a person's mind.

Reta's own inner dialogue moves...