Chapter 12 Summary

Astrid wonders about her life as a woman. She imagines herself being rich and having three lovers, Ray being one of them. She's reluctantly pulled back to her reality by the incessantly shrill voice of Marvel calling her. The Mary Kay party is in full swing, and Astrid needs to serve them. Then they decide to make up her face. Astrid likes being the center of so much attention. When she's finally taken to a mirror, she almost cries. She looks garish, like a thirty-year-old hostess at Denny's.

School is out for the summer, but Astrid has no time to visit with Olivia, as Marvel keeps her busy with housework all the time. Her mother's letter is full of news about herself and no word about Astrid. She is once again relegated to the shadows to share in Ingrid's triumphs and defeats. She...