Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Summary

Rayona and Aunt Ida are essentially strangers and find communication difficult in Aunt Ida's trailer. Rayona stays in the room that had been Christine's and Aunt Ida watches TV. Word of Rayona's visit spreads throughout the reservation and soon the local priest visits and makes plans for Rayona to attend some church youth activities headed up by another priest, Father Tom.

Rayona also meets a cousin named Foxy, who belittles Rayona for her mixed heritage. Foxy dates a girl named Annabelle who also makes fun of Rayona, so Rayona becomes the project of Father Tom, who tries to alleviate Rayona's sense of alienation. Father Tom is adamantly interested in talking to Rayona about her sexual awakening, a topic which Rayona successfully deflects until one weekend.

Father Tom has driven Rayona to a regional youth jamboree and on the way, the two...