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Summary: Part 2, Section 1

From the beginning of Part 2 to Pam & the Mother’s confrontation

Klara gets accustomed to living at Josie’s house, where she meets Melania Housekeeper, a woman who works for Josie’s mother as a maid and caretaker. Melania Housekeeper is hostile towards Klara, but Klara recognizes that her hostility stems from her intense care for Josie. It takes Klara some time to get used to her new surroundings and the dynamics of life at the house. Every morning Josie and the Mother meet for the Mother’s “quick coffee,” a time for them to catch up before the Mother goes to work. Klara observes their interactions closely, learning that the Mother loves Josie very much but pushes her a lot to think about her future. Klara and Josie start to watch the sunset every evening together, as there is a clear view of it from the house. On one such evening, Josie points out Mr. McBain’s barn across the field, and tells Klara that she and her best friend, Rick, once went there together. Klara believes that the barn is where the Sun goes to rest at night. 

The next week, Josie introduces Klara to Rick. They go outside after Josie’s online tutoring session with Dr Helm, chaperoned by Melania Housekeeper. Klara, who has never been outside, is awestruck as she takes it all in. They find Rick on a small hill, flying a group of drone birds that Rick himself programmed and created. Klara watches as Josie invites Rick to an event at her house the following week, and Rick hesitantly agrees to come. Josie then introduces Klara to Rick, who is unhappy that Josie has gotten an AF. Klara finds out that Rick lives in the only other house nearby, and deduces that Josie and Rick have grown up side-by-side. 

That evening, Josie complains to the Mother about the upcoming interaction meeting she is hosting next week. Children in this time are privately tutored and rarely see one another; in order to learn social skills, they need to attend interaction meetings during which they spend some time together. The Mother reminds Josie that it is a necessary step in her preparation for college, and Josie agrees to do it as long as Rick can come. The Mother agrees with some trepidation—they both note that the other children may be rude to Rick. Josie warns Klara that the interaction meetings are not enjoyable.

The day of the interaction meeting, Josie is anxious and puts off going to meet everyone. Klara sees that the Open Plan—the main living space in the house—holds many children Josie’s age, while their accompanying adults converse in the hall. Josie brings Rick in from the front door and the other adults greet him awkwardly before Josie leads him into the Open Plan. Klara stays in the hall, unsure of whether to follow. She listens to the adults talk and witnesses a confrontation between the Mother and a woman named Pam, who makes a passive aggressive comment on Rick’s upbringing, asking if his parents “lost their nerve” in regards to Rick not being lifted as a child. The Mother grows silent and Klara understands that Pam has offended her; Pam tries to make up for it, telling the Mother that Josie will be grateful to her one day. The Mother lashes out, asking if Sal would be grateful to her now. Pam begins to cry, and the two women apologize to each other and embrace.

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