Piecing Me Together

Jade has been distancing herself from Maxine since the symphony outing, but she agrees to attend “Soul Food Sunday,” Maxine’s weekly family tradition. Maxine and Jade are in charge of bringing dessert to the dinner, so they stop by an expensive pastry shop on their drive to Maxine’s family home. Jade observes that they are headed to a wealthy neighborhood: “I can tell we’re entering the rich part of Portland. We’re driving up a winding road that’s got us so high, my ears are popping” (157). They arrive at Maxine’s family home, which has “three garage doors and a balcony that wraps around the front of the house” (158). Maxine’s sister, Mia, greets Maxine in the driveway. They head inside, and Maxine introduces Jade to the rest of her family: her parents (Mr. and Mrs. Winters), her brother (Nathan), and his wife (Abby).

While they finish preparations for dinner, Mia and Nathan ask Jade questions: “Mia says to me, ‘So tell us about yourself, Jade. You’re an artist, right? I’d love to have you stop by my gallery’” (159). Mia is a gallery owner, Maxine explains. Whenever questions are asked of Jade, Maxine answers on Jade’s behalf, and Jade senses that Maxine is worried that Jade will respond in the “wrong” way.