Partita

On Sunday, Livia begins burning the contents of her mother’s hoarded house in a large bonfire, an act she considers a cremation. Her husband, Charlie, arrives at her request to act as a safety monitor and witness. As she feeds the fire with furniture, clothes, and papers, Livia spares only two of her mother’s dresses but destroys boxes of other items, including hateful letters from her grandmother.

Livia confesses to Charlie that she recently found two suicide notes from Cyrus, one of which their mother hid from her for decades. Reading from the note Cyrus wrote to her, she tells Charlie about Cy’s love for Marshall Stilwell. She wonders if Marshall is still alive and might be found. After sharing this secret, Livia first burns the note addressed to their mother, then deliberates before burning her own letter from Cyrus, feeling she can finally release the trauma of his departure and remember their entire relationship.

Later, a stray ember from the fire ignites the porch roof. In a panic, Livia and Charlie spray the fire ineffectually with a garden hose while making calls for help. They know the local volunteer fire department will be slow to react, and county emergency services will likely get lost on the way to their remote farmstead.