The Names

Maia is training as a homeopath and lives with her girlfriend in Brighton. On the train to visit his sister, Bear amuses a young girl by making paper animals.

Bear tells Maia about Lily, a girl in his class he admires. He also reveals how a discussion of The Canterbury Tales at school prompted him to reflect on his identity. His teacher observed that while Chaucer’s male characters are described by their professions, the women, such as the Wife of Bath, are presented via their relationships to men. When asked how he would define himself in relation to another person, Bear realized he would be “the murderer’s son” (99). Maia admits that she often imagined people thought of her as “the murderer’s daughter” (99). Their father is due to be released from prison the following year.

Cora goes on a date with a curly-haired vet named Felix, a friend of Mehri’s husband. Felix is kind and interesting, and Cora finds him attractive. However, she lets Felix know that there will not be a second date. Cora tells Mehri that she cannot trust any man who seems nice, as she fears they are trying to trick her.