A Scatter Of Light

On Saturday, Aria, Tammy, and Matthew help Joan move to a “depressingly institutional” (284) rehabilitation facility. Doctors hope that, with speech and occupational therapy, Joan’s life can return to normal.

On Monday, Aria finds a local camera store to buy specialty film for Joan’s Rolleiflex. She then meets Steph at work for lunch, and they stop themselves from getting too intimate at the garden center. They get food from In-N-Out and drive to the lookout, where Steph tells her that she has decided to play Madchen’s next show. That evening, Aria brings the loaded camera for Joan to see, but Joan trembles too much to use it. She teaches Matthew how to use it, and while giving instructions, “she [seems] like her old self again” (287). Matthew takes a photo of Aria and Joan, and they set the self-timer to take a family photo.

Aria doesn’t narrate much for Tuesday and Wednesday, other than seeing Steph and visiting Joan.

Thursday morning, Aria finds her father, visibly upset, in the kitchen. He explains that Joan had a hemorrhagic stroke and died early that morning. Matthew breaks down in Aria’s arms, who is overwhelmed by her father’s grief. Analemma tries to comfort him, which causes Aria to break down.