How It All Goes Down
- Back in the present, Dominick is in the funeral home making arrangements for Thomas.
- He agrees to have a priest at graveside, and a "simple private service" (42.6).
- After making a bunch of difficult phone calls (Ralph, Dessa, and so on), Dominick heads to the cemetery where Thomas will be buried next to his mother. Someone has already planted tulips by the grave.
- Dominick is upset that Dessa doesn't show up—even Dr. Patel and Ralph are there (he's watching from his Jeep).
- After, they gather at Ray's house for food. Funerals make people hungry.
- Dominick remembers the time Ray caught Thomas and Ma having a tea party. He went nuts, breaking Ma's arm and locking Thomas in the cupboard under the stairs.
- Dessa shows up—she's late because her mother fell. But, hey, she's there and she brought a pie.
- When Dominick sees that Ray is crying, he goes off on the old man.
- He doesn't think Ray has any right to mourn Thomas because he made Thomas's life a living hell while he was alive. (Ray even planted those nice tulips, and that seems to anger Dominick more.)
- He tells everyone in the house about all the awful things Ray did to Thomas, and Ray drives away.
- Dominick tries to act like nothing happened: "Who wants more coffee?" (42.280), he asks.
- Everyone eventually clears out after that awkward incident, but Dessa stays behind.
- They look through Ma's photo album together and Dessa tries to convince Dominick that Thomas's death wasn't anyone's fault. Not his, and not Ray's.
- She mentions how beautiful the tulips were: "So beautiful, they had made her cry" (42.366).