Chapter 28 Summary, Themes, and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens with Maddie unable to sleep the night before she is to view her father's body at the funeral home. Her mother had asked if she wanted to see him one last time, and Maddie agreed, though her initial hesitation shows her dread. She meets her mother at the bus stop, and they travel together on the 450 bus, with James planning to visit separately with Auntie Mabel. At the funeral home, a woman named Ros leads them into a dimly lit room with candles. Maddie sees her father in an open coffin, and a helpless cry escapes her. She is overwhelmed by the finality of his death, but she forces herself to look at him, noting that he appears peaceful, his forehead smooth, his hands still, and wearing his gray wedding suit and the chunky silver bracelet he always wore. Her mother speaks to him in Twi, blessing him and telling him to go with God, to see his parents again, and to be free from suffering. Maddie finds comfort in hearing her mother tongue, even though she doesn't fully understand it. Before leaving, she tells her father she loves him. Afterward, she feels an intense peace, though she knows it won't last.

Nia had suggested they do something after the viewing, so they go to a Portuguese restaurant in London Bridge called Casa de Maria. Over lunch, Nia asks how it went, and Maddie says it was good, that her father looked like he was sleeping. Nia then shares her own experience of viewing her father's body, describing how her uncle forced her to touch him and how cold and hard he was. Maddie realizes this is the first time Nia has spoken about her father's death. She confesses that she had pretended it didn't happen back then, thinking Nia wouldn't want to talk about it, and apologizes for not being there for her. Nia reassures her that everyone grieves differently and that Maddie's silence actually helped because Nia needed a break from her family's constant talk about death. They walk from London Bridge to the West End, sit in a park for a few hours, and then part ways.

Back home, Maddie finds Jo's friends in the garden. She declines their invitation to join and goes to her room, but she can hear their conversation through the open window. They discuss Jo's possible reunion with Sam, and Jo says they had a good talk and she might want more from him. Maddie feels a pang of envy and loneliness, thinking that men are attracted to fun and simplicity, which she believes she lacks. She reflects on her own unhappiness, wondering if she has ever been truly happy or just