Summer of '69

To minimize her loneliness, Jessie reminds herself that Tiger is in a warzone. Aboard the ferry to Nantucket, Kate talks to her old friend Bitsy Dunscombe. Bitsy has twins, Helen and Heather, with whom Jessie has tried to be friends. While she likes Heather, Helen is mean, so Jessie avoids them both. As Kate goes off to talk to Bitsy, Jessie stands awkwardly with her grandmother until Exalta begins a conversation about her Tree of Life necklace, which Jessie proudly explains symbolizes her Jewish heritage.

Jessie is surprised when Exalta offers her a birthday present. It’s another necklace—a golden knot with a diamond in the center on a fine chain, which Jessie’s grandfather gave Exalta in 1919. While Jessie is honored to be given such an heirloom, she’d rather wear her father’s gift. Fortunately, Exalta insists that the gold knot should remain in its box except for special occasions.

Nantucket offers a steady landscape against the tumult of the rest of the world. Jessie notes the Kennedy assassinations, the death of Martin Luther King Jr., and the Vietnam War. As they drive through the town, Jessie enjoys the familiar sights before they arrive at Exalta’s home—called All’s Fair—and its adjacent building, a smaller house called Little Fair.