Krik? Krak!

On a cool September morning, Grace Azile becomes a naturalized American citizen. She calls her mother, who urges her to get a passport as soon as possible. As she hands over the naturalization certificate, Grace feels suddenly unsafe. Her mother was once arrested in a sweatshop immigration raid, and, as a result, her family has always been anxious about their immigration status. When Grace returns home, her mother Hermine is in the kitchen making bone soup, which she believes will stop her other daughter Caroline’s wedding. Caroline, who was born in America, eats the soup despite Hermine’s intentions.

That evening, Grace has conversations with her mother and sister about their family dynamics. Hermine is worried that Caroline’s fiancé is not right for her, while Grace worries that Hermine will actually try to stop the wedding. Before they fall asleep, Caroline and Grace play a call-and-response game Hermine had learned from her own mother, who was a survivor of the 1937 massacre. The next day, Grace and Hermine attend a church service for Haitian refugees who had been killed at sea, including the protagonist of “Children of the Sea.” When they return, Caroline tells Grace that she dreamt of their father, who died ten years earlier. It is revealed that, bucking tradition that calls for them to wear red underwear in mourning, the girls have worn black underwear since their father died. Both girls frequently dream of their father, and feel as if he is visiting them through dreams.

As Caroline’s wedding nears, Hermine becomes increasingly emotional. She agrees to let Grace throw Caroline a wedding shower in their home, but stays in the kitchen throughout most of the party. That night, she shows Grace letters her father had sent Hermine in the early years of their marriage. It is revealed that, after Grace was born, her father married another woman and left their family in Haiti so that he could build a life in America. After three years, he divorced the other woman and brought Hermine and Grace to America. Hermine shows Grace the letters, which suggest that he was no longer in love with Hermine. Grace assures Hermine that her late husband loved her.

The night before her wedding, Caroline appears with a robotic arm covering her missing forearm. She assures her family that she will only wear it for the wedding. On the morning of the wedding, Caroline wakes up in a daze, unsure if she wants to get married. Hermine, who felt similarly on the day of her own wedding, jumps into action and makes Caroline a special tea bath to help her feel better. The wedding is a success, and Caroline leaves for her honeymoon with her husband, Eric. Hermine and Grace return home and begin to make bone soup. As the story ends, Grace and Hermine begin the call-and-response game.