The chapter follows a character named Yara as she struggles with routine and the cultural differences between her own upbringing and that of her brothers.
Yara assigns a class project for her students to research art representing their cultural identity, but the students are disengaged.
Yara contemplates visiting the college’s art gallery but realizes she has a faculty meeting to attend instead.
On her way to the meeting, Yara takes photos on campus and reflects on the beauty of the Carolina fall.
Yara shares a photo on Instagram with a quote from Mahmoud Darwish and receives a quick reaction from one of her brothers.
She has little contact with her brothers, who lead lives with more freedom than she had growing up.
Yara feels resentment over the gender inequality she experienced compared to her brothers' freedoms.
Yara reflects on receiving an email about a Scandinavian cruise and considers her own limited opportunities to travel.
She has an uncomfortable encounter at the faculty meeting with a colleague, Amanda, who makes racially insensitive remarks.
Yara responds forcefully to Amanda, telling her off before leaving the meeting in distress.
After the confrontation, Yara drives to her daughters' school earlier than necessary, overwhelmed with emotions and feeling the weight of her cultural context on her personal identity.
Yara calls her mother to share the incident, reflecting on her mother’s regrets and the constraints on their lives as Arab women.
She has a contentious moment with her mother about the latter’s abandoned singing aspirations and the impact of superstitions on their lives.
Yara breaks down on the side of the road as she grapples with her inner turmoil and considers a drastic action to escape her feelings.
She is interrupted by her daughters, who share their test scores and unknowingly pull Yara back from the brink of her dark thoughts by suggesting they listen to music.
The chapter ends with Yara driving away with music alleviating the tension, masking the depth of her internal struggle.