Notes

Domingo's Return to Cockfighting:
After Fe's cremation, Domingo reverts to an old habit of attending and participating in cockfights. This behavior, stemming from his youth, becomes a coping mechanism for him, though it exacerbates his gambling tendencies. His increasing bets lead to substantial losses.

Sofia's Struggles and Economic Stability:
Sofia's life, initially stable due to successful cooperatives and her husband's involvement in cockfights, takes a downturn. Despite the flourishing sheep-raising wool-weaving co-op and the Tome Food Co-op, her economic balance is short-lived. Domingo's gambling escalates, causing significant financial strain.

Sofia's House in Jeopardy:
Sofia discovers that Domingo has bet and lost the deed to their ancestral home in a wager with a judge during a cockfight. Despite the judge's knowledge of the bet's illegal nature, he refuses to reverse the decision.

Sofia's Divorce from Domingo:
Faced with the potential loss of her home, Sofia decides to divorce Domingo. She allows him to stay in an adobe house he built for their deceased daughter, Caridad, but charges him rent. However, when Sofia realizes that Domingo has also given up the deed to their house, she serves him divorce papers.

Sofia's Losses and Ongoing Struggles:
Sofia faces the loss of her land, livelihood, and eventually her home. Her life becomes a testament to the difficulties of maintaining tradition and heritage in a changing world. The narrative emphasizes Sofia's struggle as she gradually loses everything she holds dear.

Loca's Health Crisis:
The narrative then shifts to Loca, the surviving daughter, who begins displaying distressing symptoms. Concerned for her daughter, Sofia seeks the help of Dr. Tolentino, a longtime family doctor. Through an examination, it is revealed that Loca is terminally ill, diagnosed with HIV.

Dr. Tolentino's Spiritual Approach:
Dr. Tolentino, known for his holistic approach, attempts a form of psychic surgery with the aid of holy oil. The chapter leaves the outcome uncertain, underscoring the enigmatic and uncertain nature of both the disease and the attempted unconventional cure.

Sofia's Uncertainty and Fears:
The chapter concludes with Sofia grappling with the looming possibility of losing her last surviving child. Her fears and uncertainties about the future are compounded by the precariousness of Loca's health condition and the unknown outcome of the spiritual intervention attempted by Dr. Tolentino.

Loca's Behavioral Changes:
Following the deaths of her sisters, Loca undergoes noticeable behavioral changes. She spends increasing amounts of time by the acequia, neglecting her responsibilities with the animals and showing a diminishing interest in playing her fiddle. Loca, once vibrant and lively, appears to be losing interest in life.

Television as a Distraction:
In coping with the losses and changes, Loca adopts her father's habit of indiscriminate TV watching. She becomes absorbed in television programs, including news magazines and telenovelas. Sofia observes this shift in Loca's behavior, noting how the television serves as a distraction from the harsh realities surrounding them.

Loca's Connection to Spiritual Visions:
Loca, while watching a news magazine show, becomes fixated on a segment about a woman named Vicka from Medjugorje. Vicka claims to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary and describes a "tour" of heaven, hell, and purgatory. This captures Loca's attention, and she seems to have a peculiar connection to spiritual visions, echoing her own experiences.

Premonition of Loneliness:
During the news magazine segment, Loca has a premonition that she shares with Sofia. She foresees herself dying alone. This vision adds another layer to Loca's complex character, indicating a heightened sensitivity to the spiritual and a sense of impending isolation.

Loca's Physical Condition:
As Sofia becomes increasingly concerned about Loca's well-being, she notices physical changes in her daughter. Loca is losing weight, and her jeans, once snug, become noticeably baggy. The mention of her jeans having the label deliberately cut out suggests a deliberate act, perhaps tied to Loca's sense of identity.

Discovery of Illness:
Loca's health deterioration becomes more apparent when Sofia, noticing her daughter's sudden weight loss and persistent sore throat, decides to involve Doctor Tolentino. Loca's general malaise and fatigue prompt Sofia to seek medical attention, marking a turning point in the narrative.

Dr. Tolentino's Examination:
During Dr. Tolentino's examination, it is revealed that Loca is very ill. The doctor, though skilled and experienced, expresses the gravity of the situation, mentioning that only about twenty percent of his terminally ill patients survive his efforts. This grim prognosis heightens the tension and uncertainty surrounding Loca's fate.

Spiritual Intervention and Psychic Surgery:
Dr. Tolentino, known for his holistic and spiritual approach, attempts a form of psychic surgery on Loca using holy oil. This unconventional method involves a transcendent spiritual connection, emphasizing the blending of medical practices with spiritual beliefs.

Loca's Reaction and Post-Procedure State:
During the psychic surgery, Loca appears calm and almost indifferent to the physical intervention. However, her post-procedure state is described as glazed-eyed, indicating a potential alteration in her consciousness or a response to the spiritual intervention.

Sofia's Grappling with Uncertainty:
The chapter ends with Sofia grappling with the uncertainty of Loca's condition. The unresolved nature of the spiritual intervention, coupled with the unknown outcomes of Loca's illness, adds emotional weight to Sofia's struggles and reinforces the theme of the mysterious and unpredictable nature of life and death.