Anita de Monte Laughs Last

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains descriptions of racism and disordered eating.

Raquel’s mother and sister Toni arrive at her new apartment. Raquel is dressed for work in a black pencil skirt and matching camisole with her hair pulled back into a tight chignon: just the way Nick likes it. Her mother immediately comments on her dramatic weight loss and on the hairstyle, which she does not appreciate as much as Nick does. Raquel becomes defensive, and her mother states that she is worried that her daughters are growing up and do not need her anymore. After that, conversation flows more readily, but the trio tenses up when Raquel shares the news that she has a new boyfriend. It is clear that her mother and sister are trying to figure out what kind of person he is, and Raquel does not want to admit that he is both white and wealthy. She also does not want to admit that she has begun purging her food again. She has to mask her anger when her sister speculates that Raquel is deliberately losing weight to become more attractive to a white man.

Raquel, Toni, her mother, and Raquel’s friend Betsaida arrive at Nick’s studio.