Juliet Takes a Breath

At the beginning of Part 4, Juliet returns to Portland to finish out her internship with Harlowe. Juliet felt hopeful about their reunion, but Harlowe spends their first day back together weeping about her breakup with Maxine. Even with Harlowe’s lack of apology for racially stereotyping her at the Powell’s book reading the previous week, Juliet felt “[she] was stronger and the clarity [she] found would stick” after her trip to visit her cousin Ava in Miami (254). While talking about her breakup with Maxine and the book reading, Harlowe does not ask about Juliet’s feelings, and Juliet decides that she “couldn’t spill [her] guts to someone who isn’t asking for them” (256). Harlowe offers Juliet an acupuncture appointment as a means of apology, leaving Juliet feeling naïve about how great Harlowe actually is.

Harlowe takes Juliet to get acupuncture done at her friend Lupe’s house. Juliet is excited to meet another Latina lesbian and also meets Lupe’s pregnant partner, Ginger Raine. While talking with Lupe, Lupe apologizes to Juliet for not checking in on her sooner, and Juliet discovers that she is not Harlowe’s first intern. The acupuncture relaxes Juliet, but when she is done, she overhears Maxine (Harlowe’s ex-partner) talking with Harlowe and Lupe.