Breath, Eyes, Memory: Chapter 10 Summary & Analysis

The next night, Martine comes home from work early and tells Sophie she wants to take her out, claiming that the two of them haven’t spent enough time together lately. On the subway, as the train sails over the East River, Martine says she wishes that Tante Atie and Granmè Ifé would come to America. Sophie asks Martine if she’ll ever go back to Haiti, and Martine says she’ll have to return to help her mother make preemptive arrangements for her final resting place one day—but there are “ghosts” in Haiti, and Martine is not looking forward to going back.

Sophie changes the subject and asks her mother if it’s okay to like someone now that she’s 18. Martine begins asking who Sophie likes, and Sophie invents a fake boy named “Henry Napoleon.” Martine recognizes the surname—the name of a wealthy Haitian family—and becomes excited, demanding to meet the boy. Sophie quickly says that Henry and his parents are in Haiti but assures Martine she can meet them when they return.

After telling her mother about her love interest, Sophie decides she needs to be extra careful around Martine. She cooks Martine’s favorite dishes, using a mortar and pestle to grind spices specially for each meal. Sophie gets good grades in school and works hard not to act wistful or distracted when Joseph is away on a gig. Martine continues asking about “Henry,” and Sophie keeps lying, stating that he’s away. Meanwhile, she receives postcards from Joseph nearly every day, and is careful to check the mail before her mother so that the letters remain secret. Nearly every night, Martine awakes with nightmares, and credits Sophie with saving her life when she wakes her up each night.