Delphine Timeline and Summary

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• Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern head off to Oakland to meet up with their mom. Sure, she abandoned them, but that doesn't mean a family vacation isn't a good idea… right?
• When they get to California, Delphine is disappointed that her mom barely wants to acknowledge them, let alone be seen with them.
• Every day, they head off to the Center and then bring home Chinese takeout for dinner. Cecile claims she wants her daughters to be educated about the Black Power movement, and it's clear she doesn't want her kids around either.
• Delphine starts learning about Black Power at the Center. At first she doesn't like it there, but before long she learns to appreciate the people there. They aren't all violent or crazy like she sees on the news.
• Delphine puts her foot down about dinner: They've had enough egg rolls to last a lifetime, and she is going to start cooking for everyone instead. Cecile goes along with the cooking, but tells Delphine she can be selfish once in a while. Um, okay.
• Everyone is getting ready for a big rally at the Center. Delphine doesn't want to go because she's afraid she (or her sisters) might get hurt; Cecile scoffs at this idea and tells her to go anyway.
• On their way home from visiting San Francisco for the day, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern see Cecile get arrested. She writes poetry but the cops don't like it so much, so they lock her up.
• In the meantime, the girls go to stay with Hirohito and his mom.
• There, Delphine gets to act like a kid. She doesn't have to cook, clean, or be responsible, and she even rides a go-kart down a hill. Yay.
• The three sisters decide to recite one of their mom's poems at the big rally. Delphine now wants to support the movement.
• They get up on stage and say the poem. Everyone cheers. Cecile is released from jail in time to attend, and Delphine's glad her mom gets to see her on stage—for once.
• That night, she gets angry with Cecile for abandoning them. Cecile tries to explain, but says that Delphine won't really understand until she's older. She's right—Delphine doesn't get it.
• Before they leave to go home to Brooklyn, Delphine gives Cecile a hug. They decide to keep in touch and write each other letters.