The novel opens on a rainy day, and Shmoo and Roxane are talking about how much fun they're having together. Shmoo says that he's glad that everyone's getting along so well, because he was worried that they wouldn't be able to live together as a family. Roxane says that she's happy that everyone is getting along, too, because she was worried they'd all hate each other. She asks Shmoo if he'd like to have lunch with her instead of going to the party, and he says he doesn't want to be a "hole brother" with a friend. He'd rather have sex with a girl he knows, and that's what they've been doing all day. He also says that if they don't have sex, they'll end up re-gadding things. He tells Roxane that she shouldn't let her feelings get in the way of a good move, because it's more painful not to make a move than to let it go.