Family Lore

Flor goes to a salon to have her hair done, but her favorite stylist is sick. Yadi offers to do her hair instead, so Flor finishes tasks before the wake—taking down pictures in her home. As she takes down the picture of her wedding, she thinks about her deceased husband Pedro. When they married and sex was expected, she realized how little she knew about her body. When they moved to America, Pedro’s struggle with alcohol began. As Flor worked, she gave her checks to him to build their dream house in the Dominican Republic. When Matilde told her that she saw Pedro buying drinks at a bar one night, Flor looked into their finances. He resisted, but she learned he squandered their savings. She had to take on a second job and take charge of their finances. In the present, Flor finds all the money she’s hidden in her home to give to Ona.

Flor arrives at Pastora’s house, and Yadi does her hair. Flor asks about Ant, and how she feels about his return. Yadi admits she is sad, and that they had sex. Surprised, Flor claims it’s probably for the best that she got this desire out of her system. As Flor is about to tell a story, Ant arrives, and she leaves the pair alone. Yadi says their sex was a mistake and that she cannot offer commitment, and he easily accepts.

Pastora is organizing the receipts at her cash register when Rafa’s mistress arrives. The woman confirms she and her baby are in good health. Pastora asks why she is with someone as old as Rafa, and the woman says she loves him and that he takes care of her. She claims Rafa intends to leave Matilde, which Pastora recognizes as a lie. When Pastora asks if the baby is Rafa’s, the woman confirms it is, but Pastora implies she’s lying. Incensed, the woman curses her and Manuelito before Pastora escorts her to the door.

As they drive to the wake, Ona and Jeremiah call for a truce. They help with preparations in Flor’s chosen hall, and at 7 pm, guests start to arrive. At 9 pm, Flor arrives in a crimson dress and greets her guests. Ona feels a sharp pain and wonders if it is warning her of a child or her mother’s death.

Flor does not feel as expected when looking at her guests. Some of her preparations were not respected, and she feels scared to leave her family. She knows Ona is pregnant. At the DJ’s cue, Flor stands to give her speech.

Pastora listens to Flor’s speech about her death dream a few weeks ago. Flor begins to cry, and Pastora holds her shoulder. Matilde, Camila, Yadi, Ona, and Samuel soon do the same. Eventually, Flor continues her speech and reminds everyone not to fear death, saying that while she does not know what lies beyond, she wants to celebrate her life and loved ones. Pastora watches as Flor returns to her seat, and insists the sisters respect her wishes and eat and dance. Later, she seeks Flor and gives her a medallion for San José, the patron saint of family and good deaths.

As Yadi clears food trays, Pastora laments Matilde’s continued commitment to Rafa. When music starts, they watch as Rafa leads Matilde into a dance, and Pastora tells Yadi that she quit her job—but will help Yadi should she need her. Kelvyn appears and greets Yadi, just as a couple spills a drink on Matilde. He quickly offers her napkins. Yadi watches as he leads Matilde into a dance that fascinates the room, while Rafa takes offense. He tries to disrupt their dance, but Kelvyn allows Matilde to have a solo. She then brings her sisters to the floor, and they dance together. Later, she finds Yadi, and they talk about Yadi’s future and relationship with Ant. Matilde proposes that Yadi go to the Dominican Republic to clear her mind while she takes care of the shop. Since she bought Mamá Silvia’s house when she died, Yadi is free to stay there.

Ona goes outside for some air, and Jeremiah proposes that they stop pressuring themselves to conceive a child so they can feel whole. She eventually agrees.

When Kelvyn follows up with Matilde, she no longer has a visceral reaction to him. They discuss his father’s dancing program, and Kelvyn reveals he suggested her as his replacement. Matilde wants to take on the challenge.

Flor escorts Ona and Jeremiah to their car but then asks if they want to stay with her, offering to make pancakes in the morning. Ona promises to see her the next day. Flor kisses her on the forehead before she leaves.

When Matilde arrives home, she plays music loudly and fills three trash bags with Rafa’s belongings, then throws them out a window. Naked, she dances in her apartment and makes the music even louder. She no longer cares where Rafa might be, and sends Kelvyn a text accepting his offer.

Yadi goes to Ant’s house with leftovers. As they eat on his couch, she tells him that she’s leaving for the Dominican Republic. She apologizes for never writing or visiting, and he tells her to stop worrying, as he likes a woman named Mileiry—whose brother was also in jail. Still, the pair have sex again, and when Yadi receives a call about Flor, he holds her through her grief.

When Flor arrives home, she puts all her money in an envelope and takes a bath, pretending she is back in the Dominican Republic. When her vision begins to blur, she leaves the tub and crawls into bed, clutching Pastora’s medallion. As she slips away, she does not hear the doorbell or Pastora knocking or Matilde rushing to find a key, or both of them yelling her name.

When Ona and Jeremiah arrive home, they have sex on their couch. He thinks she is menstruating, but she thinks it’s implantation bleeding.

Ona summarizes her memory of her family and herself—and uses it to honor her mother and help the next generation survive as women.