This brief conversation contains most of the explication for the backstory of the book—Uncle Peter was always in love with Keith’s mother even as he was married to Auntie Dee; he deserted the Air Force, whether out of fear, PTSD (suggested by his description of an inner terror and “darkness”), or discomfort with the bombing of civilians, and has been hiding in the Barns; and Keith’s mother has been taking care of him and probably conducting an affair with him. This is a tragic and emotional goodbye, then, as it seems that Uncle Peter and Mrs. Hayward will never see each other again, and there is only a frightened child to deliver their final messages to each other. Stephen’s role is thus once again placed in the context of a larger, more complex story.