Bridge of Clay

Clay, Matthew, Tommy, and Rory watch a movie until Henry arrives severely beaten. His intention had been to ask friends to beat him up and arrive before Clay, distracting Matthew to prevent the inter-brother fight. He faints in the middle of describing what happened, crashing into the fish tank and bird cage.

Penelope and Michael raise the boys, telling stories about their births, particularly the fact that Clay was born smiling. He grows up to be less combative than his brothers and values stories above most other things. His parents tell him editorialized versions of their stories, keeping the most painful parts out of them. Their childhood is filled with love despite their tendency to fight and the cramped quarters of the house. A source of contention is learning the piano, which Penelope insists on and the boys hate. Michael and Penelope often fight about her work because she gets injured trying to break up fights. Matthew relays several stories about the chaos, rage, and love that filled their home.

Clay and Henry talk late at night, after the boys clean up the living room and ask the neighbor to tend to their injuries. Henry relays the full story of his injuries, and they leave to collect the car from where Henry parked it at Bernborough Park.