In hope to be with each other, Lavinia and Sarah decided to elope together with the children. Eventually Chandin had also notice the unusual affection between his wife and Lavinia. One day, Pohpoh caught Lavinia and Sarah in a moment of intimacy. Lavinia visited Sarah often since they are childhood friends and Chandin again begin to feel the sting of Lavinia’s unattainability. In the meantime, Lavinia had returned to Paradise with the news that she broke off her engagement.

Sarah gave birth to two daughters, Pohpoh (Mala) and Asha. Chandin traveled around paradise with the Reverend, spreading the gospel and encouraging more conversions to Christianity.

Heartbroken yet trying to conceal his feelings, Chandin announced that he has fallen in love with Sarah and wanted to marry her. Later, Chandin had heard the news that Lavinia was engaged to her distant cousin in Wetlands. Lavinia firmly rejected his love and announced that she would be leaving for the Shivering Northern Wetlands in three days. When Chandin grow into a fine young man, he decided to confess his love to Lavinia. Growing up, Chandin found himself madly in love with Lavinia, the daughter of the Reverend and, therefore, his 'sister.' Attractive and beautiful, Lavinia brushed off all attention from boys and remained in the company of one girlfriend, Sarah, who happened to be Indian and the only other girl in the seminary school. The Reverend also wanted to adopt an Indian child in hope to have closer connection with the Indians in Paradise. At an early age, Chandin became the adopted Indian son of Reverend Thoroughly, a white man, in exchange for his parents’ conversion to Christianity. Chandin’s father was an indentured field labor from India. Then Tyler begins to tell the story of Mala’s dad, Chandin Ramchandin, which he had heard from his Cigarette Smoking Nana. The first sounds that Mala makes are perfect imitations of crickets, frogs, and species of birds. He cares for her and slowly gains her trust. Tyler, being the only male nurse in the nursing home and a subject of gossip and scrutiny for his alternative sexuality, is immediately drawn to her. All of the nurses are afraid to attend to her because of her infamous reputation. She is heavily sedated and kept under physical constraint. Part I opens with Mala first arriving to Paradise Alms House. She was ordered to Paradise Alms House after the judge found her unfit to stand trial. Mala is an aging, notoriously crazy woman suspected of murder. His intention for telling the story of Mala is in hopes that the book will eventually reach Asha Ramchandin, Mala’s long-lost younger sister. At the beginning of Part I, Tyler addresses the general audience.

Cereus blooms at night