The story shifts to medieval Spain, a.k.a. Sepharad, which expelled its Jews in 1492. St. Teresa of Avila, the 16th century Catholic nun and mystic, who was of Jewish converso stock, is compared with Shonnie Medina, the modern convert in her cloistered valley. Shonnie's aunt, a Jehovah's Witness, reflects upon her devout, beautiful niece.