Chapter 7

Sean Gallagher lost his brother, Patrick, during 9/11. Patrick had been a firefighter and since his death, Sean had started volunteering everyday to clear the rubble and ash. He comes each night to his wife who complains that he smells like death. Sean, however, considers the ash to be "holy" and saves it.

Two years later, Sean is having dinner with his family and members of the Memorial Support Committee that he heads. They are responding to the Post's report saying they will do everything in their power to prevent a Muslim from building the memorial.

In Sean's past, he dropped out of school, opened up a handyman business, and became an alcoholic. Five months before the attack, Patrick and Sean became estranged. After the attacks and the loss of his brother, Sean started giving speeches on the rescue and recovery efforts around the country. He moved back in with his parents where his mother, Eileen, makes it perfectly clear that she preferred Patrick over Sean. Sean realizes that the attack brought out the best in him.

Alyssa Spier basks in the glory of her story, appearing on talk shows and becoming a hit in the journalistic world. Everyone is talking about the "mystery Muslim." Even the Mayor was forced to bring it up. For her, this was the pinnacle of her success up unto this point; what she had been waiting for her entire professional life. And she only dreams of greater things.

Paul meets with Mo at a small bistro. Mo had since grown a beard, which puts Paul aback when first meeting. Paul reveals to Mo that the jury decision is not final yet, which incites a negative response from Khan. The two parlay with words for a while, finally leading Khan to bring up Paul Rubin's Russian, Jewish heritage and consequently name change from Rubinsky. They get the check and head separate ways.

Paul gets home to learn his eldest son, Jacob, has swung by to ask his father for money. Jacob is a forty-year old "filmmaker." He refused to "sell out" and thus lived on donations from his father. Tired from the "Khan situation" he snaps at his son. Paul realizes that he respects Mo more than his own son.