Summary

As they ate their pasta dinner, Suzette could not wait to talk to Alex alone. Yet as he talked about his architecture firm’s newest project, she realized she could not hold it in. “Hanna talked” (45). Alex’s joy turned to confusion as she described the episode, but when Hanna mutely denied everything, he comforted her. Later, with Hanna in bed, exhausted Suzette explained how Hanna behaved differently with her. Alex agreed that a psychologist might help, and suggested that they try one more school, Sunnybridge. Hanna had already been expelled after five weeks from expensive Green Hill Academy for behaving aggressively with the other children, and not long after Suzette had been forced to withdraw her from the Frick School. Suzette thought longingly of how she could spend her days without Hanna gardening or developing new skills.

In her cozy room, Hanna...