Summary

Natalie has written Frank a letter, which he refuses to read, telling her that, “Confessions are self-serving” (390). While Frank goes out for a couple hours, Natalie goes downstairs to find her children dressed like robots for Carnival. She loses several arguments with her strong-willed children. Natalie takes to the children to the pound-store, where each item costs five pounds. The children refuse to give up their toys, screaming, “I DO NOT WANT” (392). At the checkout, Naomi adds a Kilburn Times paper for 25 pence. The front page reads: “ALBERT ROAD SLAYING, FAMILY PLEA FOR WITNESSES” (392).

Natalie tries to think about where she was at 6 p.m. near Albert Road. She wonders whether she is “trying to insert herself into somebody else’s drama…or whether she really knew something of what had happened” (393). She looks at the image of the victim and thinks that he really does...