Summary

Chapter 9 is set, once more, in 1988. Henry watched as Birdie's boyfriend Justin came into the house. As a 41-year-old adult, Henry now knows that telling someone "I didn't know who else to turn to" is a way to manipulate someone into doing something for you. Eleven-year-old Henry did not realize that Birdie was manipulating his mother and father into letting her and Justin live there. Henry thought his mother just wanted a pop star to be living in their home. Martina had the children take Birdie and Justin to the yellow room, which Birdie interpreted as being a servant's entrance and came off as miffed about it. Henry tells the reader that the yellow room was the nicest of the four rooms on the top level of the house.

Henry asked his father how long the couple would be staying but was never...