Summary

In “I Leave It Up to You,” James drives Blandine to the Rabbit Hutch to drop off Hildegard. After settling Hildegard, Blandine sits “in James’s car” in an “abandoned church” lot (264). Feeling overwhelmed, Blandine suggests they get high for this conversation (264). James reveals that he and Meg got divorced. Blandine accuses James of disguising his violence against her “as validation” (265). She likens their relationship to “three common stages of economic development’ (266). James tries taking responsibility for hurting Blandine, but only further upsets her. They argue about elitism and oppression (272). Finally, Blandine demands to know if she was the only student with whom he had an affair. When he assures her she is, Blandine reveals what she knows about Zoe. Cornered, James reveals that he and Zoe were intimate, but...