Summary

Leni defers her college acceptance to wait for Matthew, but he does not wake. In November, he moves to a facility in Homer. Leni announces that Ernt will have to shoot her to stop her from visiting Matthew. He settles for keeping Cora at home. Cora warns Leni that Ernt still feels bad for his last outburst, but that she must be careful—he could revert at any time.

Leni trades a jar of Cora’s jam for a water-taxi ride to Homer. Matthew’s face is scarred, his nose flattened, and although his eyes are open, he only groans and screams. When Matthew soils himself, Tom takes Leni out of the room. He believes Matthew is deadened by the pain, but intact beneath that. Leni offers to marry Matthew and care for him, but Tom just gives her a birthday present they...