Summary

P. 213 – 240. Edward thinks about John a lot while John is away, narration revealing that both John’s parents died when he was quite young, and that Edward believes this is a big part of why John is how he is. Edward wonders whether he should be independent, and considers how much of a homebody John is.

Chad begins a friendship with a man named Branford. They go to museums together and talk, but do not have sex.

Edward continues to worry about his life with John – how Edward’s circle of friends has changed, how hard it is to get John to stay focused on him and their life together, and how John constantly tells him to not worry about things that seem, to Edward, to be really important. He considers how people are usually pretty annoying, even people you care about, but...