Chapter 12 Summary

Back at the house, Sara finds Aunt Willie on the phone with a friend. Aunt Willie quickly hangs up the phone and insists that it is time to call the police. Sara relents. After speaking to the police, Aunt Willie begins to pace, lamenting the fact that she ignored Charlie's pleas for her to fix his pajama button the night before. Aunt Willie then begins to list all the possible things that could have happened to him, each worse than the one before. Sara tries to dismiss each tragedy, but it is difficult for her to do.

Sara sees a self-portrait Charlie drew the day before and did not finish. Sara thinks how much it is like Charlie, more like Charlie than the Polaroid picture Aunt Willie brings out for the police. The Polaroid, taken on Charlie's birthday, brings about a discussion of...