Chapter 19
by Chris
Characters:Abigail
Lindsey
Jack
Samuel
Grandma Lyn
Buck
Places:Krusoe Winery
Hospital
Airport
Memorable Quotes: 1. “I’m his wife” – Abigail page 263
2. “Jack’s asking for Susie, too.” – Grandma Lynn page 264
3. “But as she walked forward into the room, everyone else – her son, her daughter, her mother – fell away – Susie page 269
4. “Look what it took to get you home” – Jack page 270
Summary:The beginning of this chapter we are lead to Susie’s mother, whom has been working at Krusoe Winery. Abigail comes in and finds a written note left for her, just saying ‘emergency’ she immediately called back home to Pennsylvania, but no answer. Luckily she reaches Ruana Singh and is informed that an ambulance came to her old home a few hours ago. Abigail learns that her husband has had a heart attack, and the caretaker of the winery drove her to the airport to fly her home.
Abigail had a long flight ahead of her and she fought hard not to recall her former life of a mother and a wife. When she got of the plane, she found a stranger that is her daughter with her new fiance. At first, she didn’t notice her youngest child, Buckley sitting there looking everywhere but at his estranged mother. Lindsey seemed to be polite at possible, but all of this was too awkward to be standing in front of her mother that has been gone for years. Abigail showed a moment of remorse and regret, and said 4 small words that made a lot of things clear to her daughter, that she had lied about leaving, that she had in fact been with Len, and that she ran away from everything. The car ride to the hospital was full of emotions, none of them pleasant, especially when Buckley tells his mother to *beep* off.
Abigail went into the room where her husband was hooked up too machines and very weak. She couldn’t help but forget everything around her and go to him, where she cried on pillow. He greeted her like it was any other day ‘Hey, Ocean Eyes’. Susie’s father saw small slivers hope, that she was there, she was home again. He wanted is broken life to somehow be repaired, he was betting on the hope that it someday will.
Grandma Lynn left the room for a moment, and was able to retrieve a message that was being sent to Jack. That Len wishes him well, and he will visit soon. Lynn knew that whatever was going on with Jack and Abigail and that they didn’t need the interruptions of Len and the mistakes of her daughter.
Questions for consideration:1. Why do you think Abigail reacted the way she did, like shocked into utter silence? Because her estranged husband is sick, or maybe she is feeling some guilt at this point?
2. Do you see everything Abigail admitted too when she said that she had lied to Lindsey? Do you think Lindsey should forgive her?
3. Buckley is very cold to his mother and makes no excuse how he really feels about her - do you imagine he is finally showing the emotions that have been bottled up in him since he was 4 years old. Is Abigail all to blame or do the other family members play a part?
4. What are you hoping that will happen with Abigail and Jack? Ironically, Grandma Lynn can be the glue, that in times held this family together, why do you think the old nutty alcoholic could do that task?Chapter 20
by Chris
Characters:Mr. Harvey
Len
Abigail
Jack
Places:The Hospital
Memorable Quotes:1. He followed the physical to try to understand things that were impossible to comprehend. In that, I could see, he was life me. – Susie page 273
2. How can I be expected to be trapped for the rest of my life by a man frozen in time? – Lindsey page 276
3. That doesn’t mean the weaker one doesn’t love the stronger. – Abigail page 277
Summary:Mr. Harvey has been having a hard time; he has been going back to his mother’s ways, by stealing. He hasn’t settled anywhere fearing his capture, he skips around the country, stealing and saving anything he needs. We leave him sleeping next to an old grave…
Len walks through life watching the vulnerable women around him, from young girls like Susie to the helpless elderly. When he sees these young women that live another day, he is incredibly grateful but also feels sadness, because danger always lurks around the corner for them. Recently Susie’s file had no new evidence, except for a few small things turned up; the dead mother of a biker Sophie Cichetti and Susie’s Pennsylvania keystone charm. The charm has been very important, and his guilt of never bringing Susie’s body home, has made him to decide to return the charm to Jack.
Abigail has begun the task of nursing her husband back to health, she started by bringing a piece of his dead daughter to him, she filled his room with daffodils. Abigail is once again faced with her daughters murdered, and the truth that she tried to hard to escape. So she set a plan to mend Jack for a short time, and then quietly leave again.
In the night, she stays with Jack; she is assaulted with the memory of her husband and their life. She can’t fathom the thought, that she could run from him and their family, that she could actually forget…it’s not that easy.
Susie visits her parents sleeping bodies that night and sings to them. For basically the first time, Jack and Abigail discuss her death, and he finally admits that she is never coming home. This talk is what they needed all along, to admit certain things and be open, to not dance around the facts. Jack is seeing some hope in his estranged wife’s eyes. Abigail isn’t so sure she can leave now… so overnight something changed.
Questions for consideration:
1. Mr. Harvey seems to be digging up some of his dark past, why do think that is, and what will happen because of it?
2. Abigail seems to finally acknowledge her role as a wife and a mother, do you think she is finally going to give up on her running?
3. What will happen next for Jack and Abigail? Since he is finally admitting things and accepting them, do you think that they can move forward from here, or is it too late?
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