A Corner of the Universe

Hattie attends her official birthday party with her parents, Nana, Papa, Cookie, the boarders, and Adam. Dad films the event, capturing Adam as he steals a frosting rose off Hattie’s cake. Papa tells Adam to go sit in the car. Hattie tries to intervene, but Adam stomps away, awkwardly ending the party. Nana and Papa hold their biannual formal dinner, to which kids are not invited. Hattie gets permission to spend the night at the carnival with Leila. Hattie knows that Adam will also not be included at the dinner, and secretly suggests he sneak out and join them at the carnival. Adam thinks the lit-up carnival rides are magical. He says he wants to ride the Ferris wheel, but the girls are not sure Adam genuinely wants to ride it—he seems extremely nervous. Adam enjoys the ride, feeling like he is in the center of the universe, until the Ferris wheel gets stuck with their car at the top. Leila assures Adam that this happens often, and her father will fix it, but Adam becomes increasingly agitated, shrieking in terror. Hattie is afraid of him.