Out of the Woods

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content, substance use, illness, and death. 

In the past, Sarah and Caleb arrive in Toronto for her meeting with Cecilia Floodgate. Caleb expresses his confidence in her and suggests she take a reprieve from her worries about Marcie’s diagnosis.

Mere minutes later, Sarah fights tears as Cecilia declares that her writing lacks intellectual value and tells her that literary careers are unsatisfying. Sarah begins to despair about her future.

As she and Sarah walk together, Helen asks about Marcie’s illness. She is sympathetic when Sarah explains that her mother had ALS. Helen asks Sarah to describe Caleb to her as if he were a protagonist in her novel. Sarah protests that she has no literary talent, but Helen urges her to try. Sarah begins to see her life in a series of memories and images ranging from her first kiss with Caleb to more recent events.

Sarah goes on to explain that Caleb is kind, loving, and supportive of everyone in his life. She noticed his confidence and sense of self immediately, recalling that she threw a paper airplane at him to give him her phone number that same day.