The Celebrants

Two paintings—ostensibly by Jürgen Förg—that Craig authenticated that sold for $2 million each turn out to be forged. While Craig didn’t purposefully deceive the purchaser of the art, he feels guilty for remaining “silent when nagging doubt set in” (194). He recalls that the art dealer “specialized in blurry details that made everything seem important. It wasn’t until much later that he realized he himself had filled in many of the details he found missing, that she had said far less than he’d originally heard” (199). He decides to accept a plea deal and pleads guilty to fraud.

Craig then calls Marielle. He leaves the gallery after being fired and finds his friends waiting for him outside. Worrying that Jordan’s cancer has returned, Craig thinks that “there were only so many times they could gather for fake funerals before they would have to assemble for something more real” (200). However, Marielle reveals that she has triggered the pact on his behalf. They return to Craig’s apartment—despite his protests that he’d prefer to go somewhere like Dubrovnik, or at least the Plaza—and have dinner. To derail proceedings, Craig tells a fabricated story of a dream he had in which he wrestled with Alec, who got angry when Craig asked how he was and instructed him to ask Jordy.