What Alice Forgot

Alice tells Madison that she does remember them but attracts suspicion when she incorrectly names Tom’s teacher. Alice reassures Olivia that she remembers her birthday, but Madison, watching carefully, tells Olivia that Alice is lying.

Ben is irritated with Elisabeth’s constant need to watch television. Ben tells Elisabeth that he spoke to the brother of a woman who adopted a child from Thailand at Alice’s party, and he is excited about the idea. Ben and Elisabeth argue about adoption. Elisabeth is furious, believing that they weren’t considering adoption previously because Ben had never wanted to. Ben believes that Elisabeth didn’t want to. Elisabeth says she’s now too tired to consider adoption and continues watching television.

Alice is overwhelmed by the noise and energy of the children at dinner. Madison asks whether Alice remembered the divorce when she woke up, and Nick makes “a strangled, helpless sound” (268). Alice admits that she does not remember it. When Tom points out that they would fight too much if Nick moved back in, Alice asks—interested—what they fight about. Gina, the American Express, and a time that Olivia got lost at the beach, the children tell her.