Words on Bathroom Walls

The baby is born on schedule and healthy. It’s a girl, and Adam loves her on sight. His hallucinations seem to love her too, occasionally making funny faces at her. The exception is Rebecca, who looks scared.

Ian comes to Adam’s house to apologize. He looks very uncomfortable, and Adam has “a certain degree of satisfaction in watching him squirm” (279). Still, Ian delivers a sincere apology and hands over cookies he’s made. Adam thanks him, and Ian leaves.

One afternoon at Adam’s house during summer vacation, Maya tells Adam that Rebecca is pretty much him. Maya encourages Adam to comfort Rebecca whenever she seems to need it. When Adam tries to argue that Rebecca isn’t real, Maya says Rebecca is a part of Adam—so, real in that sense—and tells him to “Stop punishing yourself for something you can’t control” (286).

The Knights of Columbus run an essay contest at St. Agatha’s. Adam enters the contest, but his essay consists only of the bathroom wall words “Jesus loves you. Don’t be a homo” (288). The hallucinations Rupert and Basil laugh at this, and Adam feels pride from them.

Adam visits his therapist to thank him for the sessions, which he now realizes really did help him—even if they only communicated through writing.