Contents
Chapter Twenty-Six
Overview
In the Grove canteen, Alicia isolates herself while Christian warns Theo he is overidentifying with a seductive borderline patient. Theo denies it but admits internally he’s already compromised. Seeking art supplies, Theo learns Jean-Felix has hoarded Alicia’s materials and hungrily wants access to new work, yet fears seeing her.
Summary
At lunch in the Grove’s canteen, Theo observes the noisy mix of staff and patients. Elif theatrically complains about the food, asserting dominance over her table. Alicia sits alone at the back, barely touching her fish, eyes down. Theo considers joining her but decides not to intrude and eats separately.
Christian sits with Theo and challenges the plan to get Alicia painting, warning that “borderlines are seductive” and accusing Theo of overidentifying with Alicia. Theo rejects the warning and leaves annoyed, the irritation lingering through the day.
After work, smoking outside, Theo replays Christian’s words and insists to himself that he can remain objective and boundaried. In narration, Theo concedes he is already emotionally compromised, though he won’t admit it yet.
Seeking to facilitate painting, Theo calls Jean-Felix about Alicia’s materials. Jean-Felix reveals he cleared her studio after the trial and kept everything—easel, oils, sketches, notebooks—and requests to see any new paintings, his voice edged with hunger. When asked to deliver the supplies to the Grove, he hesitates; Theo offers to pick them up instead.
Jean-Felix’s reluctance to face Alicia, paired with his possessiveness over her work, leaves Theo questioning what lies between them and what Jean-Felix is afraid to confront.
Who Appears
- Theo FaberNarrator-therapist observes Alicia’s isolation, rejects Christian’s warning, admits private compromise, and arranges Alicia’s art supplies.
- Christian WestColleague who warns Theo that Alicia, as a borderline, is seductive and will turn on him.
- Alicia BerensonSits alone in the canteen, barely eating; focal point of Theo’s plan to restart painting.
- Jean-Felix MartinGallery owner hoarding Alicia’s art materials; hungry to see new work but afraid to face her.
- ElifDominant patient who stages a brief food-related confrontation, displaying control over her group.