Contents
Chapter 17
Overview
Naomi returns to the apartment and finds subtle signs someone may have entered: the door ajar, the shower curtain drawn, and a used kitchen knife in the sink. Fearing intimidation—likely from Veronica—but lacking proof, she decides not to call the police. The incident heightens Naomi’s vulnerability and isolation.
Summary
Naomi arrives at her late parents’ apartment with fast food, still rattled from the day. As she fumbles for her keys, she notices the front door is slightly open. Unsure if she forgot to lock it, she hesitates between calling the police and checking inside herself.
She cautiously searches the apartment. Teddy’s room is messy but unchanged, and her own room appears normal. In the bathroom, the drawn shower curtain alarms her, but pulling it back reveals nothing. She chastises herself for overreacting, attributing her nerves to Veronica’s earlier threat.
In the kitchen, Naomi spots a missing knife from the block and then sees it in the sink. She is unsettled because she never leaves dirty dishes and doesn’t recall using that knife. The combination of the ajar door, closed curtain, and used knife convinces her something is off.
Naomi debates calling the police but concludes there’s no clear crime to report and fears being dismissed. With no proof and no intruder found, she chooses not to escalate and tries to eat, though her appetite is gone.
The chapter ends with Naomi more anxious and isolated, suspecting someone—possibly Veronica—entered to intimidate her, yet feeling powerless to act.
Who Appears
- NaomiProtagonist; returns home to unsettling signs of a possible intruder and chooses not to call police.
- VeronicaJeremy’s lover; previously threatened Naomi and is suspected as the source of intimidation.
- TeddyNaomi’s son; absent but evoked through his belongings, underscoring Naomi’s fear and protectiveness.