Chapter 15

Three months after her injury, Charlotte looks forward to speech therapy with Amy. During routine orientation questions, Charlotte correctly identifies the hospital setting and date by using posted cues, which Amy affirms as appropriate strategy use. When asked why she is hospitalized, Charlotte insists she “fell,” and Amy corrects that she was shot, exposing Charlotte’s denial and difficulty accepting the cause of her injury.

Charlotte asks who shot her; Amy demurs, and Charlotte recalls her mother suggested a burglar. Amy then administers a picture interpretation task. Charlotte initially describes only the right side, missing key left-side details until Amy places a red ruler on the left edge. With the cue, Charlotte immediately identifies the children and impending danger, leading Amy to suggest Charlotte may register left-sided information but be unable to integrate or process it—consistent with left neglect.

That evening in the hallway, Charlotte begins the second “half” of dinner after staff rotate her tray to address neglect. Jamie sits on her right, struggles to feed himself peas, spills them widely, and pokes his eye. Charlotte laughs, provoking Jamie to throw peas at her, many landing on her face, chest, and down her shirt.

Nurse Maggie confronts Jamie, who denies it until evidence is obvious. Jamie’s elderly father arrives, and under questioning Jamie blames Charlotte, then tries again to throw more peas before Maggie stops him. His father apologizes and explains Jamie had always been kind, responsible, and has raised his son alone since the child’s mother left, framing Jamie’s outburst as brain-injury-related behavior.

Pressed by his father and Maggie, Jamie reluctantly apologizes to “Helmet Girl.” When Maggie teases that he may be acting out because he likes Charlotte, Jamie loudly denies it and caps the episode by throwing a roll that bounces off Charlotte’s helmet, underscoring ongoing impulse control issues.