Contents
Chapter 57
Overview
Six months later, Kyle implicates Clark, leading to Clark’s arrest after Jamie thwarts Clark’s attempt to kill Charly. Jamie is celebrated, while Charly’s left neglect markedly improves. Dr. Greenberg schedules her cranioplasty for two weeks and plans discharge to a nursing facility. Charly and Jamie settle into friendship despite mutual care.
Summary
Six months after the attack, Charly reports that Clark is in jail. While Clark tried to smother Charly, Kyle Barry cooperated from prison, exposing Clark’s role. After Clark’s nose was set, police arrested him. Jamie becomes a local hero for stopping the assault, though the praise is unofficial.
Charly and Jamie share dinner and debrief lightly; Jamie explains he surprised an intoxicated Clark, drawing on bartending experience. Charly reflects on the disturbing fact that her husband wanted her dead and on the ambiguous status of her relationship with Jamie, which seems to have settled into friendship despite lingering feelings.
Rehab advances: with prism glasses and recovery, Charly’s left-sided use improves. She asks Dr. Greenberg if psychological trauma caused her neglect; he acknowledges conversion disorder but deems it unlikely, attributing gains to neurologic healing and the prisms. He then announces her cranioplasty is scheduled in two weeks.
When Dr. Greenberg briefly removes Charly’s helmet to examine her incision, Charly fears Jamie’s reaction, but he remains unfazed, recalling he had seen it before. Despite progress, Dr. Greenberg says she will be discharged to a nursing facility after surgery, not home. Charly accepts the lack of choice yet resolves to reach home eventually, while recognizing that she and Jamie remain friends and that he accepts her appearance without judgment.
Who Appears
- Charly McKennaNarrator; processing Clark’s arrest, improving left neglect, learns cranioplasty is scheduled, faces nursing home discharge, and navigates friendship with Jamie.
- JamieStops Clark’s attack, becomes a local hero, supports Charly at meals, unfazed by her helmet off; relationship settles as close friendship.
- ClarkArrested after Kyle’s cooperation; previously tried to smother Charly and got his nose broken by Jamie.
- Dr. GreenbergRehab physician; assesses Charly’s progress, discusses conversion disorder, schedules cranioplasty, and plans nursing facility discharge.
- Kyle BarryInmate who implicates Clark in plotting the shooting, enabling Clark’s arrest.