Contents
Chapter 27
Overview
In a BEFORE flashback from Ella’s POV, Ella reveals severe neglect: a hoarded kitchen with spoiled food and a mother who locks her in a closet during dates. When Ella asks about her father, her mother angrily refuses to name him. The scene explains Ella’s hunger, secrecy, and determination to find her father or escape at eighteen.
Summary
In a BEFORE vignette, Ella surveys a refrigerator overflowing with spoiled produce, sticky condiments, and an unusable freezer, underscoring chronic neglect. Her mother, dressed for a date, breezes in, proudly announcing a man named Harvey and hinting he could be Ella’s “new father.”
Seizing the moment, Ella asks about her real father. Her mother’s good mood collapses, and she refuses to share his name, calling him a loser and insisting they are better off without him. Ella longs for help, imagining a father who would protect her and provide a normal meal.
As hunger gnaws and rain falls outside, Ella begs to stay in her room. Instead, her mother pushes a box of protein bars and orders Ella into the closet, a recurring punishment meant to hide her from boyfriends and prevent tidying. Fearing worse starvation, Ella complies, while privately vowing to find her father or endure until she turns eighteen and can leave.
Who Appears
- EllaNarrator in a BEFORE scene; hungry, neglected, locked in a closet; seeks her father’s identity.
- Ella’s motherHoarding, neglectful parent; goes on dates, locks Ella in a closet, refuses to name Ella’s father.
- HarveyMother’s current date; mentioned as a potential stepfather.
- ChipFormer boyfriend who lived with them; mother was happier during that time.
- Ella’s fatherUnknown, derided by mother; Ella is determined to discover his identity.