THIRTY-FOUR

Juliette and Adam had deliberately separated themselves during the night, but Juliette wakes in Adam’s arms. James stands over them, alert and suspicious, and immediately asks why Juliette can touch Adam if she supposedly cannot touch anyone.

Adam confirms that Juliette cannot touch anyone except him, while Juliette silently remembers that Warner is also an exception. James calls the explanation “awfully convenient,” repeating a phrase he learned from Benny, and his skepticism makes it clear that Juliette’s presence unsettles him.

Adam takes James into his room for a private conversation. While waiting, Juliette realizes James may feel threatened because Adam has returned after nearly six months with a strange girl who seems to take up his attention. Juliette worries that James may think she is taking Adam away from him, and she also reminds herself that Warner is still a danger and that she and Adam are not truly safe.

When Adam and James return, James is embarrassed and asks whether Juliette is Adam’s girlfriend. Adam avoids making Juliette answer and instead urges James to get ready for school, promising that he will still be there when James comes back. James clings to Adam, revealing how afraid he is of losing his brother again.

As Adam helps James prepare for school, James comments on Juliette’s long hair, and Adam says he likes it. Watching the brothers’ affectionate bond makes Juliette think about children forced to live on their own and about the kind of love she has never had. Being near Adam and James makes Juliette feel less like a monster and more like someone who might belong in the world.