The Family Upstairs

In the Chelsea house, in 1991, Henry struggles during the week that Phin is gone. Henry feels, “I could hardly bear the pointlessness of everything without him around” (193). Eventually, one day, Sally and Phin show up at the house. Sally explains that Phin can’t stay with her at her friend’s place and accuses David of being too harsh toward Phin. Sally explains that she is looking for a two-bedroom apartment for herself and the children and will take the children out of David’s care as soon as she is able. After a few hours, Sally leaves, leaving Phin back at the mansion.

After Phin’s return, David and Birdie install locks on the outsides of the children’s rooms, and keep Phin locked in his room for most of the day. One night, after bedtime, Phin sneaks into Henry’s room, explaining that Justin “Accidentally-on-purpose forgot to turn the lock properly” (195). Phin explains that he still has some acid and invites Henry to join him on the roof to take the drugs. Henry and Phin go onto the rooftop, where Henry doesn’t really want to take the drugs, but follows Phin’s lead. Henry and Phin take the drugs and begin hallucinating, and “The next couple of hours unfolded like a beautiful dream” (197). After a while, Henry asks Phin what Phin would do if Henry kissed him. Phin jokingly says he would push Henry off the roof. Phin tells Henry to follow him, and the two of them climb off the roof and down the side of the house into the backyard. They sneak through the neighbor’s garden, across four lanes of traffic, and arrive at the Thames riverside. Henry observes, “I kept staring at Phin, who looked more beautiful than ever in the dark, moving light” (199). Phin tells Henry to stop staring at him and pushes Henry into the water. Finally, Phin pulls Henry out of the water. Furious, Henry runs back to the house and knocks on the front door. David answers the door and sees Henry and Phin. Phin takes off running down the street and David runs after him as Henry’s mother pulls him inside. 

After spending a couple nights in a B&B in England, Lucy rents a car and drives the family to London. Remembering her childhood in England, Lucy observes,

in her mind it is always cold there, the trees are always bare, and the people always wrapped up against the inclement weather. But England is in the grip of a long hot summer and the streets are full of tanned, happy people in shorts and sunglasses (202).

Lucy also reflects that Stella has never been outside the Côte d’Azur before. Eventually, the group reaches the Chelsea mansion. Lucy tries to find a place to park but ends up having to park far away. Finally, the family arrives at the house and finds the front door padlocked. Lucy explains that they are going to go inside the house and wait for the others to arrive and leads the children around the back to sneak in through the rooftop. 

In the morning, Libby wakes up in bed with Miller Roe and realizes they are at Phin’s apartment. Libby remembers how Phin “insisted, almost to the point of being weird about it, that they stay” (205). Libby is relieved to realize she and Miller Roe are both dressed, even though she doesn’t remember every detail of the previous night. Miller Roe wakes up and Libby notices his tattoo. Libby “can’t bear tattoos. Which makes dating particularly awkward in this day and age. But he looks sweet, she can’t help observing. Soft and appealing” (206). Libby and Miller Roe realize they don’t have their cell phones with them. Libby tells Miller Roe she is anxious to get to work. Miller Roe asks if Libby’s boss will give her the morning off, and Libby thinks, “Of course she would give her the morning off. But Libby doesn’t work like that. It makes her feel edgy just thinking about it” (207). Libby and Miller Roe get up and get ready to leave the room. However, when they go to turn the bedroom door handle, they realize they are locked in. 

Back in 1991, after Phin pushes Henry into the Thames river, David keeps Phin locked in his bedroom for a week. Henry feels guilty for telling on Phin but also “ached with remorse, with regret, with fury, with helplessness, and with missing him” (208). Henry also observes that “Everything emanated from David. He radiated a terrible dark energy and everyone avoided angering him further, including me” (208).

Meanwhile, Henry is still helping out Justin in the herb garden. One day, Justin confides that he heard about a smallholding in Wales—a place where he can get free room and board in exchange for growing a garden. Justin asks if Henry wants to come with him, and Henry says he can’t, he’s only 14. Two days later, Justin leaves the house and disappears. Henry decides not to tell anyone what Justin told him about the smallholding. In Justin’s empty bedroom, Henry finds books on Wicca and herbal spells as well as a rabbit’s foot. Henry continues to tend to Justin’s herb garden and makes the adults proud by growing herbs such as basil and mint.

Sally fails to get her own apartment but continues to take her children, Phin and Clemency, out about once a week. One day, Sally returns to the house with the children and scolds David for locking Phin in his room. Martina Lamb appears and takes Sally into the kitchen. Sally starts crying and begs Martina to take good care of her children, but Martina, still charmed by David, insists that David’s presence in her life is a good thing.