The Girls in the Garden: A Novel

This section continues the story after Grace’s attack. Clare wakes up, having barely slept, with a hangover in the hospital’s waiting room. She recalls Pip taking her to Grace and vomiting during the ambulance ride the previous night. Grace is in a coma. In the morning, a consultant taking care of Grace, Mr. Darko, tells Clare that Grace had an overdose of sleeping pills, probably used as a date-rape drug. He asks if a “sexual-assault nurse examiner” can look at Grace (255). Clare is conflicted about this and wishes Chris were there to take care of things. She eventually agrees, and Darko tells her that Grace will wake up, they just aren’t sure when.

On Monday, two police officers arrive on Adele’s doorstep. She invites them in, and they update her about Grace’s condition. When her children greet the officers, Adele explains that she is homeschooling them. Internally, she worries about the officers’ perceptions of her children and her home. The officers look at the park out of Adele’s window and talk about the space, which is several acres, and the annual party there. Adele tells them about the group of friends, including Tyler and Dylan, generally and answers their questions about what she saw during the party.