One Whole and Perfect Day Chapter 18 Summary

Rose Makes a Stand

  • Meanwhile, back at Clara's house, Clara's mom, Rose, is taking a hot bath. She was watching the news with her husband, Charlie, until she got really irritated with his rude mood and left. Clara has told her in the past that Charlie is bossy and she shouldn't take it, and Rose has always made excuses for him. She's not sure what's given her the courage to walk out of the room today.
  • One thing's for sure: Clara's right about her wanting to come see her dorm room. Rose thinks going would help her feel less nervous about her daughter.
  • She pictures the room as a cold cell with echoing, hard floors, and doesn't like imagining Clara in a place like that. She decides that the trip to the dorm can wait, though.
  • Right now, she wants to celebrate standing up to Charlie with a trip to her old neighborhood to buy her mom's favorite candy. Since her parents were killed in an accident when she was still in college, this is a special thing she enjoys doing to remember them.
  • Downstairs, Charlie is trying to figure out why his wife stormed out. He's afraid for a moment that she might have left the house, maybe even left him for good—but finds her asleep in bed.
  • He goes down the hall and peeks in Clara's old room, which is eerily empty. The only thing left behind is a pink sweater he got her for her birthday, cast away on the closet floor.