All My Puny Sorrows

Yoli visits Elf again the next morning, bringing her food and presents. While Elf sleeps, Yoli checks her email, finding messages from Dan. Their communications often alternate between aggression and affection. In the bathroom, she studies her haggard reflection and wishes that she’d stop trembling. Back in the room, Elf wakes up. Yoli tries making her laugh but Elf closes her eyes again. Yoli starts sharing memories with her, desperate for her to wake back up. In one memory, Elf defended Yoli while they were at a lunch together, telling the table that she played the piano “the way [Yoli] lived [her] life” (72). Finally, Elf opens her eyes and asks Yoli about her book. Yoli is working on a literary novel and has been carrying the manuscript around in a plastic bag. Elf begs her to read an excerpt, but Yoli will only tell her the first letter.

Yoli contemplates Elf’s situation and considers the differences between mental and physical health. She remembers Jack planting her and Elf trees when they were born and Elf insisting that they’d be protected forever.

Yoli takes a walk through the halls. When she returns to Elf’s bedside, she tries getting Elf to talk about her lovers.