The Cost of Knowing

Alex goes back home and finds Isaiah asleep on the couch. Aunt Mackie returns from talking with the police, sits down at the kitchen island, and hides her face in her hands. Alex has never seen her cry before, not even at his parents’ funeral. To her nephew’s surprise, she pours them both a glass of champagne, saying that he’s a man now. She tells him that he and Isaiah are “the best thing that’s ever happened” to her and thanks Alex for being a good example for his little brother (189). She encourages Alex to get back in touch with Galen, a barber he used to confide in back when he lived in East Garfield Park. Aunt Mackie and Alex’s conversation turns to the break-in. The person Mr. Zaccari shot was an unarmed Black kid Alex’s age, and Alex is full of anger as it sinks in that “another kid who looks like [him] has been killed before seeing the inside of a jail cell, let alone a courtroom” (193). The champagne upsets Alex’s stomach, and he goes to his room.

Isaiah sees Alex quitting his job in a vision and asks him why he did it, but Alex dodges the question.