Chapter Three
Because people are unsure of bow to react to Cecilia's death, they don't know when, or even if they should, send the Lisbon family flowers and their condolences. But nobody mentions suicide, especially since Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon had the church put in their records that Cecilia died in an accident. Eventually, bouquets of every kind of flower showed up at their door.
The boys say that the house already shows signs of uncleanliness when Father Moody visits Mrs. Lisbon. They say it's nothing compared to what the house ends up looking like as time progresses. When Father Moody tells the boys about the sisters, he says they aren't broken, which just adds to the boys wondering what the girls are up to.
A little while after Cecilia's death, the men in the neighborhood take down that impaled Cecilia, which allowed the neighborhood to be at ease.
In August, Dr. Hornicker wants the Lisbons to come in for another consultation, but they refuse.
As Mr. Lisbon becomes even more withdrawn, burying himself in his work, Mrs. Lisbon becomes more in charge of the house.
When the girls go back to school, they act as if nothing happened. However, they keep to themselves and their friends allow them to have their space. Even though the girls are not allowed to date, Lux manages several short-term relationships, until she meets Trip Fontain, the most popular and handsomenest boy in school. They met when he went into her history class to avoid the principal. When they made eye contact, he instantly falls in love with her. Since he is always the one being pursued, he's not sure how to approach her. His chance comes at a school assembly, where he tells her that he is going to go to her house on Sunday and ask her father for permission to ask her out.
When he arrives on Sunday, he is trapped with watching a Walt Disney special with Mrs. Lisbon. When he returns to his car, he agonizes over the idea of being stuck with watching TV next to Mrs. Lisbon and Lux being out of his reach forever. But moments later, Lux shows up in his car, kissing him fiercely. After a little while, she rushed back to the house and is grounded. Trip aches for her presence.
From August to October, the Lisbon house becomes a lot less happy. No one, not even the sisters, leave the house except for school and church. The continued decline of the house brings attention from the neighborhood, reminding them of their tragedy.
On October 15, the local newspaper published an anonymous letter that wanted the school to address teenage anxiety. Not long after, a local newspaper reporter published an article about Cecilia's suicide. A local TV station interviews teens who attempted suicide and sent out pamphlets on suicide statistics.
The girls continue to be isolated, keeping to themselves at school and their friends weren't really talking to them anymore.
In yet another delayed reaction to Cecilia's death, the school holds a grieving day for her long after her death. The sisters stayed in the bathroom all day.
The school hires a social worker. A woman by the name of Miss Kelsem. It is believed, but never confirmed, that the Lisbon sisters confide in Miss Kelsem, but once it is discovered that she has a fake degree and her files burn in a mysterious fire, she runs away, never to be discovered again.
But as time moves on a little bit, Lux gets a small part in the school play and the other sisters reconcile with their friends, seemingly beginning to recover. Trip convinces Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon to take Lux to homecoming as long as he provides dates for the rest of the Lisbon sisters.
On the day of homecoming, the boys drive up to the Lisbon house. When they enter the house, they are greeted by the sisters, who are dressed in very non-flattering, homemade dresses. Once they are all in the car, the girls begin to gossip, which makes their dates realize that they are actually quite normal.
At the dance, both the boys and the girls have a lot of fun. Trip and Lux are nominated homecoming king and queen. Even Mary told her date that that was the best night of her life.
Once the dance is over, no one can find Trip or Lux. The other three couples wait until ten minutes before their curfew and then they drive home so they won't be late. Lux does not return home until after midnight because she and Trip were making love on the football field. Even though Trip loved her deeply, he was tired of being around her, so he made her walk home.
The boys are still giddy from their dates with the Lisbon sisters at 1:30 in the night of the homecoming dance, so they drove by the Lisbon house. When a lonely light in a bedroom window goes out, the boys realize that something has taken a turn for the worse in the Lisbon house.
I really liked this chapter. We got more insight about the Lisbon sisters. This was a really fun and happy chapter because it is just about the only time we got to see the girls truly happy and enjoying their lives. I thought it was very nice and a good sign that Mrs. Lisbon allowed her daughters to be teenagers for once. All of the girls obviously had a lot of fun, which I am very happy about, especially since things take a turn for the worse in the Lisbon household that night.
The boys say that the house already shows signs of uncleanliness when Father Moody visits Mrs. Lisbon. They say it's nothing compared to what the house ends up looking like as time progresses. When Father Moody tells the boys about the sisters, he says they aren't broken, which just adds to the boys wondering what the girls are up to.
A little while after Cecilia's death, the men in the neighborhood take down that impaled Cecilia, which allowed the neighborhood to be at ease.
In August, Dr. Hornicker wants the Lisbons to come in for another consultation, but they refuse.
As Mr. Lisbon becomes even more withdrawn, burying himself in his work, Mrs. Lisbon becomes more in charge of the house.
When the girls go back to school, they act as if nothing happened. However, they keep to themselves and their friends allow them to have their space. Even though the girls are not allowed to date, Lux manages several short-term relationships, until she meets Trip Fontain, the most popular and handsomenest boy in school. They met when he went into her history class to avoid the principal. When they made eye contact, he instantly falls in love with her. Since he is always the one being pursued, he's not sure how to approach her. His chance comes at a school assembly, where he tells her that he is going to go to her house on Sunday and ask her father for permission to ask her out.
When he arrives on Sunday, he is trapped with watching a Walt Disney special with Mrs. Lisbon. When he returns to his car, he agonizes over the idea of being stuck with watching TV next to Mrs. Lisbon and Lux being out of his reach forever. But moments later, Lux shows up in his car, kissing him fiercely. After a little while, she rushed back to the house and is grounded. Trip aches for her presence.
From August to October, the Lisbon house becomes a lot less happy. No one, not even the sisters, leave the house except for school and church. The continued decline of the house brings attention from the neighborhood, reminding them of their tragedy.
On October 15, the local newspaper published an anonymous letter that wanted the school to address teenage anxiety. Not long after, a local newspaper reporter published an article about Cecilia's suicide. A local TV station interviews teens who attempted suicide and sent out pamphlets on suicide statistics.
The girls continue to be isolated, keeping to themselves at school and their friends weren't really talking to them anymore.
In yet another delayed reaction to Cecilia's death, the school holds a grieving day for her long after her death. The sisters stayed in the bathroom all day.
The school hires a social worker. A woman by the name of Miss Kelsem. It is believed, but never confirmed, that the Lisbon sisters confide in Miss Kelsem, but once it is discovered that she has a fake degree and her files burn in a mysterious fire, she runs away, never to be discovered again.
But as time moves on a little bit, Lux gets a small part in the school play and the other sisters reconcile with their friends, seemingly beginning to recover. Trip convinces Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon to take Lux to homecoming as long as he provides dates for the rest of the Lisbon sisters.
On the day of homecoming, the boys drive up to the Lisbon house. When they enter the house, they are greeted by the sisters, who are dressed in very non-flattering, homemade dresses. Once they are all in the car, the girls begin to gossip, which makes their dates realize that they are actually quite normal.
At the dance, both the boys and the girls have a lot of fun. Trip and Lux are nominated homecoming king and queen. Even Mary told her date that that was the best night of her life.
Once the dance is over, no one can find Trip or Lux. The other three couples wait until ten minutes before their curfew and then they drive home so they won't be late. Lux does not return home until after midnight because she and Trip were making love on the football field. Even though Trip loved her deeply, he was tired of being around her, so he made her walk home.
The boys are still giddy from their dates with the Lisbon sisters at 1:30 in the night of the homecoming dance, so they drove by the Lisbon house. When a lonely light in a bedroom window goes out, the boys realize that something has taken a turn for the worse in the Lisbon house.
I really liked this chapter. We got more insight about the Lisbon sisters. This was a really fun and happy chapter because it is just about the only time we got to see the girls truly happy and enjoying their lives. I thought it was very nice and a good sign that Mrs. Lisbon allowed her daughters to be teenagers for once. All of the girls obviously had a lot of fun, which I am very happy about, especially since things take a turn for the worse in the Lisbon household that night.