The Paper Palace

Six weeks before the novel first begins, it’s June 19 in the Back Woods. Elle and her family have just arrived at their camp. Elle takes a jog and says, “I can feel my body waking up, as if I’m coming back to life after a long hibernation, sniffing for bees in the clover, looking for just the right tree to scratch. It’s this way every year” (321). She runs into Jonas on the beach, and he says maybe he and Gina will stop by for a drink later. Elle says they would love that.

Two weeks later, they are at a Fourth of July parade. Jonas and Elle are laughing at an inside joke when Gina comes over and asks what’s so funny. They aren’t able to explain clearly, and Gina snaps at them. She quickly apologizes, but Elle thinks something must be going on to trigger this unusual behavior from Gina. Elle excuses herself and says maybe she’ll see them at fireworks tomorrow. Gina says they’re skipping it, but Jonas says he might come.

Driving back to camp with her kids, Elle passes Jonas and Gina outside a grocery store arguing with each other. She hears Gina yell “Fuck you,” and then Jonas walks away.