Chapter 10: Night Company – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

After closing Wilde Things on February 15, 2024, Ricki goes upstairs to Ms. Della’s apartment for their weekly tea. She has missed their talks and needs Ms. Della’s grounded perspective. Ricki updates her on the shop’s slow but steady growth and her new habit of leaving unsold bouquets at historic Harlem landmarks—a practice that is boosting her social media following. When the conversation turns to Ezra, Ricki admits she is completely smitten, confused, and drawn to him in a way she cannot explain. Ms. Della laughs and tells Ricki she has it bad. She offers blunt wisdom: Ezra is not a puzzle to solve but someone to experience. Ms. Della’s new girlfriend, Suyin Fong, joins them with freshly baked scones. Ricki notices Ms. Della’s trembling hands and a painful cough, signs of fragility the older woman tries to dismiss. Ms. Della reflects on her life, regrets not taking more chances, and advises Ricki to seize what she wants while she can. Later that night, alone in her apartment, Ricki’s longing for Ezra overwhelms her. She masturbates on top of her square piano, imagining him, and afterward feels both exhilarated and terrified of what he could do to her.

Key Events

Ricki visits Ms. Della for their weekly tea after a long day at Wilde Things.
Ricki describes her feelings for Ezra, confessing she is deeply infatuated despite barely knowing him.
Ms. Della tells Ricki she has it bad and warns against trying to figure Ezra out—advising her to simply experience him.
Suyin Fong, Ms. Della’s new girlfriend, brings in cinnamon-maple scones that are poorly baked; she is still learning.
Ricki notices Ms. Della’s hands shaking and a harsh cough; Ms. Della admits she is taking new medication and reflects on her mortality.
Ms. Della shares a story about a dead vulture falling on a jockey to illustrate that life is unpredictable and risks are worth taking.
Ricki returns to her apartment, exhausted and aroused; she listens to Stevie Wonder and rests her head on her piano.
She fantasizes about Ezra playing the piano, then crawls onto the instrument and masturbates, imagining taking control from him.
After climax, Ricki feels ashamed and awed, wondering what would happen if Ezra ever touched her.

Character Development

Ricki Wilde: In this chapter, Ricki’s vulnerability deepens. She openly admits to Ms. Della that she is “smitten” and “swept away,” using the metaphor of reading a book where reality blurs. Her solo scene on the piano reveals a new level of surrender to desire. She moves from trying to control her feelings to allowing herself to feel them, even if it terrifies her.
Ms. Della: The elder woman shows her age more than before. Her physical trembling and cough worry Ricki, yet she remains witty and wise. Her reflection on purpose and regret hints at a life lived with both joy and caution. Her advice to Ricki is tinged with her own awareness of time running out.
Suyin Fong: Introduced as Ms. Della’s girlfriend, Suyin is energetic, quirky, and a terrible baker. Her background (a former go-go dancer and civil rights lawyer) adds texture. She provides comic relief but also a tender contrast to Ms. Della’s frailty.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Risk and Mortality: Ms. Della’s dead-vulture story and her direct question about leaving a mark on the world reinforce the theme that life is fragile and unpredictable. Ricki’s desire for Ezra represents a risk she is both drawn to and afraid of.
The Piano as Vessel: Ricki’s piano is more than furniture. She describes it as holding “Harlem Renaissance stories” and feeling like the lives embedded in the wood soothe her. It becomes a conduit for memory, sensuality, and surrender. Her act of masturbating on the piano literalizes the idea of channeling music and history into raw physical need.
Power and Surrender: Ricki typically sees herself as the one who teases and lures, but with Ezra, she feels her control slipping. In her fantasy, she imagines seizing power from him, making him shameless and desperate. The tension between wanting to be dominated and wanting to dominate drives her private ritual.
Social Media as Validation: Ricki’s flower posts at historic Black landmarks gain traction, linking her personal brand to Harlem’s legacy. The posts are “odes to slices of Black history,” and the growing likes suggest she is finding an audience that values her artistic vision.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 11 serves as an emotional and physical turning point for Ricki. Her conversation with Ms. Della crystallizes her feelings for Ezra and gives her permission to stop analyzing and start experiencing. The introduction of Suyin and Ms. Della’s declining health raises the stakes for Ricki’s own sense of urgency. The piano scene is the chapter’s boldest moment, as Ricki’s desire erupts into action—both exhilarating and frightening. It deepens the novel’s exploration of passion, fate, and the liberating power of vulnerability. It also sets up future confrontations with Ezra, and possibly with the supernatural undertones of his mysterious presence.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Ms. Della’s advice to Ricki reflect her own regrets?
Ms. Della admits she wishes she had taken more chances in her life. When she tells Ricki, “You can’t predict your dying day… If you want something? Get it while you can,” she is indirectly encouraging Ricki not to repeat her mistakes. Ms. Della’s own pursuit of Suyin and her bucket list shows she is trying to follow her own advice, even at ninety-six.

2. Why does Ricki choose to masturbate on the piano, and what does this act symbolize?
Ricki is overwhelmed by her longing for Ezra and imagines him playing the piano. The piano itself feels alive to her, holding old Harlem stories. By crawling onto it and touching herself, she is merging her desire with the instrument’s history and music. The act symbolizes surrendering control—letting her body speak when her mind cannot. It also represents claiming her own pleasure, even when the object of her desire is unreachable.

3. What role does Suyin Fong play in this chapter beyond comic relief?
Suyin provides a gentle contrast to Ms. Della’s aging and mortality. Her vibrant energy and imperfect baking show that life continues to be full and messy. She also embodies Ms. Della’s willingness to take a second chance at love. Suyin’s backstory (civil rights lawyer, go-go dancer) adds depth to the theme of living boldly. Her presence underscores Ms. Della’s philosophy that it is never too late to experience joy.

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