Chapter 82: Eve and Paula Strategize at the Funeral
⚠️ 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
As Eve walks toward the cathedral for the doctors' funeral, Paula, a woman from the same flight, approaches her. Paula recalls Eve was the bride and admits she has been scanning every website for the Old Lady, hoping to find her. Eve explains she wants to bribe the Old Lady to change her prediction of dying by intimate partner homicide. Paula's prediction—that her baby Timmy will drown at age seven—has driven her to enroll him in three swim schools. Both women share the suspicion that the Old Lady might attend the funeral, as murderers often do in TV shows. Eve reveals that Dom, her husband, is afraid of harming her in his sleep, citing articles about sleepwalking murders. Dom has suggested sleeping in separate rooms or locking himself in the bathroom. Paula understands the loss of control. Their conversation is interrupted by cathedral bells and a text from Dom containing an article about a woman who killed her parrot while sleepwalking. His message: “We need to talk.” Eve tells Paula they must find the Old Lady quickly.
Key Events
- Eve walks to the cathedral for the funeral of the two doctors who died after receiving predictions.
- Paula, a fellow passenger from the flight, approaches Eve outside the cathedral.
- Both women admit they hoped the Old Lady would attend the funeral, drawing on the TV trope of murderers lurking among mourners.
- Eve reveals her plan to bribe the Old Lady with $100 to change her prediction; Paula questions whether the prediction might be immutable.
- Paula shares that she has enrolled her son Timmy in three swim schools to prevent the drowning prediction from coming true.
- Eve explains Dom's fears: he is a sleepwalker and worries he could hurt her involuntarily, referencing real cases of sleepwalking homicide.
- Dom texts Eve a news article about a woman who killed her parrot while sleepwalking, adding the urgent words “We need to talk.”
- Eve tells Paula they need to locate the Old Lady as fast as possible.
Character Development
- Eve is torn between her rational dismissal of the prediction and the growing strain it puts on her relationship. Her proposal to bribe the Old Lady shows desperation, yet she remains fiercely defensive of Dom. The parrot-killing article accelerates her anxiety.
- Paula moves from frantic secrecy (hiding the swim-school obsession) to openness with Eve. She admits her irrational behaviours and even attempts to recall a familiar feeling about the Old Lady’s face—sadness mixed with joy—indicating she may have encountered her before.
- Dom (offstage) is increasingly consumed by the fear of his own unconscious actions. His text suggests he has found another sleepwalking incident that reinforces his worst fears, pushing him toward drastic measures.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Loss of Control: Both Eve and Paula struggle with situations they cannot manage—Dom’s sleepwalking and Timmy’s future drowning. Paula’s compulsive swimming lessons and Dom’s proposed self-confinement are attempts to regain control over uncontrollable events.
- Grief and Anticipation: The funeral setting underscores how the predictions have filled the characters with a kind of anticipatory grief. Paula’s son is still alive, yet she already mourns a possible death.
- The Flawed Detective: The women’s plan to find the Old Lady parodies detective work—relying on TV tropes, vague feelings, and the hope that a fraud will be open to bribery. Their alliance mirrors the larger mystery of the novel.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the mystery of the Old Lady and shows how the predictions are fracturing two different relationships—Eve’s marriage and Paula’s peace of mind. The meeting between Eve and Paula creates a mini-conspiracy that will likely drive the next phase of the plot. Dom’s text about the sleepwalking parrot incident signals that his fear has reached a critical point, raising the stakes for Eve to find the predictor before her husband does something irreversible.
Study Questions and Answers
Q1: Why does Eve believe the Old Lady can be bribed? A1: Eve recalls her family story about her father bribing a tarot card reader, which led her to assume all psychics are open to bribery. The evidence suggests this is an assumption—she hasn’t tested it, and Paula’s question makes her doubt.
Q2: How does Paula’s reaction to her prediction differ from Eve’s? A2: Paula focuses on controlling an environmental factor (swimming skills) rather than confronting a person. She also appears more secretive about her actions, whereas Eve openly discusses Dom’s fears. Paula’s method is more passive, while Eve’s is confrontational (bribery).
Q3: What does Dom’s text about the parrot-killing woman reveal about his state of mind? A3: Dom has been researching sleepwalking violence and finds evidence that reinforces his worst fear: that he could harm Eve unconsciously. The “we need to talk” indicates he is considering a concrete plan—likely separation or self-confinement—which intensifies Eve’s urgency.