Chapter 98 Analysis: Paula’s Hidden History and the Search for Cherry
⚠️ 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
Paula plays with her young children, Willow and Timmy, on the living room floor, trying to appear like a normal, engaged mother. She resists the urge to take Timmy to an extra swimming lesson despite his cold; she knows the impulse is compulsive. Her sister texts her a recommendation for Dr Donnelly, the psychotherapist who treated her for OCD years ago. Paula flashes back to her teenage years: at seventeen she developed a ritual of exiting her car at pedestrian crossings to avoid the intrusive thought of running people over. Her sister revealed the ritual to their parents, leading to a referral to Dr Donnelly. Paula recalls her earlier secret compulsions—reciting times tables to prevent the cat’s death, avoiding knives, dropping a subject because of suicidal urges near a window. Dr Donnelly diagnosed OCD and used exposure therapy, which Paula describes as effective but uncomfortable. Years later, she believes she has outgrown the disorder. Now, while managing her children, she receives a phone call from a woman named Suzanne, who recently commented on the Facebook investigation page that Paula and Eve set up. Suzanne says the psychic might have read her palm fifty years ago on a Queensland cattle station and that the psychic’s name was Cherry. Suzanne’s prediction – that she would leave her unhappy marriage – came true. Paula writes down the name, feeling a shiver of connection.
Key Events
- Paula plays tea party with Willow and monitors Timmy’s cold while fighting the urge to take him swimming.
- Her sister texts a link to Dr Donnelly, prompting a detailed flashback to Paula’s teenage OCD.
- Flashback reveals Paula’s first major compulsion at seventeen (exiting the car at crossings) and her earlier secret rituals.
- Dr Donnelly introduces exposure therapy: holding a knife to family members’ throats, accelerating toward her father, standing at heights, and a matching card game for intrusive thoughts.
- Present day: Paula receives a call from Suzanne, who believes the psychic from the flight is named Cherry.
- Suzanne recounts a palm reading decades ago that predicted she would leave her marriage and own an art gallery – both came true.
- Paula notes the name and feels the investigation is advancing.
Character Development
- Paula: Her character deepens as we see the lifelong struggle with OCD beneath her composed facade. The chapter contrasts her present determination to be a “normal” mother with her past as a teenager consumed by repetitive, fear-based rituals. Despite believing she has outgrown the disorder, the swimming compulsion shows it is still present. Her decision to pursue the psychic’s identity reveals a need for control over uncertainty.
- Lisa (Paula’s sister): Her role as a quiet supporter is reinforced: she “conveyed information” to their parents but never judged Paula, and she still respects Paula’s autonomy by framing her text as “just sayin’.”
- Dr Donnelly: Represented as a compassionate but direct therapist who taught Paula to accept uncertainty rather than seek reassurance. His methods were unconventional but effective.
- Suzanne: A minor character who provides a major clue. Her story shows the psychic’s predictions, even when positive, can have a life-changing impact. She remembers the psychic as shy and kind, not scary.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- OCD and Intrusive Thoughts: The chapter offers an unflinching look at obsessive-compulsive disorder, portraying it not as a quirk but as a debilitating condition. Paula’s ritual at the crossing, her fear of knives, and her cat-prevention recitations illustrate how the brain misinterprets normal intrusive thoughts as imminent dangers.
- Secrecy and Shame: Paula’s childhood was marked by hidden compulsions. The relief she felt after Dr Donnelly’s treatment came from no longer having to hide. Yet as an adult, she still guards her condition from the public eye, trying to appear “normal.”
- Motherhood vs. Compulsion: Paula’s identity as a mother conflicts with her OCD. She wants to be present for her children but cannot stop her mind from fixating on Timmy’s swimming lessons. The chapter shows how motherhood can both activate and conceal compulsive behavior.
- Predictions and Agency: Suzanne’s palm reading did not just predict her future – it gave her permission to change it. The psychic’s words inspired action, raising questions about whether predictions are self-fulfilling or genuinely prophetic.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal for several reasons. It provides the deepest character exploration of Paula, turning her from a relatively minor passenger into a protagonist with a rich, painful history. It explicitly names the psychic as “Cherry” for the first time, moving the investigation from vague suspicion to a concrete lead. The backstory on OCD also reinforces one of the novel’s central themes: the human need for certainty and the struggle to accept life’s unpredictability. Paula’s journey mirrors that of other passengers trying to reclaim control after the flight.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Paula’s past treatment with Dr Donnelly influence her present behavior?
She learned to tolerate uncertainty and use exposure techniques, but she still resists seeking help. The chapter shows she has not fully outgrown her OCD – the swimming compulsion persists – yet she relies on the techniques she remembers, such as telling herself “you might do it, you might not.”
2. What does Suzanne’s story reveal about the psychic’s effect on people?
The psychic’s palm reading didn’t just predict an event; it gave Suzanne the courage to leave an unhappy marriage. This suggests the psychic’s words carry emotional weight and can alter life trajectories, whether or not they are literally true.
3. Why does Paula keep her investigation with Eve separate from her family life?
She compartmentalizes because she wants to appear as a fully functioning mother. The investigation gives her a sense of control over the flight’s aftermath, but she fears her family would see it as another compulsive project.