Chapter 2: August's First Encounters in New York
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Chapter 2 continues August's first week in New York, introducing the central mystery of Jane and deepening the novel's themes of fate, found family, and the magic hidden in everyday life.
Summary
The chapter opens with a fictional newspaper article reporting electrical surges on the Q train—blown lights, glitched announcement boards, and stalled trains—that have disrupted service for days. The article includes a photo of a young woman on the train, identified as Brooklyn resident Jane Su, who rides the Q daily.
August calls her mother from the cramped back of Pancake Billy's, where she's working her first shifts. Her mother rants about a detective named Primeaux who has been screening her calls, and the two share a familiar, affectionate banter. August's mom reminds her that she's self-reliant, like her, and doesn't need anyone. August thinks briefly of the girl from the subway the day before, then dismisses it.
Her shift is a disaster. She forgets sides, drops plates, and is saved repeatedly by her manager Lucie, a sharp-tongued Czech woman with superhuman awareness, and by Jerry, the elderly fry cook. Lucie orders Jerry to make August a “Su Special”—an off-menu sandwich of bacon, maple syrup, hot sauce, and a fried egg on Texas toast. It's the best thing August has eaten in New York, and she learns it's named after someone named Su.
After her shift, August walks home through Brooklyn, passing a psychic shop called Miss Ivy's. She recalls a childhood visit to a psychic in New Orleans with her mother, where the psychic told her mother she'd lost someone important—a reading that ended when her mother dismissed all psychics as frauds. August has since adopted a strict skepticism, preferring hard evidence.
Back at her apartment, she discovers she's locked out and her phone is dead. She picks the lock with her pocketknife—a skill from her past—and meets her fourth roommate, Wes, a quiet, awkward guy who's fixing her bedroom door hinge. He's burning sage to clear “frat energy” after an ex visited. They exchange only a few words, but Wes fixes the door and compliments her knife.
Friday morning, August walks to the station with Myla, who reveals she has a degree in electrical engineering but works in art because engineering “murders your soul.” August is both impressed and baffled by Myla's ease with not using her degree.
On the train, August spots the girl from the first chapter—the one who gave her a red scarf. They recognize each other. The girl, who August has privately dubbed “Subway Girl,” reveals she used to wait tables at Pancake Billy's and that Jerry still works there. She imitates Jerry's accent, and they laugh together. August mentions the Su Special, and the girl excitedly reveals it's her sandwich—her last name is Su, and she invented it. They talk about the restaurant's magic, and the girl compliments August's scarf, saying she has a replacement. August invites her to stop by Billy's for a free sandwich, and they exchange names: August and Jane.
Jane doesn't show up on Saturday, and August is disappointed. But on Monday, Jane is on the same train again. They ride together that morning and afternoon, and August realizes they have the same commute. Over the following weeks, they fall into a routine, riding together Monday through Friday. August watches Jane charm strangers, break up fights, and always save a few words for her. Jane remains mysterious, never volunteering details about her life, but August finds herself drawn to her. By the end of the chapter, August has come to see the Q train as a time, a place, and a person—the person being Jane.
Key Events
- A newspaper article reports electrical surges on the Q train, hinting at something unusual.
- August's phone call with her mother establishes their close but guarded relationship.
- August struggles through her shift at Pancake Billy's; Lucie and Jerry help her, and she eats the Su Special for the first time.
- August passes Miss Ivy's psychic shop and recalls a childhood psychic reading that shaped her skepticism.
- Locked out of her apartment, August picks the lock and meets her roommate Wes.
- Myla reveals her electrical engineering degree, challenging August's assumptions.
- August and Jane meet again on the train; they discover their connection through Pancake Billy's and the Su Special.
- Jane doesn't appear on Saturday, but returns on Monday, beginning a regular commuting partnership.
- Over weeks, August and Jane develop a routine, and August starts to see the Q as a time, a place, and a person.
Character Development
August continues to be defined by her self-reliance and skepticism. Her mother's reminder that she “doesn't need anyone” echoes in her mind, yet her immediate attraction to Jane undermines that belief. August's job at Billy's is a humbling experience—she's bad at it, but she's learning to accept help from Lucie and Jerry, which is a small step toward letting others in. Her lock-picking skill shows a resourceful, street-smart side, and her recollection of the psychic shop reveals a past belief she's deliberately buried.
Jane is introduced as a magnetic, mysterious figure. She's warm and outgoing, making friends with everyone on the train, but she reveals almost nothing about herself. Her connection to Pancake Billy's and the Su Special suggests she has a history in the neighborhood, but her anachronistic details—a cassette player, vintage headphones, and a style that feels out of time—hint that there's more to her than meets the eye. Her easy confidence and kindness toward August create an immediate bond, but her elusiveness keeps August (and the reader) guessing.
Myla and Wes are sketched as supportive, quirky roommates. Myla's revelation about her engineering degree adds depth to her character—she's not just a free-spirited artist but someone who made a deliberate choice to prioritize happiness over career. Wes is shy and awkward, but his act of fixing August's door shows a quiet kindness.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Subway as Home: August finds comfort and identity in the Q train. It's a place where she feels like a real New Yorker, and it becomes the setting for her most meaningful connection. The train is both a physical space and an emotional anchor.
- Fate vs. Coincidence: August repeatedly wonders if her meetings with Jane are coincidence or something more. Niko would call it fate, but August, the skeptic, resists that label. The novel leaves the question open, inviting readers to consider whether the universe is conspiring to bring them together.
- Skepticism vs. Belief: August's childhood psychic experience and her subsequent rejection of the supernatural contrast with the magical elements of the story—the “magic” of Billy's, the strange electrical surges, and Jane's inexplicable presence. August's growing attachment to Jane challenges her need for hard evidence.
- Found Family: The roommates, coworkers, and even the regulars at Billy's form a makeshift family for August. Lucie's care, Jerry's cooking, and Myla's friendship all contribute to a sense of belonging that August hasn't felt before.
- The Su Special as Connection: The sandwich serves as a tangible link between August and Jane. It's a symbol of shared history, comfort, and the small magic that can exist in everyday places.
- The Red Scarf: The scarf Jane gave August in the previous chapter becomes a token of their connection. Jane's comment that it “looks better on you” reinforces the idea that this object carries meaning beyond its function.
- Anachronism and Mystery: Jane's cassette player, vintage style, and lack of personal details make her seem out of place in contemporary New York. This motif hints at a deeper mystery about who—or what—Jane is.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 2 is pivotal because it transforms a chance encounter into a developing relationship. It establishes the central romantic and mysterious dynamic of the novel: August's grounded, skeptical worldview versus Jane's inexplicable, almost magical presence. The chapter also deepens the novel's sense of place, making the Q train and Brooklyn feel like characters in their own right. By introducing the Su Special, the psychic shop, and the electrical surges, the chapter plants seeds for later revelations about Jane's true nature. August's growing attachment to Jane—despite her mother's advice to need no one—sets up the emotional arc of the story.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does August's skepticism about the supernatural contrast with her immediate attraction to Jane?
August has deliberately rejected belief in the supernatural after her childhood psychic experience, preferring hard evidence. Yet she finds herself drawn to Jane in a way that defies logic—she thinks about her constantly, feels lucky to see her, and even admits she'd work five doubles to see her again. This tension between her rational mind and her emotional response highlights the novel's theme of magic in the mundane. August's attraction forces her to confront the possibility that some things can't be explained by evidence alone.
2. What role does the Su Special play in connecting August and Jane?
The Su Special is a literal link between the two women. August eats it at Billy's and loves it, unaware it was invented by Jane. When Jane reveals it's her namesake sandwich, it creates an instant shared history and a sense of intimacy. The sandwich also represents the comfort and magic of Billy's—a place both women have found meaningful. It's a small, tangible object that bridges their separate lives and gives them a reason to talk.
3. Why does August come to see the Q train as “a time, a place, and a person”?
August's daily commute becomes the most stable and meaningful part of her new life. The train is a time because she schedules her day around the 8:05 train that Jane rides. It's a place because it's where she feels most at home in New York—a space that's always there for her, even when it's late. And it's a person because Jane is the reason the train matters so much. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes how intertwined the setting and the relationship have become, and it signals that Jane is the center of August's emotional world.
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