One Day in December

Jack realizes how awful he has been to the people around him, spurred on by Laurie’s visit: “I lay on the floor after she left and it occurred to me that all of the people I love are in danger of giving up on me. It’s frightening how easily your life can spiral out of control” (193). He goes to the florist to purchase apology bouquets for both Sarah and Laurie. He can feel the florist judging him, but he knows he has reparations to make for his atrocious behavior.

When Laurie receives the flowers, she is unsure what or how much to tell Oscar, wondering “how much information constitutes the truth, how much omission constitutes lying” (195).

For years now, Laurie has been unable to discern if telling the whole truth to the people you love is worth the pain it might cause. She tells Oscar that she and Jack had an argument over how his self-destructive attitude was harming Sarah. Oscar suggests that Jack should move away and start fresh somewhere else. Laurie disagrees but doesn’t start an argument, careful not to show Oscar how much it would bother her if Jack ever left.