Stella and Will continue their date into the early morning as they wander the hospital. Unable to kiss, Stella kisses Will’s reflection in a window. Just as Stella begins “to step closer, to steal back a few more inches, to be just that much nearer to him,” she receives a text message from Poe, alerting her that Barb is looking for them (190). Stella quickly runs to the NICU, where she believes Barb will come looking for her first, while Will heads back to their floor. Making it just before Barb’s entrance, Stella jumps onto a nearby couch and feigns sleep. Barb leaves. Stella and Will are safe. The couple spend the next day laying low to avoid suspicion from Barb; Stella also plans a surprise for Will’s birthday tomorrow.

It is Will’s birthday, and he listens to his mother and Dr. Hamid argue over his disappointing test results, which show no improvement from the drug trial. Will and his mother argue over his desire to stop tirelessly pursuing new medical treatments. Upset, Will’s mother refers to him as a problem, which Will remarks is a “word that sums up what I’ve always been to her” (196). Will confronts his mother, barraging her with questions about who he is really is and what he enjoys before exclaiming, “ All you see of me is my fucking disease!” (197).