Bridge of Clay

Penelope and Michael raise the boys, telling stories about their births, particularly the fact that Clay was born smiling. He grows up to be less combative than his brothers and values stories above most other things. His parents tell him editorialized versions of their stories, keeping the most painful parts out of them. Their childhood is filled with love despite their tendency to fight and the cramped quarters of the house. A source of contention is learning the piano, which Penelope insists on and the boys hate. Michael and Penelope often fight about her work because she gets injured trying to break up fights. Matthew relays several stories about the chaos, rage, and love that filled their home.

Clay and Henry talk late at night, after the boys clean up the living room and ask the neighbor to tend to their injuries. Henry relays the full story of his injuries, and they leave to collect the car from where Henry parked it at Bernborough Park. On their way home, they stop at Peter Pan square, looking at the statue of the horse and rider. Henry asks Clay to describe their father.

Matthew blames the piano for making the boys as violent and chaotic as they are. At school, Matthew is successful, except when people tease him about learning how to play the piano, which the schoolboys claim to be a sign of being gay. He is bullied by his peers and takes his frustrations out on the piano, intentionally playing badly; he does not tell Penelope that he is being treated badly by others at school. Their fight culminates in Penelope forcing Matthew to remain at the piano during his lessons even if he will not play; this lasts for months as the lessons grow longer and Matthew’s abuses at school continue. Finally, one night they sit at the piano past midnight, and in his haste to go to bed he accidentally exposes his bruises to Penelope. Matthew confesses the bullying to his parents, and they decide that the only way to solve the problem is to teach Matthew to defend himself. Michael agrees to train him to fight.

Clay and Matthew spend the day together as Clay shadows him at work. Matthew has Clay answer his phone; Claudia Kirkby is calling, asking if things are okay at home due to Henry’s battered appearance. Matthew explains the situation and Clay asks for more books, so they set up a time to meet. The next day, Claudia carries books to their car when they arrive at the schoolyard. She gives them her phone number in the guise of using it when Clay needs more books. On Saturday, the brothers all go to the Royal Hennessey racetrack to watch Carey race. They bet on her as they watch her get ready.

When Matthew is 12 and training to fight his school bullies, Penelope starts to show some small symptoms of illness, particularly weakness and loss of coordination. The increasing strength and speed of the boys are contrasted with her growing fatigue and wooziness. On the same day Matthew challenges his main bully to a fight, Penelope coughs up blood. Matthew loses the fight but gains the respect of his peers. Penelope goes to the doctor and starts cancer treatments.

Saturday night, Clay and Henry wait on the rooftop, talking about how Carey should have won the race. Later, Carey and Clay sit on the edge of the mattress in The Surrounds, suddenly shy with each other. She gives him back his copy of The Quarryman. Finally, they lay down and talk about the race. She won it, but the win was stripped because she rode too close to the second-place horse. Eventually, Clay talks about the bridge and his father.

Penelope’s cancer treatments increase in intensity as she undergoes surgery and radiation. She goes in and out of the hospital as doctors try to save her life. Rory becomes known for fighting and is extremely brutal to those he beats. Penelope’s old students visit her in the hospital. Later, she returns to school as a substitute teacher and confiscates cigarettes one day. She brings the pack home; she and Michael smoke one each on the porch after the boys have gone to bed.

Clay decides to return to his father’s house and continue building the bridge. After some good-natured teasing and wrestling, his brothers drive him to the train station for the overnight train.

Penelope grows frailer as more time passes. The boys lie and say they continue to practice piano because they know it is important to her. Instead, the boys get into increasingly strenuous fights with each other and others in the neighborhood.

Penelope plans individual outings with each boy so to make a lasting memory. She takes Matthew to a Swedish movie, Rory to a football game, Henry to a garage sale, and Tommy to the animal wing of a museum. Clay is the one she shares the true versions of her stories with. When her hair starts to fall out, she has the boys cut her hair like she used to cut all of theirs.

Clay arrives at his father’s house and surveys the progress that has been made. He and the Murderer (Michael) talk on the steps, and Clay confirms that Matthew beat him but also that they have reconciled. As he gets ready to go inside, Clay tells his father that he enjoys being in Silver.

Penelope’s disease escalates to the point that they believe she will die. They talk to a doctor who confirms this. When she tells the boys, Rory punches cabinets and screams, grabbing Clay until Clay grows aloof. Matthew reflects on the way the news changed them all.