Silent To The Bone

Connor reflects on his friendship with Branwell and the person he knows that Branwell is underneath his silence. He and Branwell met when they were in nursery school, and their lives intersected in so many ways. The exact reason for their friendship is unclear, but Connor believes there are several. The two are similar in many ways, like each having a parent that works at the university, but they are also different in other ways. Branwell’s mother died in a car accident when he was nine months old, and both Branwell and his father were in the car when it happened. Branwell’s father carries survivor’s guilt, and Connor wonders if Branwell has the same feelings about his sister.

Branwell is awkward and clumsy and doesn’t mind or often even know when he says something out of place. He simply exists in his own world and often comes up with philosophical questions for Connor to consider. Branwell is a fast runner, is a skilled writer, and is very close with his father, who raised Branwell like a mother would. Connor accepts Branwell’s eccentricities and gives him the patience he often needs, and Branwell is unconditionally proud of Connor’s accomplishments. He was named after his mother’s given last name and spends every July with her parents in Florida. Connor notes that “it’s strange that someone like Branwell who loves words so much would be silent” (22), and he reveals that when Branwell does finally speak again, it is to Connor.

On his way to see Branwell for the second time, Connor runs into Dr. Z, who tells him that Nikki is responding to touch and fluttering her eyes—both good signs. Connor sees that Branwell looks a little brighter and cleaner than before, but he still can’t manage to get Branwell to speak. Connor thinks about Branwell’s eyes and how they remain an open mode of communication. He recalls a memoir called The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby, who wrote the memoir by blinking his left eye as his friend spoke the alphabet and wrote down each letter. He had a stroke that paralyzed most of his body. Connor believes that he can watch Branwell’s responses in his eyes as he shows him flash cards of familiar things. He makes 12 flash cards, including one for their secret code, Blue Peter (a flag flown when a ship sails), the acronym SAIS (“say it in a sentence”), and Day Care (what they called school). All these things are markers of their friendship, and Connor hopes that he can gauge Branwell’s reaction to them to find out more.

Connor hears news that Nikki’s eyes are open and that she is sleeping and waking, which is one step closer to recovery. When he goes to see Branwell, he can tell that he is somewhat relieved as well. Connor shows Branwell the flash cards he made and reminds him of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Branwell already knows that he should blink twice when he sees one that feels relevant to him. When Branwell points to a card that reads “MARGARET,” Connor is surprised and decides to go visit her to find out why.

Margaret is Connor’s older half-sister, who runs her own business out of her home. Connor often goes there after school to hang out and spend time with her, and on this day, he goes with a question in mind. He tells Margaret that Branwell chose her card. She starts explaining this by going back to years before when she first became Branwell’s regular babysitter. Margaret watched as Branwell came home from Florida and his father surprised him with a new love interest, Tina (who is a researcher for the Genome Project like Dr. Z). Dr. Z planned to take Tina out and propose the same night that Branwell got home, but Margaret could see Branwell’s pain and convinced Dr. Z to take Branwell out for supper instead. Margaret’s father remarried Connor’s mother when she was 12, and Margaret understands the feeling of knowing that her family will never be the same.