The Year We Disappeared

When Polly and the children return home, they find policemen already in the house. This unsettles Cylin: “What were they doing in our house? And why did the kitchen smell funny, like someone had been cooking something—meat and onions?” (128). As Polly and the kids drive to the store, Cylin notices a police cruiser following them. Polly explains that the police are keeping them safe. Evidently, Eric and Shawn have been informed about the police presence but not Cylin.

The next morning, Cylin dons her new Izod shirt (a gift from Lauren) and is escorted to the bus stop by John’s fellow officer, Arthur, known as The Bear (because of his size). As another police car watches the bus stop from across the street, Cylin worries about feeling embarrassed by the attention. She only wants to show off her new wardrobe, not to be the constant object of police scrutiny. As Cylin enters her new classroom, she finds Arthur talking to her new teacher. She doesn’t understand why her father’s friend, the amiable man she knows from barbeques and social visits, has followed her to school, and why he looks so serious.

During lunch, a fellow student tells Cylin and her friend Amelia that the cop is there because “somebody wants to kill her!” (135). It seems the whole school has been informed about the police presence and told not to mention John’s shooting. The student’s comment shakes her deeply, but she finally realizes the danger she’s in. 

The first stage of John’s reconstructive surgery involves connecting the two remaining parts of his jaw with a steel bar, implanting bone cells, and trying to regrow at least part of his jawbone. Despite his long recovery and excruciating migraines, he is determined to return home before Christmas, three months later. His convalescence is especially difficult because he is used to being in top physical condition, a cop who could handle even the most difficult and violent situations.

As John prepares to return home, the doctors and nurses advise them on care and feeding protocols, how to use the suction machine to clean out his trachea tube, and how to clean and dress his wounds. His doctor schedules a routine of follow-up appointments as well as his first reconstructive surgery, the day after Christmas.

With John still in the hospital and Polly a full-time nursing student, Kellie moves back in to help with household chores. The house is filled with donated gift baskets and home-cooked meals from the families of fellow officers. While doing laundry, Polly comes across one of John’s uniforms, and the sight and feel of it pushes her to an emotional breaking point. She starts sobbing, saying, “Damn it, damn it, I can’t do this anymore!” (148). When the police officer on duty tries to calm her down, it only makes her angry. She hurls dirty laundry down the stairs and storms into the basement, slamming the door behind her. Kellie tells the kids to give their mother some space, and soon after, she composes herself and serves dinner.

One afternoon, Eric goes to a neighbor’s house without informing the officer on duty. Panic ensues until the officer finds him and brings him home. Freedom of movement is severely restricted, another indication that life is definitely not normal. Later that night, Polly and the police discuss ramping up security when John comes home: additional officers, a rooftop sniper, etc. Overhearing the discussion, Cylin realizes the enormity of their situation. She wants everything to go back to normal, but she can’t foresee that happening anytime soon. 

Although John is happy to go home, he is acutely aware of his injuries. His desire for revenge grows, and “that was all I could think when I saw my reflection” (154). Most of the officers on security detail are friends, and they inform John that he is the first Falmouth police officer to retire due to a gunshot wound. He is forced to acknowledge that his law enforcement career is over at age 36.

John finds out that Chief Ferreira has filed for early retirement, and that he visited Polly while John was in the hospital. Polly lashes out at his attempts to sympathize; she doesn’t like the way he’s running the department or the investigation, and she tells him so. Although 16 officers are investigating the shooting, no witnesses come forth, and the ammunition is untraceable, so the case is at a standstill. The two detectives in charge of the investigation aren’t having any luck, and John details his own theory of what happened that night: The shooters initially pursue the wrong VW Bug, unaware that John’s car is now painted green. When they discover their mistake, they pursue his car and shoot from the side rather than straight into the front windshield. John thinks the detectives are wasting time chasing false leads instead of pursuing the most obvious one: Meyer.