We Deserve Monuments

Avery spends the day with Jade to avoid the tension between Zora and Letty and her own “building resentment” at having her questions continually disregarded. Jade takes Avery to her house, despite her discomfort with the signs of her family’s intense political conservatism. They discuss Letty’s abrupt departure from the spa day, which leads them to Avery’s frustration with her mother and Jade’s stance on the rumors her father killed Amelia. She says she doesn’t “really” believe he did this, but “wouldn’t be surprised if it were true,” which she considers “sad enough” (182). She laments that she’ll never know the truth.

Jade suggests that perhaps the longstanding resentment between Zora and Letty indicates that their past fights were over something serious, not small. She argues that death can create a “cycle of trauma [that] so many people never escape” (184).

Tallulah arrives, annoyed that the girls are relaxing and not ready for dinner. She insists Avery join her for dinner with the extended Oliver family. Tallulah comments that she has placed Letty, who used to work at the pharmacy, implying that she got Letty fired after Tallulah complained about her attitude when Letty wouldn’t let a pregnant Tallulah take a soda without paying, though Tallulah insists she promised to pay later. Tallulah implies she “healed” Letty by praying away her meanness, which angers Avery. Jade offers to take Avery home, but Avery declines.

When Tallulah continues to complain about Letty’s “reputation,” Avery invokes the rumors that Tallulah conspired with Lucas to have Amelia killed. Jade hastily takes Avery home, while Avery reels, shocked at her own actions. As Avery apologizes, Jade bursts into laughter. Avery joins in.

Before being turned into a boutique, the building across from the Draper was a pharmacy, which operated in Bardell for 60 years. Locals remembered it as “the site of the Letty Harding and Tallulah Oliver Dollar Debacle” (195). The story of Letty berating Tallulah grew more outlandish with each retelling, until the real source of Letty’s frustration, Tallulah’s entitlement, became erased from the story.

When Avery returns home, she is grounded for two weeks for her rudeness to Zora. Sam tries to understand her frustration, remaining levelheaded when Avery accuses him of spending too much time in DC. He asserts that families must love and support one another “even when things aren’t working out exactly like [they] planned” and that “families are messy” (199). He embraces Avery as she cries.

When Simone approaches, Sam lets Avery see her, despite her grounding. Simone laughs about “the Oliver family showdown” and confesses her confusion about how to manage her sexuality in a family and community that will treat her with intolerance if she comes out (200). When Simone asserts Carole’s strong anti-gay bias, Avery thinks back to seeing Carole and Zora leaning against one another.

The two girls laugh about how Simone recognized Avery as being gay (though Avery later clarifies she identifies as pansexual) due to Avery’s obvious crush and confesses that she, too, wants to kiss Avery. They kiss, which Avery enjoys, until Simone abruptly pulls back, worried that someone saw them. Simone wants to kiss again but wishes to keep it a secret from Jade until she knows how to confide in her oldest friend.

Simone leaves, and Avery feels optimistic until she realizes that Mama Letty witnessed the kiss. Letty, however, is more upset that Avery went to the Oliver house, as one of the Oliver men helped kill Ray.

The next day, Avery is still shaken by the connection between the Olivers and her grandfather’s death. She blames her absent demeanor on stress about the upcoming SATs. Simone credits her distraction to the nearness of the anniversary of Shawn’s death. Zora retrieves Avery early from school, unexpectedly driving her to a remote place on the Bardell River, claiming she will give Avery “answers.”

They go to a restaurant called “The Renaissance,” which Avery immediately recognizes as “someplace special.” An elderly Black man named Mr. Arnie jubilantly greets Zora and praises Avery’s resemblance to Letty. Zora confides she often came here with Carole, which leads Avery to understand that Zora and Carole were romantically involved.

Arnie brings them food, and Zora cites him as a father figure. She explains that, though Letty is certain the Oliver men killed Ray, this is only suspicion, not proof. Though Zora agrees with Avery’s assertion that Letty’s “word is proof enough” (217), her ability to trust her mother is marred by years of witnessing Letty’s alcohol misuse and suffering verbal abuse from her. Young Zora struggled with feeling “unlovable,” something an adult Zora is still working through.

Zora explains her close relationship with Carole as a child and teenager. One of her longstanding fights with Letty is about Carole; when Zora was a teenager, she learned that Carole and Zora were in love, and forbade Zora from seeing Carole again. The memory still saddens Zora, though she professes her happiness with Sam and Avery. She asserts her love for her daughter, even when their family is struggling.

On the drive home, Avery confides that she kissed Simone. Zora warns Avery to be “careful” and that Bardell “is not DC” (223). When pressed, Zora claims she is “still…figuring it out” but that she identifies as bisexual (223). The rest of the drive home, Zora answers Avery’s questions. Between queries, they sing together to the radio.

The Renaissance restaurant, known as Renny’s, has no online presence, meaning it became “invitation only,” due to its remote location. Zora and Carole discovered Renny's when they were 16. Arnie, who noted Zora’s resemblance to Raymond, “made an immediate, silent vow to never let anything bad happen to these girls, not if he could help it” (226). The girls became regulars who danced to live music on Saturday nights, while they indulged in wild dreams of being “the first Black girl astronauts” (227). Renny’s remains, over the years, a quiet haven for Black LGTBQ+ people.

Avery feels her newfound closeness with Zora is counterbalanced by her distance from Letty. She feels anxious about keeping secrets from Jade, both about kissing Simone and about the Olivers’ connection to Ray’s death. She hesitates to tell Simone about Carole and Zora, as well. Simone worries that Jade will react negatively to Simone coming out.

Zora ends Avery’s grounding early, put in a good mood by her and Sam’s wedding anniversary. They’ve planned a weekend away, and Avery is free to spend time with friends if she returns home to help Letty when Issac’s shift ends. Avery lies about completing her Georgetown application, which is due in a few days.

Jade, Simone, and Avery attend the Bardell County Fair dressed as pirates for Halloween. They drink tequila pilfered from the Olivers and eat different snacks. Avery buys a “corny but oddly beautiful” frame that says “Love Forever” for her parents’ anniversary (236).

They encounter Lucas and Tallulah; Lucas is dressed in his father’s sheriff’s uniform, leading Avery to think of Letty’s horror recalling how the sheriff killed Ray. Tallulah forbids Jade from spending time with Simone and Avery, but Jade rejects the order. The three girls escort Jade’s younger brothers through the haunted corn maze. While Jade chases the boys, Avery and Simone slip away and have covert sex. The boys catch them kissing, which they report to Jade while Avery and Simone, panicked, deny this. Jade, however, notes the evidence of Avery’s smudged lipstick.