All Fours
Chapter 10
by July;, MirandaThe chapter opens with the narrator traveling from Pennsylvania to Indiana, reflecting on her journey while anticipating a day with Davey, her lover. They drive into the hills, a secluded spot they hadn’t visited since before an earlier encounter referred to as “the Buccaneer.” The setting is idyllic—a sunlit field dotted with tiny flowers—but the ground is uncomfortably prickly, prompting Davey to fetch makeshift bedding. As he returns, the narrator stretches toward the sky, and they share a moment of silent observation, struck by the novelty of seeing each other from a distance. The scene is intimate, charged with unspoken tension and the hum of bees in the warm, green-smelling air.
Lying side by side on a patchwork of jackets and towels, Davey breaks the silence by bringing up a past event involving Claire, his partner. He reveals that Claire had documented the narrator’s actions in a room, interpreting them as a gesture of care toward him and Claire. The narrator is surprised by this perspective, as her actions had felt impulsive at the time. Davey’s admiration for her generosity—particularly a financial contribution—leads him to call her “a good person,” a label she finds absurd yet momentarily comforting. Their conversation dances around unspoken feelings, with Davey hinting at the narrator’s intentions while she deflects with humor and curiosity.
The mood shifts when Davey discloses that he and Claire are saving for a house and a baby, news that unsettles the narrator. She reacts with forced congratulations, masking her jealousy and sense of displacement. Davey’s life, anchored by tangible plans and commitments, contrasts sharply with her own vague, transient existence. The narrator’s internal monologue reveals her bitterness, imagining Claire’s future pregnancy as uncomplicated, unlike her own traumatic experience. Overwhelmed, she abruptly stands to leave, her emotions spiraling as Davey confesses his strong feelings for her but acknowledges the boundaries he must maintain for Claire’s sake.
In a climactic moment, the narrator impulsively declares her love for Davey, breaking the unspoken rules of their affair. The words hang heavily between them, transforming their dynamic from playful to painfully real. Davey confronts her with the impossibility of their situation, asking if she would leave her husband for him. Her stunned silence serves as answer enough, highlighting the futility of their connection. The chapter ends with a poignant realization: their relationship exists in a liminal space, unable to bridge the gap between fantasy and reality.
FAQs
1. How does the setting of the hillside field contribute to the emotional tension between the narrator and Davey?
Answer:
The secluded hillside field serves as both a romantic and emotionally charged space that amplifies the characters’ unspoken feelings. The natural elements - dappled sunlight, tiny flowers, and buzzing bees - create an intimate atmosphere that contrasts with their complicated relationship (page 117). The physical distance when Davey pauses to look at the narrator from afar mirrors their emotional distance and unexpressed feelings. The uncomfortable ground (“pokier than it looked”) parallels the uncomfortable truths they eventually discuss about Davey’s plans with Claire (page 119). This setting allows their guarded emotions to surface in ways they couldn’t in more constrained environments.2. What does the $20,000 expenditure reveal about the narrator’s motivations and Davey’s misinterpretation of them?
Answer:
The $20,000 initially appears as a selfless gesture to support Claire’s career, which Davey interprets as romantic reassurance about their relationship (page 118). However, the narrator’s reaction (“What a preposterous theory”) suggests her motivations were more complex and possibly self-serving (page 118). This misunderstanding highlights their different perspectives - Davey sees it as commitment, while the narrator seems to view it as an impulsive act. The money becomes symbolic of their misaligned expectations, with Davey believing it cemented their bond while the narrator may have seen it as a temporary indulgence.3. Analyze how the revelation about Davey and Claire’s plans for a house and baby changes the emotional dynamic between the characters.
Answer:
This revelation acts as a turning point that shatters the narrator’s fantasy about their relationship (page 119). Where previously there was playful tension, now there’s painful reality - Davey’s life plans with Claire make their affair unsustainable. The narrator’s abrupt physical reaction (standing up, tramping away) contrasts with her earlier relaxed posture, showing emotional distress. Her bitter thoughts about childbirth (“the baby wouldn’t bleed out inside of her”) reveal unresolved trauma that this situation triggers. Davey’s visible misery (page 119) shows he recognizes this moment has fundamentally changed their connection from carefree to complicated.4. How does the exchange of “I love you” statements demonstrate the fundamental incompatibility between these characters?
Answer:
Their declarations highlight opposing approaches to love and commitment (page 120). The narrator freely expresses love as an abundant emotion (“wasn’t something I needed to save”), while Davey treats it as a finite resource (“need to save some things for Claire”). His statement about her not leaving her husband underscores their different life stages - he’s building a future while she’s entrenched in an existing marriage. The metaphor of a ghost (“you’re see-through”) brutally conveys how impractical she finds the idea of a real future with Davey, despite their strong feelings.5. What does Davey’s comment about the Buccaneer room reveal about how men and women might interpret the same situation differently?
Answer:
Davey’s interpretation of the narrator’s extravagant room redesign as romantic preparation for their future (“getting our home ready”) contrasts sharply with her view of it as “brainless mania” (page 118). This shows gendered differences in reading emotional signals - he sees domestic effort as relationship investment, while she views it as impulsive self-expression. His embarrassment about this interpretation reveals traditional masculine expectations, while her self-conscious reaction (“Batty”) shows awareness of societal judgments about women’s behavior. Their exchange demonstrates how the same actions can carry profoundly different meanings based on gender perspectives.
Quotes
1. “It seemed like maybe you were getting ready for me. Getting our home ready.”
This quote captures Davey’s misinterpretation of the protagonist’s actions as romantic gestures, revealing how their perspectives on the relationship diverge. It highlights the tension between his hopeful projection and her more chaotic motivations.
2. “That we could hang out without me having to worry you were going to fuck me over. You’re a good person. I needed to know that.”
Davey’s statement exposes his fundamental need for emotional security, while ironically underscoring the protagonist’s self-awareness of her moral ambiguity. This moment crystallizes their contrasting views on morality and intention.
3. “His life was so pungent and real… whereas Davey had been thoroughly, perhaps overly, loved, and so Claire had stayed in focus.”
This introspective observation contrasts their life trajectories - his anchored in tangible plans and commitments, hers adrift in emotional ambiguity. It reveals the protagonist’s envy of his purposeful existence while acknowledging her own detachment.
4. “I love you,’ I yelled back. And then I said it a few more times. It wasn’t something I needed to save for one person.”
This explosive declaration marks the emotional climax of the chapter, laying bare the protagonist’s reckless emotional availability versus Davey’s guarded commitment. The repetition emphasizes her willingness to spend emotional currency others hoard.
5. “You love me but you wouldn’t leave your husband for me.”
Davey’s painful realization cuts to the core of their impossible situation, exposing the boundaries of their connection. This moment transforms their dynamic from playful affair to sobering reality check about the limits of their love.