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I wonder, though, if you woulda couple questions I have about what happens after the end of the novel I understand the book ends because Anna dies or beco it, but I would really like to knohat happens to Anna’s mom--whether she married the Dutch Tulip Man, whether she ever has another child, and whether she stays at 917 W Temple, etc Also, is the Dutch Tulip Man a fraud or does he really love them? What happens to Anna’s friends--particularly Claire and Jake? Do they stay together? And lastly--I realize that this is the kind of deep and thoughtful question you always hoped your readers would ask--what becomes of Sisyphus the Hamster? These questions have haunted et answers to them

I know these are not important literary questions and that your book is full of important literary questions, but I would just really like to know

And of course, if you ever do decide to write anything else, even if you don’t want to publish it, I’d love to read it Frankly, I’d read your grocery lists

Yours with great ade 16)

After I sent it, I called Augustus back, and we stayed up late talking about An Imperial Affliction, and I read him the Emily Dickinson poem that Van Houten had used for the title, and he said I had a good voice for reading and didn’t pause too long for the line breaks, and then he told ins with a quote from a poem It took him a minute to find the book, but finally he read the quote to ood kiss / You had was years ago’"

"Not bad," I said "Bit pretentious I believe Max Mayhem would refer to that as ‘sissy shit’"

"Yes, with his teeth gritted, no doubt God, Mayhe to get TMJ, if he survives all this combat" And then after a second, Gus asked, "When was the last good kiss you had?"

I thought about it My kissing--all prediagnosis--had been uncomfortable and slobbery, and on sorown But of course it had been a while "Years ago," I said finally "You?"

"I had a few good kisses with o?"

"The last one was just less than a year ago"

"What happened?"

"During the kiss?"

"No, with you and Caroline"

"Oh," he said And then after a second, "Caroline is no longer suffering from personhood"

"Oh," I said

"Yeah," he said

"I’m sorry," I said I’d known plenty of dead people, of course But I’d never dated one I couldn’t even iine it, really

"Not your fault, Hazel Grace We’re all just side effects, right?"

"‘Barnacles on the container ship of consciousness,’" I said, quoting AIA

"Okay," he said "I gotta go to sleep It’s alled and said, "Okay" And then the line was quiet but not dead I almost felt like he was there in my room with me, but in a way it was better, like I was not in ether in some invisible and tenuous third space that could only be visited on the phone

"Okay," he said after forever "Maybe okay will be our always"

"Okay," I said

It was Augustus who finally hung up

Peter Van Houten replied to Augustus’s email four hours after he sent it, but two days later, Van Houten still hadn’t replied to ustus assured me it was because htful response, that Van Houten was busy writing answers to my questions, and that brilliant prose took ti Austus:

Isaac out of surgery It ell He’s officially NEC

NEC meant "no evidence of cancer" A second text came a few seconds later

I mean, he’s blind So that’s unfortunate

That afternoon, Mom consented to loan me the car so I could drive down to Memorial to check in on Isaac

I found h the door was open, and a wo soes on Isaac’s eyes "Hey, Isaac," I said

And he said, "Mon?"

"Oh, no Sorry No, it’s, uht-of-the-broken-trophies Hazel?"

"Oh," he said "Yeah, people keep saying my other senses will improve to compensate, but CLEARLY NOT YET Hi, Support Group Hazel Come over here so I can examine your face with hted person ever could"

"He’s kidding," the nurse said

"Yes," I said "I realize"

I took a few steps toward the bed I pulled a chair up and sat down, took his hand "Hey," I said

"Hey," he said back Then nothing for a while

"How you feeling?" I asked

"Okay," he said "I don’t know"

"You don’t knohat?" I asked I looked at his hand because I didn’t want to look at his face blindfolded by bandages Isaac bit his nails, and I could see some blood on the corners of a couple of his cuticles

"She hasn’t even visited," he said "I ether fourteentio of ive yourself a wave of narcotics

The nurse, having finished the bandage change, stepped back "It’s only been a day, Isaac," she said, vaguely condescending "You’ve gotta give yourself ti, not in the sche started, buddy You’ll see"

The nurse left "Is she gone?"

I nodded, then realized he couldn’t see me nod "Yeah," I said

"I’ll see? Really? Did she seriously say that?"

"Qualities of a Good Nurse: Go," I said

"1 Doesn’t pun on your disability," Isaac said

"2 Gets blood on the first try," I said

"Seriously, that is huge Iar voice"

"How are you doing, sweetie?" I asked, cloying "I’ht be a little ouchie"