True Biz

On New Year’s Eve Day, Austin’s parents take Skylar to the audiologist for a checkup. When they return, Austin can tell from his mother’s demeanor that they are hiding something from him. At dinner, when his grandparents also notice that something is off, Austin’s parents reveal that they are considering getting a cochlear implant for Skylar. Austin and his grandparents are in disbelief, as they consider the implant an affront to deafness and a tool to keep Deaf people palatable to the hearing world. Austin’s father also reveals that River Valley is closing after the school year ends. Austin is so upset that he leaves. On his way out, he runs into Charlie, who came for the party, and leads her to the bus stop. On the bus, she tries to get him to talk about what happened. When she asks where they are going, he cannot give her an answer, because he does not know.

Mel and February attend the New Year’s party at the Workmans’ place. It is February’s first social event since her mother’s death. When she and Mel run into Wanda, she is pleased to see how well they get along. When she thinks Mel is not looking, February tries to signal Wanda to keep quiet about the school closure news. She later runs into Beth Workman and the school’s drama teacher, and February can tell that Beth knows about the closure, although she says nothing about it.

On the bus, Austin tells Charlie about his parents’ plan to implant Skylar. She tries to assure him that everything will be fine, especially as Skylar will be able to sign and go to River Valley. Austin nearly folds and tells her about the closure, but he manages to stop himself. Wanting a distraction, they decide to get drinks.

Charlie takes Austin to the Gas Can and introduces him to Slash and the band. Austin immediately senses a history between Charlie and Slash, which bothers him. They drink and smoke with the band, and Austin is relieved when he sees Slash with another girl.

After the show, the band enlists Austin and Charlie to help them flip a car on the side of the road, where they also set off firecrackers. Afterward, they run off, ducking into a bar for some beers. When Austin asks what the point of flipping the car was, Slash tells him it was part of a protest.

When Charlie gets home from her night out, her father asks what she was up to. Sensing it might have something to do with a boy, he reminds her to be responsible.

Back at school after the break, Charlie is walking with Austin when she sees her mother parked in front of the dorm. Austin wants to say hi, so Charlie reluctantly introduces them.

At the hospital for her checkup, Charlie discovers that her interpreter is Austin’s father. After she says that she suffers from dizziness and headaches, the doctor reveals that her implant was recalled because some people experience moisture leakage. Charlie’s mother wants it replaced, but Charlie is completely against the idea and infuriated that no one told her about the recall.

After the appointment, Charlie tells her mother that she will not undergo surgery again for an implant.

On the morning of the play, Charlie wakes up with double vision. She calls her father and tells him that her head is throbbing. He gets her out of her morning classes and reports that she will still be able to help with the play if she is in class by lunch.

After school, she prepares for the play. Everything is running smoothly, so Charlie goes out to greet her family during intermission. Her grandmother makes a comment about Austin and Charlie being romantically involved, which irks Charlie. She becomes even more irritated when her mother suggests it would be best that Charlie and Austin stay friends only. At this, Charlie bites back, offended by her mother’s judgment. Charlie starts to feel dizzy again and walks onstage, where she promptly faints.

Charlie’s mother pours her heart out to the hospital staff, trying to explain that she implanted Charlie and kept her in mainstream school only because she thought that was what was best for her. She tells them that she is not some sort of monster but just a mother who wanted the best for her child. She even mentions her own mother, who was very cold and distant toward her throughout her childhood.

Worried about Charlie, February offers to bring her parents something from the cafeteria while they wait in the hospital. She leaves home early the next morning for work feeling very anxious. Standing on campus and looking out across the quad, she feels safe, but that feeling is quickly overridden by panic when she remembers that the faculty summit is in three days.

Charlie wakes up in the hospital and finds herself surrounded by her family. They tell her that a short circuit in her implant essentially caused it to electrocute her. Due to the malfunction, her implant was removed. Her father comes into the room with Austin, who wants to make sure she is okay. Before he leaves, Austin kisses her on the lips in front of her family, which annoys Charlie’s mother. Charlie tells her she is upset about him only because he is Deaf.

February is in the shower when Mel comes in and reports that a realtor just arrived to take photos to list the house. February comes clean about the school’s closing, and Mel is in disbelief. Angry that February kept it from her, Mel leaves. February sends her a message apologizing and tells her that she will stay in Old Quarters so Mel can have some space until she is ready to talk.

The beginning of the chapter includes some information about Deaf President Now, a historic protest at Gallaudet University.

Charlie spends a few days at home recuperating after her release from the hospital. One week later, she returns for a checkup, and the doctor gives her aftercare advice and treatment. To Charlie’s horror, her mother inquires about possibly reimplanting her. Charlie is so angry that she gets up and leaves.

One bus ride later, Charlie is on Slash’s doorstep, hoping for distraction. Lem, who seems to be guarding the house, lets her in. Charlie can tell he is in the middle of something, so she leaves to go back to the hospital.

Back at the hospital, Charlie finds her mother on the phone, frantic. She scolds Charlie for disappearing, and Charlie yells back, telling her that she refuses to be reimplanted. She threatens to filibuster her mother until she is 18, when she will finally have control over her body.

When Charlie gets home, she tells her father she wants to go back to school immediately. He compromises and tells her they will go first thing the next morning. She goes upstairs and packs her backpack before running back out the door without her father noticing.

The beginning of the chapter includes a page from a book on revolution. The page is essentially a guide for readers who are interested in activist work.

February spends the night in Old Quarters. Swall delivered the closure news to the faculty the previous day, and she realizes it is only a matter of time before the news spreads to students. She hasn’t spoken to Mel in three days, which she finds frightening. She last saw Charlie five hours ago when she gave her a history lesson via video chat on the Deaf President Now protests. She recalls how enraptured Charlie was by the story of the protesters.

The beginning of the chapter includes a lesson on role shifting, a grammatical component of ASL.

Charlie sneaks into Austin’s room to see him. Austin asks Eliot to leave the room to give them some time alone, and Austin and Charlie have sex. Afterward, Charlie tells him that she is thinking of leaving town. She explains that her mother is forcing her to get reimplanted, even after the accident. Eliot returns and warns them that the RA is performing night checks, so Austin guides Charlie to the closet to hide. When she comes out, he tells her he will go with her if she leaves Colson. Austin tells her that River Valley is closing, which shocks both Charlie and Eliot. Wanting to fight back, Charlie hatches a plan to stage a protest like Deaf President Now; Austin and Eliot agree to join her.

This chapter focuses on Eliot. The summer before his junior year, he got into a car accident while driving with his parents. His mother survived the crash, but his father did not; Eliot feels extremely guilty because he was behind the wheel. After the death of her husband, Eliot’s mother turns to religion to help her through her grief, so she and Eliot begin attending church. Eliot becomes interested in a girl his age there, and one day she invites him into a closet to make out. While they are together, the girl hears something from the stage: Eliot is being summoned. Onstage, Eliot is laid on the floor by the reverend, who keeps him pinned to pour hot wax down his ear. Eliot screams for help, but no one comes for him.