Chapter Eleven: That Summer

Summary

• The Chapter "That Summer" reflects on an emotionally charged time for the narrator's family, involving Child Protective Services (CPS), the father's disappearance, and therapies for a nonverbal sibling, Eugene.
• A visit from CPS comes as a shock to the family, despite expecting it, due to the recent and rapid sequence of dramatic events, like the father's disappearance and the potential threats indicated by evidence such as a bags in a river and mysterious ATM withdrawals.
• The CPS appointment proceeds despite the unfolding family emergency, much to the family’s frustration, as they see the routine interview with the nonverbal Eugene as futile and prefer the focus to be on urgent matters.
• Mom insists on staying with Eugene during the CPS interview, defying Detective Janus's request for privacy based on Virginia law, showcasing her authoritative and protective manner reminiscent of her earlier career as an interpreter.
• The siblings, John and the narrator, are dismissed and attempt to eavesdrop on the interview by finding a hidden nanny cam installed by their father, providing video and audio feed of what's happening outside.
• A speech pathologist, believed to be inexperienced, interviews Eugene about communication methods, which triggers alarm for the siblings and their mother, due to past negative experiences with similar therapies.
• The chapter reveals a significant past period called "That Summer," when the family nearly fell apart due to the parents’ marital issues, brought on by their all-consuming focus on Eugene's communication struggles.
• Mom has always been especially driven to help Eugene communicate, driven by love, achievement mindset, and feelings of guilt over his condition.
• The hiring of a questionable augmentative and alternative communication therapist, TFT, described here as "The Facilitator-Therapist," led to temporary hope and happiness in the family due to apparent progress with Eugene, but sparked fear and skepticism in the narrator.
• The father conducts a test to verify the authenticity of TFT's techniques which reveals that Eugene was not independently communicating, but TFT was manipulating outcomes, leading to a confrontation and TFT’s dismissal.
• After the incident with TFT, the family's emotions turn towards the father, whose tactical exposure of the therapy as a sham causes dismay, with Mom being especially hurt by the perceived betrayal.
• The chapter concludes with a deep rift in the family and a reflection on the significant emotional impact of these events, particularly on Mom's state of mind.