Chapter Ten: Micro and Macro

Summary

• After Detective Janus finished a call, the protagonist noticed a photo of their father's notebook placed in front of them and wondered if their brother Eugene had moved it.
• Pondering over past memories, the protagonist realizes a connection between disparate elements that led to an insight about the ‘happiness quotient’.
• The mother presented a scanned note from the father's green notebook, leading to a family discussion on defining happiness and the ethical dilemma of correcting the genetic condition of Angelman syndrome in their brother Eugene.
• The note contained musings on happiness, comparing normalcy and Angelman syndrome, and pondering whether they should intervene with Eugene’s condition without his consent.
• A significant part of the note discussed the differences in perceived happiness between the protagonist and their twin brother John, hinting at genetic influences.
• The protagonist felt slighted by the apparent lack of praise for them compared to John in their father's notes and began to suspect that Eugene might understand more about the situation than they had been led to believe.
• Mom denies that Eugene has begun any controversial medical treatment when asked by the protagonist, showing confusion at the suggestion.
• They were interrupted by Detective Janus, who brought up financial transactions and a mysterious phone number linked to their father around the time of his disappearance.
• A new character, Anjeli Rapari, is introduced through her frequent, intimate communications with the father and her connection to a suspicious $20,000 transfer.
• The protagonist is struck by fear and the possibility of their father having an affair, leading to an urge to seek comfort from their mother.
• Investigating the phone number, the police discovered a voicemail from Anjeli expressing discomfort with the secretive nature of her relationship with their father and an unspecified "plan."
• The family struggles with the revelation, and the protagonist grapples with conflicted feelings, imagining worse scenarios rather than facing the potential infidelity of their father.
• Emerging details imply the father's disappearance may have been voluntary, which contradicts the family's understanding of his character and prompts reflections on their father's past openness.
• The protagonist endures an internal battle over hoping for various outcomes of their father's fate, eventually feeling strong shame for even considering that his disappearance might be purposeful.
• A new lead arises from an ATM cash withdrawal, suggesting the father may still be alive, which brings relief to the protagonist despite previous thoughts.
• The protagonist’s thoughts then turn to the horrible sides of human nature and the lasting impact of shame, influenced by Harmonee, an elderly character previously mentioned.