Chapter Sixteen: The Needs of the Two

Summary

• Eugene's destructive outburst happens on the twins' 13th birthday, which is on Friday the 13th.
• Birthdays are significant in their family, and this year was expected to be particularly special with the twins becoming teenagers.
• Eugene’s diagnosis has made the family more focused on showing the siblings they matter. The twins had high expectations for their birthday.
• Eugene begins having nightly outbursts of wailing and jumping a month before their birthday.
• Eugene's outbursts disturb the entire household, leading to a recommendation for institutional care from a neuropsychologist.
• The financial and emotional strain on the family affects the parents’ ability to plan and afford birthday festivities or summer camps for the twins.
• Overhearing their parents' conversation, the twins vent about the upcoming 'shitty' birthday and summer, realizing they can't express their dismay.
• They decide to tell their parents they don't want a party or summer camp but want unlimited computer time as a present instead, triggering mixed feelings in themselves.
• The parents agree to the twins' request, leaving the twins conflicted about their own maturity and expectations.
• On the morning of their birthday, the parents surprise the twins with homemade half-and-half cakes for school friends and family dinner.
• Eugene destroys the cakes, prompting the narrator to wonder if Eugene hates them as much as she is beginning to hate him.
• The narrator lets herself feel these intense, negative emotions towards Eugene for the first time without restraint during the cake incident.
• In a confrontation, the narrator ends up eating part of the cake and gets physically hurt by Eugene.
• Eugene’s actions are a result of him not wanting the narrators to eat the cake which hurts him due to his undiagnosed ulcerative colitis.
• A week later, the siblings give their parents silent treatment in response to their birthday incident.
• The twins are summoned from school to the hospital where Eugene has undergone surgery for his condition, explaining his night wailing and sensitivity to cake.
• The mother, who is deeply involved in Star Trek and languages, used to play a logic-chain game with the twins for problem-solving.
• The twins employ this game now to understand Eugene's destructive behavior was to protect them, realizing his love for them.
• The narrator feels guilt for their own hateful thoughts and actions, feeling the weight of being the instigator.
• The mother from the beginning had doubts and guilt over her parenting and handling of the situation.
• The mother took Eugene to the institution that morning, leading to the discovery of his medical condition.
• The narrator struggles with the idea that their resentment had an accidentally positive outcome.
• The mother admits her failings, and an emotional reconciliation happens between her and the twins.
• The chapter ends on a complex note of forgiveness and understanding between the family members.