Chapter 53

Summary

• In 1988, Celia, a character in the book, took the role of Lady Macbeth in a film adaptation. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards, rather than Best Actress, which had no other woman with a bigger part than her.
• The narrator immediately knew it was Celia who had made the decision to categorize herself as Best Supporting Actress due to her smartness.
• Celia ended up winning the award, with the narrator and her family watching from home in New York. The narrator chose to stay with her family instead of attending the awards due to personal reasons and insecurities about aging.
• The narrator felt her acting opportunities were drying up as roles suitable for her age bracket were reducing. She expressed her dissatisfaction with the Hollywood industry's treatment of aging actresses.
• Watching Celia receive her award, the narrator gets emotional and is urged by her current partner Harry to reconcile with Celia.
• Failing to gather the courage to call, the narrator decides to write a heartfelt letter to Celia congratulating her on the win and expressing her wish for Celia's happiness.
• Surprisingly, Celia responds to the letter, which sparks off a series of letters exchanged between the two, discussing their past, mistakes, regrets, and ultimately a desire to reconnect.
• However, when the narrator reveals her current partner Max is not like their previous mutual partners, Harry and Rex, Celia pulls back, unsure if she can handle a reunion in such circumstances.
• The chapter ends with the narrator desperate to reconnect, making numerous unreturned phone calls to Celia to plead for a meeting.