November Blues

Jericho decides to walk home after the practice, rather than wait for his dad to pick him up. When he hears music in the distance and realizes that the band is practicing, he heads straight to the field where they play. As Jericho listens to the music, he feels himself relax for the first time all day. He spots Olivia blowing her sousaphone; she plays her instrument so earnestly that it becomes clear that she loves what she is doing. Jericho knows that many people don’t realize how much effort it takes to play in a marching band: you must not only play the instrument well but also memorize every piece of music, hold the instrument, and move and breathe correctly. Olivia notices Jericho and waves at him, pointing to the area where the trumpet players stand, and where Jericho could have been standing. Jericho waves back but shakes his head. 

Jericho is about to leave when band practice is dismissed. Mr. Tambori comes up to him and asks about the football practice. He assures Jericho that there is still room for him in the band if he decides to come back. As Jericho leaves the field, he hears Olivia calling his name and hurrying in his direction. The two talk for a little bit about the upcoming game against Excelsior and Jericho realizes that Olivia is “the easiest girl to talk to that [he] knew” (138). When Olivia’s bus arrives, she gets on it. Jericho continues to walk home in the summer heat.

Although November usually likes being downtown, as she and her mother approach the building where their appointment with the attorney is supposed to take place, she is filled only with dread. When November looks at the tall office building, she wonders what kind of people work in those offices, and in response, her mother quotes Thoreau, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation” (141). November recognizes this quote from her American literature class and is surprised to see that something she learned at school can actually be applicable in real life. Mrs. Nelson assures her that she will need knowledge gained at school to make a real-life decision all the time, she is just too young to notice this now.

Before they reach the lawyer’s office, November, in desperation, asks her mother what she should tell him and the Prescotts. Mrs. Nelson only tells her to do “what’s right for the child” (143). Once they are both in the office, November is surprised to see how much better Josh’s parents look than when she saw them at the mall. November dislikes the “perfect-faced, perfume-smellin’” (145) lawyer, Mr. Grant, and his luxuriously decorated office. She has mixed feelings about how to proceed, but she listens to their proposal: the Prescotts want to adopt the baby and give November “a generous settlement check when the baby is born” (148) and cover all her college expenses during all four years of studying. 

For a moment, November is excited that she might be able to attend Cornell after all, but she is immediately overwhelmed with feelings of guilt for giving up her child. The Prescotts assure November that they will provide the baby with everything it needs. When November asks the lawyer what happens if she refuses to accept their proposal, he tells her that they will sue for custody on the basis that November is an “unfit mother” (149). Hearing these words, Mrs. Nelson stands up for November and tells the lawyer not to threaten her daughter. November is very hesitant about what she should do; she realizes that she is not ready to raise a child and that she wants to go to college, and that “the Prescotts need something to make them happy again” (151). 

November raises her head, looks at everyone at the table, and announces that she has made her decision. But before she tells everyone what she’s decided, she looks down at her belly with wonder and shouts that the baby just kicked for the very first time.

Mrs. Nelson rushes to her daughter’s side to feel the baby kick. Mrs. Nelson, who “had been trying so hard to stay neutral in this mess” (152), does not hide her joy and excitement. The lawyer wants them to come back to discussing the issue of adoption, and when November glances at the Prescotts, they both look “hopeful and expectant” (152). 

November stands up and tells the lawyer to give her all the paperwork and the DNA test that proves that Josh is the father of her child. She announces that she is not going to sign anything any time soon and that she will read the paperwork carefully, and then together with her mother they will get a lawyer and reread it. 

Mr. Grant hands her the papers and tells her that he will need them back within thirty days. November replies that he will receive them when she is done with them. She does not promise them that she will sign the papers, explaining that decisions like these cannot be made “in a minute, or an hour, or a day” (153), and that she needs time “to think, to pray, and to know what [she] should do” (153). 

When they walk out of the lawyer’s office, Mrs. Nelson proudly tells November that she did the right thing. They go to get lunch and celebrate because they feel like they “won a moral victory” (154). Over the lunch, they talk about the meeting and look at the paperwork. It includes a consent to adoption that states that November gives her consent to the legal adoption of her child by Josh’s parents and therefore waives all her rights to the custody of the child.

Mrs. Nelson once again asks November if she definitely doesn’t mind going to the doctor by herself. November assures her that she will be fine and that she won’t be alone: Dana and Jericho might go with her. Mrs. Nelson is surprised that Jericho is so involved, and November explains to her that he has been acting very “fatherly” (157), as if he is “responsible somehow” (157). November doesn’t mind that he is so interested in the baby and finds it refreshing, because “[b]oys are usually so clueless” (157). 

November is relieved to hear her mom’s car start up in the driveway. She makes herself a sandwich and sits down on a comfortable chair because her back is aching again. The phone rings: it’s Dana, and she tells November that she will be at her house in a few minutes to drive her to the hospital. When November hangs up, she gets another call, this time from Jericho. He asks November if she is still speaking to him because of what his aunt and uncle are trying to do to her and the baby. November assures him that he is not responsible for their actions, but Jericho thinks that he is responsible because he believes that Josh’s death is his fault. November tells Jericho to stop blaming himself for what happened because it was an accident. Changing the topic, November asks Jericho about football, and he tells her that it’s going very well. He asks November if she has made a decision about the custody yet, and she replies she hasn’t yet because she needs to be sure. November notices Dana’s car pulling into her driveway and tells Jericho that she has to go. Jericho asks again if it’s going to be okay if he comes to the doctor’s office with November, and she jokes that as tiny as he is, “who’s gonna notice?” (159).

Dr. Holland examines November and asks her if she is having any problems. November replies that she doesn't know how she is going to make it until fall. Dr. Holland suggests that November eats even more fruit and vegetables and takes a walk every day because her blood pressure is still high. 

Hoping to hear a piece of advice, November tells Dr. Holland about Josh’s parents wanting to adopt her baby. Dr. Holland tells her not to sign anything until she is sure. 

The doctor takes November into the ultrasound room. Dana and Jericho go there as well. Gradually, they see a vague figure emerge on the screen. November is awestricken as she sees “a tiny little head, and ears and legs” (164). For a moment, November forgets about her “pains and discomforts” (165). 

The doctor moves the monitoring device, trying to get a better picture, and shows what she sees to November. November says with wonder that it’s a girl. Jericho comments that “Josh would have been freaking out right about now [...], boastin’ about what a man he is” (165). His voice breaks as he says that he wishes Josh were here to see this. Abruptly, Jericho leaves the room.