The Children Act

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness and death by suicide.

A week later, Fiona leaves Leadman Hall and returns to London. Her mind drifts to her and Adam’s kiss on the way home, as it has throughout the week. Sometimes she remembers it as only a moment, while other times she extends it in her mind. She feels ashamed, realizing that anyone could have walked in on them and discovered her indiscretion. To dismiss the thoughts, she calls Jack and suggests that they go out for dinner. The plans lift her spirits.

Fiona and Jack go out together but stick to “the safer topics” throughout their meal (183). Finally, Jack starts talking about his work. Fiona’s mind drifts, and she realizes that it’s time to go home. Over the following weeks, Fiona and Jack’s conflict dissipates, and they start spending more time together. 

Meanwhile, Fiona prepares for her upcoming Christmas Revels. She and Mark always perform in the holiday concert, and Fiona makes time to practice her piano pieces.

One day, Fiona receives a poem from Adam in the mail. It doesn’t have a letter attached, and she waits two days to open it. The poem is a ballad about Adam’s recent near-death and religious experiences. It references Fiona, likening her to a fish who saves his life, and incorporates Christian imagery. However, it ends ambiguously, with Fiona becoming Satan. Fiona tries to make out Adam’s cryptic scribbles at the bottom of the page but ultimately puts the letter away. She comforts herself that Adam will go to college, grow up, and forget her.

Fiona and Mark get together to practice for the concert in a basement room under his chambers. Fiona tries to focus on their songs, but Mark wants to tell her about a case he’s been working on. Four boys were arrested for fighting outside of a pub, but only one of the boys, Wayne Gallagher, was held legally responsible. Mark reviewed his record and the surveillance video of the incident. He didn’t think Wayne was to blame and was, rather, the victim of a larger class conflict. In short, Mark tells Fiona that the boys shouldn’t have been detained at all because they were four consenting adults in an innocuous conflict. Fiona finally steers Mark back to their practice, and they “forg[e]t about the law” for 45 minutes (198).

The day of the concert arrives, and Fiona gets ready for the performance upstairs. She hears Jack put on a Keith Jarrett record in the sitting room below. It’s one they used to enjoy at the start of their relationship. She remembers their early days together and Jack introducing her to jazz. 

She finishes getting ready and joins Jack downstairs. He’s arranged a charcuterie board and poured some champagne. They have a glass while discussing their relationship. Jack suggests that they try to repair their dynamic before it’s too late. They agree to start enjoying life together again, and then they drink and kiss. After the kiss, they get ready to leave, promising to spend the evening together.

Fiona and Jack report to the Great Hall. Fiona greets her friends before joining Mark and going on stage. At the piano, she worries that she’s drunk too much but dismisses the thought. She plays well. Throughout the performance, her mind drifts between thoughts. At the end of each song, the audience bursts into applause. However, when they play the final song, “Down by the Salley Gardens,” Fiona has the sense that something terrible is about to happen. The feeling only grows when she finishes to a standing ovation.

After the concert, Fiona races out of the hall without greeting anyone. She walks home in the rain, thinking about Marina. As soon as she gets home, she calls Marina, who confirms that Adam died four weeks earlier. Fiona hangs up and stands still, unable to move. She wishes someone had called her but then remembers the poem. She pulls it out again and studies the lines for clues. She deciphers the final lines, which suggest that Adam returned to his parents and their faith, believing he needed to die by suicide to repay God for betraying him.

Jack returns home and wants to renew their dynamic from earlier in the evening. Fiona can’t channel that energy or the energy from the concert. Finally, she tells Jack about Adam, even admitting their kiss. He helps her dry off and get into bed. 

She drifts off to sleep and wakes up with Jack lying next to her and watching her. She tells him what happened to Adam the month prior: His leukemia returned, he refused the next transfusion, and he died. She believes it was death by suicide. She asks Jack if he’ll still love her after hearing the entire story about Adam. He promises he will, and she launches into a full account.