58 pages • 1-hour read
Vanishing Acts
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Parts 8-10Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 8, Pages 413-459 Summary: “Delia”
Delia returns home to find Eric already awake. They do not discuss where she was. The trial begins with Elise as the first witness. Her testimony gains some sympathy, but Eric clearly outlines instances of neglect in his interrogation. Elise offers Delia a mojo bag; Delia follows Elise’s instructions to help Andrew. The former detective in Delia’s case indicates that Andrew planned Delia’s kidnapping. The next witness, the man who sold Andrew the fake identity, adds to the prosecutor’s argument.
Exhausted, Delia falls asleep when she and Sophie return to the trailer. When she wakes, Sophie is gone. Despite the police’s instructions to stay put, Delia takes Greta to find Sophie. They find Sophie shortly after Eric and the police do, getting ice cream with Victor. They left a note before leaving, but Delia did not see it.
The next day, Delia takes the strand. The prosecutor asks several questions about Delia’s relationship with Sophie and some of Delia’s memories of her mother return. The prosecutor asks Delia about her work, forcing Delia to admit that she sometimes returns people even when she knows she should not. Under Eric’s interrogation, Delia explains that they remain unmarried because of Eric’s struggles with alcohol addiction and how it has affected their relationship.
Part 8, Pages 460-473 Summary: “Andrew”
Andrew’s narrative alternates between memories of Delia and the present courtroom. Character witnesses vouch for Andrew. The preschool teacher relates the signs of neglect Delia displayed. The prosecutor points out that the teacher never reported Elise despite this neglect, indicating that the teacher did not feel Delia was in danger. Elise comes to the jail, and they speak briefly. Andrew forgives Elise, while Elise tells Andrew that Delia is perfect.
Andrew takes the witness stand and shares his reasoning for the kidnapping. At the time, courts almost always gave custody to mothers, and Andrew had a prior conviction on his record. Andrew states that he was concerned for Delia’s safety and would have taken the same actions if given the opportunity.
Part 9, Pages 475-488 Summary: “Eric”
The prosecutor cross-examines Andrew, repeatedly calling him a liar and indicating that he has a history of short-temperedness leading to violence. She uses Andrew’s assault of Victor Vasquez to prove her point. Andrew explodes that Victor abused his daughter, so he attacked him. Andrew describes the sexual assault he witnessed, but when Delia returns to the stand, she remembers nothing. To save Andrew, Eric points out that she does not remember the kidnapping, either. The prosecutor goes into labor, sending the court into recess.
Eric meets Andrew, and they discuss the case. When Eric returns to the trailer, Delia is distraught—in part because she cannot recall her past but also because Sophie was alone with Victor. Later, Delia catches Eric drinking outside and leaves with Sophie.
Part 9, Pages 489-493 Summary: “Fitz”
Delia takes Sophie and Greta to Fitz’s hotel room. Fitz calms Delia, reminding her that her lack of memory may be a blessing. Fitz admits that he knew Eric was drinking but did not tell Delia because he loves her. The two have sex and fall asleep together.
Part 9, Pages 494-501 Summary: “Delia”
Delia remembers competitive Scrabble games with Eric and Fitz growing up, one where Fitz referred to Eric and Fitz as “fungible.” Delia wonders if her engagement to Eric or her relationship with Fitz is a mistake. Elise meets Delia and swears that Victor never abused her. Delia realizes The Vagaries of Memory, that “everyone is a liar […] recollections are in the eye of the beholder, no two held side by side will ever quite match” (497). Victor meets Delia on the way out to state that he did not abuse her. Delia remembers planting the lemon tree with Victor, his lifting her onto his shoulders and holding onto her thighs. She returns to the trailer to find Eric drunk. Delia tells him she remembers.
Part 10, Pages 503-511 Summary: “Eric”
The trial continues. Delia’s memories include the lemon tree, blue fish patterned boxers, Victor lifting Delia’s nightgown and rubbing her back, and Victor telling Delia to remove her underwear and touch herself. The prosecution’s expert witness examines these memories and explains that they may not be accurate. However, her testimony is inconclusive. The judge rules that Delia’s memories cannot be included in the trial. Eric leaves disheartened.
Part 10, Pages 512-516 Summary: “Andrew”
The lawyers make their closing arguments; Eric claims that Andrew was justified in kidnapping Delia, and the prosecutor claims that Andrew is guilty of a crime and should face punishment. The jury finds Andrew not guilty.
Part 10, Pages 517-519 Summary: “Fitz”
Fitz and Delia celebrate Andrew’s acquittal by kissing, only to be caught by Eric. Eric and Fitz reach an understanding: Fitz will care for Delia, and Eric will get sober for good. They remain friends.
Part 10, Pages 520-526 Summary: “Delia”
Delia and Elise talk on the way out of the courtroom. Elise tells Delia that she can stay with her and Victor anytime. Delia lashes out at Elise’s refusal to acknowledge the abuse. They give each other a sorrowful goodbye.
Eric decides to stay in Arizona but hopes that Delia will return to him. They part amicably. Delia picks up Andrew from jail, and he reveals that he suspected, but was never sure of, the sexual abuse. Delia does not share that her memories validate his suspicions. Instead, Andrew states he took Delia because she did not want to go home. Delia asks Andrew, “where would you go, if you could go anywhere?” and they head home to Sophie (526).
Parts 8-10 Analysis
The end of the story is full of ambiguity. First, Andrew is never entirely sure that Victor sexually assaulted Delia. He had suspicions but no hard evidence: “I didn’t have any proof, just […] a feeling” (524). Andrew assumes that he has forced Delia to spend “a week being someone [she wasn’t]” (525). In a significant role reversal, Delia does not share her memories of the abuse. For years, Andrew hid information from Delia to protect her. Now, Delia hides information from Andrew. Whether she does this to protect him or because she is unsure of her memories is uncertain.
When Delia recalls the sexual assault, the court must rule whether her memories are admissible. “It’s impossible to tell whether she’s actually remembering these things or if she only wants to remember them,” the expert witness argues (505). The judge agrees that “the evidence is not reliable enough to justify inclusion” (510). Despite Delia’s memories being legally unreliable, they still haunt her. The memories form a new wall between Delia and Elise, who refuses to believe Delia. Though Delia seems to believe these memories, she has no desire to press charges against Victor. All these conflicting actions make it unclear whether Delia’s memories of the assault are genuine or, as the expert witness claims, a reconstruction created by her mind.
It is further unclear whether Eric will recover from his alcohol addiction. Though he promises Fitz he will; Eric has promised to be in recovery before. Likewise, Eric previously claimed that the underlying cause for his alcohol addiction was his love for Delia and his uncertainty in their relationship. If Eric struggled when the distance between them was only about 200 miles, he will likely struggle again when that distance is more than 2,500 miles. Eric’s drinking often seems to stem from conflicts with Delia, yet, at this point, their wedding is off, and Delia is starting a relationship with Fitz.
Furthermore, Eric will be removed from his daughter and established support network. While these changes may help him overcome his alcohol addiction, they could also push him into a downward spiral. Eric’s future is questionable at the end of Vanishing Acts.
Delia’s relationship status is also ambiguous. It appears she is dating Fitz. However, her parting with Eric is very unclear. Delia admits that she loves Eric but can no longer deal with his baggage. She admits that she does not know what she wants. Eric states, “it’s not like I’m letting you go […] I’m just trusting you enough to come back” (523). When Eric leaves, “he is all [Delia] sees for a moment” (523). Eric, not Fitz, is the last one Delia sees before she leaves the jail. Moreover, because of Sophie, Eric and Delia cannot cut contact with each other. Therefore, it is difficult to tell if Delia’s relationship with Fitz will be permanent or if she will eventually return to Eric.
Fitz and Delia solidify their relationship mainly because Fitz is willing to discuss things with her. Delia is terrified by her memory and unsure how much she has forgotten. Fitz tells Delia that, regardless of what happened to her and what she remembers, “none of it changes anything […] you’re still the same person you were before he said it” (489). Fitz states, “remembering misery is not all it’s cracked up to be” (490). When Delia replies that her memory gaps make it hard to know what to trust, Fitz is honest and admits knowledge of Eric’s drinking. Hurt, Delia asks why Fitz didn’t tell her, and he replies, “Why don’t any of us tell you anything […] we love you” (491). Fitz summarizes Delia’s central conflict in the story in a few short words. The people around her love her and use that love as an excuse for hiding things and lying to her. These lies and omissions, ostensibly done to protect Delia, ultimately shake her trust in those around her and in herself. Further complicating matters, Delia cannot even trust herself, as her mind has repressed several years’ worth of memories and many of her memories center around lies. Whether Delia will heal from this and learn to trust others again is questionable, but there is enough evidence to show that Delia is moving in a positive direction.
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