The House in the Pines

In the present, Maya feels frazzled after learning about Cristina’s key tattoo. Maya forgot about Frank’s key, but now memories stir in her mind. She remembers when Frank showed her the key at Balance Rock. Maya drinks tea to soothe her nerves, though she craves alcohol. She also thinks about the note from Ruby on Frank’s CD, wondering what secrets Ruby might know.

In the past, Maya frets over whether Frank has a girlfriend. Maya is losing her excitement for college in the fall, even though Frank might not be into her romantically.

Maya is on her way to Aubrey‘s house for a sleepover when Frank unexpectedly shows up. Maya invites him in and tells him that she has romantic feelings for him. Frank reciprocates and they kiss. Frank tries to convince Maya to reschedule with Aubrey, but Maya is adamant about keeping her plans with Aubrey and not being late.

Before leaving, Frank invites Maya to his cabin the next day—he’s finished building and wants Maya to be the first to see it. Frank tells Maya about his inspiration: One day when he was ten, Frank got lost in the woods behind his house. He looked around for someone to help him, but only found the ruins of a cabin. He stayed in the woods all night, hoping his parents would find him. As the night went on and no one came to save him, he tried picturing a warm cabin in his mind. This image gave him comfort through the night and helped him feel brave. The next day, he vowed he would one day build this cabin for himself on that very spot. Frank noticeably fiddles with the key while telling Maya this story.

Frank then drives Maya to Aubrey’s. Then, there is a gap in Maya’s memory. It seems later than it should be, but when Maya tries to check the time on her phone, when she realizes she forgot her phone and all her belongings at home. When they arrive at Aubrey’s, Maya considers introducing Frank to Aubrey, but decides against it.

In the present, Maya tries to find Ruby on social media. She finds several Facebook pages for women named Ruby living in Hood River, where Frank lived with his mother. Then, Maya finds an obituary for a young woman named Ruby who died in a fire at age 19, only two months before Frank moved to Pittsfield.

In the flashback, when Maya finally shows up at Aubrey’s, Aubrey is mad. It’s 11:42pm, making Maya three hours late. Aubrey disapproves of Frank, especially when Maya confesses that she might defer college for a year and stay in town for his sake. The next day, Aubrey comes to Maya’s house when she knows Frank is on his way to take Maya to his cabin. Aubrey is wearing a sexy red dress, which hurts Maya’s feelings.

When Frank arrives, Aubrey mentions the cabin, which takes Frank aback. Frank claims he can no longer take Maya to the cabin and needs to reschedule. He also invites Aubrey to see the cabin as well sometime. He offers Aubrey a ride home, and she accepts.

In the present, despite drinking gin and orange juice for hours, Maya feels lucid. Maya monitors her phone for a text from Dan, but he still hasn’t texted back.

Maya gets a text from Steven with a photo of the painting Cristina gave him before she died. The painting is of Frank’s cabin; it captures “Contentment. Well-being. The feeling of warmth on your face” (164). Maya sees a connection between the painting and her father’s story—both are trying to describe “the perfect home” (164). Since Aubrey’s death, Maya has avoided reading her father’s book, since it reminds her of that summer. Maya also has an odd sense that the book contains a hidden message, but she is afraid to unearth “the key to Frank’s secret. And the key went to a door inside her head” (165), a door behind which are her memory gaps from when she was with Frank. Maya searches her house for her father’s book, finally finding it in the basement. She sets to reading.

Maya researches “The Hymn of the Pearl,” the poem that inspired her father’s book. The hymn tells the story of a boy sent on a quest to Egypt to fetch a pearl from a dangerous serpent. However, once in Egypt, the boy loses his memory of his family and his quest. Maya quickly realizes that her father’s novel fleshes out this fable: He “carried the old story on like an heirloom bringing it into the present by slowing it down and coloring it in with moments from the life of a boy growing up in Guatemala City. He’d woven it in like a secret” (172). Maya now understands the manuscript better, delighted to discover its origins. She feels it may help her understand the bigger mystery of Frank’s role in Aubrey’s death.

In a flashback, Maya is anxious to know if Aubrey and Frank flirted on their drive back to Aubrey’s. This is the first time a boy has come between the two best friends. Maya heads to the library to confront Frank. On her way, she sees Aubrey and Frank together at Dunkin’ Donuts. When she demands to know what is going on, Frank explains that he recommended a book to Aubrey after finding they have a shared love of magic, leading to them having coffee. Aubrey stays silent and avoids eye contact with Maya, but when Frank leaves, Aubrey warns Maya: “I know how Frank made it sound just now—like I just so happened to drop by as he was leaving work. But he’s bullshitting you, Maya. He set it all up” (178). Though Aubrey is adamant Frank is trying to manipulate the girls, Maya is convinced Aubrey is trying to steal Frank away.