Expiration Dates

Daphne and Jake have dinner with Hugo. Daphne is nervous since she and Hugo have not seen each other much since their discussion five months ago. They have not even done their traditional Sunday trip to the farmer’s market. Instead, Daphne has been going with Jake.

They meet for dinner at the restaurant inside the Hotel Bel-Air, run by Wolfgang Puck. Hugo dashes in late, and the moment Daphne sees him, she realizes how much she has missed him. He is, however, behaving oddly, “moving around like a caged bird” and unable to make eye contact with Daphne (160). He brags about how often he comes to the pricey restaurant and shows off how long and well he has known Daphne. Daphne is angry with his posturing and possessiveness, but Jake remains diplomatic.

Daphne thinks about the fact that she has not yet given Jake an answer about moving in with him. Furthermore, she has not yet told him that she loves him, though Jake has said it to her. She has not said it to anyone since Tae, not even Hugo. Part of what holds her back is her illness and the fear that she could die and leave someone behind to grieve her.