The Wish

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

When Maggie gets home from her date, she can tell her aunt knows that something more happened between her and Bryce. However, she does not tell her about it, and Linda doesn’t ask. That night in bed, Maggie is overwhelmed by feelings of insecurity, as she begins to doubt whether Bryce can like someone as “ordinary” as she is. She barely sleeps, instead laying with Maggie-bear for most of the night.

Over the next few weeks, things continue like normal for Bryce and Maggie. They kiss a lot but also continue to work on Maggie’s schoolwork and practice photography. Through it all, Maggie feels as though her “life was as perfect as it could ever be” (288).

Maggie has an appointment with her OB-GYN as she enters the third trimester. During the ultrasound, Maggie avoids looking at the monitor as she tries not to become too attached to the child. The doctor allows Gwen to monitor Maggie throughout her last few weeks so she doesn’t have to take the long trip to the office.

Maggie begins to feel a distance growing between her and Linda, as they both avoid talking about Bryce.