As S. and the girl discuss the painting, Osfour interrupts to ask about the pressing details. He asks for Abdim. The girl says he went to get a package for S. As she talks, S. studies her. He notes a cliché observation that older men have about younger girls; that she will be beautiful in a few years and he needs to protect her so that she can enjoy that beauty later. Then he wonders what he good he could really do for her. He talks about her as if she were a work of art. She tells him the painting was painted by another fictional artist (in Jen and Eric’s world and in reality) and it painted done on the balcony, a few feet from where they’re standing.

Jen presses Eric for more details about FXC. She asks if she knew “who Signe was.” Eric says not, it’s possible she didn’t want to know.

Ilsa confronts Jen about her relationship with Eric.

Isla stopped Jen and asked if she knew Eric. She lied, but Isla studied her face, implying she knew already, or at best suspects it. It’s unclear why they are so paranoid about her finding out about their relationship.

Jen points to the made up artists name and writes “19?” The number 19 appears throughout the book. Is this a reference to page 19? This is one big mystery of S.