The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B

They arrive at church, and Adam sends the group ahead so he can do his rituals. When he enters, he thinks, “It was like a coming home, only better. It was walking into a hug” (182). Adam notices Father Rick sitting in a pew. They all try to enter the labyrinth at the same time and start arguing. Adam tells them to stop, that you’re supposed to enter in the spirit of contemplation and be respectful. This time they all enter in silence; when they’re done, they say how much they enjoyed it.

Father Rick comes over to talk to Adam and says he hopes Holy Rosary is a sanctuary for him and his friends. Father Rick asks about his mother and if things are okay at home. Father Rick see that Adam needs more and thinks maybe God can help. Adam has to start counting because he’s worried people can see he needs help. He prays to Jesus to help him.

At home, Adam is doing his ritual when his neighbor Mrs. Polanski comes from across the street asking if Adam is locked out of the house. He says he thinks his mom is home, but he tries to explain that he has to do things a certain way and that he’s fine. She leaves but says she’s there if he needs anything. When Adam gets inside, he calls Chuck and says he needs help. Chuck asks if he’s okay tonight, and Adam says yes, so Chuck says he will excuse him from class to meet with him tomorrow.

The next day Adam feels better, so he feels like a punk for calling Chuck. But now he’s at their session, and Chuck asks what triggered him last night. Adam says everything is trigger. Chuck asks about the List. Adam remembers doing one and gives him a piece of paper, but there is nothing on it. Adam says he needs more of his prescription; he lost a bunch down the drain. Chuck says he’ll call the pharmacy and advises him to increase the Anafranil amount. Adam is already doing so, and it doesn’t help.

Adam says he does do the Lists but then he rips them up; he doesn’t know why. Chuck asks if his mother’s hoarding is escalating, and he thinks, “[He] shouldn’t have told him that. That was disloyal. That was wrong. It would hurt her. It would come back on him—it was coming back on him. Betraying her, making everything worse. He remembered the garbage bags, winced” (192). He tells Chuck she’s been taking out two trash bags a week, which is true. Chuck thinks it’s time for Adam to start exposure response and prevention therapy, and Adam says sure, but not right now. He just wants Chuck to fill the prescription, and then he rushes out. He gets to the elevator and rides up and down, like he usually does after a session with Chuck, before going to pick up his medication.

Adam takes another Ativan before calling Robyn. She immediately asks if he told Chuck about the letters, and he tells her he did not. She insists that he should tell the group, and he finally gives in. At Group, Adam starts off the session telling everyone that his threshold issue has gotten worse, especially at his own house. Then he tells them about the letters. He tells them they can’t go to the police or let it leave this room. Everyone is silent after he finishes explaining how deranged and toxic the letters are. Chuck says they should take a minute to process, and he asks a few questions. He asks how many letters, who is sending them, and how is his mom coping. There have been at least seven or eight letters, but Carmella won’t talk about it; she’s strung out and “the house vibrates with it” (199). Chuck recognizes that sharing all this was a big step for Batman.

Adam thinks, “It was like a high-pressure front blew in and swallowed up everything that was thick and heavy […] And Adam felt fine. Shockingly, brilliantly fine. Once again, he had told. Once again, a relief so pure and powerful rocked him to the core” (199-200). Snooki pats his thigh, and Thor comes up to Adam after the session to say he will find whoever is sending the awful letters. Adam worries Thor might tell someone else about them and fears he made a huge mistake.

Robyn and Adam are walking home together in the cemetery, and she reassures him that the Group has his back no matter what. Adam worries that she’s annoyed or angry with him, but she puts her arm though his as they walk. Robyn apologizes for forcing him to tell everyone about the letters and says she’s sorry that he feels worse. He lies and says he doesn’t feel worse, but truthfully, he feels worse by the minute. He tells himself he must be stronger for her, for his mom, and for Sweetie.

While Robyn prays at her mom’s grave, Adam can see that she is better. Robyn hopes he understands why she lied about how her mom died. When her mom was sick, she fought so much, and there was no room left for a young girl. Robyn was angry at her mom for a long time, which was another reason for the lie. Adam says he would love her no matter what, that he does love her no matter what. They kiss and keep kissing until harsh lights interrupt them. A security car arrives, and the driver tells them to get a room and leave. As they walk out of the gates, Robyn tells Adam that she loves him, too, and they kiss again.

Adam’s excitement about Robyn is cut short when he gets home and it takes him 23 minutes to get inside. He thinks she must have kissed him out of pity because he is so pathetic. His mom is on late shift all week, so he is home alone. Then Ben calls him. They don’t usually talk on the phone except in rare cases like this. Ben’s trying to bulk up to try out for the football team. Adam’s thinking about trying out for track in the spring. Adam thanks Ben for being a good friend, and he feels better after they hang up. He knows he needs to find a better way to feel safer.