Adelaide: A Novel

Adelaide attends a work event. While there, Sam tells her that there might be a new position opening up if she’s interested in a promotion. Adelaide agrees to consider it. The event is tiring, but Adelaide feels like herself for the first time in weeks. She takes a tray of leftovers to Rory’s afterward. They eat and chat before Adelaide accidentally falls asleep on Rory’s bed. She wakes up in the middle of the cold, rainy night when Rory asks her to leave, saying that he sleeps better alone. On her way out, Adelaide runs into Bubs, who offers her a ride home. He takes a detour on the way to show her the house he’s going to buy. Adelaide starts crying, and Bubs comforts her.

Adelaide sends flowers to the funeral home on the day of Nathalie’s burial, which she spends crying with Celeste and Madison. Her friends comfort her. Before going to the movies with Rory, she meets up with an American friend who is in town for a layover. When she arrives at the movies late, Rory is upset, accusing her of failing him in recent weeks. Adelaide tries to talk about it and ends up apologizing. At Rory’s flat afterward, they have sex for the first time since Nathalie’s death. Afterward, Adelaide tells Rory that she loves him again. Rory deflects and suggests they watch a movie. Adelaide doesn’t say anything but silently blames herself for not being as good as Nathalie.

Adelaide has been crying and vomiting for several weeks. She doubts that she’s pregnant because she’s on birth control and has endometriosis but gets a pregnancy test anyway. The test is positive. She shares the news with Eloise, and they discuss how she should tell Rory. Adelaide wonders if the baby will make him happier. Eloise assures Adelaide that everything will be fine, although she isn’t sure if Rory is on Adelaide’s side.

Adelaide plans a weekend getaway to tell Rory the news. She shares her concerns with Eloise over the phone, and Eloise comforts her again. The next morning, Adelaide wakes up surrounded by blood. She informs Eloise that she lost the baby. She goes on the trip with Rory but doesn’t tell him about the pregnancy or miscarriage.

Adelaide brings Rory a potted daisy and suggests that they plan another weekend away. Rory is distracted and opens his computer to countless tabs featuring Nathalie’s name. Adelaide tells Rory that they can’t be together anymore. She explains her frustrations and how much it hurts to love Rory when he isn’t always nice to her. Rory argues back, and they decide to spend a few days apart. That night, Adelaide tells Madison and Celeste what happened, and they comfort her. Madison reveals that she’s moving to Thailand and that Adelaide will have to get her own flat. Adelaide wonders how long Madison and Celeste have kept this news from her. Adelaide contacts Rory to apologize. He doesn’t want to rehash their argument but agrees to meet. They spend the evening chatting about books, Madison, and the future.

Adelaide travels to Greece and the United States for Eloise and Nico’s two weddings. She and Rory barely talk while she’s away.

As Madison’s move date approaches, Adelaide signs a lease on a new flat in Pimlico. Afterward, she meets up with Rory and his friends. Rory is drunk but excited that Adelaide is back. Adelaide and her friends plan to host a going-away party for Madison that weekend. At the last minute, Rory invites Adelaide to come with him to Surrey the same weekend, promising that they’ll be back in time for the party. Adelaide gives in.

On the way to Surrey, Rory reveals that Adelaide will be meeting his brothers and aunt for the first time. The weekend passes smoothly. Rory is affectionate and present, and Adelaide likes his family. One night, Rory and Adelaide play a question game to get to know each other better. When Rory says that the one possession he’d keep in a fire is a book from Nathalie, Adelaide ends the game and goes to sleep. The couple is late returning to London. Adelaide kisses Rory goodbye at the station and races home, but she’s already missed most of Madison’s party. Madison confronts Adelaide for putting Rory before her friends. She doesn’t think that Rory loves Adelaide.

Adelaide and Madison pack up their apartment, and Adelaide attends several work events. One night, she goes out with an assistant named Raven. Raven tells Adelaide about someone she’s talking to on a dating app, and Adelaide is shocked when Raven shows her the match: It is Rory. Adelaide confronts Rory about the dating profile. Rory insists that the profile is old. In the following days, however, Adelaide realizes that Rory has been using the profile for weeks. She sends him a message and ends their relationship for good. When Adelaide moves into her new flat, she has a panic attack. She realizes that she’s jealous of Nathalie for dying. Experiencing suicidal ideation, she frantically searches for her pills.