Al Capone Does My Shirts: Chapter 10: Not Ready Summary & Analysis

Moose takes snacks to his room to read. He comes back to earth hearing knocking on the door, and he opens it to Mrs. Caconi. She lives by the phone and tells Moose that his family got a call. Moose decides to answer it himself, rather than wake Dad or try to fetch Mom. Mr. Purdy, the headmaster at the Esther P. Marinoff School, is on the phone. He tells Moose that they must come pick Natalie up tonight; she’s not ready to be at the school. Moose argues, but Mr. Purdy says it quickly became clear she’s not a great fit. He hangs up. Moose is flabbergasted—you can’t get to know Natalie in one day. What did she do? Moose wants to return home to Santa Monica, but not if he has to give this news to Mom.

When Moose gets back to the apartment, Mom is home, stinking of perm chemicals and perfume and wearing a new dress. Moose says she’s beautiful, but his voice cracks and Mom can tell he isn’t okay. She tells him that it was hard to leave Natalie, but they did the right thing. Moose walks away to wake Dad up. Shaking Dad, Moose tells him the news and that Mom doesn’t know yet. Dad takes a deep breath.