Al Capone Does My Shirts: Chapter 32: The Button Box Summary & Analysis

Mom is shocked when she comes home, Natalie’s button box obviously in her purse, and sees Moose with a beer. She asks about Natalie, and Dad says Natalie is fine—but they need to talk alone. Moose hears his parents’ voices in their bedroom getting louder and angrier. Dad says that he knows what Mrs. Kelly thinks, but Moose and Natalie have a relationship and they need to trust him to do things his way. Mom says she has a perfect, popular son, but nobody cares about Natalie. That’s why she has to care about Natalie. Dad argues that Moose needs Mom too and suggests she could’ve talked to him about the button box.

Mom and Dad’s voices quiet down, so Moose thinks on what he heard and goes to Natalie’s room. She’s sleeping and peaceful. Smoothing her hair, he tells his sleeping sister that she has to get into the Esther P. Marinoff for Mom’s sake.