Maddy wakes up to yelling in her house.
Mom berates
Carla for letting a stranger into the house and refuses to let Maddy defend Carla. Mom fires Carla, and Maddy sobs as Carla packs her things. She gives Carla her copy of
Flowers for Algernon, and Carla tells Maddy to be brave. She reminds Maddy that life is a gift and that she should live it. Mom sees Carla out the door. Maddy defines
asymptote as a wish that continually gets closer, but never comes true.