Content Warning: This section discusses death.



Sloan is trapped emotionally in a loop of unending grief after Brandon’s death, which makes her unable to leave her home. The house, which needs many repairs, mirrors her emotional state as every corner is filled with Brandon’s memory. Sloan can’t even throw away the last beer bottle he left in the garage. The house provides shelter but stagnates Sloan as she isolates herself within its walls, rarely leaving or inviting others inside. She describes its crushing weight: “The house had begun to feel like a sandcastle at high tide. It was crumbling around me” (90). Sloan’s house once represented the shared love between her and Brandon and their plans to start a family. Now, it has become a cold, isolating environment where her dreams and passions go untouched, and her grief paralyzes her. 

Sloan begins a new relationship with Jason, and the house forces her to confront the need for change. By inviting Jason into her life and home, Sloan begins to rewrite its significance. As Jason methodically repairs the house, he begins to patch up her heart and build trust. Being with Jason pushes her to finally clean out Brandon’s things, which is both physically and emotionally cathartic.