Such a Fun Age

As Alix had prepared for the television interview that morning, she reflected on how it would feel for everyone to officially know she was living in Philadelphia, deciding that everything was for the better. When Emira emerges from the bathroom, looking ready but nervous, Alix feels excited to achieve her “secret penance” (277).

Laney leads in for the interview with a short overview regarding Emira’s video, with Peter lending his perspective live from the WNFT station. The camera cuts to the couch where Alix, Emira, and Briar sit across from Laney Tucker, and the interview begins. After a short back and forth about the details of the video, Laney turns to upcoming news about Alix’s book and Emira joining the Chamberlain family fulltime as a nanny. Before closing the interview, Laney asks if there’s anything Emira would like to add.

In a complete shift from her rehearsed answers, Emira explains that she will not be working for the Chamberlains because she will be “at the front desk at the Green Party Philadelphia office” (286). As Alix panics, Emira turns toward her, says, “I just think it would be best if we went our separate ways and […] that those paths never like […] came back together” (286), and then says a cheery thank you to the camera before walking off-screen, exchanging her look with