The Authenticity Project

In Thailand, Hazard gets homesick for England and flies back Christmas Eve. Hazard visits Monica’s Café and is delighted to find Monica and Riley embracing with Julian in their company. When Hazard enters, however, he is surprised that everyone looks appalled.

Monica recognizes Hazard from their run-in on the street. She feels something is wrong; when she had shown Riley Hazard’s postcard, he hadn’t mentioned knowing him. Hazard explains how he came to find the notebook and Riley.

Monica “[turns] the new reality over in her head” and asks herself if Riley and Hazard had “been laughing about her behind her back” or if “Hazard had deliberately targeted her after colliding with her” (159). She kicks everyone out of her café.

Riley tries to explain himself to Monica, but she refuses to listen. He goes with Hazard to a bar to discuss their predicament. Riley stops Hazard from drinking. Hazard comforts Riley with the thought that Monica will calm down and they can all revisit the conversation later.