The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

His entire life, Henry is labeled “sensitive” by friends and family. He feels every death in the family and every breakup much more painfully and demonstrably than his peers believe is appropriate. From an early age, he finds solace in substances including alcohol, marijuana, and benzodiazepines.

At 28, Henry meets Tabitha and falls instantly in love with her. After two years happily dating, Henry proposes to her in the park on September 4, 2013. Tabitha says no, adding, “You’re great. You really are. But you’re not...” (227). She trails off, but Henry knows the end of the sentence: He is not enough.

That night, Henry gets drunk with Robbie and Bea. After accusing his friends of knowing Tabitha would say no, Henry walks off by himself to buy a bottle of vodka from a liquor store. He drops and breaks the bottle then slices his hand open while trying to clean up the glass. He uses the handkerchief with the engagement ring inside it to clean up the blood. 

Henry reaches his apartment building but is too drunk to climb the steps to the front door. A man who looks like Henry’s brother David sits next to him on the steps. Although it is raining, the man does not get wet.