Story of My Life

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death, emotional abuse, sexual content, and cursing.

Hazel texts Cam about what she should wear for their secret date tomorrow, but he is of no help. Hazel and Laura meet to go shopping in the nearby town of Dominion for finishes for Heart House. While they’re out, Laura explains the rivalry between the two towns. The people from Dominion believe that they’re superior to those in Story Lake because their town has more tourism, which has led to faster growth. Cam eventually texts to check in on Hazel, who hasn’t bothered him in a while, but she ignores the message to focus on her time with Laura.

Hazel saw a family picture in Laura’s house earlier that day depicting Laura, her three kids, and her husband. However, it isn’t until they are out for lunch and Hazel asks for dating advice—blaming it on research for her book—that Laura implies that her husband is no longer in the picture. Hazel wonders if he’s deployed or if they’re separated. Rather than asking for details, Hazel reveals that she is divorced. When she adopts a pitiful attitude and worries about how she can be a respected romance novelist if she’s divorced, Laura isn’t necessarily sympathetic, stating, “[S]ometimes things don’t work out exactly the way we planned” while gesturing to her wheelchair (231).