The Assistant Chapter 3, Section 2 Summary

  • The absence of Helen makes Frank more and more curious about her. He wants to get to know her.
  • How did the line go in Robin Hood? Absence makes the heart grow fonder?
  • Seeing an opportunity, Frank grabs a smoke outside as Helen approaches. They don't exchange any words.
  • His other attempts to meet her don't work well either.
  • He hatches a plan to fake a phone call for Helen. Such a romantic!
  • He doesn't like this deception, but feels he has no choice if he wants to talk to her.
  • He tells Ida that Helen has a phone call.
  • Helen suspects it's Nat.
  • There's no one on the line.
  • Frank says it was some girl.
  • Helen looks disappointed and Frank feels guilty. Maybe if he weren't so deceitful he wouldn't have to deal with all this pesky guilt that keeps troubling him.
  • After returning upstairs, Helen is troubled. She's been overly conscious of Frank's presence and irritated at her mother for keeping her away from him.