A Mango-Shaped Space

Mia and her mother return to Jerry’s lab at the university the next day. Mia is ignoring Jenna’s calls; she feels like Jenna does not deserve to know what Mia has learned just yet, especially after she betrayed her trust. Jerry tells Mia more about synesthesia, and she learns that every synesthete has different color associations. Mia’s mother asks if Jerry can help her to work around her synesthesia so that she does not fail math or Spanish. Jerry suggests a tutor to help her with these subjects. He also mentions that traumatic events can dull a person’s synesthesia. Mia reflects that her grandfather’s death did not change her synesthesia and concludes that it must not have been that traumatic for her, especially since she still “[has] a part of Grandpa in Mango” (104). When Mia returns home, Beth asks her to tell her about her synesthesia. Mia agrees to tell her while she looks for Mango, who has disappeared. After hearing about synesthesia, Beth says that she thinks it is interesting, which surprises Mia. The sisters find Mango, who is hiding in a pile of hats and gloves. 

Mia sits impatiently through dinner. After dinner, she is allowed to use the family computer to browse the synesthesia forum.