Small Steps

Armpit doesn’t believe that Kaira is serious about San Francisco, but he gets a call from Aileen giving him flight options. Armpit lets Aileen choose, and it is only after the call that he realizes he will miss his economics final.

In San Francisco, Aileen is discussing Armpit with Jerome. Jerome is excitedly telling Aileen that Armpit is perfect for their murderous plan because he has a criminal record for assault and battery. Jerome and Aileen, who have already embezzled close to $3 million from Kaira’s trust fund, want more. Jerome, knowing that Kaira wants to fire him when she turns 18, plans on killing Kaira (framing Billy Boy, or now Armpit) thereby gaining access to her entire fortune though Kaira’s mother, whom he will divorce to be with Aileen. Aileen, who sees Jerome as a “weak, insecure man” (194), has other plans. In addition to booking a ticket for Armpit, Aileen books one for herself under the name on her passport—Denise Linaria—to Costa Rica. Kaira, oblivious to all the plotting and excited to see Armpit, is grateful to Aileen for booking his ticket. Kaira has not told her mother about Jerome’s affair with Aileen, believing that she still needs Jerome as her manager.