Okay. This whole chapter is full of stuff to be commented on, but the thing that just really got me was this.

He telepathically told his mother to shut up. That should have serious significance with Nora--it doesn't matter that she's in the know about that kind of communication. That isn't normal. And she basically went, "Whatever--his telepathic communication isn't Patch." And DOESN'T connect that with whatever held him back a year.