The Candymakers

Logan visits Henry the marshmallow maker, who is like a grandfather to him. Logan admits that he’s feeling insecure about his candy idea, but Henry reassures him. He pulls out his mother’s note for the day that says, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about” (76). Henry says that he should think about those words in relation to Philip; he suspects that Philip has personal reasons for being rude and standoffish.

Daisy arrives to Life Is Sweet on a horse and says it’s because her parents couldn’t drive her. The contestants begin experimenting with candy-making techniques. By the end of the day, Max wants to know what everyone intends on making. Philip won’t share his idea and says, “There’s nothing to keep anyone at the factory—or any of you guys, no offense—from stealing my idea, mass-producing it, and making a fortune” (86). Logan retorts that no one in the factory would ever do something like that. 

The Candymaker and his wife, Logan’s parents, introduce themselves to the contestants. Everyone is surprised to learn that not even Logan’s parents know what he’s making for the competition. Philip says it’s “stupid” that Logan didn’t share his plan with his parents because he could have used their expertise to his advantage. Max intervenes and says it’s supposed to be “a friendly competition” (91).

The contestants split up to investigate the ingredients they’ll need for their individual candies. At lunch time, Logan invites Miles to his home, and his mom makes them food. With his mom’s permission, Logan invites Miles and his parents over for dinner that evening. Miles accepts. 

When the contestants come back from lunch, they find that barriers are now around each cubicle per Philip’s request for privacy. The contestants work on their candies for the rest of the day. That evening, Logan takes Miles outside to show him something before dinner. Miles is fearful when Logan runs while eating a strawberry because he thinks he might choke and die. Logan says that he’s not afraid of dying and that it’s better to “enjoy life while you have it, then it doesn’t matter how long you have it for” (111). Miles is shocked by Logan’s philosophy because it’s so contrary to the way Miles lives his life.

Logan is dismayed to learn that he’s missed the butterfly’s emergence from its cocoon. The two head back to Logan’s house and eat dinner. Logan invites Miles to stay the night, and his father suggests that they sleep over in the Tropical Room. While making sleeping arrangements in the Tropical Room, Miles divulges that he wants to stick his hand in the chocolate fountain like Philip did. Logan says he should go for it, and he stays back per Miles’s request to do it alone. Too much time passes, and Logan decides to find Miles. As he’s walking the dark halls, he sees a flashlight in the chocolate room and realizes there’s an intruder: “Someone was stealing the Candymaker’s secret ingredient!” (121)