Chapter 32 Summary: Dear Debbie – Chapter 31
⚠️ Spoiler Notice: This page analyzes Chapter 31 (Chapter 32 of the book) of Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden. If you haven’t read this chapter, proceed with caution.
Summary
Debbie leaves pancakes for Cooper, then drives Lexi and Izzy to school. The girls argue over the front seat, reminding Debbie of their childhood fights about who got to share about their day first. She used to settle it by letting Lexi go first on even-numbered dates and Izzy on odd ones. Lexi wins the seat, and Debbie notes how much Lexi resembles her at seventeen. This triggers a wish for a time machine to warn her younger self about a particular night during her sophomore year that she regrets. Arriving at school, they see a police car with flashing lights parked out front. After dropping the girls off, Debbie parks and walks back to investigate. She has a strong suspicion about why the police are there and finds the situation intriguing.
Key Events
- Lexi and Izzy argue about who sits in the front seat; Lexi wins.
- Debbie recalls the odd/even date rule she used for the girls to share their school‑day stories.
- Debbie reflects on her seventeen‑year‑old self and wishes she could undo a pivotal night in college.
- A police car with flashing lights is seen at the school.
- Debbie parks in the guest lot and walks around to the front, curious about the police presence.
Character Development
Debbie shows a nurturing side (leaving pancakes, managing the kids’ argument) but immediately retreats into deep personal regret. Her wish for a time machine reveals the weight of a past mistake and suggests unresolved guilt. The chapter contrasts her capable, everyday motherhood with a hidden history she cannot escape. Her curiosity about the police — and her confidence that she knows why they are there — hints at a secret or a past connection that is about to resurface.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Regret and the Past: Debbie’s desire to warn her younger self highlights the impossibility of changing what has already happened. The “night during the second semester of her sophomore year” remains an unseen turning point.
- Motherhood and Identity: The car‑ride argument and the odd/even rule emphasize the routines of parenting, while Debbie’s mirror‑image moment with Lexi underscores how her identity is both passed on and haunted by her own youth.
- Police as Omen: The flashing lights symbolize impending consequences — a threat that may link Debbie’s hidden past to the present.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 31 bridges the domestic and the mysterious. The ordinary school drop‑off is disrupted by a police car, and Debbie’s reaction shifts the reader’s focus from routine family life to an underlying tension. Her internal monologue teases a traumatic event without revealing it, building suspense and foreshadowing that the investigation will likely involve her. The chapter sets up a direct connection between Debbie’s college years and whatever is happening at the school now.
Study Questions and Answers
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What does the odd/even rule reveal about Debbie as a mother?
It shows she was fair-minded and creative in handling sibling rivalry, using everyday situations to teach her daughters about numbers. It also suggests she valued order and found small, systematic ways to keep peace. -
Why does Debbie’s wish for a time machine matter in this chapter?
The wish signals deep regret over a specific past event and implies that it still shapes her present. It introduces mystery about what happened that night in college and suggests that the current police activity might be related. -
How does the police car change the chapter’s tone?
Until that moment, the chapter reads like a slice‑of‑life family scene. The flashing lights introduce tension and a sense of impending revelation. Debbie’s private certainty that she knows the reason for the police presence shifts the perspective from ordinary curiosity to personal concern.