Chapter 70: Despite All – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Ebby shares her sofa with Henry and finally tells him about her pregnancy and the miscarriage she never disclosed to anyone. Henry weeps, but his tears stir only anger in Ebby. She pushes him, screams that he ruined them, and orders him out. Yet when Henry closes the door and kisses her, Ebby yields. They end up in bed together, reenacting a familiar physical intimacy. Afterward, Ebby dismisses Henry, insisting that the encounter was about what they used to be, not what they are now. She rejects his pleas for forgiveness, explaining that trust, not forgiveness, is what she cannot restore. This time, when Henry leaves, Ebby feels ready to see him go. She locks the door and changes the sheets.
Key Events
- Ebby confesses the pregnancy and miscarriage to Henry.
- Henry cries for the first time, but Ebby responds with fury.
- Ebby physically pushes Henry, accusing him of ruining their relationship.
- Henry gently closes the kitchen door, and they share a sexual encounter.
- Afterward, Ebby makes Henry leave, stating that love without trust is insufficient.
- Ebby changes the sheets, symbolically cleansing the space.
Character Development
Ebby moves through a wave of emotions in this chapter: grief, rage, desire, tenderness, and finally clarity. She allows herself a moment of physical connection with the Henry she once knew, but she does not confuse that moment with a viable future. Her decision to send Henry away and change the sheets marks a turning point—she is no longer willing to accept a version of love that lacks trust.
Henry shows vulnerability for the first time, weeping when he learns of the miscarriage. Yet his tears do not undo his past failures. He tries to rekindle intimacy and asks for forgiveness, but he fails to grasp that Ebby’s need is for trust, not pardon. His continued inability to understand her position confirms why they cannot be together.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Love vs. Trust
The chapter’s central conflict is the gap between love and trust. Ebby acknowledges she still loves Henry but states plainly that “love without trust is something less than that.” Her clarity underscores a deeper theme: emotional safety cannot be replaced by desire.
Tears as Release and Manipulation
Henry’s weeping is a first, but Ebby questions its timing and meaning. His tears may be genuine grief, but they also feel like a belated reaction—too little, too late. Ebby’s own tears at the chapter’s start eventually dry into a settled resolve.
Physical Intimacy as Illusion
The bedroom scene is tender, but both characters know it is a return to a lost past. Ebby later tells Henry it was about “what we used to be, not what we are now.” The act of changing the sheets afterward symbolically cleanses the illusion and creates a fresh boundary.
The Motif of Doorways
The kitchen door becomes a threshold of choice. Henry closes it instead of leaving, buying a moment of escape. Later, Ebby locks it after he departs, sealing off the possibility of his return.
Why This Chapter Matters
“Despite All” is the emotional climax of Ebby and Henry’s relationship arc. It forces both characters to face the full weight of their history: the lost pregnancy, the abandonment, and the betrayal. Ebby’s revelation about the miscarriage provides context for much of her pain and anger throughout the novel. The chapter also resolves Henry’s lingering role: he is not a villain, but he is no longer a viable partner. Ebby’s final act—changing the sheets—demonstrates her agency and her readiness to move on. This moment is essential for her character growth and sets the stage for whatever comes next in her story.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Ebby become furious instead of comforted when Henry cries?
Ebby interprets Henry’s tears as self‑pity rather than empathy. She remembers that he was absent when she needed him, and his weeping now feels insulting—a belated reaction that does not undo his abandonment.
2. What does Ebby mean when she says love without trust is “something less”?
She means that romantic feeling is not enough to sustain a healthy relationship. Without the foundation of trust, love becomes hollow and cannot withstand the wounds of the past, no matter how much desire remains.
3. What is the significance of Ebby changing the sheets after Henry leaves?
Changing the sheets is a physical act of cleansing and closure. It removes the traces of Henry’s presence and symbolically prepares Ebby’s bed—and her life—for a future that no longer includes him.