Chapter 22 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
The chapter opens with Sadie and Joe in the middle of an intimate moment in her apartment. Their kissing is interrupted by a knock at the door. Joe peeks through the glass and describes the visitor as a middle-aged woman who looks like a sourpuss Martha Stewart. Sadie immediately recognizes her stepmother, Lucinda, and tries to ignore her, but Lucinda persists, knocking and calling through the door. Joe, though reluctant, eventually decides to leave, promising Sadie that they are not done. Sadie is frustrated but lets him go, noting that Joe has not yet developed the emotional armor needed to withstand Lucinda’s manipulation.
Once Joe is gone, Lucinda reveals the “emergency”: Sadie’s father has slammed his hand in a garage door and fractured his pinkie. Because of this injury, he cannot travel to Vienna as planned. Lucinda announces that she has invited herself, Sadie’s father, and Parker to Sadie’s upcoming art show. Sadie is furious and flatly refuses to invite them, threatening to call security if they show up. Lucinda, unfazed, produces a shopping bag containing a dress that belonged to Sadie’s mother. Sadie is astonished—she believed the dress had been destroyed in the hospital. Lucinda explains that she retrieved it before it could be incinerated and had it repaired by a tailor. The dress still bears faint wine stains and is slightly snug, but it is unmistakably the same garment.
Sadie is overwhelmed with emotion, especially when Lucinda says she saved it because it was Sadie’s mother’s. Lucinda insists that Sadie try on the dress to ensure it fits in time for the art show. As Lucinda fusses over the fit, Sadie realizes that Lucinda will indeed be attending the show—and, surprisingly, she begins to accept that possibility.
Key Events
- Joe and Sadie’s intimate moment is interrupted by Lucinda’s persistent knocking.
- Joe leaves after Lucinda demands a private conversation, but he promises Sadie they are not finished.
- Lucinda reveals that Sadie’s father fractured his pinkie in a garage door accident, canceling his Vienna trip.
- Lucinda announces that she, Sadie’s father, and Parker will attend Sadie’s art show.
- Sadie refuses to invite them and threatens to have them removed.
- Lucinda presents the rescued and repaired dress that belonged to Sadie’s mother.
- Sadie tries on the dress while Lucinda adjusts it, leading to a moment of unexpected tenderness.
- Sadie accepts that Lucinda will be at the art show, and she feels that this might not be entirely bad.
Character Development
Sadie continues to struggle with boundaries and family obligation. She is firm in her refusal to let Lucinda and Parker attend the art show, but her resistance weakens when confronted with the maternal heirloom. The dress acts as a powerful emotional trigger, softening her stance and opening a crack in her defensive armor. Her reaction to the dress—gasping, holding back tears, and marveling at its survival—shows a vulnerable side that she rarely reveals. By the end of the chapter, she is not only tolerating Lucinda’s presence but also entertaining the idea that it might be a good thing.
Lucinda is revealed to be more complex than the one-dimensional antagonist she initially appears to be. While she uses emotional manipulation and pity as tactics, her decision to rescue and restore the dress suggests a genuine, if clumsy, attempt at connection. She admits she went “full Karen” on the hospital to retrieve it, and she took it to a tailor for repairs. Her softness when she says she saved it because it was Sadie’s mother’s is a rare moment of sincerity. However, she quickly snaps back to business, indicating that her kindness is still wrapped in control and expectation.
Joe demonstrates compassion and a sense of propriety. He recognizes that Lucinda’s presence is a boundary issue and chooses to leave rather than escalate the situation. His promise to Sadie that they are “not even close to done” reinforces his commitment, but his departure also shows that he is not yet equipped to handle the emotional manipulation that Lucinda wields.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Emotional manipulation and boundary enforcement are central to this chapter. Lucinda uses the emergency of her father’s injury and the gift of the dress to override Sadie’s explicit boundaries. Sadie tries to enforce those boundaries with threats and direct refusal, but the emotional weight of the dress undermines her resolve.
The maternal heirloom—the dress—serves as a powerful symbol of the past and of loss. It represents Sadie’s mother, her memory, and the family connection that Sadie has tried to sever. The dress’s survival, despite being stained and torn, mirrors Sadie’s own survival after her brain surgery and the emotional scars she carries. Its restoration by Lucinda suggests that some broken things can be mended, even if imperfectly.
Forced togetherness is another motif. Lucinda’s insistence on attending the art show, and her use of the dress to make that happen, forces Sadie into a situation she has been avoiding. The chapter explores how family obligations can be imposed rather than chosen, and how those impositions can sometimes lead to unexpected outcomes.
Unexpected kindness is also present. Lucinda’s act of saving the dress is not something Sadie would have predicted. It complicates the narrative of Lucinda as purely malicious, suggesting that even difficult relationships can contain moments of genuine care.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in Sadie’s relationship with her stepmother and, by extension, with her family. It introduces the art show as a major upcoming event, which will likely serve as a setting for future confrontations and reconciliations. The dress becomes a tangible link to Sadie’s mother, and its restoration by Lucinda forces Sadie to reconsider her assumptions about Lucinda’s motives. The chapter also deepens the romance between Sadie and Joe by showing that their connection can survive interruptions and that Joe is willing to respect Sadie’s need to handle family matters alone. Finally, it sets up the emotional stakes for the art show, where Sadie will have to navigate her father’s presence, Parker’s awkwardness, and Lucinda’s unpredictable behavior.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Sadie initially refuse to let Lucinda, her father, and Parker attend the art show?
Sadie refuses because she has a strained and painful relationship with her family. She feels that they have never truly supported her, and she resents Lucinda’s manipulation and Parker’s past behavior. The art show is a personal milestone for Sadie, and she wants to protect it from the negativity and emotional turmoil that her family brings. Her threat to call security shows how strongly she feels about maintaining boundaries.
2. How does the dress change Sadie’s perspective on Lucinda?
The dress is a tangible connection to Sadie’s mother, and its rescue and restoration by Lucinda demonstrates an act of unexpected kindness. Sadie had believed the dress was destroyed, and its survival—along with Lucinda’s explanation that she saved it because it was Sadie’s mother’s—forces Sadie to see Lucinda in a new light. The emotional weight of the heirloom softens Sadie’s resistance, and she begins to accept that Lucinda’s presence at the art show might not be entirely negative.
3. What does Joe’s decision to leave reveal about his character and his relationship with Sadie?
Joe’s decision to leave shows that he is considerate and respectful of Sadie’s need to handle family matters privately. He recognizes that Lucinda’s presence is a boundary issue and chooses not to escalate the situation. His promise that they are “not even close to done” reassures Sadie of his commitment, but his departure also highlights that he is not yet equipped to deal with the emotional manipulation that Lucinda employs. This moment sets up a potential future challenge for their relationship as Sadie navigates her family dynamics.