Chapter 39: Please Excuse My Wine – Summary & 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 week passes quietly. Jolene has replaced her commute with Cliff for shaky bus rides and stopped checking his online status. She submitted coursework with formal sign-offs like “I hope this finds you well.” Friday brings a mandatory after-work retirement party for Gregory, held at a bar. Drinks are not included. Jolene orders a cheap glass of wine, awkwardly specifying the price in front of colleagues. Cliff arrives, sits near her, and offers a kind smile, but Jolene pretends to read a text to avoid interaction. Gregory arrives with his wife, Madeline—Jolene realizes she used the wrong name (Mrs. Gregory) in the tribute speech she wrote. Gregory discovers the error and confronts Jolene, threatening to discuss her future at Supershops. Panic-stricken, Jolene hides in the bathroom stall for nearly two hours. When she emerges, Caitlin corners her, drunk and aggressive. Caitlin reveals she knows about Ellie’s death and claims Kyle told her. Caitlin says she will email Gregory about Jolene’s “aggressive behaviors.” Jolene runs back to the empty office, accesses Caitlin’s computer using stolen passwords, and finds a draft email that threatens to reveal the rumors about Ellie. Jolene begins altering it. Cliff catches her in the act. After a tense exchange, Jolene breaks down and confesses the truth: Ellie died in a high-school drinking accident and rumors blamed Jolene. Kyle, Caitlin’s fiancé, started those rumors. Cliff decides not to report her. He helps her close the draft, and they reconcile as friends. Cliff admits he likes her more than anyone else at work. Jolene whispers she likes him too, but silently calls herself a liar.

Key Events

Jolene attends Gregory’s retirement party against her will.
Gregory discovers the tribute piece uses his wife’s wrong name and confronts Jolene.
Jolene suffers a panic attack in the bathroom.
Caitlin drunkenly threatens Jolene, claiming to know about Ellie and planning to email Gregory.
Jolene breaks into Caitlin’s email account and finds a drafted complaint.
Cliff catches Jolene altering the email.
Jolene confesses the full story of Ellie’s death and the rumors.
Cliff chooses not to report Jolene and they re-establish their friendship.
Cliff expresses that he likes Jolene more than anyone else at work.

Character Development

Jolene: Her panic attack and confession mark a major turning point. She finally admits the truth about Ellie’s death and her own guilt, though she still struggles with self-identity as a liar. She risks losing everything but gains a moment of honesty.
Cliff: He shows moral complexity by not reporting Jolene, prioritizing her well-being over HR protocol. He reveals he values genuine connection over job rules, stating his identity is more than his work. His offer of friendship signals personal growth from earlier awkwardness.
Caitlin: Her drunken aggression reveals her willingness to weaponize personal information. She embodies the office bully who sees Jolene as a threat to her career advancement.
Gregory: His reaction to the name error shows pettiness and a desire for control, foreshadowing potential retaliation.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrecy and Surveillance: Jolene reading others’ emails and protecting her own secrets mirrors the novel’s central motif of hidden messages. The password she uses, “Iamagoddess,” highlights Caitlin’s arrogance and Jolene’s intrusion.
Panic and Escape: The bathroom stall becomes a recurring symbol of Jolene’s retreat from social pressure. Running back to the empty office shows her seeking comfort in a familiar, controlled environment.
Truth vs. Reputation: Jolene’s fear of rumors being believed echoes her high-school trauma. Cliff’s choice to not report her emphasizes that personal truth can override corporate rules.
Alcohol as a Social Crutch and Risk: Jolene’s awkward wine order and Caitlin’s drunken confrontation illustrate how alcohol loosens inhibitions but also escalates conflict.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the emotional climax of Jolene’s secret-keeping arc. Her confession to Cliff removes the wall between them and forces her to face the lie she has carried for years. It also tests Cliff’s loyalty and shows that genuine human connection can survive in a toxic workplace. The chapter sets up the possibility of healing while raising the stakes—Caitlin still has the knowledge to destroy Jolene’s reputation.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Jolene pretend to read a text when Cliff approaches her at the bar?
Jolene is overwhelmed by the presence of Cliff and the eyes of her colleagues, especially Caitlin. She fears showing emotion in a public setting and chooses avoidance as a survival strategy, which she later regrets.

2. What does Cliff’s decision not to report Jolene reveal about his character?
Cliff prioritizes his personal ethics and his growing affection for Jolene over strict HR rules. He demonstrates empathy by trying to understand her reasons and sees her as a person rather than a case, showing growth from his earlier role as a rule-follower.

3. How does the mention of “Larry’s breakdown” hint at a larger subplot?
This is the first direct reference to a previous incident involving a colleague named Larry. It implies that Cliff has dealt with other emotional crises at Supershops, making his leniency with Jolene part of a pattern of handling messy human situations. The reference will likely be expanded later.