Chapter summaries Mistakes Were Made Lucy Score

Mistakes Were Made Chapter 20 Summary: A Big Ol’ But

⚠️ 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 Gage on a rainy Saturday date at a farm-to-table bistro. His date, Jill, immediately treats the meeting like a job interview, asking about his sperm count, blood type, and parenting philosophy. She shares her detailed life plan: she’s 38, has a rewarding job, exercises regularly, is closing on a house, and has begun the process of becoming a foster parent while also exploring IVF. Gage, already distracted by his sister Laura’s demand that he defend Valerie, struggles to engage. He admits he’s in the middle of family turmoil and blurts out that he can’t stop thinking about a woman upstairs who is “all wrong” for him. Jill, appreciating his honesty, ends the date early to move on to another potential co-parent. Gage eats alone, then receives insistent texts from Laura to call Valerie. He finally calls Laura, who pressures him by reminding him that Miller would forgive and that Valerie’s family needs him. Reluctantly, Gage drives to Valerie’s modest townhouse. She lets him in, wary after their previous hostile encounter. In her cramped kitchen, surrounded by her daughters Molly and Tilly, Valerie explains her difficult situation: she lost her hospital job after the accident, her marriage ended, and she now works at an assisted living facility. Gage, moved by Laura’s words and seeing Valerie as a real person, tells her he will represent her—as a personal favor to Laura, no charge. Valerie breaks down in tears of hope. The chapter ends with her daughters offering snacks, a moment of fragile domestic peace.

Key Events

  • Gage goes on a date with Jill, a methodical woman who treats the date as a preliminary interview for co-parenting.
  • Gage reveals he is too distracted by family issues and a forbidden attraction to pursue the relationship; Jill leaves to meet another candidate.
  • Laura sends relentless texts and a phone call, guilt-tripping Gage into defending Valerie by invoking Miller’s forgiving nature and Valerie’s role as a mother.
  • Gage visits Valerie’s home, where he sees her two young daughters and learns more about her post-accident struggles.
  • Despite his personal resentment, Gage agrees to represent Valerie pro bono, driven by loyalty to his sister.

Character Development

  • Gage: His rigid, goal-oriented mindset begins to crack. The date with Jill highlights his internal conflict: he admires her efficiency but feels disconnected. His confession about the “woman upstairs” shows he is questioning his own plans. By choosing to represent Valerie, he prioritizes family duty over personal revenge, signaling emotional growth.
  • Valerie: Previously seen only as a criminal, she is now humanized—a struggling single mother who lost her career and marriage. Her tears of hope at Gage’s offer show her vulnerability and gratitude.
  • Laura: Demonstrates her determination and emotional intelligence by using Gage’s love for family and Miller’s memory to persuade him.
  • Jill: A foil to Gage; her “fear of not accomplishing” (FONA) contrasts with his emerging doubts about living a strictly planned life.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Planning vs. Emotion: The chapter contrasts Jill’s orderly life plan with Gage’s messy emotional reality. Jill’s color-coded portfolio and timeline represent the life Gage thought he wanted, while his inability to focus reveals that feelings cannot be scheduled.
  • Family Loyalty: Laura’s manipulation works because Gage’s sense of family obligation overrides his personal anger. The motif of “doing anything for family” recurs.
  • The “Big Ol’ But”: Jill’s prediction that Gage will say “a big ol’ but” summarizes his pivot from certainty to doubt. The phrase becomes a symbol for the moment his life plan hits a major detour.
  • Innocence and Childhood: Valerie’s daughters, Molly and Tilly, represent what is at stake—a family that could be torn apart. Their unguarded joy (dragon spider drawings, snack requests) grounds the legal drama in human stakes.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Gage. He moves from actively avoiding Valerie to accepting her as a client. The date with Jill reinforces his growing disillusionment with his own life goals, and Laura’s plea forces him to act against his instincts. The scene in Valerie’s kitchen is the first time he sees her as a person rather than a symbol of his pain, making his decision emotionally credible. It sets up the legal conflict that will drive the remainder of the novel.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Gage’s date with Jill reveal his current emotional state?
Gage’s inability to focus on Jill—his mind keeps wandering to his sister, Valerie, and the woman upstairs—shows he is consumed by unresolved feelings and family obligations. He admits he is a mess and cannot continue the date, proving he is not ready for the disciplined relationship he thought he wanted.

2. Why does Laura’s argument about Miller convince Gage to represent Valerie?
Laura reminds Gage that Miller was the most forgiving person and would not want vengeance. By linking Valerie’s defense to honoring Miller’s memory, she appeals to Gage’s deep love for his brother and his own sense of fairness, making refusal feel like a betrayal of Miller’s values.

3. What does Gage’s interaction with Valerie’s daughters signify?
Molly’s offering of a drawing and Tilly’s concern for her mother’s happiness humanize Valerie and her family. Gage’s polite response—asking about the “dragon spider”—shows a softening of his hostility, laying the groundwork for him to see Valerie as a mother rather than a killer.

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