Chapter 37: Cassie, 2017 — 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

Cassie presses Carlos Russo for details about Lore's pregnancy. Carlos admits he found a pregnancy test in the bathroom the day before Andres left for Laredo and showed it to his father. Cassie immediately connects this discovery to Andres's sudden departure on July 31, realizing the timeline fits with what Penelope had told her earlier—that something had happened to make Andres take the kids to their mother's and book a flight to Laredo.

Carlos confirms he never told anyone about the pregnancy test—not Penelope, not the police. Cassie understands that Carlos has been carrying guilt all these years, blaming himself for showing Andres the test, believing that if he hadn't, his father might still be alive. When Cassie relays Penelope's standing offer to Carlos, he declines, saying not everyone wants to get old.

Cassie sits with the implications. If Lore was pregnant and hadn't told Andres, either she knew the father was Fabian or she was still deciding what to do. Cassie considers whether Lore might have planned to keep the baby and stay in Laredo rather than move to Mexico City, or whether she'd already ended things with Andres. Cassie reflects that the discovery of a wife's double life and secret pregnancy would be a perfect trigger for violence—from either Andres or Fabian.

Returning to bed around 3 a.m., Cassie finds Duke asleep (or pretending to be). By morning he's gone, texting that he's grocery shopping. Cassie senses the strain in their relationship, feeling she's traded one form of guilt for another. She promises herself she'll tell him everything eventually.

Cassie tries calling Lore but reaches voicemail. After two more attempts, she decides to keep Carlos's revelation private for now, until she understands what it means.

In the kitchen, Cassie's father is preparing a turkey, wearing an apron with Andrew's childhood handprint. His bruises are still visible. Cassie blurts out that she's writing a book, then immediately shuts down when he asks about it, lying that her agent doesn't want her to discuss it. She reflects on Deborah's earlier suggestion about using research artifacts for the book, and wonders whether the book she's writing is the one she imagined or the one that would sell.

Cassie nearly runs into Andrew in the hallway. She asks him to teach her karate moves. In his room, surrounded by Avengers posters, Andrew teaches her basic self-defense techniques—how to break free from wrist grabs and throat holds. They move to the backyard for crescent kicks and roundhouses, ending up laughing in the grass.

Cassie points out a nimbostratus cloud, remembering her mother taught her about weather. She asks Andrew how long he's known their father is an alcoholic. Andrew says a couple of years, describing the cycles of drinking and sobriety. He reveals that their father forgot to pay bills, didn't cook, and was likely drinking at work. When their father forgot him at karate and was found passed out, Andrew's sensei offered to call someone—but Andrew feared CPS would take him away, so he told his father he'd call Cassie. She was a last resort.

Andrew recounts the incident that made him call: their father called him an ungrateful little shit when Andrew asked about the internet. Cassie initially feels relief that it wasn't worse, but Andrew pushes back. When Andrew asks if their father is sober now, Cassie gives an honest answer: he's better today, but recovery is a lifelong process.

Key Events

Carlos reveals he found Lore's pregnancy test and showed it to Andres
Carlos admits he never told anyone about the pregnancy
Cassie connects the pregnancy discovery to Andres's departure for Laredo
Cassie keeps the revelation from Lore and others for now
Cassie tells her father about the book but lies about why she can't discuss it
Andrew teaches Cassie self-defense moves
Andrew reveals he's known about their father's alcoholism for years
Andrew recounts being called an ungrateful little shit
Cassie gives Andrew an honest assessment of their father's recovery

Character Development

Cassie: increasingly torn between her research and her family obligations; begins prioritizing Andrew; struggles with honesty in her relationships
Andrew: reveals his maturity and the burden he's carried alone; shows vulnerability and hope
Carlos: carries guilt for his role in the chain of events; declines Penelope's offer
Cassie's father: attempting sobriety, trying to reconnect, but Cassie remains guarded

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Family secrets: Carlos's secret about the pregnancy test mirrors the larger secrets in the novel
Guilt and self-blame: Carlos blames himself for showing Andres the test
Truth vs. exploitation: Cassie's dilemma about the book and Deborah's commercial interests
Alcoholism and recovery: Andrew's experience and Cassie's honest assessment
Parent-child bonds: Cassie's memories of her mother, Andrew's relationship with their father
Self-defense: Andrew teaching Cassie to protect herself

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter delivers a crucial revelation about the central mystery—the pregnancy test that may have triggered Andres's actions. It also deepens the parallel between Cassie's investigation and her own family struggles, as she confronts her father's alcoholism and her brother's hidden burden.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Carlos keep the pregnancy test a secret for so long?

Carlos blames himself for showing Andres the test, believing it may have triggered the events leading to his father's death. He tries to forget rather than confront his guilt.

How does Cassie's conversation with Andrew change her understanding of her family?

Andrew reveals he's been managing their father's alcoholism alone for years, and that Cassie was a last resort. This forces Cassie to confront her own absence and the cost of her distance.

What does Cassie's decision to keep Carlos's revelation private suggest about her priorities?

She's weighing the demands of her book against her relationships, choosing to hold the information until she understands its implications—showing she's becoming more cautious about how she handles the truth.