Chapter 70 Summary, Themes, and Study Notes

⚠️ 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

Chapter 70 opens with Mom driving Knox, Bowen, and Lea to school, pressing the gas as she goes. She announces that Bowen is in charge for the day, and Bowen grins at his new authority. Knox is less thrilled, noting that Bowen will likely lord his status over them, and even jokes that Bowen probably gave their dog Maggie pink eye. Still, Knox privately wonders whether Bowen has to be in charge in charge.

Knox suggests a solution to ease the separation: setting up Dad on a video call in the living room, the way the family does on virtual cleaning nights, so Dad can watch over them. Lea beams at the idea. But Mom slams on the brakes, and the car jerks to a stop. She explains that Dad can never know she left the three of them alone—if he found out, he would be furious. Bowen points a warning finger at Knox, telling him directly that he must not tell Dad anything.

Knox begins to panic. What if Dad calls? He doesn't like the idea of lying to Dad. Bowen suggests simply declining the call, but Knox shakes his head—he can't imagine ignoring his father for an entire day. It's one thing to have Mom far away, but to have to ghost Dad as well feels unbearable.

There's no turning back, though. Mom pulls into the elementary school parking lot and kisses the kids goodbye. Knox looks at her and sees desperation in her eyes—how badly she needs this opportunity, and how badly the family needs it too. He tells himself it's only one day and wonders what could possibly happen.

Knox hugs Mom with all his might and wishes her good luck on her interview. He repeats the travel advice she gave him when they flew from Hong Kong: don't touch anything on the flight, disinfect everything, and don't go number two on the airplane. Mom winks and jokes back that she never goes number two on a plane. Knox smiles.

Before she pulls away, Knox remembers their ritual. He flexes his arm high in the air and shouts, Power of Mom! Mom mouths Love you and flexes her arm back at him. As Knox watches her drive out of the parking lot, he's left with a hole in his heart so big that he thinks it would take a gallon of chocolate sprinkles to fill it—and he hopes Bowen has enough.

Key Events

Mom announces Bowen is in charge for the day while driving the kids to school.
Knox proposes a video call with Dad; Mom refuses, revealing Dad must never know she left them alone.
Bowen warns Knox to keep the secret.
Knox worries about Dad calling; Bowen suggests declining the call, which Knox can't accept.
Mom drops the kids at the elementary school; Knox sees her desperation.
Knox hugs Mom, wishes her luck, and repeats her Hong Kong flight advice.
Mom jokes about the airplane bathroom.
Knox shouts Power of Mom! and flexes; Mom mouths Love you and flexes back.
Knox watches Mom drive away and feels a deep emotional void.

Character Development

Knox shows significant emotional growth in this chapter. Despite his anxiety about the deception and his discomfort with the idea of ignoring Dad's calls, he puts his own feelings aside to support Mom. His decision to hug her with all his might and repeat her travel advice demonstrates that he has internalized her care and is now able to return it. The fact that he remembers the flex ritual at the last moment shows how much these small family traditions mean to him.

Mom is revealed as vulnerable and under pressure. Her desperation is visible in her eyes, and the chapter makes clear that this interview is not just about her—it's about the whole family's survival. Her refusal to let Dad know about the arrangement shows the strain in the family's circumstances, even as she maintains her warmth and humor with the kids.

Bowen steps into a leadership role, grinning at his new authority and warning Knox firmly about keeping the secret. His suggestion to decline Dad's call shows a pragmatic, if harsh, approach to the family's dilemma.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Parental absence and economic pressure. The chapter centers on Mom's need to work, and the family's financial desperation is palpable. Knox observes how badly Mom needs the interview—and how badly the family needs her to succeed.

Secrecy and deception. The central conflict of the chapter is the secret Mom asks the kids to keep from Dad. Knox's discomfort with lying highlights the moral weight of this deception, even as the family's circumstances seem to justify it.

Family rituals as emotional anchors. The Power of Mom flex and the repeated travel advice function as rituals that connect Knox and Mom across distance. These small gestures carry deep emotional meaning, providing comfort in a moment of separation.

Separation anxiety. Knox's panic about Dad calling and his visceral reaction to watching Mom drive away—the hole in his heart—showcase his anxiety about being separated from his parents.

Hygiene precautions as expressions of care. The travel advice about disinfecting and avoiding the airplane bathroom, repeated from the Hong Kong flight, shows how practical instructions become a language of love in this family, especially in a pandemic-era context.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 70 deepens the novel's central tensions. It establishes the economic stakes of Mom's job search and introduces a significant secret that will likely have consequences in the chapters to come. The chapter also showcases Knox's emotional maturity—his ability to support Mom despite his own anxiety—and reinforces the family's rituals as sources of strength. The final image of Knox watching Mom drive away, feeling a hole in his heart, is a poignant moment that captures the cost of the family's sacrifices.

Study Questions

1. Why does Mom refuse to let the kids video call Dad, and what does this reveal about the family's situation?

Mom refuses because Dad cannot know she left the children alone—she says he would be furious if he found out. This reveals that the family is keeping significant information from Dad, likely because of his own anxieties or the family's precarious circumstances. The secrecy suggests that Mom is making difficult choices that she believes are necessary for the family's survival, even if they involve deception.

2. How does Knox's repetition of Mom's travel advice demonstrate his character growth?

Knox repeats the exact advice Mom gave him when they flew from Hong Kong—don't touch anything, disinfect everything, don't go number two on the airplane. By returning her words to her, Knox shows that he has absorbed her care and is now able to offer it back. This reversal of roles—Knox caring for Mom as she prepares to travel—demonstrates his growing maturity and emotional intelligence.

3. What does the Power of Mom flex ritual symbolize in this chapter?

The flex ritual symbolizes the bond between Knox and Mom and serves as a source of strength in a moment of separation. By shouting Power of Mom! and flexing, Knox is both encouraging Mom and drawing courage from her. Mom's silent Love you and flex back reinforce that their connection transcends words. The ritual provides comfort and continuity in a moment of anxiety and uncertainty.

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