When the Cat's Away, the Kittens Play: Lizzie – Chapter 135 Summary & Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Notice

This summary and analysis contains detailed discussion of Chapter 135 of Releasing 10. If you haven’t read this far, proceed with caution.

Summary

The chapter opens on Halloween night at the Biggs household. Sinead and Pete are away at a wedding up the country, leaving Grandad Healy in charge of their son’s fifteenth birthday party. What was meant to be a sensible gathering quickly spirals into a raucous house party, with drunk teenagers filling the ground floor and deafening music blasting from a sixth-year boy’s decks.

Lizzie arrives wearing a Luigi costume after Claire emotionally blackmailed her into participating in matching Mario and Luigi outfits. Lizzie complains about discomfort while Claire looks adorable in her blue-spandex Mario costume. Almost immediately, a boy dressed as Batman approaches, making crude advances toward Claire. Lizzie aggressively shuts him down, threatening violence if he touches her friend again. When the boy calls her a bitch, Lizzie retorts sharply before pulling Claire away. Claire thinks Lizzie was too harsh, but Lizzie warns her about predatory boys who see innocent girls as “juicy bones.”

Claire then spots Gerard/Thor in the crowd and asks if Lizzie can handle being alone while she talks to him. Lizzie internally struggles with her hatred for Gerard but gives Claire permission, referring to him as “Thor” to separate the monster from the childhood friend. Claire takes the opportunity to apologize for her behavior on her own birthday, confessing she was jealous that Hugh asked Lizzie to be his girlfriend while Gerard hadn’t asked her. She also apologizes for trying to block Lizzie and Hugh’s relationship. Lizzie accepts the apology, and they reaffirm their friendship.

Lizzie then finds Hugh in the lounge, drinking whiskey with Grandad Healy. Hugh is not wearing a costume and looks strikingly handsome in dark jeans and a white shirt with sleeves rolled up. Grandad Healy, who has been freely pouring Jameson, is acting as the party’s chaotic catalyst. When Hugh introduces Lizzie, Grandad Healy approves, and Hugh openly declares to his grandfather that “Liz is the one.”

Hours later, both Lizzie and Hugh are drunk from Grandad Healy’s whiskey. Hugh gives Lizzie a piggyback up the stairs. When they stumble into his bedroom, they find their friend Feely with a semi-naked girl on the bed. Hugh orders them out. After they leave, Hugh and Lizzie share an intimate moment. Hugh tells Lizzie she is “home” and that she belongs in his house, in his bed, and with him. They share a passionate kiss, with Lizzie feeling a desperate yearning that contrasts with her usual feelings of filth and unease. Hugh asks if she is okay, and she tells him to start touching her everywhere.

Key Events

• Lizzie and Claire arrive at Hugh’s birthday party in Mario and Luigi costumes
• Lizzie confronts and threatens a boy dressed as Batman who makes crude advances toward Claire
• Claire apologizes for her birthday jealousy and confesses her feelings about Gerard
• Grandad Healy drinks whiskey with Hugh and openly approves of Lizzie
• Hugh declares to his grandfather that Lizzie is “the one”
• Drunk Hugh gives Lizzie a piggyback upstairs after the party
• They find Feely with a girl in Hugh’s bed and kick them out
• Hugh tells Lizzie she belongs with him, leading to a passionate, emotionally charged kiss

Character Development

Lizzie: This chapter reveals Lizzie’s fierce protective instincts toward Claire, her deep trauma regarding Gerard/Thor (she mentally separates the monster from the childhood friend by using the pet name), and her growing comfort with Hugh’s affection. She struggles with feeling “broken” and “rotten to the core” but finds redemption in Hugh’s touch, which “breathed life into her fractured soul.”

Claire: Claire demonstrates emotional maturity by apologizing for her birthday behavior and acknowledging her jealousy. She shows growth in understanding that Lizzie’s relationship with her brother is important and promises not to be a “mean girl” anymore.

Hugh: Hugh’s declaration that Lizzie is “the one” to his grandfather shows his serious commitment. In his drunken state, he becomes emotionally vulnerable and expresses his deepest feelings for Lizzie, calling her his “home” and claiming she belongs with him. This represents a milestone in their relationship’s public acknowledgment.

Grandad Healy: The catalyst for the party’s chaos, Grandad Healy leaves the liquor cabinet unlocked and pours whiskey freely. Despite the disorder he enables, he serves as a warm, approving figure who clearly adores his grandson and welcomes Lizzie into the family.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Costumes and identity: The Mario/Luigi costumes (“layers of horrible clothes” as Lizzie calls them) allow Lizzie to play a role while hiding her true self. The chapter title suggests the freedom that emerges when authority figures are absent.

Protection and guardianship: Lizzie’s instinct to protect Claire from predatory boys mirrors the larger dynamic of her trying to shield those she loves from harm. Her warning about “juicy bones” and “dogs” reveals her own painful knowledge.

Intimacy as redemption: For Lizzie, physical intimacy with Hugh feels like salvation from her “fractured soul” and “rotten” core. His touch offers a reprieve from the “familiar feeling of filth and unease.”

Alcohol as social lubricant: The whiskey shared by Grandad Healy lowers inhibitions, allowing characters to speak freely and express emotions they might otherwise suppress, including Hugh’s vulnerable declarations.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens Lizzie and Hugh’s emotional and physical intimacy while also providing critical insight into Lizzie’s trauma regarding Gerard. The parallel between Lizzie’s protective behavior toward Claire and her own need for protection from her pain is poignant. Hugh’s declaration that Lizzie is “the one” to his grandfather represents a major step in their relationship’s public acknowledgment, while his drunken confession that she is his “home” reveals how central she has become to his emotional world. The chapter also redeems Claire by resolving the tension from her birthday, strengthening the core friendship triangle.

Study Questions & Answers

1. What does the chapter title “When the Cat’s Away, the Kittens Play” refer to?
The title refers to the absence of Sinead and Pete Biggs, who are attending a wedding up the country. Their absence allows Grandad Healy to take charge, which leads to the liquor cabinet being unlocked and the party spiraling out of control, creating the chaotic environment where the chapter’s key events unfold.

2. How does Lizzie psychologically cope with her hatred for Gerard throughout this chapter?
Lizzie uses the childhood pet name “Thor” to mentally separate Gerard from the “monster” she now associates with that name. She explains internally that “the monster never said the name Thor,” revealing how she compartmentalizes her trauma. This coping mechanism allows her to function in the same space as Gerard without fully breaking down.

3. What is the significance of Hugh calling Lizzie “the one” to his grandfather?
Hugh’s declaration to Grandad Healy that “Liz is the one” represents a significant public commitment to their relationship. Unlike the private intimacy they share, this statement is made openly to family, marking a milestone where Hugh stakes a claim to Lizzie as his long-term partner. It also earns Grandad Healy’s approval, legitimizing their relationship in the family context. Later, his drunken confession that she is his “home” deepens this commitment by framing her as an essential part of his life.

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