Chapter 6 – The Coffee-Can Inheritance and a Mysterious Portrait
Spoiler Notice
This summary and analysis contains key plot points from Chapter 6 of Road Trip. If you haven’t read the chapter, proceed with caution.
Summary
Uncle Keith Dunagin arrives at the family home and delivers two revelations. First, he explains that the house is so deeply mortgaged that the sisters will receive no money from its sale. Second, he produces a coffee can containing over $9,000 in cash that Mary Helen Dunagin saved secretly during her years at the drugstore. The money comes with a non‑negotiable condition: Maeve and Therese must use it to travel to County Wicklow, Ireland, together—a “road trip” meant to heal their estrangement. Keith sweetens the offer by promising to match the amount, bringing the total to about $18,000.
Both sisters initially reject the plan. Maeve is exhausted from unpaid leave and the burden of caring for their mother; she just wants to be done. Therese, though intrigued by the money, refuses to commit to a trip. After Keith leaves with the coffee can, Maeve retreats to her room and slams the door. Alone, Therese turns her attention to a faded portrait of Lady Geraldine Fitzhugh that had been leaning against the sofa. She photographs the painting, researches the signature (“V DeJongh”), and learns that the artist, Valerian DeJongh, was a noted British portraitist whose works hang in the National Gallery. A search for Lady Geraldine reveals she was a 19th‑century aristocrat. Therese suspects the portrait may be valuable.
Desperate for cash to fuel her car (“the Beast”), Therese steals $100 from Maeve’s purse, rationalising it as a loan against the future sale of the painting. She then heads to Pinkie Masters bar to contact an old classmate, Wyllona Jackson, an art‑history expert who might appraise the portrait.
Key Events
- Uncle Keith announces the house carries a heavy mortgage, leaving no equity.
- He reveals a coffee can with $9,000 saved by Mary Helen Dunagin, contingent on a joint trip to Ireland.
- Maeve refuses the travel stipulation, citing work and caregiver burnout.
- Therese objects to Keith’s refusal to hand over the money unconditionally.
- Maeve silences Therese and locks herself in the bedroom.
- Therese researches the Lady Geraldine portrait, identifying artist Valerian DeJongh and the sitter’s aristocratic background.
- Therese steals $100 from Maeve’s purse to buy gas for her car.
- She decides to seek an appraisal from Wyllona Jackson, a former classmate now in New York’s art‑auction world.
Character Development
Maeve – Her exhaustion and resentment become unmistakable. She has sacrificed a year of her life to care for their mother, and the inheritance feels like another burden. Her sharp “Shut up, Terri” and door‑slamming show a breaking point: she will no longer tolerate her sister’s demands.
Therese – Therese is revealed as impulsive, opportunistic, and willing to deceive. Her immediate shift from rejecting the Ireland plan to investigating the portrait shows she is driven by potential gain rather than family reconciliation. Stealing from Maeve highlights her moral flexibility and desperation.
Uncle Keith – He acts as the executor of Mary Helen’s wish, carrying out a “sacred vow.” He is patient but firm, unwilling to release the money except on the stated terms. His character underscores the theme of honoring a parent’s final wishes.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Inheritance as Obligation – The coffee can represents not just money but a mother’s last attempt to force a reconciliation. The stipulation turns what could be a simple bequest into a coercive family project.
Art as Hidden Value – The portrait of Lady Geraldine symbolizes a secret worth. While the money in the can seems meager, the painting may hold far greater wealth. This motif of overlooked treasures recurs throughout the novel.
Deception and Self‑Justification – Therese’s theft from her sister, which she calls a “loan,” introduces a pattern of dishonesty driven by need. The line “Therese would never miss the money” reveals her capacity to rationalise wrongdoing.
Estrangement – The sisters’ inability to cooperate even on a simple request from their deceased mother underscores the depth of their rift. The Ireland condition is designed to bridge that gap, but in this chapter it only widens it.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 6 sets the central conflict in motion: the sisters must either unite to claim the inheritance and repair their relationship, or remain at odds and lose the money. Therese’s discovery of the portrait introduces a new plot thread—the possibility of a hidden fortune that could change their circumstances. Her theft of Maeve’s cash raises the stakes and foreshadows further betrayals. The chapter also deepens Maeve’s emotional state, making her more sympathetic and highlighting the unequal burdens she has carried.
Study Questions and Answers
-
Why does Maeve refuse to go to Ireland, even when the money is doubled?
Maeve is physically and emotionally drained after months of unpaid leave and full‑time caregiving for their mother. She cannot spare more time from work and resents the implication that the trip would heal wounds she feels are not hers to mend. The condition feels like yet another demand on her dwindling energy. -
What does Therese’s theft of money from Maeve’s purse reveal about her character at this point?
Therese is pragmatic to the point of being unscrupulous. She sees the cash as a temporary solution to her immediate needs and convinces herself it is just a “loan.” The act shows she prioritises her own comfort over honesty and trust, even with her own sister. -
How does the portrait of Lady Geraldine function as a symbol in this chapter?
The portrait represents a hidden asset that could reverse the sisters’ financial troubles. It also connects to the Dunagin family’s mysterious past, hinting at a more complex ancestry than the “poor‑as‑piss billy goat Irish” story they know. The painting becomes a potential key to both money and identity.