Chapter 35 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

The chapter opens with Alma absorbed in graduation preparations, asking Julia whether she should dye her hair blue and seeking her opinion on sandals. Alma mentions that Madison shaved her head, and Julia responds with studied approval to steer Alma away from a similar choice. The domestic scene shifts when Mark returns from a New York trip with Ben in tow. Ben has come to retrieve a library book so his final grades can be released.

The conversation turns to Ben's upcoming wedding. Sunny's father called to say he'll miss the rehearsal dinner, arriving only on the wedding day itself, while Sunny's grandmother—described by Alma as a conservative religious woman and by Ben as very conservative—has decided to attend after initially being upset about the order of events. Mark mentions he's offered to host a dinner for Sunny's family the night before the wedding.

Julia then reveals that she called her own mother, Helen Russo, last month to invite her to the wedding, but Helen declined, citing work. Ben is surprised she didn't tell him; Julia admits she didn't want to hurt him. Mark returns with a check for the restaurant installment. Julia invites Ben to stay for dinner, but he declines to be with Sunny after her stats final. Before leaving, he thanks Julia for trying.

After midnight, Julia finds Alma watching a cake-baking competition show. Alma admits she loves it despite its dorkiness, and Julia joins her, discovering the show's emotional appeal. Alma asks why Julia moved away from her mother. Julia explains they reached a point where they couldn't coexist. Alma reflects that Ben will come around—he's defensive because he's scared and wishes Julia were happier for him. Alma suggests Julia reach out to Sunny, noting Sunny is genuinely nice. Alma then apologizes about Julia's mother and rests her head in Julia's lap, falling asleep.

Julia reflects on her unusually good day: Mark home, Ben's thanks, Alma's affection. She composes a long, over-edited apologetic text to Sunny, finally sending it. Then she deletes Helen Russo's number from her contacts, recognizing she no longer needs to call her.

Key Events

Alma seeks Julia's input on graduation hair and shoes, a shift from college anxieties to concrete preparations
Ben stops by to retrieve a library book, leading to a family conversation about his wedding logistics
Sunny's father will miss the rehearsal; her conservative grandmother decides to attend
Julia reveals she called Helen Russo to invite her to the wedding; Helen declined citing work
Ben declines dinner to be with Sunny after her final exam but thanks Julia for trying
Late-night scene: Julia joins Alma watching a cake-baking show
Alma asks about Julia's estrangement from her mother; Julia explains they couldn't coexist
Alma predicts Ben will come around and urges Julia to reach out to Sunny
Alma apologizes about Julia's mother and rests her head in Julia's lap
Julia sends an apologetic text to Sunny and deletes Helen Russo's number

Character Development

Julia moves from guardedness to tentative openness in this chapter. She admits to her children that she called her mother, acknowledges the flimsiness of Helen's excuse, and later takes two concrete steps toward repair: texting Sunny and deleting Helen's number. Her internal reflection—that it feels better to be the person who is trying and succeeding—marks a shift from her earlier self-protective patterns.

Alma demonstrates remarkable emotional intelligence. She reads Ben's defensiveness as fear, recognizes that Julia's unhappiness with the wedding stems from concern rather than disapproval, and offers genuine empathy about Julia's estrangement from her mother. Her decision to rest her head in Julia's lap signals a softening of the teenage distance that has characterized their recent interactions.

Ben shows compassion despite the lingering tension. His thanks to Julia—for trying—acknowledges her effort without fully resolving their conflict, suggesting a willingness to meet her partway.

Mark remains a steady, practical presence, handling logistics and offering support without pushing.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Mother-daughter estrangement is the chapter's central theme. Julia's explanation to Alma—that she and Helen ran out of whatever it took to coexist—echoes her earlier fears about her own family. The contrast between Julia's relationship with Helen and her relationship with Alma highlights both the pain of estrangement and the possibility of breaking the pattern.

Generational patterns appear in Alma's insight and Julia's reflection. Alma's empathy suggests she may not repeat her mother's mistakes, while Julia's decision to delete Helen's number represents a conscious choice to stop cycling through the past.

The cake-baking show functions as a safe space for emotional vulnerability. Julia notes that the show permits crying without questions, and it provides the setting where Alma feels comfortable asking about Helen and where the two share a rare moment of physical closeness.

The empty nest transition underlies the chapter. Alma's graduation preparations, Ben's wedding, and Julia's reflection on her intact family all point toward the coming change in the household.

The Ledger of Trying is Julia's private framework for self-improvement, and deleting Helen's number is framed as something she is not supposed to do within that ledger—yet she does it anyway, suggesting a redefinition of what trying means.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks a turning point in Julia's emotional arc. Her decision to text Sunny and delete Helen's number represents a deliberate investment in her present family rather than her past. The late-night scene with Alma provides one of the most intimate mother-daughter moments in the novel, showing Julia's capacity for vulnerability and Alma's emerging maturity. The chapter also advances the wedding storyline, setting up the possibility of reconciliation between Julia and Sunny while closing the door on Julia's relationship with her mother.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Julia delete Helen Russo's number, and what does this action signify?

Julia deletes the number because she recognizes she is past the point of needing Helen and that calling her would violate her personal Ledger of Trying. The action represents a deliberate choice to stop reaching backward and instead invest in the relationships she has—with Mark, Alma, Ben, and even Sunny. It signifies a redefinition of what trying means: not repairing the past, but building the future.

2. What does Alma's insight about Ben reveal about her character development?

Alma shows unusual emotional intelligence, recognizing that Ben's defensiveness stems from fear and his wish that Julia were happier for him. This demonstrates Alma's growing maturity and her ability to see beyond surface behavior. Her suggestion that Julia reach out to Sunny—and her assurance that Sunny is genuinely nice—positions Alma as a bridge between Julia and Ben, a role she could not have played earlier in the novel.

3. How does the cake-baking show function in this chapter?

The show provides a space where Julia and Alma can be emotionally vulnerable together. Julia notes that the show allows crying without questions, and it creates the intimate setting where Alma feels safe asking about Julia's estrangement from her mother. The show's emotional openness mirrors the chapter's larger theme of vulnerability and connection, and it sets the stage for Alma's apology and the physical closeness that follows.