Chapter 38: For as Long as We Both Shall Live - Summary & Analysis

Spoiler Notice

This summary contains spoilers for Chapter 38 of Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand.

Summary

After a night together, Coco and Lamont lie in bed as morning arrives. Lamont must leave before Leslee returns. Coco reads aloud the renewal vows she found online for Bull and Leslee, and the two mock the clichéd language. Lamont jokingly invents his own vows about Amalfi lemons and turning a blind eye to Leslee’s flirtations.

Leslee enters the apartment while Lamont is still there. He hides under the bed and dresses quickly. Coco exits her bedroom to meet Leslee, who wants her to take donation boxes to Goodwill. Leslee notices a pair of Lamont’s boat shoes on the floor. Realizing he is in the bedroom, Leslee confronts Coco but does not directly accuse her. Instead, Leslee delivers a long, cruel speech insulting Coco’s background, her tattoos, her clothing, and her supposed lie about the librarian Susan Geraghty. She also criticizes the decision to hire Lamont, implying they should have chosen a more “traditional” captain—a remark Coco interprets as racist.

Leslee leaves without firing Coco, though it is clear the relationship is broken. Lamont emerges, having heard everything. He urges Coco to tough it out for the remaining two weeks until Labor Day. Coco, feeling a new rage, begins to nurture an idea for revenge against the Richardsons.

Key Events

Coco and Lamont wake up together and mock the renewal vows Coco found for Bull and Leslee.
Leslee arrives unexpectedly, and Lamont hides under the bed.
Leslee spots Lamont’s shoes and realizes he is in the bedroom.
Instead of a direct confrontation, Leslee verbally attacks Coco’s character, class, and supposed deceit.
Leslee criticizes the hiring of Lamont, using coded language that suggests racial bias.
Coco feels defiant and begins planning revenge against the Richardsons, though the details are not yet revealed.

Character Development

Coco emerges from the encounter with a new defiance. She has long anticipated Leslee’s contempt but is particularly angered by the attack on Lamont. Her desire for revenge crystallizes, moving from vague resentment to a concrete plan.
Lamont remains calm and pragmatic. He advises patience and endurance, showing his ability to ignore insults for the sake of keeping the job. His loyalty to Coco is evident, but he does not advocate confrontation.
Leslee reveals her true colors: cruel, classist, and possibly racist. Her speech exposes her deep-seated prejudice and her awareness of Coco’s fabricated background. She chooses to humiliate rather than fire Coco, a power play that backfires.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Class and Prejudice: Leslee’s tirade highlights the wealth and social divide between her family and Coco. Coco’s tattoos, clothing, and lack of refinement are weaponized to shame her.
Racism in Hiring: Leslee’s comment about wanting a “traditional” captain points to systemic racial bias, even in supposedly progressive circles. The story of Lamont’s “local-boy-makes-good” is dismissed as a mistake.
Hollow Vows: The renewal vows Coco reads are empty clichés, contrasting with the real dysfunction in Bull and Leslee’s marriage. Lamont’s mock vows underscore the shallowness of their relationship.
Revenge as Motivation: Coco’s shift from passive resentment to active planning of revenge marks a turning point in her character arc.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a crucial turning point. It forces the confrontation that has been building between Coco and Leslee, exposing Leslee’s cruelty and Coco’s simmering anger. The chapter also plants the seeds for Coco’s revenge plot, which will likely drive the climax of the story. Lamont’s role as a calm foil to Coco’s emotional reaction deepens their relationship and sets up their partnership in whatever comes next.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Coco decide to plan revenge after Leslee’s outburst?
Coco had long felt inferior and resented the Richardsons, but she tolerated it for the job. When Leslee insults Lamont and implies racial bias, Coco’s anger shifts to a determination to strike back. She no longer cares about keeping the job and now wants to hurt the Richardsons.
How does the author use the renewal vows to comment on Bull and Leslee’s marriage?
The clichéd, internet-sourced vows are mocked by Coco and Lamont, suggesting that Bull and Leslee’s relationship lacks genuine depth. The phrase “for as long as we both shall live” feels hollow when contrasted with Leslee’s actual behavior—infidelity, manipulation, and cruelty.
What does Leslee’s criticism of hiring Lamont reveal about her character?
Leslee’s wish for a “more traditional captain” is coded language for wanting a white captain. This reveals her racism and her willingness to judge people by their race rather than their merit. It also shows her need to maintain social appearance over substance.