The Divorce Chapter 29 (Chapter 27) – Summary & 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
Naomi rehearses how to tell Jeremy about Veronica Chesson’s drug arrest before he arrives to pick up Teddy. She confronts him in the living room, revealing Veronica was arrested for heroin possession and that she contacted Veronica’s former employer about track marks. Jeremy deflects, claiming he already knew and that Veronica is clean. Naomi argues Veronica only wants money and hates Teddy, but Jeremy dismisses her. While helping Teddy pack, Jeremy discovers Teddy’s elephant doll stuffed with a kitchen knife, red substance, and pulled-out stuffing in a dresser drawer. He immediately accuses Naomi, ignoring her claim that Veronica must have used a key. He leaves with Teddy, furious. Alone, Naomi finds her Tylenol bottle nearly empty; she suspects Veronica poisoned her kombucha, linking it to a previous violent illness. Realizing Veronica’s ruthlessness, she resolves to be extremely careful.
Key Events
- Naomi attempts to warn Jeremy about Veronica’s drug history and motives.
- Jeremy reveals he already knew about Veronica’s heroin arrest.
- Naomi points out a missing kitchen knife before Jeremy arrives.
- Jeremy finds the elephant doll mutilated with the knife in Teddy’s drawer.
- Jeremy accuses Naomi of the act and storms out with Teddy.
- Naomi discovers her Tylenol bottle has only three pills left.
- She connects the missing pills to the earlier bad kombucha taste and violent vomiting.
- Naomi concludes Veronica tried to poison her and must be dangerous.
Character Development
- Naomi: Becomes more desperate and paranoid, yet also more perceptive. She moves from pleading to strategic caution, realizing her earlier underestimation of Veronica was a mistake.
- Jeremy: Shows willful blindness; he defends Veronica despite incriminating evidence and immediately blames Naomi. His anger overrides any willingness to consider alternative explanations.
- Veronica (off-page): Through Naomi’s deductions, Veronica emerges as a calculated manipulator willing to use poisoning and frame Naomi, deepening her threat.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Symbol of the elephant: The stuffed elephant, a gift from Veronica, becomes a target of violence meant to frame Naomi. It represents Veronica’s infiltration of Teddy’s world and the weaponization of a child’s love.
- Motif of missing objects: The recurring missing knife and the disappearing Tylenol capsules create an atmosphere of hidden threats and gaslighting.
- Theme of poisoned trust: Naomi’s suspicion that her kombucha was laced with Tylenol literalizes the breakdown of safety in her own home. The theme of unseen toxins mirrors Jeremy’s emotional poisoning by Veronica.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter dramatically escalates the conflict. The planted evidence in Teddy’s drawer gives Jeremy concrete reason to mistrust Naomi, potentially swinging mediation against her. Naomi’s discovery of the depleted Tylenol—and her realization that she was nearly poisoned—raises the stakes from custody battle to survival. The chapter also reinforces Veronica as a cunning antagonist who uses Jeremy’s keys and knowledge of Naomi’s routines. It sets up a precarious situation where Naomi must fight both the legal system and a hidden enemy without solid proof.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Jeremy immediately believe Naomi mutilated the elephant instead of considering Veronica?
Jeremy’s trust in Naomi has eroded during the divorce. He already sees her as unstable (“issues”), and he has been swayed by Veronica’s charm. The elephant was in Naomi’s apartment, making her the obvious suspect in his eyes. His defensiveness about Veronica’s past also blinds him to alternative explanations.
2. What does the missing Tylenol reveal about Veronica’s plan?
The near-empty bottle suggests Veronica, using a key, entered the apartment and dissolved pills into Naomi’s kombucha. The earlier vomiting likely prevented a lethal overdose. This shows Veronica is willing to use stealth and poison, framing her actions as premeditated rather than impulsive.
3. How does this chapter change Naomi’s approach to her situation?
Naomi shifts from trying to convince Jeremy verbally to a defensive survival mindset. She acknowledges she cannot rely on Ezra or Jeremy to believe her and decides to watch Veronica closely, indicating she may take proactive but potentially risky steps to protect herself and Teddy.