Chapter 6 – Russell’s Funeral, Alaska, and the Unraveling Truth

⚠️ 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

Chapter 6 opens with a US Weekly report on Russell D’Angelo’s funeral in August 2004. Cassie Griffin is conspicuously absent. In Alaska twenty years later, Cherry confronts her aunt and learns that Russell had been sleeping with both Cassie and Zoe, and that Cassie believes she caused his death. Cherry tries to coax Cassie out of her self-imposed exile by singing together, but Cassie panics at the thought of performing in public. Meanwhile, flashbacks follow Zoe through the immediate aftermath of Russell’s death: she is numb, pregnant, and eventually gives birth to Cherry in a home birth at her parents’ house. Zoe later attempts a solo music career and meets Jordan at a small bar show. In the present, Zoe obtains Cassie’s address in Alaska from her aunt Bess and tells Jordan she will not tolerate his son Bix’s creepy behavior toward Cherry. Cherry, desperate to get Cassie onstage for her televised competition, secretly contacts Zoe. At the dress rehearsal, Cherry orchestrates a reunion. Zoe enters Cassie’s dressing room and confesses the night Russell died: she told Russell she was pregnant and that the baby was his, even though she was unsure, and she believes that lie drove him to his death. Cassie hears the confession, says “I don’t know” when asked for forgiveness, and walks away.

Key Events

Russell D’Angelo’s funeral is reported, with Cassie notably absent.
Cherry compels Cassie to reveal the affair with Russell and the events of the night he died.
Zoe’s grief after Russell’s death is depicted: she exists in a fog of numbness, guilt, and morning sickness.
Cherry is born at home; Zoe names her Cherry after her aunt Janice’s suggestion but feels too broken to be a mother.
Zoe struggles as a solo artist, touring small venues and writing her own song “I Want a Love Like a Death Row Pardon.”
Zoe meets Jordan at a bar, where he listens raptly to her set.
Zoe confronts Jordan about Bix’s inappropriate behavior toward Cherry and threatens to leave if Bix is not gone.
Cherry convinces Cassie to come to Los Angeles as moral support for her competition.
Cherry secretly invites Zoe to the dress rehearsal, forcing a reunion between the sisters.
Zoe tells Cassie the truth about the lie she told Russell the night he died.
Cassie, stunned, refuses to give a clear answer about forgiveness and walks away.

Character Development

Cherry Griffin: Transitions from viewing Cassie only as a musical idol to seeing her as a wounded aunt she can “rescue.” Her determination shifts from career ambition to a genuine desire to heal family wounds, though her manipulative engineering of the reunion shows she still prioritizes the show’s outcome.
Cassie Griffin: For twenty years she has carried the sole guilt for Russell’s death. Learning that Zoe’s lie contributed to the tragedy cracks her self‑punishing narrative, but she is not yet ready to rebuild her life. Her panic at performing in public shows that her trauma is visceral and unprocessed.
Zoe Griffin: Begins the chapter as a woman consumed by grief and self‑loathing. Over two decades she constructs a suburban life that buries her past, but when Cherry’s safety is threatened (by Bix), she finds a new fierceness. Her confession to Cassie is an act of overdue honesty, but she admits she may never be forgiven.
Jordan: Remains a background figure. He is portrayed as a good father but complicit in protecting his son from consequences, which Zoe refuses to accept.
Russell D’Angelo (deceased): Is revealed through others’ memories as a gifted musician who was trapped between two sisters, ultimately driven to despair by Zoe’s lie about paternity.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Grief and Guilt

Zoe experiences grief as a “monster” that will eventually trample her. Cassie’s guilt manifests as self‑imposed exile and a refusal to sing publicly. Both women’s lives are shaped by the belief that they are responsible for Russell’s death.

The Performance of Normalcy

Zoe consciously adopts a persona of the perfect suburban wife and mother to hide her past. She applies makeup, chooses outfits, and walks in pinching shoes to project control. This contrasts with Cassie’s rejection of all performance by living in a tiny cabin with no audience.

The Burden of Talent

Cherry envies Cassie’s voice, calling it a “flamethrower” compared to her own matches. The novel suggests that extraordinary talent can be destructive when paired with unresolved trauma. Cassie’s inability to sing in public symbolizes how artistic gifts can become a curse.

Sisterhood as Fractured Mirror

The sisters are repeatedly compared: Cassie has the voice, Zoe had the drive. Each believes she ruined the other’s life. The chapter ends with Cassie walking away, suggesting that reconciliation cannot be forced even when the truth is finally told.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 6 is the turning point of the novel. It resolves the central mystery of Russell D’Angelo’s death by revealing Zoe’s lie, which repositions the blame shared between both sisters. It also sets up the emotional climax of the competition show, where Cherry has forced the sisters into the same room. The chapter deepens Cherry’s character by showing her willingness to manipulate family relationships for her own goals, while also revealing her genuine love for her aunt. Zoe’s confrontation with Jordan over Bix signals her growth from passive victim to active protector. The chapter ends on a note of uncertainty: Cassie does not forgive, and the sisters are still apart, leaving the reader to wonder whether real reconciliation is possible.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Cassie believe she is responsible for Russell’s death, and how does the chapter challenge that belief?
Cassie believes she killed Russell because she slept with him while he was married to Zoe, and she assumes his guilt and shame led him to get drunk and walk into traffic. Zoe’s confession reveals that she lied to Russell about being pregnant with his child, telling him they would have to stay together. This lie likely contributed more to Russell’s despair than the affair alone, complicating Cassie’s long‑held guilt.

2. What does Cherry’s decision to secretly invite Zoe to the dress rehearsal reveal about her character?
Cherry wants to heal her family and save Cassie from loneliness, but she also prioritizes her competition performance. By engineering the reunion without Cassie’s consent, she treats the sisters’ pain as a means to an end—both for the show and for her own artistic future. This shows that Cherry is both empathetic and ruthless.

3. How does the motif of performance appear in Zoe’s life after Russell’s death?
Zoe consciously performs the role of a capable mother and later a successful wife. She dresses carefully, hides her grief, and even walks in shoes that hurt to look confident. She uses her body and appearance as a costume to convince the world—and herself—that she is fine. This performance breaks down when she confesses to Cassie, finally dropping the mask.