Chapter 64 Summary & Analysis: Nina Takes the Blame
⚠️ 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
Nina climbs to the attic and finds the light on, revealing the body of her husband, Andy. He is clearly dead – his skin is sunken, his mouth bloody and missing teeth, and his chest still. Millie appears behind Nina, holding pepper spray. Millie explains that Andy has been locked in the attic for about five or six days and has died of starvation or neglect. After confirming Andy has no pulse, Millie breaks down, terrified she will return to prison for life. Nina, seeing Millie’s youth and fear, decides to take the blame. She tells Millie to leave and that she will claim she locked Andy in the attic herself, using her history of mental health hospitalizations as a defense. Millie realizes Nina was the one who left the pepper spray for her, hoping Millie would kill Andy. After a tense moment, Millie flees the house, and Nina calls the police.
Key Events
- Nina enters the attic and discovers Andy’s corpse.
- Millie confronts Nina with pepper spray, revealing she has been guarding the attic.
- Nina confirms Andy is dead; Millie panics about going to prison.
- Nina decides to take responsibility, instructing Millie to leave.
- Millie realizes Nina planted the pepper spray to provoke the killing.
- Nina calls the police, alone with Andy’s body.
Character Development
- Nina: Demonstrates a profound shift from self-preservation to sacrificial love. Earlier she manipulated Millie into killing Andy, but now she chooses to shield Millie, accepting a likely return to a psychiatric hospital. This decision highlights her growth from passive victim to active protector.
- Millie: Displays vulnerability and fear beneath her earlier fierceness. Her breakdown mirrors Cece’s crying, emphasizing her youth and the weight of her actions. She is terrified of prison, yet she hesitates to harm Nina, showing a moral core.
- Andy: Even in death, Andy’s presence looms as a symbol of abuse and control. His physical decay underscores the cruelty he inflicted and the finality of his power over the women.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Sacrifice and Redemption: Nina’s choice to bear the legal consequences for Millie mirrors a redemptive arc. She attempts to undo her earlier manipulation by offering a way out.
- Guilt and Innocence: Both women are complicit in Andy’s death – one by neglect, the other by planning. The chapter blurs lines between victim and perpetrator, questioning who truly deserves punishment.
- The Attic as a Tomb: The attic, once Andy’s prison for Millie, becomes his death chamber. The flickering bulbs and locked door symbolize the hidden violence that structured the household.
- Pepper Spray as a Conduit: The spray represents Nina’s indirect push for violence; its passing between them reflects shifting agency and complicity.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the emotional and moral climax of the novel. Nina’s decision solidifies the bond between the two women and sets up the final resolution. It resolves the central conflict – Andy’s abuse – but introduces a new question: will Nina’s sacrifice work? The chapter also recontextualizes Nina’s earlier actions, showing her as both a schemer and a savior.