Chapter 25: Thirty-Two Years Ago – 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
Liam brings Cory to Windbreak for the first time, though he purchased the house over a year earlier. Standing in the empty living room, Liam tells Cory to think of it as “starting over again.” Cory, who has been married for just over a year, is skeptical. Liam acknowledges that they cannot be together every day, but he envisions them growing old in this house together. Cory points to a bay window where she would install large white bookshelves. Liam then reveals that he has already ordered custom-made white bookshelves—based on a photograph of her graduate school apartment and the shelves she loved at a firehouse. Overcome with emotion, Cory moves into his arms, laughing and crying at once. Liam admits he spent the entire furniture budget on the shelves, joking that they will have to sleep on the floor. Their embrace is joyful but also carries the sadness of their stolen time together.
Key Events
- Liam and Cory stand together in the empty Windbreak living room for the first time.
- Liam frames the house as a way for Cory to reclaim what was taken from her in California.
- Cory points out where she would place bookshelves; Liam reveals he already ordered them, modeled after shelves she loved in her past.
- Cory laughs and cries as she embraces Liam, touched by his thoughtfulness.
- Liam jokes about the furniture budget being entirely spent on the bookshelves.
- The scene ends with a moment of shared happiness shadowed by the awareness that their time alone is rare.
Character Development
Liam shows an extraordinary capacity for attention and planning. He remembers the exact style of bookshelves Cory admired years before and commissions a custom version. His vulnerability appears when he tries not to cry, revealing how deeply he feels both the joy of making her happy and the pain of their constrained circumstances. He is willing to risk being apart from his daughter Nora for a time, but he also knows the limits of their situation.
Cory is initially guarded, mocking Liam’s grand vision with “You’re deranged.” Yet she quickly softens when she learns that her offhand wish has already been fulfilled. Her laughter and tears demonstrate a mix of surprise, gratitude, and sorrow. She is torn between her current marriage and the deep bond she shares with Liam, but she does not verbalize the conflict.
Nora is mentioned as Liam’s little girl, whom he loves and does not want to be apart from. Even though she does not appear in the scene, her existence forms an emotional boundary between Liam and Cory.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
- Starting Over: Liam’s opening line—“Think of it as starting over again”—sets the theme. Windbreak represents a blank slate for their relationship, but the “over” implies that something precious has already been lost.
- The Bookshelves: More than furniture, the custom-made bookshelves symbolize Liam’s intimate knowledge of Cory’s desires. They are a tangible expression of his love and his ability to listen, even to unspoken wishes.
- Home as Shared Dream: The house is not yet a home, but Cory’s suggestion to place bookshelves by the bay window begins the work of making it theirs. Liam’s pre-emptive action shows that he has already been building that home in his mind.
- Joy and Sadness Intertwined: The chapter repeatedly pairs laughter with tears. The happiness of the moment is undermined by the knowledge that such freedom is fleeting. The sadness “lived between them now” and could not be controlled.
Why This Chapter Matters
This flashback is essential for understanding the depth of Liam and Cory’s relationship. It establishes why Liam would later leave Windbreak to Cory—the house was always meant to be theirs. The chapter also humanizes Liam beyond his public persona, showing his romantic and vulnerable side. For readers, it explains the weight of the secrets and sacrifices that shape the main timeline. The image of the bookshelves becomes a recurring symbol of what was promised but never fully realized.
Study Questions & Answers
1. Why does Liam say Windbreak is a way for Cory to “get it back”?
Liam believes Cory lost something important when she left California—perhaps her independence, her dreams, or a version of herself. He offers the house as a place where she can reclaim that part of her identity, even while their relationship remains unconventional.
2. What does the custom-built bookshelf reveal about Liam’s character?
It shows that Liam is deeply attentive and willing to make grand gestures based on Cory’s past happiness. He invests not only money but emotional memory, having kept a photograph of her graduate school apartment and recalling details from the firehouse. This reveals a man who expresses love through careful planning rather than words.
3. How does the chapter contrast joy with sadness?
The scene is full of laughter, intimate contact, and the thrill of a shared dream. Yet Liam’s internal thought—the sadness that “lived between them now” that he could not control—reminds the reader that this perfect moment is temporary. Cory’s marriage and Liam’s responsibility to Nora ensure that they cannot fully inhabit the future they are imagining.