Chapter 2 (Chapter 1) – One Year Earlier: 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.
Complete Summary
The narrative opens one year before the main timeline. Abby, a Director of Content Strategy at Stewart Advertising, pitches a diaper campaign to executives from Cuddles. She feels her life is nearly perfect: she loves her job, is married to a wonderful man named Sam, and is about to become a mother. She exudes confidence, delivering a successful presentation and earning praise from VP Jed Cofield.
After the meeting, her boss Denise Holt—who has been cold since learning Abby is trying for a baby—pressures her to shorten her planned twelve‑week maternity leave. Abby resists, remembering how Denise taught her everything about advertising but now disapproves of motherhood. Denise warns that Abby’s clients will be disappointed and suggests giving her assistant Monica the position.
The chapter then shifts to Abby’s baby shower, organized by her friend Shelley. Abby reflects on attending dozens of similar showers for colleagues; this time it is for her. The room is filled with gifts and food. However, in the final line Abby reveals a stunning fact: “I’m not pregnant.” The chapter ends on that note, leaving the reader to wonder how she can be expecting a child without being pregnant.
Key Events
- Abby delivers a successful pitch to the Cuddles executives, impressing VP Jed Cofield.
- Denise Holt expresses displeasure about Abby’s planned twelve‑week maternity leave and hints that Abby could be replaced.
- Abby’s best friend Shelley throws a baby shower for her at the office.
- The chapter concludes with Abby’s internal admission that she is not pregnant, despite the baby shower and her earlier statements about becoming a mother.
Character Development
- Abby (the narrator): Portrayed as ambitious, confident, and capable in her career, but she is also navigating a strained relationship with her boss. She hides her true feelings about the Cuddles diapers (she lies about using them) and resents Denise’s condescension. The final line hints at a secret or unusual situation regarding her impending motherhood.
- Denise Holt: Abby’s boss and former mentor. She is cool, controlling, and career‑focused; she views motherhood as a threat to professional success. Her comments about Monica taking Abby’s job reveal her willingness to undermine Abby.
- Jed Cofield: A flirtatious executive who admires Abby’s work and makes her slightly uncomfortable with his lingering handshake.
- Sam: Introduced only through dialogue. He is Abby’s husband, apparently supportive but concerned about finances (he questions her expensive Armani suit).
Themes, Symbols & Motifs Evidenced Here
- Appearance vs. Reality: Abby’s “perfect” life is undercut by Denise’s hostility and the final reveal that she is not pregnant. The image of the “glow” she thinks she has is ironic.
- Motherhood vs. Career: The central tension. Denise embodies the sacrifice of family for work, while Abby insists she can have both. The baby shower becomes a symbol of the conflict: Denise refuses to attend and belittles the event.
- Control and Power: Abby asserts control in the pitch (“I don’t let your boss answer questions for you”), but Denise still holds power over her leave, and the final line suggests Abby lacks control over her own body (the pregnancy).
- Lies and Deception: Abby lies about using Cuddles diapers and, implicitly, about being pregnant (or at least omits the truth). Deception is woven into the narrative from the first chapter.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 1 establishes Abby’s professional confidence and her strained relationship with Denise, while planting the critical mystery: how can she be expecting a child if she is not pregnant? This twist re‑frames everything that came before and sets up the central question of the novel. The chapter also introduces themes of marital dynamics, workplace politics, and the pressures of impending parenthood, all of which will deepen as the story unfolds.
Study Questions & Answers
1. Why does Abby lie to Jed Cofield about buying Cuddles diapers for her own baby?
Abby privately thinks Cuddles are “shoddy” diapers, but she needs to maintain a professional relationship with the client. Her lie shows that she prioritizes career success over honesty, even while pretending to be the ideal mother‑customer.
2. What is the significance of the final line, “I’m not pregnant”?
It directly contradicts her earlier declaration that she “is going to become a mother for the very first time.” The revelation suggests that Abby is using a surrogate or has another arrangement to have a child without carrying it herself. This twist immediately creates suspense and drives the plot forward.
3. How does Denise Holt’s attitude toward Abby’s pregnancy reflect the novel’s themes?
Denise sees motherhood as a threat to a woman’s career. Her disapproval and suggestion that Monica should take Abby’s position illustrate the workplace hostility many women face when they choose to become parents. This theme of work‑life balance (and the sacrifices it requires) is central to the story.