Chapter summaries The Surrogate Mother Freida McFadden

The Surrogate Mother Chapter 23 Summary: Trust and Jealousy

⚠️ 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

After a stressful day at work—Abby was called into HR because Monica refused to leave the job as originally agreed—Abby vents to her husband Sam. She feels that Monica’s change of heart has put her career at risk and made her boss Denise hostile. During their conversation, Sam admits he had lunch with Monica a few days earlier without telling Abby. He claims Monica is at a career crossroads and that he was only offering advice. Abby is hurt by the secrecy. Sam apologizes sincerely, promising not to hide future meetings. Abby tries to let the matter go, telling herself that lunch is not an affair and that Monica did save her job. The chapter ends with a tender moment over Sam’s failed meatballs (full of eggshells), and the couple orders pizza instead. Abby convinces herself that everything is fine, but the reader senses lingering tension.

Key Events

  • Abby recounts her HR meeting to Sam, blaming Monica for the trouble and feeling that Denise now hates her.
  • Sam suggests Monica “saved the day” by defending Abby, but Abby argues Monica caused the problem by not quitting.
  • Sam casually mentions that he knows about Monica’s future plans, forcing Abby to press him.
  • Sam confesses he had lunch with Monica a few days ago and did not tell Abby because he knew she would overreact.
  • Abby feels betrayed: her husband is having private meetings with the young woman carrying their baby.
  • Sam apologizes, explaining that Monica seemed intimidated by Abby and that he only wanted to help her with career advice.
  • Abby recalls their first meeting and Sam’s nervousness, softening her anger.
  • The couple taste Sam’s meatballs and discover they contain eggshells, leading them to abandon the meal for pizza.
  • Sam holds Abby’s hand and renews his apology, promising not to repeat the mistake.
  • Abby resolves to trust Sam, telling herself that Monica’s actions are not malicious and that her marriage is secure.

Character Development

  • Abby: Her jealousy and insecurity come to the forefront. She is wary of Monica’s influence and worried about losing both her career and her husband’s loyalty. Abby’s attempt to rationalize Sam’s behavior shows her desire to maintain a happy marriage, but her earlier anger reveals deep anxiety.
  • Sam: He displays a pattern of avoiding conflict—he hides the lunch because he knows Abby will be upset. His apology is heartfelt and self-critical, but his secrecy undermines trust. Sam’s role as a professor who “advises students” is used to justify his meeting with Monica, blurring professional and personal boundaries.
  • Monica: Though not present, her off-page actions drive the plot. Her decision to change her mind about work and her private lunch with Sam make her a more ambiguous figure—both helper and potential threat.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Trust and Deception: The central conflict is not about a physical affair but about the erosion of trust when Sam withholds information. Abby must decide whether to believe his explanations.
  • Power Dynamics: Sam describes Abby as “intimidating,” which echoes Monica’s earlier comment. This characterization positions Abby as a powerful but isolated figure whose sternness pushes others away.
  • The Meatballs as Symbol: Sam’s meatballs, full of eggshells, represent flawed attempts at domestic harmony. He tries to cook a loving meal but fails, mirroring his failed attempt to keep the lunch secret. The shared decision to order pizza signals a temporary return to simplicity, but the eggshells (like the secret) remain a gritty reminder of imperfection.
  • Jealousy and Insecurity: Abby’s fear that Monica might “back out” on giving up the baby reemerges, linking professional betrayal to the ultimate fear of losing the child.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the emotional stakes of the surrogacy arrangement. Until now, Abby and Sam have appeared united; here, a crack forms. Sam’s secret lunch with Monica introduces the possibility of divided loyalties. Abby’s willingness to forgive sets up future tension—will Monica manipulate Sam further? The chapter also reframes Monica from a mere surrogate into a potential rival for Sam’s attention and affection. The trust that Abby clings to may prove fragile, making this a turning point in the novel’s suspense.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Sam hide his lunch with Monica from Abby?
Sam hides the meeting because he knows Abby will “make a big thing of it.” He rationalizes that he was simply offering career advice to someone at a crossroads, but his secrecy suggests he senses the impropriety of the situation.

2. How does the author use the meatball scene to reveal character or theme?
The ruined meatballs—containing eggshells despite careful preparation—mirror Sam’s failed attempt at honesty. The couple’s decision to laugh it off and order pizza shows their desire to smooth over conflict, but the lingering crunch of eggshells echoes the chapter’s underlying unease.

3. What does this chapter suggest about Abby’s emotional state regarding the surrogacy?
Abby’s fear that Monica might “back out on giving us the baby” reveals that her trust in the surrogacy arrangement is fragile. Her jealousy over Sam’s lunch magnifies her vulnerability, and her effort to convince herself that “everything is going to be fine” reads as wishful thinking.

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