Chapter 38 Summary – The Surrogate Mother

⚠️ 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

Abby wakes with a thumping headache and a sandpaper-dry mouth, regretting the alcohol she drank the previous night. For the first time in their marriage, Sam slept on the couch. The doorbell rings and Abby fears it is the police coming to arrest her, but she finds her former assistant Gertie at the door, clutching a grocery bag and a cane. Gertie insists on making breakfast, pushing past Abby into the kitchen. While Gertie cooks eggs, Abby freshens up, noticing her haggard appearance.

Over breakfast, Gertie serves eggs and orange juice. The doorbell rings again. This time it is Monica, who claims Sam asked her to come talk. Abby reluctantly lets her in, feeling safer because Gertie is present. Monica tells Abby that Sam wants to end the marriage and that Abby should move out so Sam and Monica can raise the baby together. She implies Sam married Abby only for her trust fund. Abby begins to feel dizzy. Monica asks Gertie if the drug was in the eggs. Gertie replies it was in the orange juice, that she used every last pill. Monica smiles and thanks her, calling Gertie "Mom."

Key Events

Abby wakes up hungover; Sam has left the bed.
Gertie arrives unannounced and insists on cooking breakfast.
Abby consumes eggs and orange juice prepared by Gertie.
Monica appears at the door, claiming Sam sent her.
Monica delivers the news that Sam wants Abby out of the apartment.
Abby feels dizzy and disoriented after drinking the juice.
Gertie admits she drugged the orange juice.
Monica reveals Gertie is her mother.

Character Development

Abby remains emotionally vulnerable and physically weakened by her drinking. Her panic at the doorbell shows her paranoia about being arrested. She is easily manipulated by Gertie’s kindness.
Gertie transforms from a seemingly harmless, helpful old woman to a calculating accomplice. Her lack of a cane when she emerges from the kitchen suggests she may have faked her disability.
Monica moves from passive surrogate to active antagonist. She delivers the ultimatum about Sam with cold confidence, and her genuine smile when thanking Gertie reveals her true nature.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Betrayal and Deception – Gertie’s pretense of care masks her complicity in Monica’s scheme. Monica uses Sam’s name to gain entry. The orange juice becomes a symbol of poisoned trust.

The Surrogate as Replacement – Monica not only carries the baby but now aims to replace Abby entirely in Sam’s life and home.

Substance Abuse as Weakness – Abby’s hangover and the ease with which she is drugged underscore how her vulnerabilities are exploited.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter delivers two major twists: Gertie is revealed as Monica’s mother and an active participant in the plot against Abby. The drugging of the orange juice raises immediate danger and confirms that Monica and Gertie have a long-standing plan. It also solidifies Monica’s intention to take over Abby’s marriage and home, turning the surrogate arrangement into a hostile takeover.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Abby let Monica into the apartment despite her fears?
Abby feels safe because Gertie is present. She reasons that Monica would not try anything with a witness there, and she believes she can defend herself against a heavily pregnant woman.
What does Monica’s comment about “real numbers” reveal about her view of Abby?
Monica mocks Abby’s intelligence, suggesting she is not intellectually equal to Sam. This reinforces Monica’s belief that Abby does not deserve Sam and that she herself is a better match.
How does Gertie’s behavior change when she comes out of the kitchen after the drugging?
She no longer uses her cane, having previously seemed unable to walk without it. This indicates her disability was likely exaggerated or faked to gain sympathy and access to Abby.