Grief and Healing in Lucy Score's Things We Left Behind

Thematic Claim: Healing Requires Vulnerability and Shared Support

Lucy Score's Things We Left Behind argues that genuine healing from grief demands two seemingly contradictory actions: allowing oneself to fully feel the pain of loss, and accepting the support of others even when past wounds have made trust feel impossible. The novel contrasts two grief journeys—Sloane Walton's open mourning for her father Simon and Lucian Rollins's buried trauma from an abusive childhood—and shows that their relationship becomes the catalyst for both to move forward. The story insists that healing is not a solitary task; it happens in the spaces where people let themselves be held, both literally and emotionally.

Plot Tracing: Three Stages of Grief and Healing

1. Initial Grief and the Seeds of Support (Chapters 1-3)

The novel opens the morning of Simon Walton's funeral. Sloane sits on her porch swing with breakfast wine, frozen inside despite the cold. Grief has infiltrated even the automatic act of breathing. Her mother Karen, sister Maeve, and niece Chloe join her with dark humor and a flask—the Walton way of facing loss together. Later at the visitation, Sloane holds a baby and feels a sudden desire for her own family, a sign that grief is already pushing her toward hope.

That same day, Lucian Rollins arrives at the funeral, and Sloane learns from her mother that he did something significant for the family, though details remain hidden. He forces a breakfast burrito on her, scolds her for not eating, and gives her his coat. Their charged interaction hints at an unspoken bond. Meanwhile, in chapter 2, Lucian receives Simon's final text: "Take care of my girls." He bottles his own grief—from Simon's death and from his father's abuse—and talks to his therapist friend Emry, who points out that losing two father figures in six months is a lot. Lucian deflects, claiming he isn't human, but his actions (watching over Sloane, alerting her friends) show he is already engaging in the support he denies needing.

In chapter 3, Sloane finally breaks down alone in her father's study, crying over his desk and the sticky notes he left. A stranger named Allen Upshaw arrives—a former juvenile offender Simon mentored. Allen's story reminds Sloane that her father changed lives, and the grief becomes more bearable when shared. That evening, her friends Lina, Naomi, Stef, and Jeremiah arrive with pizza and margaritas, forcing Sloane to talk about Lucian and her sudden desire for a family. Laughter and companionship let her grieve without being alone. This first section establishes that Sloane's healing will be communal, while Lucian's remains locked inside.

2. Breaking Open: Crisis as Catalyst (Chapter 38)

The middle of the novel brings a crisis that forces both Sloane and Lucian to confront their deepest pain. After a fire (as revealed in evidence chapter 38), Sloane is found by Lucian in her bedroom, covered in soot and bruises, sobbing uncontrollably. She does not fight him. He climbs through her window—a reversal of their teenage history when she used to listen to his pain through an open window. He undresses her tenderly, runs a bath, lights candles, and holds her. He realizes he could have lost her forever because of his own cowardice in keeping her at a distance.

This moment is pivotal for both characters. Sloane allows herself to be vulnerable without defenses, trusting Lucian to see her broken. Lucian experiences what it means to be trusted with someone's fragility. He vows never to leave her again. The healing here is physical—washing away the smoke and dirt—and emotional: the shared recognition that isolation does not protect; it only deepens the wounds. The scene echoes the opening chapters' theme of support, but now Lucian is the supporter, and Sloane is the one receiving care in a way she rarely allows.

3. Resolution: Ritual, Family, and Legacy (Epilogue and Bonus Epilogue)

The Christmas Eve wedding in the epilogue shows how far both have come. Sloane panics, missing her father, until Lucian climbs through a window to reassure her—a callback to his earlier intrusion. He endows the Simon Walton Foundation as a wedding gift; she gives him a framed photo with Simon's last text. The ceremony includes Sloane running into his arms, and her mother giving her away. An angel ornament resembling Simon appears on the porch tree, a symbol that his blessing endures.

Ten years later, in the bonus epilogue, Lucian holds his first grandchild, Amara. Their home is filled with children, dogs, and extended family. Lucian and Sloane exchange an anniversary gift—a framed cherry blossom from their tree. He reflects on his father and acknowledges the life Sloane gave him. The story concludes with his vow, "All for you. Always." Grief has transformed into legacy: Simon's foundation, the cherry tree (a symbol of new life and remembrance), and the family Lucian never thought he'd have. The porch tree tradition, which Sloane had skipped the year of Simon's death, is now a yearly ritual—a deliberate act of choosing life and connection.

Character and Symbol Connections

Characters and Their Grief Journeys

Sloane Walton: Her grief is visible, vocal, and communal. She cries in her father's study, she accepts her friends' intervention, and she eventually lets Lucian see her at her most broken. Her healing comes through allowing others to hold her—both physically (the bath scene) and emotionally (the wedding).
Lucian Rollins: His grief is buried, intellectualized, and solitary. He copes by controlling everything around him, pushing people away, and focusing on vengeance against his father's memory. His healing requires him to accept that he cannot protect Sloane by distancing himself; he must instead stay close and let her heal him in return. The phone call with Emry in chapter 2 shows his reluctance to talk, but by the epilogue he is openly vulnerable in his vows.
Supporting Characters: Knox and Nash Morgan show up with beer and bourbon after the funeral, signaling that masculine grief is also allowed space. Lina, Naomi, and Stef provide the laughter and practical support that keep Sloane from isolating. Simon Walton, though deceased, remains a guiding presence through Allen Upshaw's story and the foundation. Karen Walton's resilience models how grief can coexist with joy.

Key Symbols

Cherry Tree: In the bonus epilogue, Lucian and Sloane exchange a framed cherry blossom from their tree. The cherry tree blooms each spring, a natural symbol of renewal after winter. It represents the new life they have built together from the ashes of their past losses. The tree also echoes the porch tree tradition (the fat Christmas tree from Sloane's childhood), linking the past with the present. For more on its significance, see the cherry tree symbol page.
Lucian's Coat: He gives Sloane his coat in chapter 1, and she keeps it. The coat becomes a physical token of his protection and his presence, even when he tries to stay distant. She hangs it in her closet, and later her friends tease her about it. It symbolizes the warmth he offers despite his cold exterior.
The Porch and the Window: The porch swing is a site of family gatherings and grief. Lucian's entry through Sloane's window in chapter 38 reverses their teenage dynamic (she used to hear his pain through the window). Windows represent the barriers between them—first glass, then emotional walls—and the act of climbing through signals his willingness to enter her world fully. See also the fence symbol page.
The Library: Sloane's workplace is her domain, a place of order and learning. It contrasts with the chaos of grief. In the epilogue, she returns to work, symbolizing that life continues. The library also represents community support. More on the library symbol page.

Complexity and Contradiction

The novel does not present healing as a linear or tidy process. Several contradictions make the theme richer:

Lucian's Justice vs. Healing: For most of the book, Lucian believes that avenging his father's abuse will bring closure. He prioritizes the Anthony Hugo case and his own revenge over opening up emotionally. Yet when he finally lets go of his need for control (holding Sloane after the fire, marrying her without a prenup), he finds a deeper peace than any law case could provide.
Sloane's Independence vs. Interdependence: Sloane prides herself on being strong for everyone—her mother, sister, niece, town. She initially tries to grieve alone in her father's study. But healing requires her to let others see her cry, accept Lucian's burrito and coat, and eventually rely on him completely. Her growth is learning that strength does not mean solitude.
Distance vs. Proximity: Lucian repeatedly tells himself that staying away from Sloane is the safe choice. But that distance nearly loses her (the fire could have killed her while he was absent). The novel argues that real protection comes from closeness, not isolation.
Grief's Persistence: Even at the wedding, Sloane panics without her father. Ten years later, Lucian still thinks about his abusive father. Healing does not erase the loss; it integrates it. The angel ornament appearing on the tree suggests that Simon's spirit remains present, not as a ghost but as a loving memory.

Study Questions and Answers

How does the opening scene on the porch set the thematic framework for grief and healing in the novel?
The porch scene establishes that grief can be faced together. Sloane, Karen, Maeve, and Chloe use humor, wine, and shared memories to create a space where sorrow is acknowledged but not overwhelming. Karen's "pep talk" and the pink flask show that the Waltons actively choose to support each other through loss. This communal approach contrasts with Lucian's solitary grief, which is introduced in the next chapter.
Why does Lucian initially believe that keeping Sloane at a distance will protect her, and what events prove him wrong?
Lucian believes his past—the abuse, the danger from Anthony Hugo's associates, and his own coldness—makes him toxic for Sloane. He thinks distance will spare her from being caught in his darkness. He is proven wrong when Sloane is attacked and nearly dies while he is not there. In chapter 38, he realizes that his absence left her vulnerable, not safe. From that point, he vows to be her shadow, understanding that proximity is the only way to truly protect her.
What role does the character of Allen Upshaw play in Sloane's grief journey?
Allen visits Sloane after the funeral to share how Simon Walton changed his life. His story reminds Sloane that her father's legacy extends beyond their family—it lives in the people he helped. This external validation of her father's goodness allows Sloane to feel pride and purpose in her grief. It also shows that healing can come from unexpected sources, reinforcing the book's claim that support arrives from many directions.
How does the cherry tree symbol evolve from the porch tree tradition to the framed blossom in the bonus epilogue?
The porch tree tradition begins with a fat Christmas tree that couldn't fit through the door—a symbol of family laughter and imperfection. After Simon's death, Sloane skips the tradition, unable to face it. In the epilogue, she reinstates it, and in the bonus epilogue, Lucian and Sloane exchange a framed cherry blossom from their own tree. The cherry tree represents continuity and new life, showing that healing allows old traditions to evolve into new ones. It proves that joy can grow from sorrow.
Identify one contradiction in the novel's treatment of healing and explain how the story resolves it.
A major contradiction is Lucian's belief that he does not deserve love or help because he is "broken" (as he says in the flashback). Yet the novel shows that everyone, including Lucian, is capable of healing when they let others in. The resolution comes through Sloane's unconditional acceptance: she sees his darkness and still chooses him. His final vow, "All for you. Always," indicates that he has transformed from a man who thought himself beyond saving to one who dedicates his life to love. The contradiction is resolved not by Lucian becoming "fixed," but by his accepting that he is worthy of being held.

For a deeper look at the characters central to these themes, visit the Sloane Walton, Lucian Rollins, Knox Morgan, and Naomi Morgan pages. The main book page offers a full overview.