This Could Be Us Ending Explained: Soledad and Judah's Path to Self-Love

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

The Literal Ending (Epilogue: Soledad)

The story closes about a year after the main events. Soledad and Judah are vacationing in Morocco—intimate, trusting, and deeply connected. Judah reveals that Edward has fled the country with Amber and their baby after violating probation. Judah had been tracking Edward, found hidden money, but chose not to report his escape. Soledad experiences a flash of rage, then overwhelming relief: she is finally free of Edward. Judah admits he let Edward go intentionally to protect Soledad and her daughters from further harm. Soledad reflects that her journey of self-love enabled her to love Judah completely. She accepts that the future is uncertain (they may never marry, and the boys’ needs may shift), but she knows they will be together. The final image is of them holding each other under “a sun that belongs to only us.”

The Climax and Major Turning Points

The emotional climax is not a single action scene but a series of confrontations and declarations:

• Chapter 15 (Soledad): Inez catches Judah helping Soledad after a school event and accuses her of being friendly with the man who “sent Daddy to prison.” Soledad deflects but realizes she cannot keep the truth hidden forever.
• Chapter 28 (Soledad): At the Callahan dinner party, Soledad introduces herself without Edward’s name. Judah intercepts her, they share a kiss, and she reaffirms her need to “partner herself” before committing. Judah agrees to wait as friends.
• Chapter 38 (Soledad): During strip Uno, Soledad shows Judah the scar on her palm and reveals she cut it when she shattered Edward’s display case after learning he gave her chlamydia. This confession deepens their bond and confirms his promise never to betray her.
• Chapter 39 (Judah): Career Day at Adam’s school. Inez catches Soledad and Judah in a tender moment and throws her apron at Soledad, accusing her of dating the man who ruined their family.
• Chapter 40 (Soledad): At dinner, Inez openly blames Judah for Edward’s imprisonment. Soledad asserts her authority, admits she likes Judah, and declares Edward ruined himself. Later Judah says he will wait until she is truly ready, and Soledad confesses she may never want marriage again.
• Chapter 45 (Soledad): The first blended-family dinner goes well—Inez bonds with Aaron over a Rubik’s cube, and Aaron enjoys the mac and cheese. Judah surprises Soledad with a purple motorcycle from his “Me List.” Soledad tells him she loves him. She also learns from Brunson that Edward is due for early release and has a son with Amber; she resolves to tell her daughters herself.

Character Outcomes

Resolved and Unresolved Threads

Resolved:

• Soledad’s eight-year marriage to Edward ends permanently; she finds closure.
• Soledad forgives herself for Edward’s betrayal and learns to trust her own judgment.
• Soledad and Judah begin a committed romantic relationship built on honesty and patience.
• The blended-family dinner proves that Soledad’s daughters and Judah’s sons can coexist peacefully.
• Judah reconciles his celibacy (and possible autism spectrum suggestion) with a full intimate relationship.

Unresolved / Open-Ended:

• Edward’s whereabouts and legal status: He has fled to a non-extradition country. Judah deliberately did not report the new accounts. It’s implied Edward will not be pursued.
• Future marriage: Soledad says she may never want to marry again. The epilogue does not show a wedding; they are together “no matter what shape it takes.”
• Long-term care for Aaron: Judah’s autistic son may live in alternate housing or a garage apartment; the exact arrangement is left to the future.
• Daughters’ full healing: Inez’s suspicion is resolved by the end, but the trauma of Edward’s imprisonment and escape is ongoing.

Theme Resolution

• Self-Partnering and Self-Love: The central arc. Soledad’s epilogue reflection states, “you can risk loving completely when you completely love yourself.” She spends the story journaling, taking herself to breakfast, and enforcing boundaries. This is fully realized.
• Betrayal and Trust: Edward’s betrayal (infidelity, financial theft, chlamydia) is countered by Judah’s unwavering honesty. Trust is rebuilt when Judah reveals he let Edward escape to protect Soledad.
• Neurodiversity and Parenting: Judah’s autistic sons are central to his life choices. The author’s note (inspired by her own son) and the boys’ portrayal emphasize acceptance and flexible support.
• Motherhood and Family: Soledad prioritizes her daughters’ emotional well-being, from the drive that exposed Edward to the hard conversations. The epilogue shows a supportive co-parenting network.
• Healing and Second Chances: Both Soledad and Judah heal from failed marriages. Judah’s willingness to wait and Soledad’s gradual opening are the engines of the love story.

The Epilogue in Detail

The epilogue (Chapter 49) is set in Morocco. Soledad describes the feeling of finding “one end of infinity” that Judah holds. She learns Edward has fled; Judah says he didn’t stop him because “I wanted him out of your life more than I wanted to catch him.” Soledad initially feels rage, then “cleansing tears” of relief. She acknowledges the uncertainty of the future—Aaron may require lifelong support, the girls will eventually leave home—but she is committed to Judah without marriage necessarily. The final image is them kissing under “a sun that belongs to only us,” with Soledad internalizing her mother’s lesson: “she was indeed a hornet, not a butterfly… because first she loved herself.”

Interpretations and Ambiguities

• Judah’s moral choice: The book frames Judah’s decision to let Edward escape as an act of love and protection, not a failure of justice. Readers may question whether it condones vigilante-style mercy.
• Edward’s redemption arc: None is offered. Edward remains manipulative and self-serving; his escape removes him from the story rather than granting growth. This fits the novel’s focus on Soledad’s healing, not his.
• The future of Soledad and Judah’s relationship: The epilogue leaves marriage open; they may cohabit later. This ambiguity reinforces the theme that a committed partnership need not follow traditional milestones.
• The “Me List”: Judah’s purple motorcycle is a symbol of reclaiming personal joy. Soledad’s acceptance of it—and her willingness to ride—shows she is no longer defined by Edward’s expectations.

Reader Questions and Answers

1. Does Soledad end up with Judah?
Yes. They are in a committed, loving relationship by the epilogue. Judah waits for her to be ready, and she tells him she loves him in Chapter 45. The epilogue shows them on vacation, exchanging kisses and promises.

2. What happens to Edward?
Edward violates probation and flees the country with Amber and their baby, using hidden money Judah uncovered. Judah chooses not to report him, allowing the escape to protect Soledad and her daughters.

3. Do Inez and the other daughters accept Judah?
After initial hostility (Inez blames Judah for her father’s imprisonment), the blended-family dinner in Chapter 45 goes well. Inez bonds with Aaron over a Rubik’s cube. The epilogue implies acceptance—Soledad thinks about telling the girls the news about Edward herself, indicating a united family.

4. Is there a wedding in the epilogue?
No. Soledad states she may never want marriage again. The epilogue emphasizes that their commitment transcends marriage: “I don’t know the shape our relationship will take… but I do know we’ll be together.”

5. What is the significance of Soledad’s scar?
She cut her palm when she shattered Edward’s display case after discovering he gave her chlamydia. She sees the scar as the line that split her life between “blind trust and eyes wide open.” It becomes a symbol of her awakening and the catalyst that led her to Judah.

6. How does the theme of self-love culminate?
Soledad’s final journaling and her reflections in the epilogue explicitly state that she learned to love herself first. The book ends with the insight that self-love enables her to love Judah fully—without fear of breaking. This mirrors the author’s note and the epigraph from Zora Neale Hurston (“There are years that ask questions and years that answer”), framing her journey as one of earned clarity.

For more on the characters and themes, visit the main book page or explore Soledad Barnes and Judah Cross.