Wild Side Chapter 33 – Tabitha Unravels Erika's Journals

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

Chapter Summary

Tabitha takes a rare day off but ends up cleaning the house and attending a yoga class. Missing both Milo and Rhys, she retrieves a box of her late sister Erika’s recovery journals. Reading through three leather-bound books, she follows Erika’s journey from rehab to pregnancy, to early motherhood in Emerald Lake, and finally to a relapse tied to a man named Tyson. The journals reveal Erika’s admiration and envy of Tabitha, her infatuation with Rhys, and her deliberate choice to make Rhys Milo’s guardian—partly in spite of Tabitha. Tabitha realizes Rhys never evicted Erika as she had been told, and guilt overwhelms her. For the first time since Erika’s death, she breaks down and cries.

Key Events

Tabitha books the day off but goes to work anyway; her staff calls her a workaholic.
She cleans the house thoroughly, missing Milo.
After yoga, she sits in the backyard with coffee and decides to read Erika’s journals.
In the first journal, Erika documents her pregnancy, thirty days clean, her parents’ disownment, and her determination to stay sober for the baby.
The second journal covers Erika’s early days with newborn Milo, her gratitude for Tabitha’s help, and her envy of Tabitha’s seemingly perfect life.
Erika moves to Emerald Lake and writes about her “hot-ass landlord” Rhys.
Entries show Erika repeatedly trying to connect with Rhys—bringing cookies, needing a battery boost, asking him to watch Milo.
Rhys tells Erika he is a professional wrestler; she laughs at the revelation.
Erika begins seeing Tyson, hoping to make Rhys jealous, and her tone turns agitated.
She shifts blame to others, and the journals chronicle her relapse with Tyson’s encouragement.
Erika lies to Tabitha that Rhys evicted her so she can take a weekend with Tyson.
She makes Rhys Milo’s guardian, telling Tabitha she got her wish for a will.
Tabitha pieces together that Rhys never evicted Erika—he gave rent breaks and acted as a steady support.
Tabitha feels she failed Erika and cries for the first time since her sister’s death.

Character Development

Tabitha

Tabitha moves from avoiding grief to confronting it head‑on. Reading the journals forces her to examine her own role in Erika’s life—her micromanaging, her unawareness of Erika’s resentment, and her failure to detect the relapse. She sheds her earlier anger at Rhys and accepts responsibility. The chapter ends with a raw, cathartic release of tears, marking a turning point in her grieving process.

Erika (through her journals)

Erika is revealed as a complex person: fiercely determined to stay clean for Milo, yet prone to jealousy and denial. She admires Tabitha deeply but feels diminished in her shadow. Her infatuation with Rhys is genuine, but when he does not reciprocate, she turns to Tyson and spirals. Her journals expose a gradual loss of perspective—blaming others for her choices and ultimately using Rhys’s wealth and guardianship as a safety net.

Rhys (through Erika’s perspective)

Rhys is shown as steady, compassionate, and committed to Milo’s well‑being. He watches Milo, sings to him, and never judges Erika. He offers financial help without hesitation and agrees to be guardian. The reveal that he never evicted Erika erases Tabitha’s long‑held grudge and confirms his integrity.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The Burden of Being the “Sunny” Sister

Erika’s journal explicitly states that Tabitha’s reliability makes her feel “tarnished” and small. Tabitha’s constant help, though loving, unintentionally deepened Erika’s sense of inadequacy. The chapter explores how well‑meaning care can breed resentment when the receiver cannot feel equal.

Writing as Confession and Discovery

The journals are a symbol of Erika’s inner life. Tabitha’s act of reading them is both a violation and an act of love—she gains truth at the cost of painful self‑recrimination. The way the entries shift from hopeful to bitter mirrors the progression of addiction.

Failed Rescue

Despite Tabitha’s efforts, she could not save Erika. The chapter emphasizes that love alone cannot stop addiction, and that letting go of guilt is part of healing. Tabitha’s tears represent acceptance of her limits.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 33 is the emotional core of Tabitha’s arc. It resolves the mystery of what happened between Erika, Rhys, and Tabitha, dismantles Tabitha’s resentment of Rhys, and forces her to confront her own complicity in Erika’s decline. The journals humanize Erika completely, making her death feel real and devastating. This chapter sets the stage for Tabitha to move forward—without blame, without lies, and with a clearer understanding of everyone involved.

Study Questions and Answers

What does Erika’s “Whatever” sign-off reveal about her character throughout the journals?
The sign-off reflects Erika’s defiance and emotional guardedness. Early entries use it playfully, but later ones carry bitterness and resignation—marking her loss of hope and increasing isolation.
Why does Erika choose Rhys, not Tabitha, as Milo’s guardian?
The journals show Erika felt spited by Tabitha’s constant questions and pushback. She also resented Tabitha’s perceived perfection. Naming Rhys gave Milo financial security and allowed Erika to make a choice beyond Tabitha’s control.
How does reading the journals change Tabitha’s understanding of Rhys?
Tabitha had believed Rhys evicted Erika, which fueled her anger. The journals reveal he gave rent breaks, watched Milo, and never rejected Erika. Tabitha realizes she misjudged him and that her grudge was based on a lie Erika told.