The Husband's Secret

This chapter introduces the second protagonist, Tess. Her husband, Will, and her best friend, cousin, and business partner, Felicity, have just confessed that they have fallen in love. Felicity is Tess’s cousin; their mothers are twin sisters. Felicity and Tess, born within six months of each other, have always been “closer than sisters” (25). In the last six months, Felicity has lost 40 kilos (88 pounds) and become slender and beautiful. She and Will appear to be sincere in their regret and apologize for having fallen in love. They assure Tess that nothing sexual has happened.

Tess reflects on the small advertising firm she, Will, and Felicity have built over the last year and a half. Each of them has brought a skill set to the company: Felicity as graphic designer, Will as creative director, and Tess as account executive. Tess recently diagnosed herself with social anxiety after having taken a quiz in a magazine. She finds the client-facing aspects of her job frightening and draining but excels at them. Tess reflects on how their busy lives have prevented her from seeing this developing relationship: Their business is booming, her six-year-old son, Liam, is in what she calls an “abusive relationship” with a school friend, and her mother has recently broken her ankle. Tess feels a profound anxiety about Liam’s troubles at school, particularly with his friend Marcus.

Tess asks Will and Felicity if it’s “true love” and if they’re “soul mates” (34). She can tell from the glances they exchange that they believe this to be true. They tell her their relationship began about six months ago, around when Felicity began to lose weight. “Funny that you never looked twice at her when she was fat,” Tess observes to Will, then feels ashamed of her cruelty (35). She begins to feel angry, seeing that Will and Felicity intend to take the high road and remain calm and understanding. Will insists that they will do whatever Tess wants and thinks will be best for Liam. This comment causes a strong reaction in Tess, who remembers her own parents’ divorce and is immediately, urgently opposed to Liam having to endure the same experience.

Will says that they want the best for everyone in the situation and proposes that they may all four be able to live together: Tess, Liam, Felicity, and Will. Tess responds angrily. She announces that she and Liam are leaving immediately to go stay with her injured mother in Sydney. She believes that her absence will allow Will and Felicity to finally consummate their affair, turning a tortured romance into a banal and sleazy sexual indiscretion. On the television upstairs, The Biggest Loser’s trainer exclaims, “You get nothing for nothing!” (43). Before she leaves, Tess carefully takes two of Felicity’s abandoned, partially full coffee cups and throws the cold coffee “straight at their stupid, sorry, earnest faces” (44). 

The reader meets Rachel, the book’s third protagonist. Rachel’s son, Rob, and daughter-in-law, Lauren, have come over to tell her some big news. She expects them to say that they are having another baby, but instead they announce that they are moving to New York for two years for Lauren’s job. This is devastating news because Rachel is deeply attached to her two-year-old grandson, Jacob.

Rachel reflects on her disapproval of Lauren, whom she describes as a “career woman.” She notes that Lauren makes more money than Rob and that Rob doesn’t seem to be bothered. As Rob tries to convince Rachel that the move is a good thing—an opportunity for Rachel to finally get a passport and travel—Rachel thinks about the plans she’d had for her own life.

Rachel reveals that she thinks of their lives as having been divided by a giant wall: before and after April 6, 1984, though she does not reveal what event occurred on this day. Rob and Lauren continue to try to subtly persuade Rachel to be excited about the move. As the couple talks about New York, Rachel thinks critical thoughts about them and their parenting: Rob is too involved in traditionally female caregiving tasks while Lauren is not involved enough. Rachel reflects on how she abstains from commenting because of her quest to be the “perfect mother-in-law.”

From the living room, they hear, “You get nothing for nothing!” (52). Rob goes to check on Jacob while Lauren remains behind. Lauren takes this opportunity to tentatively ask about the anniversary of what happened in 1984. Rachel reacts negatively, saying she’d rather not speak about it. She thinks to herself that the events of 1984 changed their family: What happened “should have made Rachel love her son even more, but it didn’t. It was like she’d lost her ability to love—until Jacob was born” (54). Lauren tries to express sympathy, but Rachel cuts her off and begins clearing the table. As she leaves the room, Rachel cuttingly remarks that Jacob needs a haircut. 

Cecilia’s phone call with John-Paul resumes at the start of this chapter. Cecilia has mentioned the letter to him, and he reacts oddly. He seems quiet, self-conscious, and excessively worried about the possibility of Cecilia reading the letter. He asks her not to read it and claims that it was simply something sappy he wrote at the time of their first daughter’s birth. Cecilia promises not to read the letter. She is quickly interrupted by Polly, their youngest daughter, who wants to tell her father a secret.

Cecilia reflects on how beautiful Polly is, comparing her to Snow White. She worries about the effect Polly’s looks will have on her personality. The girls bicker over who gets to speak to their father on the phone. Cecilia thinks about how patient John-Paul is with their daughters; unlike her, he participates in lengthy tea parties and listens patiently when they talk.

Polly returns and tells her mother her secret: She wants to invite her gym teacher, Mr. Whitby, to her upcoming pirate-themed seventh birthday party. Cecilia thinks about how Polly is “in love” with Mr. Whitby and wonders what it says that her first crush is on a man the age of her father. Cecilia refuses, saying that Mr. Whitby would feel obligated to attend every student’s party if he attended theirs. Polly insists, but Cecilia is firm. The chapter ends with Cecilia still worried about the letter. John-Paul’s explanation makes sense, but Cecilia can’t shake the feeling that he is lying about the letter. 

Tess and Liam have arrived at her mother’s house in Sydney. Tess hasn’t called ahead to let her mother know they’re coming, and now they’re stuck outside of the locked house with a dead cell phone. Tess’s mother finally wakes and comes downstairs to let them in. Tess reflects on her departure from their house in Melbourne. Will was apologetic, which angered Tess, but he also behaved normally with Liam. Tess’s mother quickly guesses what has happened with Will and Felicity, surprising Tess.

A brief flashback takes the reader to 1961. This is during The Cold War, and East Germany’s chancellor has just assured the world that “no one has any intention of building a wall” (69). Rachel’s then-boyfriend, Ed, proposes.

In the present, Rachel is in bed eating expensive, trendy macarons that Lauren has brought her. Eating the macarons triggers a memory of her daughter, Janie, who died in 1984. Rachel thinks about some of the experiences and opinions that Janie would have had, had she lived. The chapter ends with Rachel looking at an old photo album of Janie. One photo is of Janie with a boy, whom Rachel thinks of disapprovingly as “that boy.” 

This chapter is set on April 6, 1984, the day of Janie Crowley’s death. She wakes up that morning, takes her secret birth control pill, and thinks about how she’s going to tell one of her suitors that she has chosen him. The narrator of this chapter is omniscient, confirming that the day will be the last of Janie’s life, then providing a snapshot of the woman Janie would have become if she hadn’t died that day.