The night of the party turns into a nightmare for Jude Farraday when she discovers her twins, Mia Farraday and Zach Farraday, are not in their beds at 3:37 a.m., despite a text saying they were on their way home hours earlier. Her fear is realized when police arrive with news of a terrible accident involving Mia, Zach, and Lexi Baill, all airlifted to Harborview Medical Center. The lives of the Farraday and Baill families are about to be irrevocably changed.
Chapter 11: The Accident
The silent drive to the hospital is filled with dread. At Harborview, Jude and her husband, Miles Farraday, learn that Mia is in surgery with severe internal injuries, Zach has chemical burns on his face and eyes, and Lexi has a broken arm and laceration. Zach, heavily bandaged and terrified of blindness, immediately asks about Mia and Lexi. Jude attempts to comfort him by recounting Where the Wild Things Are, his favorite childhood story and a reminder of his lifelong fear of the dark.
Jude goes to check on Lexi at Zach’s request and finds her asleep with her great-aunt, Eva Lange, at her side. Eva mentions Lexi was supposed to sleep over at the Farradays', highlighting the theme of Choices and Consequences. Jude, realizing her children broke curfew, feels a pang of responsibility and tells Eva that Lexi is like family before returning to wait for news about Mia.
Chapter 12: Brain Death
Dr. Adams delivers the devastating news: Mia is brain dead. Jude collapses, her world shattered. Miles, though also grieving, asks about organ donation and explains to Jude that while machines keep Mia's body functioning, "our Mia… isn’t in there anymore," marking the beginning of their profound journey through Grief and Loss.
In Mia’s room, surrounded by machines, Jude is haunted by her last words to her daughter: that she didn't forgive her. As the organ donation team prepares, Jude and Miles spend their final moments with Mia. Meanwhile, Eva breaks the news to Lexi, who is consumed by disbelief and sorrow, her memory of the crash a blur. The Farradays bring Zach to say goodbye. In a heart-wrenching scene, Zach reaches for Mia’s hand, calls her by her childhood nickname "Me-my," and reveals that Mia, not him, was truly afraid of the dark, deepening the tragedy of Zach now being alone.
Chapter 13: The Truth
Jude is catatonic with grief. Her mother, Caroline, arrives, but Jude rebuffs her. After the organ harvesting, Jude and Miles see Mia’s body one last time before going to Zach’s room, where Dr. Lyman removes his bandages, revealing his vision is intact. Zach cries, "It’s my fault, Dad. How am I supposed to live with that?"
The plot twist is revealed when Officer Avery arrives to take Zach’s statement, confirming Zach’s blood alcohol level was .28. Zach confesses that Lexi was driving because he didn't want to get in trouble for calling Jude for a ride, a direct consequence of Jude’s strict parenting. The theme of Guilt, Blame, and Forgiveness explodes as the responsibility shifts. Lexi comes to Zach’s room to apologize, but Zach turns away. Jude confronts her coldly: "You killed my Mia." Eva defends Lexi, retorting, "This from the woman who knew her children were going to drink and gave them car keys." As Eva pulls Lexi away, they are met by a police officer, and Eva immediately invokes Lexi’s right to an attorney. Jude is left alone with Zach, trapped by her own last words to Mia: I do not forgive you.
Chapter 14: The Funeral
In the days following the accident, Jude isolates herself, consumed by anger. Her best friend, Molly, provides some comfort, but Jude feels disconnected. The drive home from the hospital is torturous, passing the crash site on Night Road, now a memorial. At their house, Jude throws flowers from friends into the woods, finding a single white rosebud, Mia’s favorite—a fact Jude never knew.
Jude initially refuses a funeral, but Miles insists. Lexi attends, but is met with whispers. Eva feels Zach is escaping blame while Lexi bears it all. Jude cannot attend the graveside service, instead hiding in the limousine and listening to Mia’s voicemail message. Lexi and Eva meet with a lawyer, Scot Jacobs, who advises pleading "not guilty" and using her backstory to build a sympathetic case. Eva agrees to use her life insurance to pay for Lexi’s defense. Back at the Farraday home, Jude clings to Mia’s unwashed sweater and discovers the unfinished graduation ring she’d bought for her.
Chapter 15: The Sentence
On graduation day, Lexi hides under the bleachers as the class of 2004 graduates. The ceremony includes a tribute to Mia, and when Zach’s name is called, he holds up a photo of his sister, saying, "She wanted to do a cartwheel today." Afterward, Zach finds Lexi and tells her he can’t forgive himself. She gives him her copy of Jane Eyre, saying, "It has a happy ending." Jude is furious that Lexi was there, but Miles warns her not to force Zach to choose.
The prosecuting attorney, Dennis Uslan, visits the Farradays to discuss pressing charges against Lexi. Miles advocates for forgiveness, but Jude wants "justice," solidifying the schism between her and Miles. Lexi is charged with DUI vehicular homicide. Despite her lawyer’s and Eva’s pleas, Lexi pleads guilty to atone for her actions and to prevent Eva from spending her life savings. At the arraignment, Lexi shocks the court by pleading guilty. Miles speaks of forgiveness, Jude of her loss and inability to forgive, and Zach takes responsibility, stating that he should be the one going to prison. The judge sentences Lexi to 65 months in a women’s correctional facility, where she is stripped of her identity and left in a cell, feeling she has finally become her mother.
Key Events
- The Accident: Jude and Miles are notified about the car crash on Night Road involving Mia, Zach, and Lexi.
- Mia's Death: The Farradays learn that Mia is brain dead, decide to donate her organs, and say their goodbyes.
- The Revelation: Zach reveals that Lexi was driving at the time of the crash.
- The Confrontation: Jude blames Lexi for Mia's death, creating a rift between the families.
- The Funeral: Mia's funeral highlights the community's grief and Lexi's isolation, causing Jude to withdraw.
- The Plea: Lexi pleads guilty to DUI vehicular homicide against her lawyer's advice.
- The Sentencing: Lexi is sentenced to over five years in prison after impact statements from Miles, Jude, and Zach.
Character Development
- Jude Farraday: Jude transforms from a controlled mother into a woman consumed by grief, anger, and blame. Her identity as the perfect mother is destroyed, and she becomes isolated. Her desire for "justice" over forgiveness shows how grief has hardened her.
- Lexi Baill: Lexi is crushed by guilt and remorse, choosing to plead guilty as atonement and to protect Eva's financial future, demonstrating a tragic sense of morality.
- Zach Farraday: Zach is physically and emotionally scarred, tormented by his role in the tragedy. He loses his twin and is left with emptiness. His confession at the arraignment shows his guilt and desire to protect Lexi.
- Miles Farraday: Miles acts as the anchor, handling the horrors with pragmatism. He channels his grief into a plea for forgiveness, creating a painful divide with Jude.
Themes & Symbols
Themes
- Grief and Loss: The novel's emotional core depicts the raw nature of grief. Jude's grief is isolating, Miles's is mournful, and Zach's is intertwined with guilt.
- Guilt, Blame, and Forgiveness: The chapters explore the complex web of responsibility, culminating in the courtroom where Miles offers forgiveness while Jude demands justice.
- Motherhood and Parental Control: Jude's controlling style has devastating consequences, leading to the teens' decision not to call her on the night of the accident.
- Choices and Consequences: Characters confront the results of poor choices made in a single night, culminating in Lexi's prison sentence.
Symbols
- Mia's Unfinished Ring: The ring symbolizes Mia's stolen future.
- Night Road: The road symbolizes a point of no return and the dark path the characters' lives have taken.
- Mia's Green Sweater: Jude clinging to the sweater represents her need to hold on to a tangible piece of her daughter.
Key Quotes
"our Mia… isn’t in there anymore."
This quote from Miles to Jude emphasizes the finality of Mia's brain death. It highlights the difference in their coping mechanisms, with Miles trying to accept the reality while Jude struggles to comprehend the loss.
"You killed my Mia."
Jude's accusation towards Lexi represents the raw, unfiltered anger and blame that consumes her. It marks a complete breakdown of the bond between the two families and sets the stage for the legal battle that follows.
"She wanted to do a cartwheel today."
Zach's statement at graduation is a poignant reminder of Mia's vibrant spirit and the simple joys she has been denied. It underscores the tragedy of her death and the emptiness left in Zach's life.
Significance
These chapters represent the novel's inciting incident and its immediate fallout, shattering the Farraday family's world and altering every character's life. This section establishes the central conflicts that will drive the remainder of the story. The revelation that Lexi was driving, followed by her guilty plea and sentencing, sets the stage for the novel's exploration of justice, forgiveness, and the long process of healing.