Chapter 21: Panic and Petitions
Jude Farraday finds herself in the hospital, not due to a heart attack, but a severe panic attack. She confesses to her husband, Miles Farraday, that she believes she saw Lexi Baill speaking with their granddaughter, Grace. Miles dismisses it as a delusion, reminding her that Lexi's prison sentence ended months ago and she has not made contact, even returning Zach Farraday's letters unopened.
Meanwhile, Lexi meets with her lawyer, Scot, distraught after seeing Grace and realizing her idealized vision of Grace's childhood is false. Fueled by maternal instinct, she instructs Scot to file a petition for joint custody, marking a significant shift from her previous acceptance of her fate. Back at home, Jude's anxiety escalates, and Miles confirms that Lexi was released from prison just two days prior, her sentence extended for bad behavior. Jude spirals, sees her psychiatrist, Dr. Bloom, and storms out, determined to see a lawyer instead. The chapter highlights the theme of Motherhood and Parental Control as both Jude and Lexi stake their claims on Grace.
Chapter 22: Confrontations
Jude races to Grace's daycare, only to discover that the owner allowed Lexi to visit Grace, assuming the family approved. She finds them at the beach and confronts Lexi, sending a frightened Grace away. The exchange is fraught with years of unresolved Grief and Loss. Jude offers Lexi money to disappear, but Lexi refuses, accusing Jude of failing Grace and declaring her intention to fight for custody, calling Grace "My Mia," equating her desire for her daughter with Jude's loss.
After the encounter, Lexi finds herself at Zach's house, where they have a tense reunion. Lexi reminds him that he let her go to prison and give up their child, asserting that he always had choices where she had none. She informs him that she has filed for custody, stating, "I’ve waited long enough." Jude arrives at Zach's cabin shortly after, having taken Grace from the daycare. Zach tells her that Grace is her daughter, but Jude is resolute. She tells him Lexi isn't the answer but the cause of their family's destruction and calls their lawyer, Bill, setting the stage for a legal battle. This chapter lays bare the theme of Guilt, Blame, and Forgiveness, as past wounds are reopened and battle lines are drawn.
Chapter 23: The First Battle
The Farradays meet with their lawyer, Bill, who reveals damaging information from Lexi’s prison record: she served extra time for fighting, was found buying Valium, and spent time in solitary confinement. This news shocks Zach and solidifies Jude’s belief that Lexi is unfit and dangerous. Bill advises them to fight aggressively to protect Grace, framing it as being in the child's best interest.
The narrative shifts to the adequate-cause hearing. Lexi faces the Farradays in court. Her lawyer, Scot, portrays her as a moral young woman who made one tragic mistake and has since bettered herself. In contrast, Bill paints Lexi as a felon with a history of drug use and abandonment, questioning her fitness as a mother by highlighting her lack of contact with Grace. The commissioner finds adequate cause to proceed, setting a trial date for a year later. In the interim, he grants Lexi supervised visitation. However, the visits must be supervised by a costly professional reunification specialist or a family member, effectively denying her access to her daughter. The theme of Choices and Consequences is starkly illustrated by the legal system's cold, impartial judgment.
Chapter 24: A Mother's Plea
Lexi feels hopeless after the court's decision. She rides her bike to the Farradays' home to confront Jude directly. She appeals to Jude not as an adversary, but as a fellow mother, explaining her financial predicament and begging Jude to be the one to supervise her visits with Grace. She invokes their shared history and love for Mia Farraday, stating, "Mia would have been on my side in this." Jude, cold and rigid, refuses and tells her to leave.
After Lexi is gone, a phone call from Jude's own mother triggers an unexpected shift in Jude. She retreats to Mia’s bedroom, a space she has avoided for years, and opens a box of her daughter’s belongings. Seeing a photo of a happy Mia, Zach, and Lexi, she finally accepts the truth in Lexi’s words: Mia would have wanted her to show compassion. Later, while caring for Grace, Jude witnesses the depth of her granddaughter's loneliness firsthand, confirming Lexi's accusations. When Zach and Miles arrive, Jude makes a momentous decision. She tells them about Lexi's request and, admitting her fear and uncertainty, announces that she will supervise the visits. It is a decision made not for Lexi, but "For Grace and Mia... And for you."
Chapter 25: The First Visit
The Farraday household is tense as they prepare for Lexi's first visit. Zach explains to Grace that Lexi is her mother. Grace is initially thrilled but becomes anxious and defensive when she senses her father's sadness, fearing she will be taken away from him. The visit takes place at Jude’s house and is painfully awkward. Lexi gives Grace a shoebox filled with the letters she wrote to her from prison, but Grace, who cannot read, is unimpressed. When Lexi clumsily mentions the idea of Grace living with her sometimes, Grace panics. She runs to Jude for protection, crying, "Good mommies don’t leave." The visit ends in failure, with Lexi leaving, heartbroken.
Afterward, Jude finds the box of letters. Overcome by curiosity, she opens the first one and begins to read it just as Zach arrives. The letter, dated from Lexi's early days in prison, is a raw and painful expression of her love for Grace, her guilt, and her reasons for staying away. She wrote that she had to try to forget Grace because it hurt too much to love her from a distance. Hearing the letter read aloud is a cathartic moment for both Jude and Zach. It breaks down the final barriers between them. Jude admits that she has unfairly blamed Zach for Mia's death, and they finally have an honest conversation about the shared blame and grief they have carried alone for years. Jude acknowledges that they all made mistakes that night. For the first time, she sees Mia alive in Zach's eyes and understands that they must forgive themselves to move forward.
Key Events
- Jude has a panic attack after believing she saw Lexi, which is confirmed when Miles learns Lexi was released from prison two days earlier.
- Lexi, seeing that Grace is lonely, decides to fight for her daughter and files a petition for joint custody.
- Jude confronts Lexi at Grace's daycare, and Lexi declares her intention to get Grace back.
- At a court hearing, Lexi is granted supervised visitation, but the financial cost of a professional supervisor makes it impossible.
- Lexi begs Jude to supervise the visits; Jude initially refuses but has a change of heart after reflecting in Mia's old room.
- Lexi's first visit with Grace goes poorly, ending with Grace feeling scared and abandoned again.
- Jude reads one of Lexi's letters from prison to Zach, leading to a breakthrough moment of shared grief and forgiveness between mother and son.
Character Development
This section sees significant shifts in Jude, Lexi, and Zach as they grapple with the consequences of their past actions and begin to confront their grief.
- Jude Farraday: Jude begins trapped in grief, anger, and denial. Lexi's return forces her to confront everything she has suppressed. By choosing to supervise the visits and read Lexi's letter, she takes the first steps toward empathy, forgiveness, and reclaiming her role as a mother and grandmother.
- Lexi Baill: Lexi transforms from a passive observer to an active participant in her daughter's life. The realization that Grace is unhappy motivates her to fight the Farradays, confronting her past and the legal system. Despite her fear and vulnerability, she shows immense courage by facing Jude and begging for help, demonstrating her unwavering Love and Loyalty to her daughter.
- Zach Farraday: Zach is caught between his past love for Lexi and his loyalty to his family. He is initially shocked by the revelations about Lexi's prison record. The emotional reunion with Lexi and the subsequent legal battle force him to confront his own unresolved guilt. Hearing Lexi's letter allows him to finally share the burden of his grief with his mother, beginning a crucial healing process.
Themes & Symbols
-
Motherhood and Parental Control: This theme is at the forefront as Jude and Lexi clash over who has the right to Grace. Jude's motherhood is defined by loss and a fierce, controlling need to protect what's left of her family. Lexi's is defined by absence and a desperate desire to reclaim a role she was forced to abdicate. The narrative explores what it means to be a "good" mother, contrasting Jude's past devotion with her current emotional distance from Grace, and Lexi's physical absence with her profound emotional connection.
-
Guilt, Blame, and Forgiveness: These chapters are a turning point for this theme. The blame for Mia's death, which has simmered for years, erupts. The legal battle becomes a formal arena for assigning blame. However, the true breakthrough occurs when Jude reads Lexi's letter. It shifts the narrative from blame to understanding, allowing Jude and Zach to finally acknowledge their shared responsibility and begin the difficult process of forgiving themselves and each other.
-
Mia's Green Sweater: The sweater, which Lexi gave to Mia, hangs by the Farradays' door as a constant, tangible reminder of the past. For Jude, it represents her lost daughter. For Lexi, it symbolizes her deep friendship with Mia and the life that was destroyed. It is a symbol of both the powerful bond that once existed and the immense grief that now separates the characters.
-
The Letters: Lexi's shoebox of unread letters symbolizes her hidden love and maternal devotion. They are physical proof that while she was absent, her love for Grace was constant. When Jude reads one aloud, the letters become a catalyst for healing, bridging the emotional chasm between the Farradays and Lexi by revealing the truth of her sacrifice.
Key Quotes
"Mia would have been on my side in this."
Lexi says this to Jude when begging her to supervise the visits with Grace. It's a powerful statement that cuts through Jude's defenses by invoking the memory of her deceased daughter. Lexi understands that Mia would have wanted compassion and forgiveness, challenging Jude's rigid stance.
"Good mommies don’t leave."
Grace says this to Jude during Lexi's first visit, highlighting the child's deep-seated fear of abandonment. This statement underscores the damage caused by Lexi's absence and the challenge of rebuilding trust. It also reveals Grace's perception of what constitutes a "good" mother, shaped by her experiences.
Significance
This section of Night Road marks the novel's primary turning point. For five years, the characters have existed in a state of suspended grief, each dealing with the trauma of Mia's death in isolation. Lexi's return shatters this fragile stasis, forcing every character to confront the past they have tried to bury. The filing of the custody petition transforms the internal, emotional conflict into an external, legal one. More importantly, Jude's decision to supervise the visits and the subsequent reading of Lexi's letter initiate the novel's central arc of healing and reconciliation. The fragile truce built on avoidance is broken, setting the stage for a painful but necessary journey toward forgiveness.