Summary
When Julia returns to Chicago, Amá takes her out for Chinese food. During their meal, Amá apologizes for having treated Julia so harshly. She expresses her vulnerability, and the two share a moment of mutual understanding. When Julia checks her phone for the first time, she finds that she has numerous missed calls and messages from Connor. She calls him back, and the two agree to meet up at the bookstore the next afternoon. Additionally, Julia agrees to accompany Amá to her prayer group. Later that evening, Julia returns home to check on Olga’s computer. Once she finds that she left it unlocked, she resumes reading through the emails again. To her surprise, she finds that Olga was pregnant with the baby of the man with whom she was having an affair.
Julia phones Angie to tell her of her discovery. Julia is disappointed when she discovers that Angie was hiding the secret from her as well, but Angie insists that some things are better left unsaid. Lorena’s period is late, and she’s convinced she’s pregnant. Julia accompanies her to the clinic. To Lorena’s relief, her pregnancy test is negative. Lorena takes the money she would have used for the abortion and decides to take Julia to a fancy meal. The two discuss whether Julia should tell her parents that Olga was pregnant at the time of her death. Lorena encourages Julia to invite Connor to their dinner so they can finally meet, but she judges him.
The next day, Julia visits the doctor’s office where her sister worked. She is greeted by the receptionist, but she realizes she doesn’t know what to say. While waiting in the lobby, she recognizes a man who was at Olga’s wake. He is Dr. Castillo, and Julia realizes that he is Olga’s ex-suitor. Overwhelmed, Julia leaves the doctor’s office in a huff. She waits for Dr. Castillo to exit so she can confront him.
Dr. Castillo seems to recognize Julia, and when she asks about the affair, he offers to give her a ride home to explain himself. They go to a diner, and Julia’s fury is palpable. Dr. Castillo tells Julia that life rarely goes as planned, and he urges her to have sympathy for him. Julia tells Dr. Castillo that he selfishly strung her sister along while he lived a double life with his marriage. Dr. Castillo rebuts, explaining that he loved Olga and she planned to name the baby boy Rafael. Dr. Castillo also tells Julia that Olga’s death “broke him,” and he filed for divorce from his wife. Julia feels the weight of this secret and can’t decide if it’s wise to tell her parents or not. She angrily storms out of the restaurant while Dr. Castillo watches along, forlornly.
At home, Julia decides to talk to Apá about his drawings. She realizes that she has never really spoken to her father before, and the prospective encounter gives her anxiety. When Julia asks Apá why he never shared his talents, he explains that sometimes in life you don’t have the choice to follow your passions. The scene jumps to a therapy session with Dr. Cooke, and Julia explains that her therapist has encouraged her to exercise daily to help with her anxiety. Dr. Cooke and Julia discuss Julia’s relationship with Amá.
Julia channels her energy to attending college. However, she grows discouraged when she receives rejection letter after rejection letter. Juanga and Lorena are supportive, and they offer for them to move in with her if her dream of attending college doesn’t come to fruition. One day, however, Julia receives acceptance letters to DePaul University and New York University. She is elated, as she has received full rides to both. Julia later joins Connor at a fair, and the two share fries and listen to a Depeche Mode cover band.
Although she is enjoying the moment they share, Julia is worried about the uncertainty of the future. She is scared to say goodbye to Connor and her life in Chicago. However, after summer break, Julia reflects on how much progress she has made. Her medicine has helped stabilize her condition, and she has learned important coping mechanisms from Dr. Cooke. During Julia’s last therapy session, she reads Dr. Cooke a poem she wrote. The two hug, and Dr. Cooke wishes her good luck in college. Julia says her goodbyes to Lorena, as well. Lorena is going to nursing school, and Juanga is working at a makeup counter at a department store. They all are eager to move on with their lives. When Julia sees Apá in a pale blue shirt, she remembers he wore it the day of her suicide attempt. For the first time, Julia explains the events of that day. Before leaving her family in the airport, Julia gives Apá his old portrait of Amá. As Julia lands in New York, she thinks about the “American Dream.” She holds the ultrasound of Olga’s baby in her hands and thinks about all she has learned over the past two years.
Analysis
Julia and Amá’s shared meal is a communion of sorts. Over food, the two are able to discuss their vulnerabilities and apologize to one another for their harshness. In this way, it is clear that Julia is beginning to develop a more mature relationship with Amá and Apá. Although Julia previously made fun of Amá for attending prayer groups, her decision to accompany her mother to church shows Julia’s growth. Rather than judging her family or being characteristically defiant, Julia begins to make space for others and their different interests.
Julia is deeply shocked by her discovery that Olga was pregnant at the time of her death. While Julia feels a sense of gratification for following her hunches, she is now faced with a new dilemma. Should she tell her parents about her discovery, which would shatter their previously-held image of Olga? Or should Julia keep this newfound information to herself? Julia is haunted by her choice, and she confides in Lorena in order to decide the best course of action.
When Julia meets with Dr. Castillo, she aims to avenge him. Dr. Castillo is much older than Olga, and he is in a position of power in their shared workplace. In reading their emails, Julia is convinced that their relationship has a twisted power dynamic that is unjust. Although Julia is filled with rage at their meeting, she is surprised to discover that Dr. Castillo has been horribly affected by Olga’s death. While Julia previously had a contrived image of right and wrong, her encounter with Dr. Castillo underscores the complexity of relationships and the dynamics therein.
In this final section of the book, Julia reconciles with Connor after her hospitalization and subsequent trip to Los Ojos. Their relationship is stable and loving, and Lorena is eager to meet Connor for the first time. Although hesitant to do so, Julia invites Connor to join Lorena and Juanga at dinner. However, when Connor arrives, Lorena feels that their upbringings have been too different to have a genuine connection. This interaction underscores the novel’s socioeconomic theme.
In the closing scenes, we see how Julia’s education has led her to new opportunities. She is able to live in New York on a full-ride scholarship, and she is able to escape the vicious cycle of poverty she experiences in Chicago. In refraining from telling Amá and Apá about Olga’s pregnancy, Julia once again demonstrates the growth she has made. While she previously held a contrived and simplistic view of secrets, she now realizes that some truths should not be shared, in the interest of protecting others. As she begins her new life in New York, Julia aims to honor Olga’s legacy and make her family proud.
