Night Road

Lexi knows that she has a battle ahead of her, but she refuses to give up and abandon Grace. Lexi bikes to the Farradays’ house and rings the doorbell. Jude answers and tells Lexi that she has a lot of nerve showing up there. Lexi asks to come in, and as she does, she sees Mia’s green cardigan by the door. Lexi saved a month’s earnings to buy the sweater for Mia because she knew that it was perfect for her. Lexi talks to Jude about the first day that she met Mia and came to this house and how Lexi was jealous of the family that they were. She also reminds Jude that she used to be the best mother in the world and should understand why she has to fight for Grace. Jude asks Lexi to leave, but Lexi pleads with Jude to supervise her visits with her daughter. She also promises to stay away from Zach if Jude agrees. Before leaving, Lexi says that Mia would be on her side in this situation, but Jude says that, thanks to Lexi, they’ll never know.

After Lexi leaves, Caroline calls Jude. Jude tells Caroline about Lexi’s visit and request. Caroline assumes that Jude said no and says that that’s what she would do. This statement and Lexi’s comment about Mia being on her side keep coming to Jude’s mind. She drifts upstairs to Mia’s room and enters it for the first time in years. She ends her conversation with her mother and goes through a box of Mia’s memorabilia. At the bottom of the box, Jude finds a picture of Zach, Mia, and Lexi and realizes that Mia would be on Lexi’s side in this situation. She allows herself to remember Mia and is ashamed of who she has become. Jude eventually breaks out of her thoughts and realizes that it’s time to pick up Grace. On the drive home, Jude sees how unhappy that her granddaughter is, which makes her very different from Mia and Zach. As they walk to the house, Jude asks if Grace wants to play a game. As they play Chutes and Ladders, Jude learns that Grace yearns to have a mom. Zach and Miles eventually walk in and see them playing together. Jude tells the men about Lexi’s visit. Zach asks what Jude’s answer is to Lexi’s request, and Jude says that she doesn’t want to help but will for Grace, Miles, and Zach.

Grace notices a change in her family because the adults have been whispering together all night. When Grace asks who Lexi is, Zach tells her that it’s time for bed. Grace thanks Jude for playing with her, and Jude shocks everyone when she picks the little girl up and tells her goodnight. When Zach puts Grace to bed, she asks again who Lexi is. Zach tells her that Lexi is her mom and that she wants to see Grace.

Lexi gathers the letters that she wrote to Grace while in prison before riding her bike to the Farradays’ house. Jude opens the door and lets Lexi in, telling her that she has one hour with Grace. Lexi walks to the great room and introduces herself to her daughter. Grace squeals and runs to her, so Lexi picks her up. They sit on the couch, and Lexi gives Grace the letters. They talk about Mia, and Lexi asks Grace if she wants to live with her. This question upsets Grace, so she asks why Lexi had left her. Grace says that good moms don’t leave their children. Lexi decides that it’s time for her to go, so she thanks Jude and tells Grace that she’ll return next week.

When Lexi leaves, Grace tells her grandma that she wants to go home. Jude wants to comfort the girl but doesn’t know how after five years of living like strangers. Jude grabs Lexi’s letters and puts Grace in her car seat. Jude tries to talk to Grace as they drive, but the girl ignores her and tries to get Ariel to talk to her. At the cabin, Jude offers to read Grace a story. They go to Grace’s bedroom and read Where the Wild Things Are, allowing Jude to remember reading to the twins when they were little. When Grace falls asleep, Jude kisses her cheek and leaves the room. She finds Lexi’s letters and opens one dated November 2005. She reads a few paragraphs when Zach walks in. She then reads the letter to Zach, which describes how deeply Lexi grieves over losing Grace and how much she loves her. She also tells Grace how lucky she is to have the Farradays. The letter reminds Jude of who Lexi used to be and how much Jude cared for her. Jude then tells Zach of Lexi’s disastrous visit with Grace, but Zach says that Lexi doesn’t know how to be a mom. Jude then admits that she blamed Zach, Lexi, and herself for the accident, but Zach says that it wasn’t her fault because they knew better. He takes the blame, and Jude finally sees the burden that he’s been carrying, feeling shame for letting him carry it alone. Jude says that they’re all responsible and that they need to forgive themselves.

The next morning, Grace wakes from a nightmare about Lexi, but Zach is there to comfort her. He apologizes for not telling Grace about her mom. He then describes how he met Lexi and that he’s partly to blame for why she couldn’t be with Grace, promising that everything will work out.

In Scot’s office, Lexi tells the lawyer how badly she screwed up with Grace, saying that she doesn’t know anything about being a mother. Scot reassures her and tells her that they must prove to the court that she’s ready to be a parent, starting with finding a job. Lexi puts on a borrowed suit and bikes to several hiring businesses. None of them will consider her because of her criminal record. Lexi also knows that she can’t afford housing on Pine Island or in Port George. By seven o’ clock that night, Lexi returns to Scot’s office, defeated. When she walks in, Scot takes her to the conference room, where Lexi sees Eva on Scot’s laptop. Lexi tells her aunt about meeting Grace and her struggle to find work and housing. Eva suggests that her niece come to Florida so that she and Barbara can care for her while she gets back on her feet. She even has a friend who will hire Lexi. Lexi changes the subject and asks her aunt what she’s been up to.

Jude goes to Dr. Bloom, who tells Jude how proud she is of her for seeing Lexi again. Jude says that she feels like she’s going “crazy,” and Dr. Bloom reminds her of the Compassionate Friends meeting for grieving parents. The psychiatrist then says that it’s time for Jude to learn that, while she might always feel pain, she can accept that there’s more to life than pain. Jude then talks about playing with Grace and being too hard on Zach while admitting that she’s afraid to feel any emotion. After the session ends, Jude walks to her mother’s art gallery and goes to the penthouse for their monthly lunch date. Jude asks her mother why they never talk, and Caroline says that it’s because she lost her husband and that Jude should understand because she reacted the same way after Mia’s death. Caroline then reminds Jude that she’s young and strong and can fix her mistake. Jude tells her mother that she can fix hers, too. Jude stands, feeling new strength, and invites her mom to the aquarium with her and Grace on Saturday. Caroline agrees, suggesting that they go to Ivar’s for lunch afterward, as they used to do with Jude’s father. Jude says that there’s something she must do and leaves without having lunch. She drives to the Capital Hill Community Center and attends her first Compassionate Friends support group.

Lexi finally loses hope of finding a job, knowing that she never had a chance. She bikes to the Farradays’ house, and when Jude answers the door, Lexi asks her to give something to Grace. Jude says that Grace is upstairs, so Lexi goes to Zach’s room, seeing her copy of Jane Eyre on his dresser when she enters. Lexi sits beside Grace on Zach’s bed and apologizes for scaring her during their first visit. She then gives her daughter the promise ring that Zach gave her, saying that she’ll be back and will write and call weekly. They hug, and Lexi tells Grace how to make friends at school, starting with not lying or punching anyone. After a final hug, Lexi leaves the room, telling Grace that she loves her. Lexi then goes into Mia’s room. Jude enters, too, and Lexi apologizes for being there. The two women talk about Mia, and Jude asks why Lexi drove that night. Lexi says that she drove because they didn’t want to call Jude, and Zach was so drunk that he could barely stand. She admits that the accident was all her fault, and Jude says that she wanted to believe that. Jude then asks if Lexi still loves Zach, to which Lexi says she has tried to stop and will continue to try. Jude then tells Lexi to talk to Zach and tell him how she feels. Lexi then crawls under Mia’s bed and retrieves the pink journal that Jude gave Mia on her first day of high school, which Jude has spent years trying to find. Lexi tells Jude that she’s leaving for Florida and asks her to love Grace better.

Jude reads several entries in Mia’s journal. Grace enters the room and bursts into tears, telling her grandma that Lexi left. Jude picks up the little girl and comforts her. They cuddle into Mia’s bed, and Grace shows Jude the promise ring. Jude tells the girl that Zach gave the ring to Lexi and puts it on a chain and fastens it around Grace’s neck. Grace asks what Mia was like, and Jude describes her daughter without the usual pain. In the meantime, Lexi bikes to Scot’s office and tells him that she’s going to Florida to save money and that she’ll be back in a year. She also thanks him for all he has done for her.

Zach arrives at his cabin at seven in the evening and sees his parents and daughter waiting for him. He tells Jude that he stopped by Bill’s office and agreed to the modified parenting plan, granting Lexi joint custody of Grace. Jude says that she’s proud of him and asks if he still loves Lexi. Zach says that he always has and never tried to stop. Jude then informs Zach that Lexi plans to leave tomorrow and tells him to find her and tell her that she’s part of their family. Zach leaves, so Miles, Jude, and Grace play Candy Land as they await his return. When he comes back, Zach says that he can’t find Lexi. Grace shows her dad the promise ring, and Zach realizes where Lexi is and runs out of the cabin again.

Just before midnight, Lexi bikes to the Farradays’ house and walks to the tree where she, Mia, and Zach buried The Thermos. She starts digging, and Zach holds up the thermos, asking if it’s what she’s looking for. He then says it’s staying here along with the promise the three of them made the night that they buried it. Zach asks Lexi not to leave and if she could ever love him again. She says that she does love him, and Zach kisses her. They rebury their time capsule, feeling Mia’s presence. Zach then asks Lexi to go home with him, and they leave hand-in-hand.

The next morning, Grace finds both of her parents in Zach’s bed. She climbs in with them, and Lexi asks if she can live with them. Grace says yes and talks nonstop with Lexi until Zach’s alarm goes off. The three of them eat breakfast together and then drive Grace to school. Lexi walks Grace to class and talks again about how to make friends. Grace tries to talk to Ariel, who says that Grace doesn’t need her anymore because she has a mom now. Grace then goes up to a girl named Samantha and asks if she wants to sit with her today.

Jude wakes that morning and appreciates the beauty of the sunrise. She goes outside and sees her overgrown garden and the beauty in the chaos. Jude weeds a small patch and enters her greenhouse to find a pack of wildflower seeds she bought years ago but never intended to use. She throws the seeds into her garden, looking forward to seeing what will grow. Jude returns to the house to make coffee and tells Miles that she’s going to the cemetery today. When she gets out of the shower, Miles gives her a small blue box containing Mia’s Ring with a pink diamond in the once-empty prongs. Jude then drives to the cemetery, taking Night Road for the first time in years. She stops at Mia’s memorial and closes her eyes, allowing herself to remember that night. She finally lets go of her grief and suffering and continues to the cemetery. When she arrives at Mia’s grave, she apologizes to her daughter for taking so long to come. She pulls out Mia’s ring and releases the balloons she brought, finally feeling peace and her daughter’s presence.