The Brothers Hawthorne
CHAPTER 95: GRAYSON
by Barnes, Jennifer LynnGrayson lies awake at Hawthorne House, reflecting on the aftermath of his actions. He has resolved the issues with Trowbridge, secured Acacia’s financial stability, and ensured she has legal representation. Despite these accomplishments, he grapples with lingering questions about his past, particularly the “what-if” scenarios posed by Acacia. His thoughts drift to Nash’s reassurance about his capacity to love, symbolized by the ring hidden in his suitcase. A sudden phone call interrupts his introspection, but it’s not from the person he expects—instead, his sister Gigi arrives unannounced at the gate.
Gigi confronts Grayson about their mother’s restored finances, accusing him of either fixing the situation or convincing their father to do so. Grayson reveals that Trowbridge, not their father, was responsible for the embezzlement. Gigi’s anger is tempered by her inability to stay mad, especially when Grayson has done something kind. She oscillates between frustration and grudging admiration, even joking about her hatred for Duncan. Her playful yet pointed demeanor highlights her resilience and unwavering hope, despite the family’s turmoil.
The conversation takes a serious turn as Gigi presses Grayson about his motives. She challenges his earlier betrayal, pointing out that his actions—helping their mother and defeating Trowbridge—contradict his claim of being untrustworthy. Grayson admits he had no choice, hinting at a dark secret about their father. Gigi insists on referring to him as “our father,” refusing to let Grayson distance himself from their shared family. Her persistence forces Grayson to confront the truth he’s been avoiding.
Grayson finally reveals their father’s darkest deed: an attempted murder involving a bomb meant to kill someone Grayson cares about. Gigi is stunned, recalling the media coverage that wrongly blamed their mother. Grayson’s confession shatters her illusions about their father, leaving her to grapple with the reality of his crimes. The chapter ends on a tense note, with Gigi’s wide-eyed disbelief underscoring the emotional weight of Grayson’s revelation and the fractured legacy of their family.
FAQs
1. What internal conflict does Grayson experience regarding his father and half-sisters, and how does this manifest in his actions?
Answer:
Grayson struggles with conflicting feelings about his father and his relationship with his half-sisters, Gigi and Savannah. While he has helped them by recovering their mother’s stolen money and securing legal assistance, he also harbors deep resentment toward their father for attempting to kill someone important to Grayson (implied to be Avery). This internal conflict manifests when he initially distances himself emotionally, warning Gigi not to trust him, yet ultimately reveals the truth about their father’s violent past. His actions show a tension between protecting his sisters from painful truths and his own unresolved anger (Chapter 95, pp. 451–454).2. How does Gigi’s confrontation with Grayson reveal her character traits and their sibling dynamic?
Answer:
Gigi’s confrontation highlights her optimism, emotional intelligence, and persistence in maintaining family bonds. Despite being angry at Grayson, she acknowledges his positive actions and pushes him to explain his behavior, refusing to let him push her away. Her humorous threats (“May his crotch forever itch…”) and insistence on calling their shared father “our father” demonstrate her warmth and determination to include Grayson as family. Their dynamic reveals Gigi as the emotional bridge between Grayson and the rest of the family, challenging his guarded nature while still holding him accountable (Chapter 95, pp. 452–453).3. What significance does the unresolved riddle (“What begins a bet? Not that.”) hold in this chapter?
Answer:
The riddle serves as a symbolic reminder of Grayson’s unresolved feelings for the girl (likely Eve) who originally posed it. It appears when Grayson seeks distraction from his emotional turmoil, suggesting that his relationships—both romantic and familial—are interconnected sources of tension. The riddle’s recurrence hints at lingering questions in his personal life that parallel the chapter’s themes of trust, betrayal, and unspoken truths. Its presence underscores how Grayson’s analytical mind defaults to puzzles when avoiding emotional vulnerability (Chapter 95, p. 451).4. Analyze how Grayson’s protective instincts conflict with his moral boundaries in this chapter.
Answer:
Grayson exhibits conflicting protective instincts: he shields Gigi from full knowledge of their father’s crimes (initially withholding that he tried to murder someone) while also feeling compelled to reveal enough truth to justify his own actions. This mirrors his earlier protection of Avery, suggesting a pattern of sacrificing relationships to safeguard others. However, his admission to Gigi (“He wasn’t a good guy”) shows a shift toward transparency, indicating moral growth. The chapter positions Grayson at a crossroads between isolation and connection, as he begins to trust his sisters with painful truths (Chapter 95, pp. 453–454).5. How does the chapter use physical objects (the ring, the phone, the gate) to symbolize emotional themes?
Answer:
Key objects serve as metaphors for Grayson’s emotional state:- The ring in his suitcase represents commitment and love he struggles to fully embrace, despite Nash’s reassurance that he “knows how to love.”
- The phone call he expects to be from Eve reflects his preoccupation with past relationships, while Gigi’s actual call forces him to confront present familial bonds.
- The gate where Gigi arrives symbolizes both barriers and access points in their relationship—Grayson could refuse her entry but chooses connection. Together, these objects trace his journey from isolation toward engagement (Chapter 95, pp. 451–452).
- The ring in his suitcase represents commitment and love he struggles to fully embrace, despite Nash’s reassurance that he “knows how to love.”
Quotes
1. “Do you ever play what-if, Grayson? […] If he’d had a more normal childhood, if he’d spent even a few weeks a year with his father, with Acacia and the girls, would it have changed anything? Changed him?”
This introspective moment captures Grayson’s internal conflict about his fractured family relationships and the lingering question of how different circumstances might have shaped him. It represents a key emotional turning point in the chapter.
2. “You said your father—but he isn’t just my father, Grayson, or Savannah’s. He’s yours, too.”
Gigi’s persistent insistence on their shared paternity highlights the central tension between Grayson’s actions and his unacknowledged familial bonds. This quote exemplifies the chapter’s exploration of complex family ties and identity.
3. “I know something about your father that you don’t know, something that you shouldn’t know. […] He wasn’t a good guy, Gigi.”
This revelation marks the climax of the chapter’s emotional arc, as Grayson begins to disclose painful truths about their father. The quote carries significant weight as it threatens to shatter Gigi’s idealized image of their shared parent.
4. “They arrested the wrong parent.”
This stark, single-sentence revelation about the plane bombing incident serves as a powerful narrative bombshell. It dramatically reframes previous events in the story while exposing the dark truth Grayson has been protecting his sisters from.
5. “Because as bad as I am staying mad at people, I truly excel at holding permanent and unholy grudges against anyone who hurts my sister.”
Gigi’s colorful declaration showcases her fierce loyalty while providing momentary levity in an otherwise intense chapter. The quote also subtly foreshadows her eventual reaction to learning the full truth about their father.