Big Little Lies

Celeste waits for Josh and Max to get out of school and runs into Jane. Celeste thinks of Jane’s simple life—working from home, just her and Ziggy—and finds it appealing. The two exchange pleasantries. Before having kids, Celeste was a lawyer. Jane, too, also had plans to be a lawyer before having Ziggy. After sharing their commonalities, the two agree to take regular walks together.

A brief testimony from Harper serves as a scene break for the chapter. Harper explains that while Celeste and Jane appeared to be good friends by the time the trivia night murder happened, she recalls hearing Celeste apologizing profusely to Jane moments before the murder: “Celeste was saying, ‘I’m sorry. I’m just so, so sorry’” (137).

Madeline gets a call from her boss at the Pirriwee Theatre, where she works part-time. Madeline’s boss offers her a bundle of Disney On Ice tickets. Madeline realizes that the tickets fall on the same date as Amabella’s birthday, and happily takes them, a devious plan forming. 

Perry returns from his business trip, and he and Celeste binge The Walking Dead. Perry asks about Amabella’s party. Celeste plans to take the twins to Disney On Ice instead. Perry wonders why he wasn’t invited, and Celeste worries where the conversation will lead. Perry feels left out during what little time he spends at home. Celeste feels bad for upsetting Perry, but never did anything to intentionally hurt him.

Celeste gets up to take out her contacts, and Perry grabs her arm, hard. Celeste feigns surprise and tries to calm Perry down, but it doesn’t work. Perry shoves Celeste, and she staggers back. Celeste considers her options, all the ones she’s tried before: talk him down, yell, walk away, fight back. She remembers the first time Perry hit her, when the boys were only eight months old. Celeste had threatened to leave him if it ever happened again. Sadly, it did happen again, when the boys had turned two, and still Celeste did not leave, making Perry’s behavior admissible. Tormented, Celeste understands a horrible truth: “She loved Perry. She was still in love with him” (144). Celeste clutches her arm where Perry grabbed her and mutters incommunicably.

Perry turns apologetic and remorseful. Celeste knows he will now act sweet and kind until his next business trip. She rationalizes Perry’s abuse, considering it an illness, an ugly side of him that he tries to resist. The abuse could be worse, she thinks. She’s read accounts of domestic violence far more horrific than her own. Maybe she doesn’t have all that much to complain about. She recognizes that everyone has their good side and their bad side, and that “She would never leave Perry any more than she could leave the boys” (146). Still in the room with Perry, Celeste goes back to him, and cuddles up beside her husband. 

Madeline takes Chloe and a group of other kindergartners to Disney On Ice. She feels guilty and hopes the kids have a good time to justify the “the rift she’d created between herself and Renata” (147). Madeline feels a little better seeing Ziggy amongst the kids at the show. Ziggy has Harry the Hippo with him, a class toy that the kids rotate taking home for the weekend. Madeline also notices that Celeste appears pallid and unwell.

Celeste continues to contemplate her dangerous marriage. She tells herself she needs to leave Perry immediately, that day, but something always keeps her from taking the plunge.

Jane and Ziggy visit Jane’s parents after the ice show. Mid-conversation, Jane realizes they left Harry the Hippo at the ice show, and she frantically leaves with Ziggy. She calls Madeline, hysterical, worried about what the other mothers will think of her when they learn she was irresponsible. The concluding testimonials confirm Jane’s fears. One parent says, “Oh my God, the fuss when poor Jane lost the class toy, and everyone is pretending it’s not a big deal, but clearly it is a big deal” (153). Jane buys a replacement Hippo, but her reputation with the other parents is tarnished. 

At home, Madeline and her family prepare for a school athletics carnival. Madeline clashes with Abigail when Abigail declares Bonnie will win the mothers’ race because she is young and athletic. Their fight escalates, and Abigail confesses that she plans to move in with her dad and Bonnie full-time. Madeline has been afraid of this happening for a while. Despite how upset she is, Madeline restrains her emotions. She reminisces about raising Abigail on her own, how they “used to eat breakfast in bed together before school, side by side” (157). She hopes Abigail will remember that moment too, but Abigail confirms she wants to go live with her dad and Bonnie.

At the carnival, Madeline runs into Nathan. They talk tensely about Abigail’s decision to go live at his house. Nathan mentions changing how much child support he pays if Abigail comes to live with him. He confesses to Madeline that money is tight for him and reflects on his absence as a father for the first 10 years of Abigail’s life. Fed up, Madeline asks, “Why did you have to move here, Nathan?” and Nathan simply replies “What?” (160). Their conversation abruptly ends as the mothers’ race gets ready to start. 

Jane gets ready for the mothers’ race. The day is beautiful, and the event is very inviting. Jane thinks about the efforts she has made to become a part of the school community: volunteering, hosting playdates, making small talk with the other moms. Something still feels off to her, however: “It was there in the slight turn of a head, the smiles that didn’t reach the eyes, the gentle waft of judgment” (161). Jane’s negative thoughts spiral into details of her one-night stand. She remembers “the ugliness of that warm spring night […] the pressure on her throat, the whispered words worming into her brain” (161-162). Thankfully, she shakes the thoughts away.

Before the race starts, the women talk amongst themselves. A woman whose name Jane can’t remember—Audrey or Andrea—asks Jane about a petition some of the moms are putting together to ban cupcakes. Madeline objects to the petition. Bonnie mentions the importance of stretching. Finally, cutting through the chatter, a gun cracks, and the race begins. 

At the end of the finish line, Celeste holds one end of the finishing tape, with Renata at the other end. Renata asks how Perry is, and Celeste lies, saying he is doing well. The night before, they had fought again. The boys had left a mess with their Legos. Perry picked up the Legos and dumped them on Celeste. Furious, Celeste threw Legos at Perry’s face, and Perry “slapped her across the face with the back of his hand” (166). In the morning, Perry had been cheerful and upbeat. Celeste continues to question the merits of her marriage.

The other moms stampede toward Celeste and Renata. Bonnie and Madeline lead the pack, and Celeste and Renata debate over who will win. Bonnie and Madeline cross the finish line at nearly the same instant, and no one can agree who won. Madeline, however, insists that Bonnie beat her. Madeline takes the first-place ribbon and forces it over to Bonnie, proclaiming “You beat me fair and square” (169), and they lock eyes. Bonnie registers that Madeline’s words mean more than just the race; they also pertain to Abigail. 

A testimonial from Samantha opens the chapter, in which she describes the eclectic mix of people living in the seaside community of the town: blue collar locals, alternative hippies, and rich businesspeople. Samantha adds “But! There’s only one primary school for all our kids! […] It’s hilarious. No wonder we had a riot” (170).

Celeste enjoys the privileges of her wealthy lifestyle; allowing a cleaning crew to come in and tidy up her beautiful home. She thinks of how ridiculous her mother would find her daughter’s current lifestyle. Celeste’s mom was a working woman who’d come home and cook after a shift. Celeste remembers those childhood days and fighting with her brother. Celeste’s brother would hit her, and Celeste fought back. Celeste wonders if she hadn’t grown up that way, maybe she wouldn’t tolerate Perry’s abuse.

Celeste looks up organizations around the world she can give money to. She already sponsors multiple children in impoverished countries but wants to give more. Strangely, as she browses, Celeste pinches herself, bruising herself more, calling herself ungrateful: “She liked to watch [the bruises] change, deepening, darkening and then slowly fading. It was a hobby. An interest of hers. Nice to have an interest” (172). In no time at all, Celeste gives away $20,000, but feels no actual satisfaction. She mulls over the comfort that Perry’s wealth gives her compared to Madeline and other members of the community. In addition, her personal beauty has always been something Celeste feels she needs to be humble and grateful about. Perry is likewise charitable with his money, willing to bid large sums of money at auctions and help others when they can’t pay their bills.

Still at her computer, Celeste initially types in marriage counseling but knows that isn’t enough. The chapter ends with Celeste researching support for domestic violence. 

Madeline helps Abigail pack her things to go live at her dad’s house. Madeline’s emotions threaten to bubble to the surface, and she does her best to suppress them: “And then it would hit her again, like a blow to the abdomen” (177). She remembers when Abigail was younger and first met Ed, how they had bonded. However, once Nathan came back into Abigail’s life, she became more distant with Ed. Ed wonders if he's part of the reason Abigail wanted to move out. Madeline thinks so, but she doesn’t tell Ed this, thinking that the biggest reason for Abigail leaving is her fondness for Bonnie.

Ed is a journalist for the local paper. He leaves the house to do an interview with the community’s longest running book club, which gives Madeline the idea of starting her own. Rumors circulate about Madeline’s book club. Some claim it’s an erotic book club, while others insist that was only a joke. 

Jane spends time with Ziggy at home while also reading the first book for Madeline’s book club. A brief sex scene surprisingly arouses Jane. For five years, ever since her traumatic one-night stand, intimacy has been difficult for her: “It was a revelation that after all this time she could still feel something so basic, so biological, so pleasant” (182).

Ziggy mentions a family tree assignment he has for school. Jane completely forgot that it’s due the next day. It’s already late, and Jane has other work she wants to do, but she knows the best time to get Ziggy’s project done is right now. Out of desperation, Jane texts Madeline, but she gets no response. Jane tries to coax Ziggy out of his bath, but he is fussy and uncooperative. Ziggy almost falls and hurts himself, and Jane grabs his arm, slightly hurting him. Ziggy yells at his mom, calling her mean, then keeps yelling at her. Jane’s patience finally evaporates. She screams at Ziggy: “She screamed like a madwoman. It felt good, as if she deserved this” (187). After, Jane apologizes to her son. Ziggy is quick to forgive his mom.

Moments later, Madeline arrives with supplies to complete the family tree assignment. Jane is moved to tears of joy.