Dear Debbie
by Freida McFadden
Contents
Chapter 51
Overview
Debbie reaches the evacuated school and learns that Zane was the drunk student who crashed into the building after being called to the principal’s office. Zane survives but may have broken his neck, leaving Lexi devastated and revealing that she still considers him her boyfriend.
The chapter deepens Debbie’s moral distortion: she sees Zane’s injury as a problem solved rather than a tragedy, and she refuses responsibility for the fear she helped create.
Summary
Debbie drives quickly to the school after learning about the crash, but traffic and evacuation procedures slow her down. Outside, students have been moved into supervised groups, and a teacher efficiently checks Debbie’s daughters’ names before sending Lexi and Izzy to the car.
Izzy immediately tells Debbie that Zane was the student who crashed his car into the school. Izzy says Zane had received an email calling him to the principal’s office, and Debbie realizes that her earlier threat about him being labeled a sex offender may have terrified him. Lexi sits in the back seat crying, but Debbie struggles to understand why Lexi is grieving for someone Debbie sees as a blackmailer.
At home, Izzy checks her phone and reports that Zane is alive but badly injured, with Jana saying he broke his neck. Lexi becomes hysterical, and Debbie tries to comfort her while framing Zane’s injury as the solution to Lexi’s problem.
Lexi reacts with horror, says Zane is her boyfriend, and insists that she never wanted the problem solved this way. Lexi pulls away from Debbie and runs upstairs, slamming her bedroom door.
Debbie remains unable to understand Lexi’s reaction. Debbie tells herself that she only frightened Zane and did not force him to drink or crash, concluding that what happened was simply karma.
Who Appears
- Debbie MullenCollects her daughters, rationalizes Zane’s crash, and denies responsibility for frightening him.
- Lexi MullenDevastated by Zane’s injuries and horrified by Debbie’s view of the crash.
- Izzy MullenReports that Zane crashed and later shares updates about his injuries.
- ZaneDrunkenly crashes into the school after being summoned to the principal’s office.
- JanaProvides Izzy with the report that Zane may have broken his neck.