This Is Where I Leave You Chapter 31 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • Judd hasn't done drugs in a long time, so he collapses into bed as soon as they get home.
  • To his surprise, he wakes to find Alice lying next to him. That surprise turns into downright shock when she makes sexual advances.
  • When he resists, Alice tells him about her struggle to get pregnant. Although she's gone through countless procedures to boost her fertility, Paul refuses to even get his sperm checked. She hopes that Judd will be able to give her what Paul can't.
  • Judd tries—not very hard—to stop her, but they end up having a brief love-making session. Judd basically regrets it the minute it's over, but too late now.
  • Later that day, Judd heads over to Jen's hotel.
  • Jen explains that her affair started because Judd became emotionally distant after her miscarriage. This only upsets Judd further and he storms off.
  • For reasons unknown to even himself, Judd then drives two hours to the house he used to share with Jen. It isn't the first time he's done this, either.
  • Judd does some snooping and takes a few souvenirs: a couple pills of Viagra, three hundred bucks from Wade's wallet, and his favorite picture of Jen.
  • Penny calls Judd soon after he gets home, inviting him to a movie. They end up watching a silly romantic comedy and making out in the back row. Aw, young love.
  • Afterwards, they head to Penny's house and have sex for the first time. (That makes two women in one day, but who's counting?) Although Judd has feelings for Penny, he's left unsatisfied by the encounter.
  • Judd gets home around midnight. He walks in on Wendy and Barry in midst of a heated argument. It turns out that Barry is leaving the following day to finalize a business deal. Quick, someone get this guy the Husband of the Year award! It's not every man who would walk out on his wife less than a week after her father dies.