Before We Were Strangers

In the morning, Matt studies the pictures Grace has around the apartment. He’s shocked when he sees one of Grace with Dan and a teenage girl. When he looks closer, he realizes the girl has his eyes. Grace confesses that she is indeed Matt’s daughter; her name is Ash. 

Matt is furious she didn’t tell him, but Grace insists she tried contacting him many times. Still irate, Matt storms out. He spends the rest of the weekend drinking alone and stewing in his anger. He calls Alexander and leaves a message explaining what happened. Then, he punches “a hole in the wall” (256) and buys a pack of cigarettes for the first time in years. On Monday, Scott calls to say there’s a new field opening in Singapore that fall.

Meanwhile, Matt ignores all of Grace’s calls. However, when she tells him Ash knows about him and wants a relationship with him, he agrees to see her. Matt and Ash go out together. Matt is taken by Ash, surprised that she is confident and wise. Grace has always been open with her about Matt and Ash wants to get to know him. She also tells Matt about her childhood with Dan, who was like a father to her. When she tells Matt she wants him to be her dad now, they both start crying. They exchange numbers before saying goodbye.

Matt still won’t see Grace but keeps in contact with Ash. One day, he meets up with Monica to talk. She’s sympathetic to his situation and upset with Liz on his behalf. She even goes to Liz’s apartment to collect an old letter from Grace. Afterward, Matt and Monica make amends for their past misunderstandings. Monica reminds Matt that none of this is Grace’s fault.

Matt reads Grace’s letter. She wrote it when Dan got sick. He wanted to adopt Ash but they needed Matt’s signature because his name was on Ash’s birth certificate. Overwhelmed by emotion, Matt reflects on everything Grace and Ash suffered because of him.

That evening, Matt takes Ash out for a breakfast dinner. At the diner, they talk about their lives and eat pie. Ash takes some home for Grace, calling her to the door when they return home.

Grace is overcome by emotion seeing Matt on the doorstep but reminds herself “to be strong” (275). He gives her the pie and kisses her tattoo before saying goodnight.

Grace goes to visit Orvin at the nursing home. They talk about life, love, and music. Orvin encourages her not to give up on Matt.

Per Tatiana’s request, Grace starts playing with the New York Philharmonic over the following week, as Tatiana is in the orchestra and Ash encouraged her to take the opportunity. That weekend, Ash spends the night at Tatiana’s. 

Grace ends up drinking alone and showing up on Matt’s doorstep. She confronts him about his anger. They argue, make amends, and have sex. Afterward, they lie in bed talking about Grace’s pregnancy, Ash’s birth, Grace’s relationship with Dan, and Dan’s death. They fall asleep together, but Grace sneaks out in the morning. They don’t talk for several days.

Grace sees Matt again when he comes over to pick up Ash one day. She watches them leave, delighted to see them laughing together. However, she’s afraid of getting too close to Matt again.

Over the following months, Ash splits her weekends between Grace and Matt. At the end of the school year, Matt attends Ash’s awards ceremony. He compliments Grace on what a good mother she is. Grace reflects on their situation, still unsure about the future.

One night, Ash tells Grace she’s upset because Matt is taking a job in Singapore and she doesn’t want to say goodbye. She’s also mad that Grace and Matt aren’t back together. Upset and confused, Grace races over to Matt’s and confronts him for abandoning her and Ash again. Matt explains he’s not taking the job and promises never to leave them again.

Grace, Matt, and Ash start spending more time all together. One day, Ash sets up a scavenger hunt game for Grace and Matt. The game includes a performance of “Hallelujah,” a few hours for sex at Senior House, a gallery showing of Matt’s photos, and a trip to City Hall. Matt proposes to Grace, and they profess their love and get married.

Ash acts as her parents’ witness when they get married. She’s thrilled that they’re together. Grace is the happiest Ash has ever seen her. That summer, the family takes trips to Europe and California together. 

Back in New York, they move into Ash and Grace’s apartment and convert Matt’s apartment into a studio. A year later, Grace and Matt have a son, Leo. Ash is thrilled with her new baby brother. Although her parents make mistakes, she feels lucky to have them and thrilled that they’re in love.