The Legacy

Elle Kennedy

The Legacy

Elle Kennedy
50 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2021

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Part 4-EpilogueChapter Summaries & Analyses

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of child abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual content.

Part 4: “The Legacy”

Part 4, Chapter 32 Summary: “Hannah”

At the NHL Honors awards ceremony in Boston, Hannah struggles to conceal her eight-week pregnancy from Garrett. She has repeatedly delayed telling him because of significant events in his life and hockey career, but she now plans to tell him about the pregnancy after they get home. Plagued by her constant need to urinate, she makes a desperate trip to the restroom. While there, she overhears two women gossiping about Garrett and learns that his estranged and abusive father, Phil Graham, is also at the event to present the Lifetime Achievement Award. After revealing her identity to the embarrassed women, Hannah returns to her seat. As the ceremony begins, she quietly informs Garrett that his father is in attendance, and his mood immediately sours. Hannah worries that Phil’s presence will overshadow what should be a major career milestone for Garrett.

Part 4, Chapter 33 Summary: “Garrett”

During the after-party, Garrett remains tense and on high alert, constantly aware of his father’s presence. Phil eventually corners him and forces him into a photo opportunity with several team owners, publicly playing the role of a proud father. Garrett silently resents being forced to maintain the illusion of a happy father-son relationship despite Phil’s years of abuse. Logan notices his distress and creates a diversion to help him escape the situation. They’re soon joined by Jake Connelly, a rookie player who won Rookie of the Year that night. Jake mentions that his girlfriend, Brenna, flew in from Vienna, Austria, after traveling around Europe with her friend Summer (Dean’s sister) but was too exhausted to attend the party. When Garrett sees Phil approaching again with the team’s general manager, he decides to leave with Hannah, and the two sneak out to go home.

Part 4, Chapter 34 Summary: “Garrett”

Back at their brownstone, Garrett is still agitated from the encounter with his father. Hannah suggests that he try to set firm boundaries with Phil, but Garrett dismisses the idea, believing that it would be useless because Phil only cares about appearances and deliberately corners him in public. Hannah comforts him physically, helping him relax enough to sleep. The next morning, Garrett’s agent, Landon, calls with a television opportunity: a joint father-son interview on an ESPN show called The Legacy. Enraged by the proposal, Garrett flatly rejects it. Landon warns him to consider how declining the interview might look publicly, but Garrett refuses to pretend he has a loving relationship with his abusive father, and Landon agrees to turn down the offer.

Part 4, Chapter 35 Summary: “Hannah”

While producing an album for a young rapper named Yves St. Germain, who goes by “Nice,” Hannah experiences a severe wave of morning sickness at the studio. In the restroom, she takes a call from Allie, who urges her to finally tell Garrett about the pregnancy. Hannah confesses that she’s stalling out of fear, worried that she will have to raise the baby alone because of Garrett’s demanding hockey schedule. Later, her agent informs her that a song she wrote for the pop star Delilah has become a major success, earning her a substantial royalty payment. When she returns home, she finds Garrett furious about the ESPN interview offer. He vents that his father’s manipulative behavior makes him fear having children because he worries that he could become an abusive parent like Phil. His candid fears stop Hannah from revealing her own news.

Part 4, Chapter 36 Summary: “Garrett”

While in Palm Springs for a charity golf tournament, Garrett learns from Landon that Phil told the ESPN producer that Garrett had agreed to the interview on behalf of both of them. Although Garrett initially refuses, he reluctantly agrees to participate after learning that backing out could prompt media scrutiny regarding his relationship with Phil and his past. Garrett calls Phil directly to confront him, but his father is manipulative and dismissive. Distracted by the ordeal, Garrett performs poorly in the tournament. Later, Garrett returns to his hotel room to find a naked groupie in his bed with his name written on her in marker. He immediately walks out and secures a new room. He then texts Hannah to warn her about the incident before gossip blogs can report on it.

Part 4, Chapter 37 Summary: “Hannah”

The following morning, Hannah deals with online gossip speculating that Garrett cheated on her with the groupie in his hotel room. Her day improves when she receives a royalty check for $300,000 for a song she wrote. She begins to plan how she can use the money to pay off her parents’ mortgage and help them move away from their hometown of Ransom, Indiana. When Garrett returns from his trip, they celebrate her success, but Hannah still doesn’t tell him she’s pregnant. Later, during an intimate moment, Garrett notices how full her breasts feel and asks if her period is due soon, giving Hannah another opportunity to reveal the pregnancy, but she lets it pass. Before falling asleep, she resolves to tell him the next day.

Part 4, Chapter 38 Summary: “Hannah”

Hannah wakes up with cramps and resolves that she must tell Garrett about the pregnancy that day. However, he’s in a terrible mood as he prepares for the dreaded Legacy interview, so she postpones telling him yet again. After Garrett leaves for the studio, Hannah discovers light spotting. Alarmed, she calls Allie, who suggests that she seek advice from Sabrina since she’s a mother. Sabrina reassures Hannah that some spotting is common in early pregnancy but advises her to monitor the situation and go to the hospital if it develops into bleeding, as it could be a sign of miscarriage. Despite the reassurance, Hannah spends the day consumed with anxiety, fearing that she’s having a miscarriage.

Part 4, Chapter 39 Summary: “Garrett”

During the taping for The Legacy, Garrett struggles to answer questions about his childhood, giving guarded responses that undermine his father’s attempt to portray an idealized family history. Landon calls for a break to speak with him, encouraging him to focus on hockey memories rather than family ones so that the interview can continue. While off set, Garrett signals to Landon that he needs a moment and then checks his phone and discovers a frantic voicemail from Hannah. In the message, she blurts out that she’s pregnant, bleeding, and afraid something is wrong. She asks him to come home immediately and take her to the hospital. Stunned, Garrett rips off his mic pack and tosses it to Landon, tells the crew that there has been an emergency, and rushes out of the studio.

Part 4, Chapter 40 Summary: “Hannah”

On the frantic drive to the hospital, Garrett and Hannah get into a major fight. He’s hurt and angry that she hid the pregnancy from him for weeks and that Allie and Sabrina knew before he did, while she’s upset that he’s yelling at her during a medical crisis. In the heat of the moment, Garrett accuses her of being manipulative like his father. At the hospital, an ultrasound reveals a healthy fetal heartbeat. The doctor explains that hormonal changes soften the cervix and that vigorous intercourse likely caused the spotting, making the bleeding not unusual. Relieved, they learn that Hannah is 10 weeks pregnant and are given a sonogram photo. After the doctor leaves, the tension returns as Hannah asks Garrett what he wants to do about the baby.

Part 4, Chapter 41 Summary: “Garrett”

Overwhelmed by the day’s events, Garrett is unable to answer Hannah’s question about the baby. Although it’s only early evening when they get home, Hannah says that they can talk in the morning and goes right to bed. Garrett stays up for hours staring at the sonogram, consumed with panic and self-doubt about becoming a father. The next morning, Hannah remains distant and leaves to collect some things from the studio so that she can work from home for a few days. Desperate, Garrett calls Logan for advice, who tells him that he needs to apologize. While on the phone, Garrett discovers a notepad where Hannah has written the name “Reed Realty.” He mistakenly jumps to the conclusion that she’s planning to move out and raise the baby without him.

Part 4, Chapter 42 Summary: “Hannah”

Panicked, Garrett rushes to the music studio. Using the control room’s talk-back microphone, he interrupts Hannah’s session to apologize profusely in front of her client, Nice, and his entourage. He begs her not to leave him, explaining that he saw the name of the realtor. Hannah is shocked by his assumption and clarifies that she was researching real estate for her parents, hoping to use her recent royalty check to help them relocate. She assures him that she has no intention of leaving. Relieved, Garrett confirms that he wants to have the baby with her, promising that they will face any challenges together. He also apologizes for comparing Hannah to his abusive father, and she forgives him. They reconcile with a passionate kiss.

Part 4, Chapter 43 Summary: “Garrett”

The next morning, Hannah casually proposes to Garrett, and he happily accepts. Later, he goes to the ESPN studio to meet with the producer, Stephen Collins, and officially withdraw from The Legacy. To explain his decision, Garrett reveals for the first time to a professional contact that his father was physically abusive during his childhood. Collins listens with empathy and shares that he also endured abuse from his mother. Instead of cancelling the show, he suggests that Garrett film a new, solo interview to tell his own story, arguing that his platform could help others. Inspired by the desire to be a good role model for his future child, Garrett agrees. When he tells Hannah about his decision, she says that she’s proud of him, reinforcing his resolve to confront his past.

Epilogue Summary: “August: Hannah”

A few months later, Tucker and Sabrina visit Garrett and Hannah before their prenatal ultrasound appointment. As a prank gift, they present them with the haunted doll, Alexander, which they had previously claimed to have disposed of at sea, and a new companion doll, Cassandra, whose history is tied to a German asylum. During the appointment, Garrett proudly shows off a tiny Bruins jersey he bought, convinced that they’re having a boy. When Hanna reminds him that they don’t yet know the sex, he argues that the jersey is “unisex.” The appointment takes a surprising turn when the doctor performs the ultrasound and announces that they’re having twins. To their shock and delight, she confirms that they’re expecting a boy and a girl.

Part 4-Epilogue Analysis

Garrett’s appearance at the NHL Honors ceremony, intended to celebrate a career milestone, becomes overshadowed by the arrival of his abusive father, Phil. Phil’s insistence on posing for photographs with Garrett exposes the contrast between the public image of a proud father and the private reality of their abusive relationship. The motif of hockey therefore reflects both Garrett’s professional success and the continuing influence of his childhood trauma, as public events repeatedly place him in situations in which Phil can manipulate appearances. This tension continues with the offer of a joint interview on an ESPN show titled The Legacy. By arranging the interview without Garrett’s consent, Phil attempts to preserve a false narrative about their relationship and pressure Garrett into participating. Garrett’s decision to reject that narrative develops the theme of Healing Childhood Trauma Through Love, as he begins to place honesty, his relationship with Hannah, and the family they’re building ahead of protecting his father’s public image.


The novella’s central conflict develops from Hannah’s decision to delay telling Garrett about her pregnancy, despite knowing for several weeks, a choice that reinforces the theme of Preserving Relationships Through Open Communication. Her reasons for remaining silent—not wanting to distract Garrett during the playoffs or burden him after a loss—reveal her anxiety about raising a child alone within the demanding culture of professional sports and her tendency to prioritize Garrett’s professional pressures over their partnership. As she continues postponing the conversation, the opportunity for honest communication gradually disappears, leaving Garrett to discover the pregnancy through her voicemail during a medical emergency. The ensuing fight in the car, where Garrett accuses her of being manipulative like his father, shows how prolonged silence and unspoken assumptions can damage trust even within a committed relationship. Garrett’s reaction reflects the hurt of being excluded from an important decision about their future together, while Hannah’s silence reflects her belief that protecting him required withholding the truth. Their conflict demonstrates that lasting commitment depends on sharing fears and responsibilities openly, especially when difficult decisions affect both partners.


The alternating first-person perspectives deepen the exploration of Preserving Relationships Through Open Communication by revealing how Hannah and Garrett experience the same relationship through different emotional realities. Hannah’s chapters establish her growing anxiety about telling Garrett she’s pregnant and explain why she repeatedly postpones the conversation despite recognizing its importance. Garrett’s chapters, in contrast, focus on Phil’s reappearance and the emotional pressure surrounding the NHL Honors ceremony and the proposed ESPN interview. Presenting both perspectives demonstrates how their private fears develop independently because neither fully understands what the other is experiencing. The resulting misunderstanding allows tension to build until their confrontation forces both characters to express concerns they have avoided throughout the section. The dual narration therefore reinforces that honest communication requires sharing fears as well as facts, particularly when both partners are trying to protect one another.


The hospital visit becomes an important moment in Garrett and Hannah’s reconciliation by shifting their attention from conflict to the future they’re preparing to share. The doctor’s confirmation of a healthy pregnancy, followed by the sound of the fetal heartbeat, helps Garrett see the immediate reality of becoming a father. This experience encourages him to think beyond the fear and anger that have shaped his relationship with Phil and focus on the family that he and Hannah are building together. After reconciling with Hannah, Garrett chooses to meet with the ESPN producer, Stephen Collins, and openly discuss his father’s abuse instead of continuing the false public narrative that Phil has created. Collins’s response creates a supportive environment in which Garrett is able to tell the truth about his childhood without shame. Garrett’s decision reinforces the theme of Healing Childhood Trauma Through Love, showing that his commitment to Hannah and their child gives him the confidence to reject Phil’s manipulation and define his own future.


The Epilogue returns to the symbol of Alexander the doll, restoring the playful prank that has connected the Briar friends throughout the novella. Tucker and Sabrina’s gift of the haunted doll, together with a new companion named Cassandra, extends that long-running tradition into Garrett and Hannah’s growing family. Cassandra’s exaggerated backstory continues the group’s shared sense of humor, maintaining a tradition that persists alongside the characters’ increasing responsibilities. The return of Alexander also provides a lighter conclusion after the emotional conflicts of the final section, showing that marriage and parenthood don’t diminish the friendships that continue to shape the characters’ lives. The final reveal of twins is met with Garrett’s humorous complaint, “I only bought one jersey” (305), capturing his mixture of surprise and excitement as he prepares for fatherhood. The Epilogue reinforces the theme of Compromise in Early Adulthood by showing Garrett and Hannah embracing an unexpected future together while continuing to rely on the friendships that have supported them throughout the novella.

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