payment page
Summary
Chapter Twenty-Five
Millie is amazed at the grandeur of the Broadway play. Andrew remarks that he’s used to it, so it’s refreshing to see it through her eyes. Millie begins to forget that she’s a maid and ex-con, and she feels that she belongs there. But then Nina texts her with a reminder to take the trash out, puncturing the fantasy. Millie is irritated because she’s never forgotten trash day, except for tonight, because her schedule was disrupted. She saves the Playbill from the show, even though it’s risky, because she wants to remember this night.
After the show, Andrew takes her to an expensive French restaurant. She looks at the menu and realizes that before working for the Winchesters, even an appetizer would have wiped her out for several weeks. Now, she looks in the mirror and thinks that she and Andrew look better as a couple than he and Nina do.
Millie doesn’t understand the French menu, so Andrew offers to translate, as he is fluent from spending his junior year of college in France. Insecure about her relative lack of education, Millie tells him to simply order for her. He receives an angry call from Nina and frustratedly tells Millie that 90% of their interactions involve Nina yelling at him. Millie says they have that in common. Andrew confides that when they first met, Nina was a single mom who worked two jobs. But since they married, she does nothing but complain, and she spoils Cecelia. He mentions that he was engaged right before meeting Nina, and Millie wonders if Nina broke up his engagement. He admits that he and Nina haven’t had sex since the fertility appointment, then apologizes for his candor.
Chapter Twenty-Six
After dinner, Andrew says he’s too drunk to drive them home, and proposes they stay in the room at the Plaza. She says it’s not a good idea, and he says he’ll be a gentleman, and that there are separate beds. When she’s still hesitant, he offers to get two rooms at the Plaza so they can sleep separately, and she agrees. In the cab, her dress rides up again, and she catches Andrew looking at her legs again. He then catches Millie staring at him, and she thinks about how Nina is horrible to him, and that he deserves better. The cab jerks, throwing their bodies against each other. He kisses her, and she kisses him back.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Millie and Andrew have sex. In the morning, Millie allows herself to fantasize about Andrew leaving Nina for her and giving him the baby he’s always wanted. When he wakes up, he immediately asks her not to say anything to Nina, and she’s disappointed. He tells her he’s not sorry it happened, and he wishes he met her before he got married, but it can’t happen again. She takes a shower, and she hopes he’ll join her, but he doesn’t.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
On the drive home, Milly realizes that she forgot to take out the trash. Worried that Nina will be suspicious, Andrew agrees to take care of it for her. When they arrive home, Enzo is working in the yard, and he’s surprised and angry to see them arrive home together in the morning. Andrew offers to pay him to take the garbage to the dump, but Enzo refuses until Andrew increases his offer to two hundred dollars. Andrew complains that Enzo spends too much time in their yard, and that he’s told Nina to replace him, but Nina insists he’s the best. Millie wonders if Andrew has any idea that Enzo is afraid of his wife.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Nina comes home from dropping Cecelia off at summer camp, carrying several shopping bags. She asks Millie to take them upstairs, and Millie comments that they’re very heavy, to which Nina scoffs that Millie is getting soft and should work out more. Millie chafes at this, as Nina never works out and looks unkempt. She wonders what Andrew sees in Nina.
Nina asks Millie where she was the night before, as she called the house line at 11pm and no one answered. Millie says she must have been in bed already, and that Andrew might have gone out. Nina is skeptical, but doesn’t question Millie further. Millie is nervous about Nina’s emotional instability, and texts Andrew to warn him that Nina called the house phone the night before.
Analysis: Chapters Twenty-Five—Twenty-Nine
Millie's night out with Andrew reveals a stark shift in her understanding of her own position within the Winchester household. The grandeur of the Broadway show and the opulence of the French restaurant momentarily make her forget her role as a maid and ex-con. This brief immersion into a lifestyle she once envied accentuates the ongoing power imbalance. Despite the illusion of belonging, Nina’s reminder about the trash disrupts Millie’s fantasy and sends her crashing back to reality. This illustrates how Millie’s status is inescapably tied to her role as a maid, with the constant mental load of responsibilities and limitations that come with her lack of privilege. Even in the midst of a glamorous evening, Millie must contend with concerns that Andrew, insulated by his wealth and social status, would never have to consider.
The complex interplay between Millie and Andrew further illuminates the persistent power imbalances that shape their relationship. Andrew’s apparent kindness and excitement to order for Millie at the French restaurant reflect a certain benevolence, but they also highlight the subtle ways in which he maintains control. While Andrew's actions seem considerate, they also serve to reinforce his authority in their interactions. When their relationship crosses into physical intimacy, the power imbalance becomes even more pronounced. Millie’s fantasies about a future with Andrew and the possibility of him leaving Nina reflect her desire for a better life, yet they are tinged with the reality of their situation—Andrew's insistence on keeping their affair secret and his reluctance to continue their relationship highlight the temporary nature of their connection. Andrew’s ability to dictate the terms of their encounter and his insistence on keeping their affair a secret reveal a troubling dynamic where Millie’s desires are overshadowed by his own.
Nina’s behavior when she returns home with the shopping bags reinforces her ongoing wielding of power and control over Millie. By demanding that Millie take the heavy bags upstairs, Nina not only asserts her authority but also belittles Millie’s position, implying that Millie’s complaints about the weight are a sign of weakness. This act of demeaning Millie serves as a stark reminder of Nina's control within the household. Nina's ability to define Millie's reality highlights the power imbalance: she gets to label Millie as "soft" despite her own lack of exercise. This manipulation of reality underscores Nina's dominance, as she shapes how Millie perceives her own role and worth, while conveniently disregarding her own failures to maintain the same standards.
Millie’s resentment towards Nina is further complicated by the fact that she has slept with Andrew, yet from Millie’s perspective, her vulnerability is accentuated. Although she has crossed a significant boundary, Millie remains in a precarious position, struggling with her guilt and fear while navigating the emotional and practical complexities of her relationship with both Nina and Andrew. Despite her transgressions, Millie’s struggles and the power dynamics at play evoke sympathy, as her actions stem from a place of desperation and insecurity. Her criticism of Nina's looks reflects a deeper frustration, where Millie’s only sources of power over her is her own youth, beauty, and fertility.
Read about the theme of the Limits of Perspective in The Housemaid.
