Mrs. Everything

Bethie comes to visit Jo in Connecticut to give an inspirational talk to her women’s group. Jo and her family moved to follow Dave’s latest business idea, a thriving used-sports-equipment store. Bethie asks about the business, Dave, her daughters, and Jo. Jo tries to convince Bethie she’s fine, but her sister doubts her happiness. Jo loves her daughters, solemn and scientific Kim and sporty and wild Missy, more than anything. Though she and Dave were close earlier in their marriage, they’ve grown distant. They’re still pleasant with each other but have much less sex and less to talk about. Jo tries to convince herself that her daily running, cooking, cleaning, reading, and mothering are enough.

A giant snowstorm causes Dave to stay at the office and the power to go out. A neighbor, Judy, invites everyone to her home. Jo, Bethie, and Jo’s daughters join the party of women and their children. After the kids are asleep, they hunker by the fireplace with drinks, and Bethie prods them to discuss women’s issues. Jo resents Bethie, who is living the life Jo imagined with her world traveling and working on an all-female commune, making a difference as a feminist. Bethie also comments on how everything is sexist, down to Barbie dolls that emphasize the wrong female ideals. Led by Bethie, the women discuss how they love their kids and men but sometimes feel unappreciated, depleted, and bored, how their husbands expect too much, how they are seen as only mothers. Jo finally admits she believes women are seen as not full people, as if men are owed their caretaking and baby-making.

Before they fall asleep, Bethie asks about Shelley. Jo pretends she’s asleep. Shelley visited a few years before and admitted she made a mistake. She left her husband, Dennis, and wished she could be with Jo. Jo painfully turned her away, citing her happy marriage and two children. Her daughters are her loves now, not Shelley.

Bethie thinks her mission is to free Jo from her chains, which means leaving Dave, a man she never could fully love. Though she knows Dave loves Jo and his daughters, she thinks he’s all charm without substance.

She’s a liberated woman, fighting for women’s rights and civil rights, protesting the war in Vietnam, and using the commune’s farm funds to help charities. She wants to liberate Jo too, so she suggests a trip to Blue Hill Farm. She convinces Jo a vacation would be healthy for her; they’re starting a jam store and could use help. Bethie insists Dave can handle the girls and their activities for a while. After Dave’s approval, they hurry to the farm in Georgia.

At Blue Hill Farm, Jo becomes herself, calm and adventurous, like she is with her daughters—but not with Dave. Bethie loves seeing her sister so alive, free, and active. Jo helps with the new store, including writing ads, and she bonds with the other residents.

One night, Bethie broaches the topic of Jo staying longer, but Jo refuses, since she can’t just leave Dave and move her girls across the country. Bethie argues that Jo used to be so brave and that she can tell Jo isn’t happy like she was with Lynnette or Shelley. Jo admits she got tired of every day being a struggle; if she didn’t marry Dave, it would have been someone else. Bethie apologizes, stating that Jo’s life is Bethie’s fault, since Jo used her money on helping Bethie get an abortion. Jo is confused when Bethie wants her to apologize in return. Jo snaps that she didn’t get Bethie pregnant or force her to drop acid, but Bethie believes that Jo and Sarah abandoned her by leaving her alone so much the summer Uncle Mel sexually assaulted her. Their argument explodes into Bethie telling Jo to leave.

The argument with Bethie sparks Jo’s strength to leave Dave. She’s ready to stop living a lie, as Bethie said. Jo’s courage wanes when she returns home and finds Dave rocking Missy, who has an ear infection. After he puts Missy to bed, Jo, craving the truth, almost asks for a separation, but she doesn’t want to take her girls’ daddy away.

Dave is sheepish, and Jo wonders if he cheated, feeling like his infidelity would be her easy out. Instead, Dave explains they’re bankrupt; he had Jo sign a personal loan for his businesses without her realizing what she signed. She’s upset, but Dave insists they can fix everything. He senses something happened in Georgia, but Jo doesn’t share anything. She resigns herself to staying with him and working through their hardships.

They make love, with Jo thinking she loves Dave a little at least, and that love isn’t all that matters. Routine, children, financial stability, and secrets matter. They conceive their third daughter, Lila, that night.

Bethie decides to earn more money for the farm’s jams and preserves; most of the others at the commune are against capitalism. Ronnie suggests Bethie’s time at Blue Hill Farm has ended, and she accepts the change. She moves into an apartment above a store where she sells Blue Hill Farms preserves, since she’s been allowed to use the name. She goes to get a loan to help the already popular business, and Harold Jefferson is her banker. Bethie is surprised to see him, even more so when he asks to take her out that weekend.

Over the next few months, Harold takes Bethie on many dates, and they talk on the phone every night. They reminisce about Detroit, sing and listen to music, see movies, and more. Bethie’s old feelings for him reemerge. He was involved in protests for civil rights, then was a soldier in Vietnam, where he almost lost his leg. On Thanksgiving, Harold admits to Bethie he can’t have children due to chemicals used in Vietnam. She shares about her rape and abortion. They support each other, agreeing their life together won’t be easy with the discrimination against interracial couples (and Harold’s not being Jewish), but they choose to be together.