The Rules of Survival Chapter 35 Summary

A Family Christmas

  • While Nikki obsessively stalks Murdoch, he is keeping a full record of everything that she does, putting it all down in a book which he periodically shows to the police. Once, she even ends up spending two nights in jail on the weekend before Christmas.
  • Instead of being sad that their mom is in jail, the kids are pretty much thrilled. Aunt Bobbie opens the doors that connect her side of the house to theirs, and they get to roam through the whole place.
  • Ben comes over with a Christmas tree and some presents, and they all decorate the Christmas tree, sing carols, and eat take-out pizza before settling down to play a card game. It's like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
  • All the kids are actually happy and feel like they're a part of a normal family for once. It's absolutely wonderful.