Here's my take. Conrad had just realized, through his therapy, that he could not forgive Beth about Bucky. Up until then, he was under the impression (and justifiably so) that Beth couldn't forgive him for Bucky's death. Conrad and Beth never connected on a mother/son basis before, as Bucky was her favorite child, and especially after.
Conrad also learned he needed to forgive himself for living. So at this point, he felt free of the burdens that were on him. And feeling free, he wanted to convey that to Beth, so he hugged her and told her he's glad she's back.
So yeah, you're right.
Now, with the hug and Beth, she's mirrored Conrad since Bucky's death; her emotions were too hard to handle, so she just turned them off. Not believing in psychiatry, she couldn't do what Conrad did, go to therapy. There were only 2 moments of Beth feeling after Bucky's death, on the golf course (anger), and when she opens her closet at the end (grief). And both of those times she bottled those emotions back up as quickly as they came. When Conrad hugged her, she felt nothing. And Calvin was spot on at the end; he didn't know who she was, or if she's capable of love.
Hopefully, she found a good therapist in Houston. I don't have children, but there's nothing worse for a parent than losing a child. It's understandable for her to cut off all feeling, but Calvin was also correct when he told her she's selfish, that she can't think about anything more than how it affects her.
JMHO. I could be wrong.
I don't want the world. I just want your half.
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