Chapter 17 Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens in the bridal suite, where the emotional fallout from Tom's drunkenness is on full display. Second Aunt is putting the finishing touches on Jacqueline's hair while Jacqueline visibly fights back tears. Maureen holds Jacqueline's hands and speaks to her in a low, comforting tone. Jacqueline is devastated that her groom is drunk on their wedding day and vents her frustration openly.
Meddy observes the scene and reflects on the common tendency to label brides as high-strung or demanding, noting that Jacqueline would have been a perfectly calm bride if not for a groom like Tom. Meddy gently reassures Jacqueline that Seb is helping the groom and groomsmen get ready and that everything will work out. Maureen offers Jacqueline the option to call off or postpone the wedding, and Meddy's heart leaps at the possibility—she imagines they could leave early with the body.
But Jacqueline refuses. She points out that people have flown all the way from Indonesia for the wedding, and canceling would create enormous social consequences. She insists Tom is the right guy for her and that he'll be a perfect husband even if he's a poor groom. Meddy is disappointed at the missed opportunity.
After the hair is finished, Meddy takes photos of Jacqueline, though she notes that this is usually one of her favorite parts of the job—today it feels hollow knowing the bride is unhappy. Meddy and Second Aunt leave the bridal suite, giving Jacqueline and Maureen privacy.
Outside, Meddy fills Second Aunt in on the plan for Big Aunt to steal a suit from the laundry room. Second Aunt is incredulous and immediately blames Big Aunt for the cooler mishap, insisting that Big Aunt acts without consulting anyone and creates bigger messes. Meddy tries to defend the situation, noting there are no right answers, but Second Aunt is adamant. She declares she will think of a better idea and walks off with a firm expression.
Meddy hesitates, wondering if she should stop Second Aunt, but she doesn't. She reflects on being raised never to go against her elders and admits she doesn't know what she'd do anyway—killing a man and covering it up is outside her normal comfort zone.
It's barely noon, and there's still time before the penjemputan ceremony. Meddy explains the Chinese-Indo wedding custom: the groom and groomsmen go to the bride's house or suite, and the bridesmaids make them perform embarrassing stunts before they can pick up the bride. Meddy smiles at the thought of Jacqueline's friends getting revenge on the drunk groomsmen.
Nathan emerges from the groom's suite. He reports that the groomsmen are awake but some are trying to shift blame by claiming their drinks were spiked. Nathan notes this kind of thing isn't unique—guests often blame the hotel for random things to cover their own mistakes or get freebies. Meddy empathizes, saying she deals with people on the most stressful day of their lives.
Nathan then makes a confession: he's been thinking a lot—specifically about Meddy's feet. He clarifies that he remembers how her feet wag back and forth when she sleeps, a detail from their first night together. Meddy is flooded with memories of their time together: tumbling under the sheets, conversations about everything from physics to games, watching the sky change from black to purple, and the sweet kiss that ended their first night.
Nathan admits he hasn't been able to stop thinking about their kiss, even though this is the most important weekend of his career—the success of the wedding will make or break the hotel. He leans close to Meddy, and they nearly kiss, but Meddy's phone alarm goes off, signaling the penjemputan ceremony is about to start.
They jump apart. Nathan suggests they talk later when there's a lull, and Meddy agrees, but as she steps away, the dark worry of Ah Guan's body in her hotel room resurfaces. She pulls away more curtly than she intended, and Nathan's smile dims. He walks away, leaving Meddy feeling like she's lost him for the second time in her life.
Key Events
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Jacqueline breaks down over Tom's drunkenness but decides to proceed with the wedding, citing the guests who flew in from Indonesia
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Meddy and Second Aunt leave the bridal suite; Meddy reveals the Big Aunt laundry-room suit plan
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Second Aunt blames Big Aunt for the cooler mishap and vows to devise her own, better plan
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Meddy hesitates but doesn't stop Second Aunt, bound by respect for elders
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Nathan reports the groomsmen are awake but claiming their drinks were spiked
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Nathan recalls Meddy's habit of wagging her feet in bed, evoking memories of their first night
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Nathan confesses he can't stop thinking about their kiss
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The near-kiss is interrupted by Meddy's alarm for the penjemputan ceremony
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Meddy pulls away from Nathan, haunted by the body in her room
Character Development
Meddy is caught between multiple competing pressures in this chapter. She's a dutiful niece who can't bring herself to stop Second Aunt's impulsive plan, even though she senses it will go wrong. She's also a romantic who longs to reconnect with Nathan but is physically and emotionally weighed down by the secret of Ah Guan's body. Her internal conflict is sharpened by the fact that she can't be fully present for either her family or her love interest.
Second Aunt emerges as a rival to Big Aunt, positioning herself as the more competent problem-solver. Her insistence that Big Aunt acts without consulting anyone reveals a long-standing family dynamic of competition and blame. Her decision to devise her own plan sets up potential chaos.
Jacqueline shows resilience and a strong sense of family obligation. Despite her disappointment, she prioritizes the guests' travel and the social consequences of canceling over her own feelings. Her pragmatic framing of Tom as a poor groom but potentially a good husband reveals a hopeful, if perhaps naive, approach to marriage.
Nathan is vulnerable here, admitting his feelings while under career pressure. His confession about thinking about the kiss shows he's willing to risk distraction for Meddy, but his smile dimming when she pulls away suggests he's sensitive to rejection.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Family obligation vs. personal desire: Jacqueline's decision to proceed with the wedding despite her unhappiness mirrors Meddy's own conflict—both women are bound by duty to family and social expectations, even when their personal desires pull elsewhere.
Respect for elders: Meddy's hesitation to stop Second Aunt is rooted in her upbringing. She was raised never to go against her elders, and this cultural value directly conflicts with her judgment that Second Aunt's plan is a bad idea.
Blame shifting: The groomsmen's claim that their drinks were spiked parallels Second Aunt's blame of Big Aunt. Both are attempts to deflect responsibility, and Nathan notes this is a common pattern in his hotel work.
Interrupted intimacy: The near-kiss that's broken by Meddy's alarm is a recurring motif—romantic moments are repeatedly disrupted by the practical demands of the wedding and the looming secret of the body.
The weight of secrets: Meddy's inability to fully engage with Nathan stems from the body in her room. The secret acts as a barrier to intimacy, resurfacing like a swamp monster whenever she tries to connect.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the romantic tension between Meddy and Nathan while simultaneously raising the stakes of the cover-up. The near-kiss and Nathan's confession establish that their connection is real and mutual, but Meddy's retreat—driven by the body in her room—creates a painful obstacle. The chapter also introduces a new complication: Second Aunt's independent plan, which threatens to derail the already fragile cover-up strategy. The contrast between the wedding's public performance of joy and the private chaos of the aunties' schemes highlights the novel's central tension between appearance and reality.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Jacqueline decide not to cancel the wedding despite Tom's drunkenness?
Jacqueline cites the guests who flew from Indonesia—canceling would create enormous social consequences. She also insists Tom is the right guy for her and that he'll be a perfect husband even if he's a poor groom. Her decision reflects the weight of family obligation and social expectation over personal disappointment.
2. How does Meddy's respect for elders conflict with her judgment about Second Aunt's plan?
Meddy is raised never to go against her elders, so when Second Aunt declares she'll devise her own plan, Meddy hesitates to stop her even though she senses it's a bad idea. She admits she doesn't know what she'd do anyway, given the extraordinary circumstances of the cover-up. This conflict shows how cultural values can paralyze judgment in crisis situations.
3. What does the interrupted kiss reveal about Meddy's internal conflict?
The near-kiss shows Meddy's genuine desire to reconnect with Nathan—she longs to close the gap between them. But the alarm interrupts at the exact moment of intimacy, and Meddy's retreat is driven by the body in her room resurfacing. The interruption symbolizes how the secret of the cover-up prevents her from fully embracing any part of her life, including romance.
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