Chapter 25: Willa – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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 with Willa establishing a daily routine in Wee Bit to stave off despair after her mother Vivi’s death. She wakes early, drinks herbal tea on the back deck, and battles morning sickness—a pregnancy symptom she welcomes as evidence this baby is different from her previous ones. She commutes to her administrative job at the Nantucket Historical Association via bike, avoiding cobblestones for safety. Evenings involve beach walks with Rip, who identifies shells and shorebirds, and dinners of grilled protein. She goes to bed early, exhausted. The routine, however, hides deeper pain: Willa cries in bathrooms seventeen times a day, mourning her mother.

A distraction arrives when her sister-in-law Pamela visits. Pamela confides that she suspects her husband Zach (Rip’s brother) of having an affair. She cites Zach’s late-night disappearances, his secret phone passcode, and an unusual happiness—he whistles and sings. Willa, though shocked, agrees the evidence points toward infidelity. Pamela vows to discover the truth. Willa wishes she could confide in someone but cannot tell Rip (who might break confidence with Pamela) and decides neither Carson nor Savannah would be suitable. She misses her mother keenly.

While managing the Vivian Howe Memorial Facebook page, Willa finds a message from Brett Caspian, who claims to have been Vivi’s high-school boyfriend and says Vivi used their story in her novel Golden Girl. Willa is skeptical but calls him. Brett proves his authenticity by mentioning Parma, Ohio, Vivi’s nerdiness, her father’s death during senior year, and that Vivi planned to name children after favorite authors—including Willa Cather. Brett reveals he wrote a song called “Golden Girl” for Vivi. He asks to visit Nantucket to share photos and the story. Willa agrees, arranging to pick him up from the ferry. She feels a strange excitement about recovering a hidden part of her mother’s past.

Key Events

Willa establishes a daily routine in Wee Bit to manage her grief and pregnancy symptoms.
Pamela confides in Willa about her suspicion that Zach is having an affair, citing his night-time disappearances and unusual happiness.
Willa manages the memorial Facebook page for Vivi and discovers a message from Brett Caspian.
Willa calls Brett, who confirms he was Vivi’s high-school boyfriend and says the novel Golden Girl is based on their real story.
Brett plans to visit Nantucket in two weeks to share photos and memories with Willa.

Character Development

Willa : Her grief manifests as a controlled routine, with crying hidden from others. She welcomes morning sickness as a sign the pregnancy is unique. Her cautious handling of Pamela’s secret shows her growth in discretion—she knows Rip might break a confidence. Reaching out to Brett indicates a brave desire to know her mother fully, even if it means confronting a mysterious episode in Vivi’s life.
Pamela : Typically standoffish, she lowers her barrier and reveals vulnerability. Her sharp observation (Zach’s whistling) shows emotional intelligence, but her distress suggests a fragile sense of security in her marriage.
Brett Caspian : Introduced as a credible figure from Vivi’s past. His willingness to travel and share evidence (photos) paints him as earnest; he holds a tender memory of Vivi as a “beautiful nerd.” His knowledge of Vivi’s naming plans adds weight to his story.
Vivi (posthumously) : Through Brett, her high-school years are illuminated as something she never discussed—a hidden romance and heartbreak. This adds complexity to her character, showing she kept parts of herself private even from her children.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Grief and Routine : Willa’s structured days (tea, biking, beach walks) serve as a shield against overwhelming sadness. The routine is both a lifeline and a mask.
The Body as Evidence : Morning sickness symbolizes both the life growing inside Willa and her emotional sickness of loss. She uses physical symptoms to connect with the pregnancy in a way she hasn’t before.
Secrecy and Hidden Truths : Multiple secrets layer the chapter—Pamela’s suspicion of Zach, Brett’s past with Vivi, Vivi’s unspoken high-school romance. Willa is thrust into a role of discovering truths.
Blurring of Fiction and Reality : Vivi’s novel Golden Girl draws from real life, echoing the idea that art imitates life—or life imitates art. Brett’s appearance forces Willa to question how much of her mother’s fiction might be autobiography.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 25 deepens the mystery surrounding Vivi’s life before her children knew her. It introduces a new character, Brett Caspian, whose arrival promises to reshape the family’s understanding of their mother. It also advances the subplot of Pamela and Zach’s marriage, creating tension within the Bonham family. Willa’s journey toward accepting her pregnancy while mourning her mother positions her as the primary emotional anchor of the story. This chapter underscores that grief does not erase the need for truth and connection—even with strangers who hold pieces of the past.

Study Questions and Answers

Question 1: What clues does Pamela share that lead her to believe Zach is having an affair, and how does Willa react to them?

Answer: Pamela tells Willa that Zach has been disappearing late at night, claiming insomnia. He has a passcode on his FAA-issued phone, which she cannot access. Most telling, Zach has become unnaturally happy—he whistles and sings, more joyful than Pamela has seen him in years. Willa agrees these actions point to an affair, but she feels conflicted: she wants to help but cannot discuss the matter with Rip.

Question 2: Why does Willa decide to contact Brett Caspian, and what proof does he offer that he really knew Vivi?

Answer: Savannah asks Willa to check the memorial Facebook page, and Brett’s message claims he was Vivi’s high-school boyfriend. Willa calls him after reading about his song “Golden Girl.” Brett proves his authenticity by naming Parma High School, describing Vivi as a nerd who always had her nose in a book, recalling that her father died during senior year, and stating that Vivi planned to name her children after favorite authors—including Willa Cather.

Question 3: How does Willa’s daily routine in this chapter reflect her emotional state, and what does she purposely exclude from the description?

Answer: Willa’s routine—early mornings with tea, biking to work, beach walks with Rip, and early bedtimes—gives her structure and prevents her from falling into a “yawning hole of despair.” However, she excludes the seventeen times a day she uses the bathroom to cry: quiet sobs at work and loud, ugly crying when alone at Wee Bit. This omission shows she is masking her deep grief even from herself.