Chapter summaries Greta & Valdin Rebecca K. Reilly

Chapter 24 Summary: Crème de Menthe

⚠️ 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 Valdin standing alone in a university engineering corridor, having spent three days working up the courage to make a phone call. He has rehearsed different locations—a bus, a motorway underpass, the harbour—each offering an excuse to cut the conversation short or pretend he can’t hear. But he ends up at the university, where he had planned to meet his dad or Greta for lunch, only to find himself in this quiet, poorly lit corridor instead.

He scrolls through his contacts without looking at the names, dials, and waits. As the phone rings, his mind spins through imagined scenarios: Xabi at a dark wine bar with a funny, tired woman, eating empanadas and sharing crème de menthe and gin fizzes. The fantasy is vivid and painful.

When Xabi answers in Spanish, the conversation is tentative. Valdin explains he’s coming to Buenos Aires in two weeks for a filming project. Xabi offers to drive into the city to meet him, and they settle on the eleventh, the day after Valdin arrives. Xabi asks about Greta, and Valdin mentions her new Scottish girlfriend, Ell, describing her as smart, practical, and funny—someone who survived a dinner with their dad in a bad mood. Valdin notes that Greta actually listens to Ell, unlike how she treats him.

As the call continues, Valdin’s emotions surface. He imagines Xabi with a beautiful Latina wife, a horse ranch, and a perfect life, and the thought makes him physically sick. He asks Xabi where he is and who he’s with, and Xabi says he’s alone at home. Valdin’s voice cracks when he asks if Xabi wants to see him. Xabi says yes, and that it’s nice to hear his voice.

After hanging up, Valdin worries about being seen crying in the corridor by a nineteen-year-old student. He reflects on his postgraduate days, noting that people cried only in designated postgraduate areas, and that he didn’t start crying until after he graduated. The chapter ends with Valdin’s internal monologue about the corridor’s ambiguous colour—white, yellow, grey, or pale blue—and his memory of Xabi’s green eyes.

Key Events

  • Valdin finally calls Xabi after three days of hesitation.

  • He reveals his upcoming work trip to Buenos Aires.

  • Xabi agrees to drive into the city to meet him on the eleventh.

  • Valdin tells Xabi about Greta’s new girlfriend, Ell.

  • Valdin’s voice cracks and he nearly cries during the call.

  • He ends the conversation abruptly, saying he has to go.

  • After hanging up, he worries about crying in public and reflects on his postgrad years.

Character Development

Valdin is the focal point of this chapter, and his vulnerability is laid bare. His three-day delay in making the call shows his deep anxiety about reconnecting with Xabi. He constructs elaborate fantasies about Xabi’s new life—imagining him with a partner, a horse ranch, and a carefree existence—which reveal his fear of being replaced and his longing for the domestic comfort he once had. His voice cracking and his worry about crying in the corridor highlight his emotional fragility and his struggle to maintain a composed exterior. The chapter also shows his tendency to deflect with humour and self-deprecation, as when he imagines throwing up on himself in the corridor.

Xabi comes across as patient and caring. He answers the phone in Spanish, asks if Valdin is okay, and expresses genuine interest in Greta’s life. He reassures Valdin that it’s okay if he doesn’t want to meet, and he admits that it’s nice to hear Valdin’s voice. This kindness makes Valdin feel even more sick, suggesting that Xabi’s warmth is both comforting and painful.

Greta is mentioned but not present. Through Valdin’s description of Ell, we learn that Greta is in a new relationship and that she listens to Ell in a way she doesn’t listen to Valdin. This detail underscores the sibling dynamic and hints at Valdin’s feelings of being overlooked.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Reconnecting with an ex is the central theme. The chapter explores the anxiety and hope that come with reaching out to someone from the past, and the uncertainty of whether the connection can be rekindled.

Imagined futures vs. reality is a key motif. Valdin’s fantasies about Xabi’s life—the wine bar, the horse ranch, the perfect partner—contrast sharply with the actual conversation, where Xabi is alone and seems genuinely happy to hear from him. This gap between what Valdin fears and what is true drives the emotional tension.

The crème de menthe appears in Valdin’s imagined scenario as a drink he would order at a bar. It symbolises the idealised, carefree life he fears Xabi has moved on to—a life that feels out of reach for Valdin.

The corridor functions as an emotional space. It’s a liminal, institutional setting—neither home nor public—where Valdin feels exposed and vulnerable. His uncertainty about its colour (white, yellow, grey, pale blue) mirrors his own emotional confusion.

Crying in public is a motif that ties to Valdin’s fear of losing control. He worries about being seen by a student, and his reflection on postgrad crying spaces suggests a broader discomfort with showing emotion outside designated private areas.

Nostalgia and uncertainty about the future are woven throughout, as Valdin looks back on his relationship with Xabi while simultaneously dreading and hoping for what might come next.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Valdin’s emotional arc. It reveals the depth of his feelings for Xabi and his fear that he has been replaced. The phone call sets up a concrete meeting in Buenos Aires, creating anticipation for what will happen when they reunite. It also deepens our understanding of Valdin’s internal world—his anxiety, his self-deprecating humour, and his longing for domestic stability. The chapter contrasts with Greta’s storyline by focusing on Valdin’s romantic past, and it highlights the sibling dynamic through his comments about Ell. Finally, the chapter’s title, “Crème de Menthe,” ties to Valdin’s imagined ideal, making the gap between fantasy and reality a central concern.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Valdin choose the engineering corridor as the place to make the call, and what does this setting reveal about his state of mind?

Valdin chooses the corridor because it’s quiet and he thought it might be a neutral space. But the setting is stark and institutional, with poor lighting and an ambiguous colour. This reflects his emotional confusion and vulnerability—he’s in a liminal space, neither fully public nor private, where he feels exposed. His worry about being seen crying there underscores his fear of losing control in a place not designed for emotional expression.

2. How does Valdin’s imagination of Xabi’s life contrast with the reality of their conversation?

Valdin imagines Xabi at a wine bar with a funny woman, or on a horse ranch with a beautiful wife, living a carefree life. But during the call, Xabi says he’s alone at home, and he sounds flustered and genuinely interested in Valdin’s life. This contrast reveals that Valdin’s fears are largely projections of his own insecurity, and that Xabi may still have feelings for him.

3. What does Valdin’s description of Ell reveal about his relationship with Greta?

Valdin notes that Greta listens to Ell but never listens to him. This suggests a sibling dynamic where Valdin feels overlooked or dismissed by his sister. His admiration for Ell’s practicality and her ability to survive a dinner with their dad also implies that Valdin sees Ell as someone who fits into the family in a way he perhaps doesn’t. This detail deepens our understanding of Valdin’s sense of isolation within his own family.

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