Chapter 26 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
A week has passed since Fern's confrontation with Will at his cabin. She's packing up her Toronto apartment after five years, preparing to return to the resort. The space is nearly empty, stripped of the furniture and decorations that made it feel like home. As she cleans, she reflects on her time in the city—her university years, her first shift at Two Sugars, and the many walks, dates, and nights out that shaped her adult life.
Fern has been waiting all week for Will to reach out, but he hasn't. After the dance, she composed furious text messages but never sent them, deciding Will didn't deserve her emotions. Instead, she sent a brief message hoping Sofia was okay, directing him to go through Jamie for the consultancy work, and asking him never to contact her again. Despite this, a traitorous part of her still hopes every phone buzz is from him.
While cleaning, one of the movers finds Will's decade-old portrait of Fern hanging in the bedroom. Behind the drawing is her one-year plan list, which she tucked inside the frame years ago after losing the streetcar pin. She's uncertain whether to keep the drawing or throw it away.
The doorbell rings, and a woman in a white shirtdress introduces herself as Annabel, Will's younger sister. Annabel tracked Fern down by googling her and telling her former boss Philippe she was a college friend. She explains that Sofia had meningitis and was hospitalized—that's why Will left abruptly. Annabel describes the terrifying morning she called Will, and how he drove back to the city to meet her at the children's hospital.
Annabel reveals that Will initiated the consultancy work with Fern's mother, contradicting what he told Fern. She explains that Will offered to work with Fern's mom as a way of making things right with Fern. Annabel also shares that Will couldn't stop talking about Fern the morning after they met, ten years ago—the same morning Annabel told Will she was pregnant.
Annabel opens up about their family history. Their mother was a gifted artist who struggled with debilitating depression. She was often absent, either in bed during bad spells or hyperfocused on her work. Will idolized her, and everyone said how alike they were. When their mother left, Will took it hardest. Annabel recalls a moment when Will, absorbed in drawing, got furious when she compared him to their mother, insisting he'd never be like her.
After Sofia was born, Will had a difficult time and stopped drawing altogether. He got an MBA while working full-time, believing that being a responsible adult meant being like their father—steady job, big paycheck, owning a home. Annabel says he gave up a huge part of himself and hasn't been truly happy since.
Annabel tells Fern that Will has been a wreck, that he's been sketching again this summer, and that he won't come to apologize because Fern asked him not to contact her. She gives Fern her address, noting that Will will be alone that evening, and urges Fern to show up—even if it's just to end things properly.
Key Events
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Fern packs up her Toronto apartment after five years, preparing to return to the resort
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A week passes since her confrontation with Will; she sent him a message asking him never to contact her again
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The mover finds Will's decade-old portrait of Fern, with her one-year plan tucked behind it
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Annabel arrives at Fern's door, having tracked her down through her former boss
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Annabel reveals Sofia had meningitis and was hospitalized, explaining Will's abrupt departure
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Annabel discloses that Will initiated the consultancy work with Fern's mother, not the other way around
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Annabel shares the family history: their mother's depression, Will's fear of becoming like her, and his abandonment of drawing
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Annabel gives Fern her address and urges her to show up at Will's place that evening
Character Development
Fern is in a state of emotional devastation, caught between her anger at Will's lies and her lingering hope that he'll reach out. Her decision to send a final message and ask for no contact shows her attempt to protect herself, even as she admits the emptiness she feels now is a canyon compared to the crevice she felt years ago. Her uncertainty about whether to keep or discard Will's portrait reflects her internal conflict about whether to hold onto the connection or let it go.
Annabel emerges as a crucial character in her own right. She's fiercely loyal to her brother, willing to track down Fern and advocate for him even though he'd be angry if he knew. Her own story—becoming a mother at nineteen to prove their father wrong—reveals the stubbornness and pride that run in the Baxter family. She's perceptive, direct, and willing to go out on a limb for the people she loves.
Will is revealed through Annabel's stories rather than his own words. The picture that emerges is of a man who has spent his life trying to prove he's not like his mother—sacrificing his art, pursuing a conventional career, and taking responsibility for his family. His fear of becoming his mother, combined with his guilt over not being home when Sofia got sick, explains much of his behavior throughout the novel.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Fear of becoming one's parent: Will's entire adult life has been shaped by his terror of resembling his mother. Annabel's account of his reaction when she compared him to their mother—his fury and his insistence that he'd never be like her—explains why he abandoned drawing and pursued a conventional path.
Art versus responsibility: Will's choice to give up drawing for an MBA and a steady career represents the tension between creative identity and perceived responsibility. Annabel notes he gave up a huge part of himself and hasn't been truly happy since.
Family loyalty and sacrifice: Will's willingness to give up his art and his life in the city for his sister and niece demonstrates the depth of his family loyalty. Annabel's own decision to have Sofia and prove their father wrong shows the same trait.
The portrait as a symbol of connection: Will's decade-old drawing of Fern, still hanging in her apartment, represents the enduring connection between them. Fern's uncertainty about whether to keep or discard it mirrors her uncertainty about the relationship itself.
The choice to show up: Annabel's final plea—that Fern show up, even just to end things properly—frames the chapter's central question: will Fern choose to engage with Will again, or will she walk away?
Secrets and withheld truths: The chapter is built on revelations—Will's initiative with Fern's mother, his family history, his reasons for leaving. Each new truth reshapes Fern's understanding of what happened between them.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the turning point where Fern finally gets the full picture of Will's motivations. Annabel's revelations reframe everything Fern thought she knew: Will didn't just happen to work with her mother—he initiated it as a way of making things right. His abrupt departure wasn't a rejection of Fern but a response to a family emergency. And his fear of becoming his mother explains why he's been so guarded about his art and his feelings.
The chapter also sets up the novel's climax by presenting Fern with a choice: show up at Will's place or walk away. Annabel's plea—even if it's just to end things properly—gives Fern permission to engage without requiring a full reconciliation. The chapter ends with Fern holding the address, the decision hanging in the balance.
Study Questions
1. How does Annabel's revelation about Will initiating the consultancy work with Fern's mother change the reader's understanding of Will's intentions?
Answer: It reframes Will's involvement at the resort as a deliberate attempt to reconnect with Fern, rather than a coincidence or a favor to her mother. Annabel suggests it was his way of making things right with Fern, which contradicts what Will told Fern and adds a layer of intentionality to his actions that Fern hadn't known about.
2. What does Will's decision to stop drawing after Sofia's birth reveal about his character?
Answer: It reveals the depth of his fear of becoming like his mother. Annabel explains that Will had a difficult time after Sofia was born, and that this experience confirmed his belief that he's fundamentally like their mother. His decision to stop drawing and pursue an MBA was his way of proving he could be a responsible adult, even at the cost of his creative identity.
3. Why does Annabel give Fern her address and urge her to show up, even if it's just to end things properly?
Answer: Annabel recognizes that Will won't reach out because Fern asked him not to contact her, and she knows her brother well enough to understand he'll respect that boundary. By giving Fern the address and framing the visit as an opportunity to end things properly, Annabel creates a low-stakes invitation that allows Fern to engage without committing to a reconciliation.
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