Chapter Forty-Five: We Were Twenty-One Summary & 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 (Complete and Chronological)

The chapter opens on a Monday night when Frankie and George are twenty‑one years old. They spend their one shared evening off making linguine from scratch – a non‑negotiable weekly ritual. While Frankie feeds dough through the pasta machine and George catches the sheets, he tells her he has news: he has landed an internship at the Edmonton Journal. Frankie immediately whoops and hugs him, but learns the internship is in Alberta, far away. Panic surges inside her, yet her first instinct is to offer to move with him, imagining a six‑month adventure exploring Banff, Lake Louise, and the Calgary Stampede. George pushes back, asking about her job at the popular Toronto restaurant Ronda and her life. Stung, Frankie excuses herself to the bathroom. There she stares at George’s initial tattooed on her rib cage and realizes that following him would mean losing herself. She returns, forces a cheerful tone, and genuinely encourages him to go. Three weeks later Frankie takes a cab with George to the airport. They share a long, tight hug. He promises not to forget her, then walks toward the gate without turning around.

A coda shifts to email correspondence dated October 2019. George writes from Edmonton, announcing he has accepted a job at the Vancouver Sun covering climate and the environment. He expresses excitement about moving closer to the mountains and ocean, but regrets being even farther from Frankie. He hopes to crash on her couch in the summer and go home together. Frankie replies with elation and shares her own news: a chef has invited her to be part of a new restaurant from the ground up, a huge opportunity that also terrifies her. George responds with a simple line: “Of course you can. You’re Frankie Gardiner. You can do anything.”

Key Events

Frankie and George make pasta together on a Monday night.
George announces his Edmonton Journal internship.
Frankie initially offers to drop everything and move with him.
George questions the practicality of her plan, mentioning her job and life in Toronto.
Frankie retreats to the bathroom, sees his tattoo on her rib cage, and realizes she would lose herself if she followed him.
She returns, says she got overexcited, and supports his decision.
Three weeks later they take a silent cab to the airport.
They share a long hug; George promises not to forget her and walks away.
The story jumps to October 2019 emails: George moving to Vancouver, Frankie considering a new chef job.
George’s final email affirms her ability to succeed.

Character Development

Frankie Gardiner – The chapter captures a turning point in her early adulthood. She learns to prioritise her own path even when her instinct is to sacrifice everything for George. Her ability to step back, recognise the danger of losing her identity, and then genuinely support his ambition shows emotional maturity and self‑preservation.
George Saint James – He is established as a driven journalist (editor‑in‑chief, praised for reporting) who chases his career across the country. His questions to Frankie reveal that he values her independence and does not want her to throw away her life for him. His final email echoes his unwavering belief in her.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Self‑preservation vs. sacrifice – Frankie’s moment in the bathroom, tracing the G on her rib cage, is a direct symbol of how easily she could let George’s identity overwrite her own. She chooses not to.
Distance and connection – The pasta‑making ritual (long, collaborative, intimate) contrasts with the eventual physical distance. The chapter shows that their bond survives separation, partly because they each pursue their own ambitions.
Career ambition – Both characters are dedicated to their crafts (cooking and journalism). The chapter frames career moves as necessary growth, not abandonment.

Why This Chapter Matters

This flashback lays the emotional foundation for Frankie and George’s entire adult relationship. It explains why Frankie is so cautious about losing herself in others, and why George’s later reappearance carries such weight. The chapter also establishes the long‑distance pattern that persists through the novel, and it introduces the tattoo as a permanent, private symbol of her attachment to him. The email coda shows Frankie still doubting herself, and George still encouraging her – a dynamic that will continue to resurface.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Frankie change her mind about moving to Edmonton with George?
She realises in the bathroom that her immediate impulse to follow him would lead to losing her own identity. Looking at his initial tattooed on her rib cage makes her understand that she cannot let George’s life consume hers.

2. What does the pasta‑making ritual reveal about Frankie and George’s relationship at this point?
The weekly Monday‑night pasta sessions are a “nonnegotiable” commitment that protects their connection despite busy schedules. The collaborative, hands‑on process mirrors how they work together and catch up, showing a partnership built on time and attention.

3. How does the October 2019 email exchange echo the earlier flashback?
Both scenes involve George announcing a career move that takes him farther away. Frankie again wavers when offered a big opportunity (the new restaurant job), and George again affirms her strength. The parallel reinforces that this pattern of support and self‑doubt has been part of their friendship from the start.