Chapter 26 – Four Summers Ago: Illness, Care, and Unspoken Feelings

Spoiler Notice: This page contains detailed spoilers for Chapter 26 of People We Meet on Vacation. If you haven’t read the chapter yet, please do so before proceeding.

Summary

The chapter flashes back to “four summers ago,” when Poppy has been working for Rest + Relaxation magazine for six months. She has traveled extensively and plans a surprise trip to Sweden and Norway for herself and Alex. She coordinates with Dani, the sister-in-law of a raft guide they met on a previous vacation, who bombards her with enthusiastic recommendations. Poppy’s editor, Swapna, approves an “Afkoelen in de zomer” (Cool Down in Summer) article, allowing Poppy to book the Icehotel and other luxury experiences at the magazine’s expense. She keeps the entire itinerary a secret from Alex.

In the days before departure, Poppy falls severely ill with what she initially thinks is a cold or hay fever. Despite high fever, body aches, and a cough, she tries to push through, but three days before the flight she can barely move. Alex has already begun texting her photos of his new black kitten, Flannery O’Connor, and she asks him not to cancel the trip. After she emails Swapna to say she cannot travel, Swapna reassures her and suggests Alex still use the accommodations while their photographer, Trey, takes photos. Poppy sends Alex a screenshot of the email, telling him to enjoy the trip. She spends a miserable day alone, barely able to leave her bed.

That evening, Alex appears at her apartment door, having skipped his connecting flight in New York. He immediately takes charge: he brings her to the doctor (she is diagnosed with pneumonia), cooks soup, administers medication, and stays overnight. During a quiet moment, Poppy asks him why he came. He replies, “I am here because I wanted to be with you.” They lie in bed, holding each other, and the physical tension between them is palpable. Alex shares a vulnerable memory of his mother, who died when he was six, and how he learned to remember her as a real person through home videos. Poppy falls asleep in his arms. Over the next several days, they settle into a gentle routine—watching cartoons, eating breakfast on the fire escape, listening to Norwegian folk music—but they avoid further intimacy.

Poppy internally reflects that their desires are incompatible: Alex wants marriage and children, the settled life he was robbed of as a child; she wants freedom and spontaneity. She believes their friendship can only survive if they keep it strictly platonic. At the end of the week, she drives him to the airport and gives him a chaste hug. They do not speak for four days. When Alex finally texts her, it is a photo of his cat sitting on a copy of Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood, with the caption “Voorbestemd” (Fated).

Key Events

Poppy reveals she has been working at Rest + Relaxation for six months and has visited Marrakech, Easter Island, and many other destinations.
She plans a luxury surprise trip to Scandinavia (Sweden and Norway) with Alex, using her work connections to book the Icehotel.
Dani, the raft guide’s sister-in-law, sends a stream of exuberant recommendations for activities in Oslo.
Poppy becomes severely ill with pneumonia days before the trip.
Alex texts her photos of his new kitten, Flannery O’Connor, and she asks him not to cancel.
Swapna responds supportively, allowing Alex to take over the trip and assigning photographer Trey.
Alex abandons his flight and comes to Poppy’s apartment, finding her delirious with fever.
He takes her to the doctor, cares for her, and shares a deeply personal memory of his mother’s singing.
They share an intensely intimate moment in bed but stop short of acting on their desire.
Poppy decides they must remain platonic because they want different lives.
Alex leaves after a week; four days of silence follow, broken by a photo of his cat on a book.

Character Development

This chapter is a turning point for both Poppy and Alex. Poppy—usually independent and adventure-driven—is reduced to a helpless state, and Alex’s decision to drop everything and care for her reveals the depth of his commitment. Their intimacy, both physical and emotional, grows, yet Poppy’s internal monologue shows a newfound clarity: she recognizes that they want fundamentally different futures. Rather than risk breaking their friendship, she consciously suppresses the “five percent” of romantic tension that has been building for years. Alex, for his part, demonstrates vulnerability by sharing his mother’s story, a story he has never been able to discuss with his father. This exchange strengthens their bond, but Poppy’s determination to keep the relationship platonic sets the stage for future conflict.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Caregiving and Vulnerability: Alex’s role as caretaker inverts their usual dynamic—he is usually the cautious one, she the spontaneous one. His willingness to give up a once-in-a-lifetime trip for her health shows that their connection is more than a summer fling.
The Icehotel as Symbol of Unrealized Plans: The grand surprise Poppy has planned—the Icehotel—symbolizes her desire to give Alex a perfect experience. Its loss underscores the unpredictability of life and the way illness forces them to confront what really matters.
The “Fifth Percent”: Poppy repeatedly refers to the small but growing romantic element in their friendship. This chapter forces her to reckon with it, and her decision to “stem the tide” represents a conscious choice to preserve the status quo.
Memory and Grief: Alex’s revelation about his mother—his inability to talk about her, his father’s silence, the home video that humanized her—ties into the novel’s broader exploration of how people carry grief and how shared memories can deepen a relationship.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 26 is the emotional heart of the novel. It provides the clearest example of how Alex and Poppy’s friendship has evolved beyond simple companionship. The intimacy they share—both the physical closeness and the emotional confession—shows that they are inches away from crossing the line. Poppy’s deliberate withdrawal is a key plot point that explains why, in the present timeline, they are no longer speaking regularly. The chapter also deepens Alex’s backstory, making him more sympathetic and explaining his longing for stability. Without this chapter, the present-day tension would feel unearned; here, we see exactly what was sacrificed.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Poppy decide not to act on her feelings for Alex after the night in bed?
Poppy believes that Alex wants a traditional life—marriage, children, a settled home—while she wants an unbound life of spontaneous travel and new relationships. She fears that if they try to turn their friendship into something more, they will lose the one thing that matters most. She wants to preserve the friendship by keeping it strictly platonic.

2. What does Alex’s decision to skip his flight reveal about his character?
Alex’s choice to abandon his vacation to care for Poppy shows that his loyalty to her is stronger than any trip. It also reveals that he is willing to be vulnerable and unselfish. Unlike his usual cautious, practical demeanor, this action is impulsive and driven by emotion, highlighting that Poppy is an exception to his normal rules.

3. How does the memory of Alex’s mother affect the dynamic between him and Poppy?
Sharing the story of his mother’s off-key singing and the home video brings them closer. For Alex, it is a rare moment of opening up about a painful part of his childhood; for Poppy, it humanizes him beyond the “perfect, put-together” image he often presents. The confession deepens their emotional intimacy, making the subsequent physical intimacy feel more significant.