Chapter 24 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

Chapter 24 opens with Nisha sitting in a coffee shop that overlooks the back of the printworks. She has been sent home from work at short notice because of her zero-hours contract, and Jasmine has already sighed about the situation. Nisha spends nearly an hour nursing a lukewarm cappuccino while watching the vans and workers in the yard, half expecting the woman who stole her shoes to walk out wearing them. She runs through a dozen possible recovery plans: following the thief home and confronting her, calling the police (though she doubts they would help), breaking into the woman's house while she sleeps, or asking Carl to send Ari to retrieve the shoes. Each option has a flaw, and Nisha is especially wary of Ari, suspecting he might not tell the truth about whether he actually got the shoes back. She also feels uneasy about the connection between Ari and the shoes. After the barista asks her a third time if she wants another drink, she gathers her coat and bag and leaves without acting.

Meanwhile, Sam returns to work through the side entrance so she can check her face in the Ladies before anyone sees her. She notices Simon and a group of young men gathered around his phone, laughing at something she assumes is a crude meme. She is relieved he is not in her cubicle. She drops her handbag, places the cream Chanel jacket on her chair, and walks through Accounting, past Reception, and down to the loading bay. There she finds Joel alone in the small office, his back to her, staring out at the yard. Behind the office hangs a large black-and-yellow punchbag. Sam asks Joel if he has any boxing gloves. He produces his own, which are too big, but she puts them on anyway and walks to the punchbag. She takes a breath, tightens her core, and throws a right-handed punch, then continues hitting the bag repeatedly, her hair coming loose and her breath coming in short gasps. Joel moves around to the other side and steadies the bag so she can hit harder, flinching at each impact.

After she stops, breathing hard, she tells Joel that Miriam Price wants her to come in and talk about a job. Joel looks startled, and she clarifies that it's about a job. They stare at each other. Joel says he doesn't want her to leave, and she says she doesn't want to leave. Without thinking, she steps forward, takes his face between her boxing gloves, and kisses him. The kiss is intense and overwhelming; Sam has kissed nobody but Phil in over twenty-five years, and everything about Joel feels alien and delicious. The kiss deepens, and Sam's body responds in ways she hasn't felt in years. She pulls back, breathless, and then sees Ted standing by the loading doors, his mouth open, looking horrified and disappointed. Sam stutters, turns, and runs back toward the office, wrestling off the gloves and hurling them behind her.

Back in her cubicle, Sam sits shakily, her face flushed, convinced everyone must know what happened. She thinks about the kiss and about Ted's expression, then lets out a strange half-laugh and puts her hands to her face. Her phone buzzes with a text from Joel asking if she is okay. She replies that she thinks so, and asks if Ted said anything. Joel reports that Ted said it was none of his business and went straight out again. Sam wonders if she should go after him, but Joel says no, then says he doesn't know what just happened. Sam looks up, feeling exposed, and then jumps because a dark-haired woman is standing in the doorway of her cubicle, glaring at her and demanding, in a loud American voice, "WHERE ARE MY SHOES, BITCH?"

Key Events

Nisha is sent home from work due to zero-hours scheduling and spends nearly an hour at a coffee shop weighing plans to recover her stolen shoes.
She rejects each plan, particularly distrusting Ari, and leaves without taking any action.
Sam returns to work through the side entrance, checks her appearance, and goes to the loading bay.
She asks Joel for boxing gloves and punches the hanging punchbag repeatedly while Joel steadies it.
Sam tells Joel about Miriam Price's job offer; they both admit they don't want her to leave.
Sam kisses Joel; Ted witnesses the kiss from the loading doors and leaves.
Sam returns to her cubicle, exchanges texts with Joel, and is then confronted by a dark-haired woman demanding her shoes.

Character Development

Nisha shows a mix of frustration and caution. Her elaborate fantasies about recovering the shoes reveal her desperation, but her distrust of Ari and her unwillingness to act on any plan show a growing awareness of the risks. She is stuck, unable to move forward.
Sam undergoes a significant emotional and physical release. The punchbag scene gives her a way to channel her pent-up frustration, and the kiss with Joel awakens feelings she hasn't experienced in decades. Her immediate guilt and fear of being discovered highlight her internal conflict between desire and loyalty.
Joel is steady and supportive, steadying the bag and later reassuring Sam through texts. His admission that he doesn't want her to leave shows his vulnerability and genuine attachment.
Ted appears only briefly, but his horrified disappointment suggests he has become a witness to Sam's betrayal, adding a layer of surveillance and guilt to the scene.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Shoes as symbol: The stolen shoes continue to represent identity and status. Nisha's obsession with recovering them drives her actions, while Sam's wearing of them (implied from earlier chapters) has led her into a new world. The dark-haired woman's demand for the shoes at the end reinforces their importance as a tangible link between the two women's lives.
Punchbag as release: Sam's violent punching of the bag is a physical outlet for her emotional turmoil. It allows her to momentarily escape her worries and act without thinking, which directly leads to the kiss.
Workplace romance and secrecy: The kiss between Sam and Joel is a secret act, witnessed by Ted. The chapter explores the tension between private desire and public reputation, as Sam fears being seen and judged.
Class divide and power dynamics: Nisha's zero-hours contract and her inability to act on her own behalf contrast with Sam's more stable job and the possibility of a better position with Miriam Price. The power imbalance is also evident in Nisha's reliance on Carl and Ari.
Surveillance: Ted's silent observation of the kiss, and Sam's fear that everyone in the office knows, highlight the theme of being watched and judged.
Identity crisis: Sam's question "Who has she become?" after the kiss reflects her struggle to reconcile her old self with the person she is becoming. Nisha's loss of her shoes similarly destabilizes her sense of self.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Sam. The kiss with Joel marks the first physical step toward an affair, and her immediate guilt and fear of discovery set up the emotional stakes for the rest of the novel. It also introduces the direct confrontation with the dark-haired woman, who is presumably the thief, bringing Nisha's and Sam's storylines into direct collision. For Nisha, the chapter shows her paralysis and inability to reclaim her identity, setting the stage for her eventual decision to take more drastic action. The chapter also deepens the themes of secrecy, desire, and the consequences of stepping outside one's expected role.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Nisha decide not to act on any of her plans to recover the shoes?

Nisha considers several options—confronting the thief, calling the police, breaking in, or asking Carl to send Ari—but each has a flaw. She distrusts Ari, fearing he might not tell the truth about whether he actually got the shoes, and she feels uneasy about the connection between Ari and the shoes. She also worries about the risks of breaking into someone's house. Ultimately, her indecision and lack of a safe option leave her unable to act, and she leaves the coffee shop without doing anything.

2. What does the punchbag scene reveal about Sam's emotional state?

Sam's intense punching of the bag is a physical release of the frustration and anxiety she has been carrying. She hits the bag "again and again," not caring who sees her or how she looks. The act allows her to momentarily stop thinking and let her body take over. It also creates a moment of intimacy with Joel, as he steadies the bag and they share a silent understanding. The scene shows Sam's need for an outlet and her willingness to let go of control, which leads directly to the kiss.

3. How does Ted's witnessing of the kiss affect Sam?

Ted's appearance shocks Sam out of the moment. She sees his "horrified disappointment" and immediately runs away, feeling exposed and guilty. His reaction makes her question what she has done and who she has become. Later, when Joel texts that Ted said it was "none of his business," Sam is still unsettled, wondering if she should go after him. Ted's silent judgment adds a layer of surveillance and moral weight to the affair, making Sam's internal conflict more acute.