Chapter 13 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
Traci Eddings follows the evening sunset ritual at the Saint, joining guests and club members for prosecco and a trumpet performance on the Riverside Patio. After the toast, she drives the resort's winding roads—a tradition started by her late husband Hoke—inspecting the property for maintenance issues like missing roof tiles and possible animal damage. She stops at the Gardenia bungalow to visit her father-in-law, Fred Eddings, who is bedridden with advanced Parkinson's disease. Traci updates Fred on resort staffing changes, including the departure of chef Mehdi and the hiring of her daughter Parrish. After the visit, Traci returns home wrestling with guilt over Fred's condition and grief over Hoke's death. She resists the urge to drink wine, remembering her therapist's advice about mindfulness, and receives an angry phone call from Shannon, a woman she has not spoken to in decades.
Key Events
- Traci arrives just in time for the sunset ceremony: she receives prosecco from bartender Kendra and joins guests and members for the ritual toast led by a trumpeter.
- She drives the property at dusk, continuing Hoke's nightly inspection: she notes a possum, missing roof tiles on Plumbago Cottage, and lights burning at the Gardenia.
- Alberta, Fred's caretaker, welcomes Traci and reports that the new medication makes Fred drowsy without improvement; Traci promises to speak to the doctor.
- Traci visits Fred in his hospital bed: he can barely move or speak, only blink and snort. She tells him about Mehdi and Sam leaving and Parrish's new role, to which Fred responds with a faint upward lip movement.
- Traci reflects on the family history: Fred's Parkinson's diagnosis, his fall, and the quick remodel of Gardenia orchestrated by Madelyn (sister-in-law). She notes that Ric wanted a nursing home but she and Parrish insisted on the bungalow.
- At home, Traci is overwhelmed by guilt and grief over Hoke's death, nearly pours wine but practices mindfulness instead, then answers an unknown call from Shannon, who is furious.
Character Development
Traci Eddings shows her deep ties to the Saint's traditions through the sunset ritual and the nightly drive, which she has adopted as her own. Her visit to Fred reveals her complex feelings: she feels obligated to show compassion (honoring Hoke's loyalty) but also resents Fred for his harsh treatment of the family and for still being alive while Hoke died young. Her internal struggle with grief and guilt is central—she nearly turns to alcohol but tries mindfulness, showing a conscious effort to cope healthily. The phone call from Shannon introduces a new conflict from her past.
Fred Eddings is depicted in his final decline, nearly immobile and speechless, yet still capable of showing a hint of recognition or emotion (the snort at control issues). His Parkinson's has stripped him of his former vigor, and his dependence on Alberta and Traci contrasts with the iron hand he once wielded.
Alberta emerges as a devoted caretaker, quietly managing Fred's daily needs and speaking honestly about the medication's lack of effect. She represents the loyal staff that keeps the resort and family running.
Shannon is introduced only as a voice—furious and recognizable after decades—suggesting a deep, unresolved history with Traci.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Tradition and Ritual: The sunset toast and the nightly drive are rituals that anchor Traci and the community. They honor the past (Helen's tradition, Hoke's practice) while keeping the Saint's identity alive.
- Control vs. Vulnerability: The chapter contrasts Fred's former control over the family business with his complete physical vulnerability. Traci's careful management of the resort (noting roof tiles, possum) mirrors the control she tries to exert over her emotions.
- Grief and Guilt: Traci's grief for Hoke is a constant undercurrent, amplified by her duty to Fred. The "demons" of guilt and rage she describes reflect the weight of loss and the unfairness she perceives in Fred's survival.
- Mindfulness and Coping: Traci's pause before pouring wine—her therapist's advice to practice mindfulness—shows an attempt to avoid using alcohol as a crutch, highlighting the theme of struggling with healthy coping mechanisms.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens Traci's emotional landscape by pairing the Saint's polished public rituals with the private, painful reality of Fred's decline and her own unresolved grief. It introduces a major plot twist—the angry call from Shannon—which promises to unearth a long-buried conflict from Traci's past. The scene also reinforces the novel's central tension between preserving family legacy and facing personal wounds, setting up critical choices for Traci in the chapters ahead.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Traci drive around the property every evening, and what does this ritual reveal about her character?
Traci continues the nightly inspection that Hoke began. It allows her to spot maintenance issues and keep the resort running smoothly, but it also keeps her connected to Hoke's memory and the family traditions. This reveals her deep commitment to the Saint and her effort to maintain a sense of purpose amid grief. -
Describe Fred's physical condition and Traci's feelings toward him during their visit.
Fred is nearly immobile with advanced Parkinson's: his skin is pale and tight, he cannot speak clearly, and he only blinks or snorts in response. Traci feels a mix of duty and resentment—she treats him with compassion out of loyalty to Hoke, but internally she rages at his survival while Hoke died, finding him a "dreadful" man. -
What emotional struggle does Traci face after leaving Gardenia, and how does she attempt to cope?
She is overcome by guilt and grief, nearly pouring a glass of wine to numb the pain. She resists by recalling her therapist's advice about mindfulness, choosing not to drink. This moment is interrupted by the phone call from Shannon, which shifts her focus to a new source of tension.