Chapter 13 Summary: Milly's Perspective

⚠️ 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

Milly arrives at Camden & Associates, the island's closest thing to a corporate office, dressed in a navy sheath and high-heeled sandals to blend in. She has a hidden agenda: after Hazel's unsettling comments about the rumors surrounding her mother, Milly wants to pry information out of Donald Camden, her grandmother's lawyer and trusted advisor. She notices a silver-framed photo on his desk showing Donald, Dr. Baxter, and Theresa Ryan at the Summer Gala—what she privately calls her grandmother's "surrogate family."

Pretending to reconsider Donald's job offer, Milly steers the conversation toward the rift between her mother and grandmother. She flatters him, claiming Theresa Ryan speaks highly of him (which is false), and suggests that clearing the air might improve her grandmother's health. Donald grows guarded, warns her that such conversations would upset her grandmother, and advises her to "leave the past where it is." He refuses to discuss the family's history, and when Milly declines the job offer, she gets the satisfaction of seeing his face drop.

That evening, Milly joins other Towhee program participants at Dunes, a local bar, where the Asteroids—an '80s cover band—are performing. The group includes Brittany, Efram, Aubrey, and others. Jonah is playing pool with a townie, and Milly notices him flirting with her. Brittany asks if Jonah has a girlfriend, and Milly awkwardly offers to find out. She approaches Jonah, who teases her about "cousinly winking" and calls her "good luck" as he sinks several shots. Their banter is charged with tension, and Milly feels conflicted about her attraction to him.

As the night winds down, the band's guitarist, Chaz—the same bartender Milly has been trying to track down for Edward Franklin's contact information—takes the stage to close the night with a song. He dedicates it to his family and performs a cover of "Africa." Watching him under the stage lights, Milly suddenly recognizes his eyes. She realizes Chaz is her mother's youngest brother, Archer. She pushes through the crowd, grabs his sleeve, and whispers, "Hey, Uncle Archer," then asks directly whether he is the one who brought the cousins to the island.

Key Events

Milly visits Donald Camden's office under the pretense of reconsidering his job offer, but her real goal is to learn about the family rift.
She notices a photo of Donald, Dr. Baxter, and Theresa Ryan, reinforcing the idea of a "surrogate family."
Donald refuses to discuss the past, warns Milly to leave it alone, and she declines the job offer.
At Dunes, Milly and the Towhees watch the Asteroids perform; Jonah flirts with her, and Brittany asks about his relationship status.
Chaz, the bartender, performs a solo song and dedicates it to his family.
Milly recognizes Chaz's eyes and realizes he is her uncle Archer, her mother's youngest brother.
She confronts him, asking if he is responsible for bringing the cousins to the island.

Character Development

Milly shows her resourcefulness and determination. She dresses to blend in, uses flattery and deception to try to extract information from Donald, and is willing to walk away when she gets nothing. Her internal conflict about her attraction to Jonah reveals her vulnerability and her fear of complicating an already messy summer. The recognition of Chaz as Archer demonstrates her sharp observational skills and her growing commitment to uncovering the truth about her family.

Donald Camden remains a guarded, paternalistic figure. He dismisses Milly's concerns, frames the past as dangerous to reopen, and positions himself as the protector of Mildred's secrets. His refusal to engage underscores the depth of the family's hidden history.

Jonah shows a more playful, relaxed side when drinking, but his flirtation with Milly is tinged with ambiguity. He insists his wink was "cousinly," yet his actions—spinning her around, calling her "good luck," and admitting he's not interested in Brittany—suggest a deeper attraction that complicates their relationship.

Chaz/Archer is revealed as a character living under a false identity. His dedication of the song to his family and his panicked reaction to Milly's recognition indicate he is hiding from his past, and his presence on the island is now directly tied to the cousins' arrival.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Family secrets and the buried past: Donald's insistence on leaving the past alone, combined with Milly's determination to uncover it, highlights the central conflict between concealment and revelation.
Identity concealment: Chaz's alias as a bartender and guitarist masks his true identity as Archer, echoing the broader theme of characters hiding who they really are.
Generational connection through music: The song "Africa" triggers a memory for Milly of her mother and uncles singing it as children, linking the past to the present through a shared cultural touchstone.
Surrogate family: The photo of Donald, Dr. Baxter, and Theresa Ryan suggests that Mildred's inner circle has replaced her biological family, reinforcing the theme of chosen versus blood relations.
Rumors versus truth: Milly is haunted by the "perverted rumors" about her mother, and her quest is to replace those rumors with the actual story.
Job offer as leverage: Donald uses the job offer as a way to control or influence Milly, but she turns it down, asserting her independence.
Cousin romantic tension: The flirtation between Milly and Jonah introduces a complicated emotional dynamic, blurring the lines between family and attraction.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter delivers a major revelation: Chaz, the bartender, is actually Archer, Milly's uncle and the youngest of the Story siblings. This discovery directly connects the mysterious bartender to the cousins' presence on the island, raising the stakes of Milly's investigation. It also deepens the mystery of why the cousins were invited and what role Archer might have played. Additionally, the chapter solidifies Milly's role as the most proactive of the three cousins in seeking the truth, and it introduces a romantic subplot with Jonah that adds personal stakes to her summer. The refusal of Donald to discuss the past reinforces the idea that the family's secrets are carefully guarded, making Milly's eventual confrontation with Archer all the more significant.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Milly visit Donald Camden's office, and what does she hope to achieve?

Milly visits Donald's office under the pretense of reconsidering his job offer, but her real goal is to learn about the rift between her mother and grandmother. She hopes to get Donald to reveal information about the family's past, especially after Hazel's comments about the rumors surrounding her mother. She uses flattery and feigned interest in the job to try to lower his guard, but he refuses to discuss the matter.

2. What clues lead Milly to recognize Chaz as her uncle Archer?

Milly notices Chaz's eyes when he steps into the stage light to perform his solo song. The familiarity of his eyes triggers her recognition, and she realizes that the bartender she has been trying to track down is actually her mother's youngest brother. The song he dedicates to his family also reinforces the connection, as it reminds her of a childhood memory of her mother and uncles singing together.

3. How does Donald Camden's advice to "leave the past where it is" reflect the novel's central conflict?

Donald's advice embodies the theme of buried secrets and the fear of reopening old wounds. He believes that confronting the past would upset Mildred and threaten her health, and he warns Milly that there is "nothing to be gained" from it. This directly opposes Milly's desire for truth and sets up the central conflict between those who want to hide the family's history and those who seek to uncover it.