Chapter 26 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
After the devastating fallout in Nagano, Kat remains in denial about Heath's abandonment. She wanders the freezing rain for hours, searching for him, then returns to the hotel without showering, afraid she'll miss him if he comes back. She lies sleepless and shivering until dawn.
The next morning, she drags her bags to the bullet train alone, convincing herself Heath will appear at the station, the airport, or back in California. She imagines both embracing him and choking him. On the flight, Garrett insists on switching seats so Kat can sit beside his sister, Bella, in first class—a first for Kat. Bella shares her headphones and plays a terrible movie, tactfully ignoring Kat's tears. Somewhere over the Bering Strait, Kat falls into a fitful sleep and dreams of ice shattering beneath her, cold water filling her lungs.
Back in Los Angeles, Kat develops a high fever and stays in bed for days. Bella brings her LA-style remedies—green juices, bone broths, and unlabeled herbal packets—but nothing helps. The illness triggers a flashback to February 1994, the first year of Kat's friendship with Heath. They were kids in Illinois, and after a heavy snowfall, Kat suggested they skate on a frozen lake. She had learned from her father how to judge ice safety, but they ventured too far. The ice cracked, and Kat fell through. Heath pulled her out, and both ended up sick for days, curled up together watching skating videos. That memory underscores the depth of their childhood bond.
Eight days after leaving Nagano, Kat's fever finally breaks, but she still hasn't heard from Heath. Restless and anxious, she decides to skate. At nearly midnight, she goes to the rink and finds Garrett skating alone, practicing to emo music. He's surprised to see her but glad. They talk, and Garrett reveals that he asked Bella to approach Kat about partnering. He admits he noticed a spark during their photo shoot. Kat, for the first time, acknowledges she felt a compatibility with Garrett—not attraction, but a seamless connection. When Garrett offers his hand to skate, Kat hesitates, thinking of Heath. But she realizes that with Garrett she can become someone better, leaving behind the girl Heath knew. She accepts his invitation, deciding that if Heath wants to see her again, he can watch her win gold with Garrett on television.
Key Events
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Kat searches for Heath in the rain and returns to the hotel sleepless.
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She travels alone to the bullet train, expecting Heath to appear at various points.
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On the flight, Garrett switches seats so Kat sits with Bella in first class; Bella shares headphones and a movie while Kat cries.
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Kat falls asleep over the Bering Strait and dreams of ice breaking.
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Back in LA, Kat develops a fever and stays in bed for days; Bella brings LA-style remedies.
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A flashback to February 1994 shows Kat and Heath skating on a frozen lake; Kat falls through the ice, and Heath rescues her.
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Eight days after leaving Nagano, Kat's fever breaks, but she still hasn't heard from Heath.
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Kat goes to the rink at midnight and finds Garrett skating alone.
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Garrett reveals he asked Bella to propose partnering with Kat.
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Kat admits she felt compatibility with Garrett during their photo shoot and accepts his invitation to skate.
Character Development
Kat undergoes a profound emotional shift. Her denial about Heath's abandonment gives way to physical illness, which mirrors her grief. The flashback to her childhood with Heath highlights how deeply their bond is rooted in shared vulnerability and rescue. By the end of the chapter, she makes a conscious decision to reinvent herself. She acknowledges that with Heath she could be her true self, but with Garrett she can be someone better—a choice that signals a break from her past and a step toward self-transformation.
Heath remains absent, but his presence looms large. The flashback reveals the origin of their trust and the pattern of rescue that defined their relationship. His silence after Nagano deepens Kat's sense of betrayal and abandonment.
Garrett is revealed as more than a reliable partner. His late-night practice shows his dedication and artistry. He is considerate—he switches seats on the plane, waits for Kat to recover, and admits his role in Bella's approach. His offer to partner with Kat is framed as a recognition of their compatibility, not a calculated move.
Bella acts as a quiet caretaker, bringing Kat food and medicine and offering comfort on the flight. Her role is supportive, though her earlier conversation with Kat in Japan set the plot in motion.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
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Ice as a fragile surface: The recurring imagery of ice—both in the dream and the flashback—represents the precariousness of relationships and trust. Kat's fall through the ice in 1994 foreshadows the emotional rupture with Heath.
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Trust and counterbalance: The flashback explicitly connects the childhood rescue to the later dance lifts, where trust and counterbalance allow seemingly impossible feats. This motif underscores the necessity of mutual reliance in partnerships.
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Illness as grief manifestation: Kat's fever is a physical expression of her emotional devastation. Her inability to recover until she makes a decision about her future suggests that healing requires action.
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Nostalgia for childhood bond: The memory of skating with Heath is idealized, representing a time of innocence and pure joy. Kat's career has been an attempt to recapture that elation, but the chapter suggests she must move forward.
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Betrayal and abandonment: Heath's silence after Nagano is a form of abandonment that forces Kat to confront her denial.
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Partnership compatibility: The photo shoot with Garrett reveals a natural synchronicity that contrasts with the fraught history with Heath.
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Self-transformation: Kat's decision to skate with Garrett is an act of reinvention, leaving behind her past identity.
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Rescue and dependence: The flashback shows Heath as Kat's rescuer, but the chapter ends with Kat rescuing herself by choosing a new path.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in the novel. It marks the definitive end of Kat's partnership with Heath and the beginning of her new partnership with Garrett. The flashback to 1994 provides crucial backstory, explaining the depth of Kat and Heath's bond and the trust that once defined them. Kat's illness and recovery symbolize her emotional journey from denial to acceptance. Her decision to skate with Garrett is not just a practical move but a declaration of independence. The chapter sets up the central conflict of the next phase of the story: can Kat build a new partnership while still haunted by the past? It also deepens Garrett's character, showing him as a serious artist and a considerate potential partner.
Study Questions and Answers
- How does the flashback to 1994 illuminate Kat's current emotional state?
The flashback shows the origin of Kat's trust in Heath. Their childhood rescue created a bond based on mutual vulnerability and dependence. In the present, Heath's abandonment shatters that trust, leaving Kat physically and emotionally ill. The memory also highlights how Kat has spent her career trying to recapture the joy of that day, which explains her reluctance to let go of Heath even after his betrayal.
- What does Kat's decision to skate with Garrett reveal about her character development?
Kat's decision marks a shift from passive grief to active choice. She acknowledges that with Garrett she can become someone better, leaving behind the girl Heath knew. This shows her willingness to transform and her recognition that her past with Heath, while formative, is not her only identity. It also demonstrates her resilience and ambition, as she chooses a path that could lead to Olympic gold.
- How does the motif of ice function symbolically in this chapter?
Ice appears in Kat's dream, in the flashback, and in the rink where Garrett skates. It symbolizes fragility and danger—the surface can break without warning, just as relationships can. In the flashback, the ice breaking leads to a rescue that strengthens the bond; in the present, the ice is a stage for a new partnership. The motif underscores the idea that trust is both necessary and risky.