Chapter summaries The Five-Star Weekend Elin Hilderbrand

Chapter 28: Calm and Present – 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 (complete and chronological)

After finishing lunch on the beach, Dru-Ann leaves while Brooke sleeps, Gigi reads, and Hollis cleans up. Dru-Ann walks to the guesthouse, appreciating the quiet. Once alone, she opens her laptop and checks the British Open standings, seeing her client Phineas has moved into third place at five under, behind McIlroy and Hovland. She reflects that a third-place finish would be a huge boost for his career and sponsorships, and she genuinely thinks good for Phineas.

Dru-Ann then turns to her phone, hoping for a message from boyfriend Nick, but finds none. There are missed calls from her boss JB, legal counsel Jim, producer Zeke, editor Dean Falzarano (unusual), and her neighborhood association president Rosemarie Filbert. A text from cohost Marla mentions Nantucket and Isabel Marant, hinting at publicity. Confused, Dru-Ann opens Instagram and searches her hashtag. She finds a video posted by the account SexyBexxx—the woman in Gucci from an earlier incident. The video shows Dru-Ann drinking champagne, modeling a red leather jacket, and saying, “I think I’ll treat myself today.” The caption accuses her of disrespecting her client’s mental-health issues and spending his royalties on luxury goods. The video already has 692,000 views. The first comment says “Cancel this ghoul,” and someone has placed her avatar inside a red circle with a slash.

Dru-Ann types a comment defending herself but quickly deletes it, realizing it will only make things worse. Overwhelmed, she powers off her phone, fantasizing about destroying it. She hears a commotion in the driveway and, thinking it might be reporters, looks out. Instead, she sees a man on the front porch shouting at Brooke. Determined to intervene, Dru-Ann steps outside.

Key Events

  • Dru-Ann leaves the beach and retreats to the guesthouse for solitude.
  • She checks the British Open and learns Phineas is in third place, a strong showing.
  • Dru-Ann reflects positively on Phineas’s performance, indicating a shift in her attitude toward him.
  • She finds no communication from Nick, heightening her emotional isolation.
  • A flood of missed calls and a cryptic text from Marla alert Dru-Ann to a developing scandal.
  • Dru-Ann discovers a viral Instagram video posted by SexyBexxx that shows her making a tone-deaf comment while modeling luxury goods.
  • The video caption and comments call for her cancellation.
  • Dru-Ann attempts a defensive comment but immediately deletes it.
  • She powers off her phone in frustration.
  • She hears a disturbance outside and goes to confront a man shouting at Brooke.

Character Development

Dru-Ann’s character is pushed to a breaking point. The chapter reveals her vulnerability beneath the confident, fast-moving exterior. She acknowledges she is rarely “present” or “calm”—words used to describe her—and the contradiction weighs on her. Her loneliness emerges as she misses Nick but receives no contact from him. Her professional life crumbles as the video goes viral, forcing her to confront the consequences of her earlier actions. Importantly, she feels genuine goodwill toward Phineas, showing growth from her earlier resentment. The instinct to defend herself online but then delete it demonstrates a rare moment of self-awareness, though she remains trapped by the unfolding disaster.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Cancel Culture and Public Shaming: The viral video and the “cancel this ghoul” comment illustrate how quickly social media turns against public figures. Dru-Ann’s reputation is jeopardized by a single clip.
  • Presence vs. Anxiety: The chapter’s title, “Calm and Present,” contrasts Dru-Ann’s inner turmoil. Her need for solitude clashes with the invasive demands of her phone and career.
  • The Phone as a Burden: Dru-Ann’s hatred of her phone and fantasy of destroying it symbolize how technology amplifies her crises. It becomes a tool of exposure rather than connection.
  • Mental Health Advocacy Hypocrisy: The video accuses Dru-Ann of disrespecting mental health while she publicly advocates for it, highlighting the gap between her professional brand and personal actions.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 28 is the climax of Dru-Ann’s subplot. The social media backlash escalates the conflict introduced earlier in the novel, forcing her to face real-world consequences. Her internal shift toward empathy for Phineas suggests character growth, but the crisis threatens to undo her career. The chapter sets up the next phase of the story, where Dru-Ann must either confront the fallout or attempt damage control. It also deepens the theme of authenticity versus public persona, a core concern of the novel.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Dru-Ann feel positively about Phineas’s third-place finish in the British Open?
Dru-Ann’s reaction shows her evolving perspective. Earlier, she resented Phineas for his mental-health issues and her expenses. Now she sees his success as a genuine achievement that could boost his career and sponsorship opportunities, indicating that she is beginning to separate her professional judgment from personal frustration.

2. How does the viral Instagram video escalate Dru-Ann’s existing problems?
The video combines two damaging elements: it shows Dru-Ann making a flippant comment while modeling luxury goods, and it directly links that behavior to her client’s mental-health struggles. The 692,000 views and “cancel this ghoul” comment turn a private controversy into a public shaming, forcing Dru-Ann to confront the gap between her advocacy and her actions.

3. What does Dru-Ann’s decision to delete her defensive comment reveal about her state of mind?
Deleting the comment shows that Dru-Ann recognizes the futility of defending herself online. She knows that responding will only fuel the backlash. This moment of self-restraint suggests a rare pause in her typically impulsive nature, but it also underscores her helplessness as the situation spirals beyond her control.

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