Chapter 10: Jamie, Mother of Meg and Kathleen

⚠️ 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

Jamie arrives at the retreat as a bundle of nerves, having not been away from home in years. She is hungry and worried about her daughter Kathleen, who has not yet arrived or messaged. Mariella defuses the tension with a stunning opera aria, then switches to a comedic rap duet with Zoey that has the whole group laughing and dancing. Meg films the performance for posterity. Jamie’s internal reflections reveal long-standing family struggles involving her son Logan and an accident at Lake Geneva. Despite the underlying pain, she feels grateful for the break and is the first to head to the dinner table.

Key Events

Jamie arrives extremely nervous and hungry; she mentions doing lunges and squats on the plane to burn off anxiety.
She checks her phone repeatedly for a message from Kathleen, who is supposed to be there but has not arrived.
Mariella announces she will “sing for your supper” and performs “O mio babbino caro,” stunning everyone.
After the aria, Mariella abruptly switches to a rap, beatboxed by Zoey, about opera, baking, and shopping.
Grace and Merry dance; Elin weeps with laughter; Brigid giggles; Meg records the moment.
Mariella kisses Zoey and declares her a star; Zoey playfully brags about her social media following.
Jamie, who is starving, makes a beeline for the dinner table before anyone else.

Character Development

Jamie: Revealed as a mother carrying heavy burdens—problems with her son Logan and a past accident in Lake Geneva. Her nervous energy and hunger reflect a life that has left little room for self-care. The chapter shows her vulnerability and her deep need for the retreat’s respite.
Mariella: Demonstrates her dual nature: a world-class opera singer who can also be playful and silly. Her spontaneous rap with Zoey breaks the group’s tension and highlights her role as a unifier.
Zoey: Confident and proud, she drops her earlier prickliness to join her mother in performance. The mother-daughter bond is reaffirmed through their artistic collaboration.
Meg: Shifts from observer to documentarian, capturing the fun for “blackmail,” suggesting a playful relationship with the group.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Performance as Healing: Mariella’s voice is described as “a miracle” that could heal the sick or mend the broken. The aria evokes a desire for personal miracles, while the rap brings laughter and release.
Escape and Respite: Jamie’s backstory—struggles with Logan and the Lake Geneva accident—underscores the retreat as a temporary sanctuary from real-life pain.
Mother-Daughter Bonds: The Mariella-Zoey rap duet strengthens their relationship, contrasting with Jamie’s anxiety about her absent daughter Kathleen.
Food and Hunger: Jamie’s rumbling stomach symbolizes a deeper hunger for peace and emotional nourishment.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens Jamie’s character, revealing the weight she carries and the reasons she needs this getaway. It also showcases Mariella’s ability to shift the group’s mood through performance, reinforcing the importance of shared joy and creative expression. The contrast between Jamie’s private turmoil and the public laughter sets up ongoing emotional stakes for the retreat’s journey.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why is Jamie so nervous and hungry when she arrives?
Jamie admits she has not been away from home in years and is anxious about her daughter Kathleen not arriving yet. Internal mentions of problems with Logan and a past accident in Lake Geneva suggest long-standing family stress that leaves her emotionally drained and physically restless.

2. How does Mariella change the group’s energy in this chapter?
Mariella first awes everyone with a powerful opera aria, then surprises them by rapping with Zoey. The shift from serious art to playful comedy makes the group laugh, dance, and relax, dispelling Jamie’s tension and uniting the friends.

3. What does Jamie’s thought about “miracles” reveal about her?
She thinks Mariella’s voice could “heal the sick, cure the blind, or mend the broken,” and says she would kidnap her to make miracles happen at home. This reveals Jamie’s deep pain and longing for relief from her family’s problems, especially regarding her son Logan and the Lake Geneva accident.