Chapter 2: Lucy’s Flight to Prince Edward Island
⚠️ 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
Lucy Ashby is on a plane to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, eight days before her best friend Bridget’s wedding. Bridget called in crisis, sounding more lost than Lucy has ever heard her, but would not explain why she returned to the island. Lucy leaves her Toronto job—missing a rescheduled meeting with her boss Lillian—and accepts a one-way ticket Bridget bought. On the flight, Lucy recalls how she and Bridget met five years earlier: Lucy left a disastrous work party with a broken shoe, and Bridget, riding a red bicycle, offered her a ride home. They talked for over an hour, and within a week Bridget had nicknamed her “Bee.” Their friendship became Lucy’s anchor, especially after years of feeling lonely in crowds. Now, at twenty-nine, Lucy must confront the reason she avoided the island last summer. She dreams of dying flowers at Bridget’s wedding and feels turbulence jolt her awake. She vows not to repeat past mistakes—determined that this summer will be different.
Key Events
- Lucy boards a flight to PEI after Bridget’s urgent, vague phone call.
- She recalls her first meeting with Bridget at a party, where Bridget gave her a ride home on her bicycle.
- Their friendship quickly deepened, with Bridget giving Lucy the nickname “Bee.”
- Lucy remembers how Bridget once missed her flight to PEI because of a job interview at Sunnybrook—an interview she aced.
- On the plane, Lucy dreams of wedding flowers dying before the ceremony.
- She thinks about her past mistakes on the island and resolves not to repeat them this time.
Character Development
Lucy Ashby is portrayed as deeply loyal and self-sacrificing, dropping everything to support Bridget without knowing the full story. Her internal monologue reveals a history of loneliness before meeting Bridget, and a fear of repeating romantic errors tied to the island. She is anxious but determined, willing to ignore her own professional and personal risks for her friend.
Bridget (offstage) is established as Lucy’s “fairy tale”—a rare person who made her feel understood. The chapter emphasizes Bridget’s usual strength (“Bridget rarely stumbles”), making her current crisis all the more alarming.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Friendship as Anchor: Lucy’s narrative frames Bridget as the one person who truly sees her, contrasting with her earlier loneliness.
- Past Mistakes and Repetition: Lucy’s resolve that “this summer will be different” signals a pattern she is trying to break, hinting at previous romantic or personal failures on the island.
- Flowers and Wedding Imagery: The dying flowers in Lucy’s dream foreshadow potential unraveling of the wedding plans, tying to the chapter’s title and the countdown to Bridget’s wedding.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 2 establishes the central emotional stakes: Lucy’s unconditional commitment to Bridget versus her fear of encountering a person from her past. The flashback to their origin story solidifies why Lucy would drop everything for her friend. It also plants the mystery of what happened on the island last summer and who “he” is—driving the narrative tension for the remainder of the book.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Lucy decide to fly to PEI without a return ticket? Lucy’s decision shows her unwavering loyalty. Bridget’s distressed phone call overrides Lucy’s professional obligations and personal risk. She will stay as long as Bridget needs her, even though she can’t imagine remaining longer than the weekend.
2. What does the dream about dying flowers suggest? The dream symbolizes Lucy’s anxiety about Bridget’s wedding and possibly about her own unresolved feelings. Flowers represent celebration and life, so their death hints at hidden trouble—maybe the wedding itself is in jeopardy, or Lucy fears her own mistakes will ruin something precious.
3. How does Lucy’s first meeting with Bridget contrast with her earlier loneliness? Lucy drifted through university without finding true connection; she felt loneliest in crowded rooms. Meeting Bridget on a chaotic party night—Bridget’s directness and humor—immediately dissolved that loneliness. Their friendship became the remedy Lucy had been seeking.