Wild Side Chapter 25: Tabitha Opens Up
⚠️ 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
On a day off from the restaurant, Tabitha takes Milo to pick rose hips for winter tea. Rhys asks to join, and Tabitha agrees, hoping Milo will act as a buffer. Rhys tells Milo a story about a prince with dinosaurs and excavators. Milo falls asleep curled against Rhys. Tabitha, moved by the scene, lies down beside Rhys. He shares that he was orphaned and grew up in foster care, bouncing between homes. He reveals he found stability in wrestling. Tabitha promises never to let him go hungry. They cloud-watch, pointing out shapes, including one Milo says looks like his mother, Erika. That evening, Tabitha cooks a large meal for the boys.
Key Events
- Tabitha and Milo pick rose hips; Rhys unexpectedly joins them.
- Rhys tells Milo an elaborate story; Milo falls asleep on his arm.
- Tabitha lies next to Rhys, and he pulls her closer without comment.
- Rhys reveals he was orphaned and raised in foster care.
- He explains that wrestling gave him purpose and a way to earn money for food.
- Tabitha silently vows to always feed him.
- They cloud-watch, and Milo wakes up to name a cloud “Erika.”
- Tabitha cooks an oversized meal, ensuring Rhys won’t go hungry later.
Character Development
Tabitha: Shows vulnerability by initiating physical closeness. Her guilt over enjoying a moment she feels should have been Erika’s evolves into a deeper understanding of Rhys’s sacrifices. She moves from sarcasm to genuine empathy.
Rhys: Opens up about his traumatic childhood for the first time since arriving. His protective, nurturing behavior toward Milo is revealed as a direct response to his own instability. He allows Tabitha to see his vulnerability, trusting her with his past.
Milo (off-page): His trust in Rhys is evident as he falls asleep in his arms. His comment about the cloud “Erika” shows he is processing grief in a healthy, imaginative way.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Found family: This chapter crystallizes the theme. Rhys’s presence as a stable, loving figure for Milo directly mirrors the stability he lacked. Tabitha’s promise to feed him connects nourishment to emotional care.
Vulnerability and trust: Both characters lower their defenses. Tabitha admits her guilt; Rhys shares his past. The physical act of lying side by side mirrors their emotional intimacy.
Grief and memory: Cloud-watching becomes a way to include Erika in their new family unit. Milo’s spontaneous recognition of his mother shows that grief does not have to be erased for new bonds to form.
Nourishment as love: Tabitha’s profession as a chef becomes a vehicle for expressing care. Her decision to cook extra food symbolizes her commitment to Rhys’s well-being.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 25 is a turning point in Tabitha and Rhys’s relationship. Their earlier tension—born from Tabitha’s guilt and Rhys’s poker-faced demeanor—gives way to genuine connection. Rhys’s revelation about his foster care experience reframes every protective action he has taken for Milo. The scene in the meadow becomes a new memory that belongs to all three of them, separate from their grief over Erika. By chapter’s end, Tabitha has stopped seeing Rhys as an intruder and begun to see him as a partner in raising Milo—and someone she wants to nurture in return.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does Tabitha’s decision to lie next to Rhys reveal about her emotional state?
She acts on impulse because she desperately wants to be part of the moment. It shows she is moving past guilt and beginning to accept that she can build a family with Rhys without betraying Erika’s memory.
2. How does Rhys’s story about his childhood explain his behavior toward Milo?
Rhys never had stability or a permanent caregiver. By giving Milo unconditional attention, protection, and a sense of safety, Rhys is providing the childhood he lacked. He understands Milo’s potential trauma from personal experience.
3. Why does Tabitha cook “way too much” food after they return home?
She recalls Rhys saying he used to hide food because he was always hungry. Cooking an abundance is her way of telling him—without words—that he will never go hungry again. It is a practical, loving gesture that aligns with her identity as a chef.