Summer Island: A Novel

On Nora’s 50th birthday, it is a stormy day, but Nora doesn’t view the weather as an omen. She stands in her office, reflecting on the cards she received. She is especially happy about the card her oldest daughter, Caroline, sent, but she is sad that she once again didn’t receive any acknowledgment from Ruby. She knows that her staff is planning a surprise birthday party for her in one of the conference rooms, and goes down to the room. However, when she gets to the room, it is empty. Soon, the radio station owner and the station’s lawyer appear to talk to her. They tell her that a man has come forward and said that he had an affair with Nora while she was still married. He sent the station nude photographs of Nora in the hopes he could blackmail them for money. The station has refused to pay him, so he will take the photos to the tabloids. The station owner berates Nora for acting so chaste when she has such a promiscuous past.

Realizing that this scandal will hurt the station’s business, Nora is encouraged to take time off. Nora realizes that her life has completely been destroyed and that her daughters will soon know the truth about why she abandoned them as children.

The narrative shifts to Ruby. She receives a phone call from Val telling her that Joe Cochran, a popular talk show host, has requested her on the show. The show’s episode will focus on parent-child relationships, which makes Ruby realize she’s only being asked on the show because of who her mother is. However, she takes the gig regardless because she wants national exposure.

Ruby immediately goes to her closet to figure out what to wear. She chooses a black cashmere sweater her mother had sent her that she had not returned. She begins to practice her set and is interrupted by the phone.

The narrative switches to focus on Dean Sloan, Eric’s brother. He lives in San Francisco and is attending a fancy gala with his date. However, he is not paying much attention to his surroundings. He reflects on his life, considering how while he’s very successful and rich, his life feels empty and hollow. He remembers when he grew up on Lopez Island with his brother Eric and his best friend Ruby. He feigns an illness and takes his date home quickly.

When he returns home, he receives a phone call from Eric. Eric tells Dean that he’s dying, and Dean assumes his brother is dying of AIDS. Eric quickly corrects him, informing him that he’s dying of cancer. Eric tells him he’ll be going to their island home to die and asks Dean to come with him so they can be brothers again. Dean agrees. 

The scandal breaks, and Nora takes refuge at home. She calls Caroline, who berates her for not telling her about the nude photos and for taking them in the first place. Nora then receives a phone call from her boss for her newspaper column. He tells her that he expects her to address the hate mail that will soon arrive, and she agrees.

The narration switches to Ruby. She dresses for her appearance on Joe Cochran’s show and takes a limousine to the studio. At the studio, she performs her comedy set. Following her performance, she joins Joe’s other guests to partake in a panel discussion. During the conversation, Nora’s scandal comes up, and it’s clear to everyone that Ruby has not heard about it yet. Joe hands her the tabloid that published the photos, and Ruby sees the salacious pictures of her mother. She tries to make a joke about it, but she is upset and surprised. She realizes that her reaction is what will be remembered instead of her set.

After the show ends, Joe apologizes to Ruby for ambushing her with the news about her mother. He encourages her to consider writing. Ruby leaves, taking a copy of the tabloid with her.

Ruby returns home and calls Caroline. Caroline admits to suspecting their mother had an affair and says she’s struggling to forgive Nora. Caroline hopes to talk to Nora again when she’s calmed down.

Ruby’s doorbell rings. She attempts to ignore it, but eventually answers the door. Val and a woman are standing outside. It turns out the woman works for Caché magazine and wants to hire Ruby to write an exposé on Nora. The magazine plans to pay Ruby $50,000 to write the article and will give her half of the money immediately. Ruby admits that she doesn’t know Nora well, but the magazine editor doesn’t care. The editor asks Ruby if her mother would have accepted a similar offer, and Ruby says she would have. Realizing this is her chance to gain fame and get back at her mother, Ruby agrees to the assignment. The editor tells her she will appear on a late-night show the following week after the article is completed.

After cashing her advancement check, Ruby goes shopping on Rodeo Drive. She buys an expensive evening gown and a used Porsche.

The narration switches to Nora. After watching the news, Nora realizes the severity of her scandal and how it will affect her career. She begins drinking alcohol and reminiscing on her life. She calls her therapist but doesn’t speak to him. She then remembers that Eric should be on his way to his island home and decides to go to him. She puts on a disguise and goes to her car. She takes nothing from her apartment except a childhood photo of Caroline and Ruby. She drunkenly begins to drive.

The narration switches to Dean. He arrives at the island home and begins to reminisce on his childhood with Eric. The two grew apart after Eric told him he was dating a man. As he goes into the house, he remembers Ruby and their first kiss.

Lottie, the housekeeper and Dean and Eric’s childhood caretaker, meets Dean at the door. Dean asks how Eric is, and Lottie tells him that the trip was difficult on Eric. She reveals that Eric called their parents, but only spoke to their assistants. They have not called him back.

Dean goes upstairs to see his brother and is surprised at how sickly he looks. Eric is relieved to see him and asks Dean to talk to him like they did when they were children.

Caroline calls Ruby in the middle of the night to tell her that Nora has had a car accident after drinking. She asks Ruby to come to the hospital with her, and Ruby eventually agrees to do so. As she goes back to sleep, she says a prayer for her mother.

The narration switches to Nora. She remembers waking up from the car accident in an unfamiliar room and eventually realizing she was in a hospital. She has a broken leg and a sprained ankle, and the doctors remind her that she was lucky. She knows that her accident will only make her scandal worse.

Caroline comes into her hospital room. Caroline acts coldly toward her mother and asks her who will take care of her. Nora says she’ll hire someone, but Caroline suggests that she go to the summer house to recuperate. Nora agrees and Caroline leaves, ignoring her mother’s attempts to reconcile.

The narration switches to Ruby. She arrives at the airport in Seattle and thinks about her childhood on Summer Island. She takes a taxi to the hospital and has to go through a throng of reporters to enter the building. She sees Caroline and hugs her sister, and is surprised at how thin Caroline has become. Caroline asks her if she’d consider taking care of their mother while she recuperates. While Ruby is initially hesitant, she realizes that spending more time with Nora will be good for her magazine article, and she agrees to spend one week with her mother. She goes to Nora’s room to break the news.

Nora is asleep, but soon wakes up, surprised that Ruby has come. The two begin arguing with each other. Ruby explains that she will stay with her, which surprises Nora. Nora tells her that they will be going to the summer house, which shocks Ruby. Ruby doesn’t want to face the memories that the house holds, but she agrees. Nora gives Ruby some errands to run and thanks her for her help. Ruby leaves without responding.