Summer Island: A Novel

Following their night of drinking, Caroline and Ruby fall asleep upstairs. Ruby reflects on the night, thinking about how, at times, she felt left out of Nora and Caroline’s mother-daughter talks. Ruby realizes that she wants to feel the kind of love Caroline and Nora have felt and wonders if she finally has a second chance with Dean.

The narration switches to Nora. Unlike her daughters, Nora feels refreshed and rejuvenated. As she goes to make coffee, she notes how lived-in the summer house looks. She wakes up her daughters, telling them they need to get up since they are going sailing with Eric and Dean.

Nora goes downstairs to make breakfast and pack lunch when she hears a car pull up. It’s Caroline’s husband, Jeremy. Caroline comes downstairs, and Jeremy quickly rushes to her. Nora realizes that, while they may be having some trouble in their marriage, they still love each other deeply and will make it. Jeremy reveals that Caroline left a letter telling him she was leaving, and Caroline explains that she thought he would be happy and she couldn’t bear to see him happy in her absence. He says that his mother will watch the children for the rest of the weekend since they need time alone to talk. Caroline agrees and thanks Nora for her advice. She tells Nora she loves her before leaving with Jeremy. As Nora and Ruby watch Caroline leave, Ruby apologizes to Nora for all the presents she sent back and her refusal to forgive for so long.

The narration switches to Ruby. As the Wind Lass pulls up to their dock, Ruby admits to Nora that she’s nervous to see Dean. Nora encourages Ruby to have fun and remember the good times she had with him. They get on the sailboat and see Eric, who looks especially ill. Nora is shocked by his appearance and quickly goes to sit with him. Nora and Eric watch Ruby and Dean, and Eric asks Nora to take care of Dean for him. Dean asks Eric if he wants to steer the sailboat, and he says yes. Dean helps his brother to the wheel, and Eric smiles. Ruby spots some orcas in the water, and Nora realizes that this is how she will remember Eric after his death.

Dean, Eric, Ruby, and Nora return to the Sloan residence to have dinner. After taking Eric to bed, Dean takes Nora and Ruby home on the Wind Lass. As they boat over, Ruby realizes that she still hasn’t found the best moment to tell Dean her feelings. They dock at the Bridge residence, and Ruby helps Dean navigate the boat. Nora asks Ruby to help her to the house. Ruby asks Dean if he’ll need help once she gets back, and he agrees. Ruby helps Nora get situated, and Nora tells her that Dean loves her.

Ruby returns to the boat and after reflecting on their past together, tells Dean she loves him. They begin to make out and then have sex. Afterward, they discuss where they should live. Dean proposes to Ruby, suggesting that they move back to the island.

After watching Dean leave, Ruby goes back to the house and hears the phone ring. It’s Val, who is livid about her not turning in the article. He tells her that she can’t back out and that there is even now interest for her to write a sitcom, which is Ruby’s dream. Ruby reiterates that she can’t turn in the article, and Val chastises her, asking if she has the money to pay the magazine back. She tells Val that she loves her mother, and he apologizes for the fact that she has to turn in the article. After getting off the phone with Val, Ruby passes her mother’s room and apologizes through the door.

Ruby returns to her room and starts to finish the article. She writes about how she will have to turn in the article and knows that she will lose her mother in the process. She also knows that turning in the article will show the world how soulless she is. She ends the article by saying that she loves her mother.

As Nora waits for Ruby to come downstairs, she receives a phone call from her personal assistant, Dee. Dee tells her about the bad things people are saying about her to the media and reveals that someone is going to publish a tell-all story about her. Nora hangs up the phone. Upset about what she’s heard, she goes into the kitchen and starts breaking plates. Ruby comes downstairs, and Nora reveals what she learned from Dee. After telling Ruby she loves her, Ruby reacts strangely and leaves to get a pad of paper. She asks her mother to remember that she loves her while she reads it.

Nora begins reading the article. Realizing that Ruby is the one who has betrayed her by writing a tell-all story, Nora is angry, leading Ruby to run out of the house. Nora continues reading and begins to cry.

The narration switches to Ruby. She begins to drive away, but stops, determined to no longer run away from her problems. She goes to sit outside, sitting in a place where she knows her mother will see her and be able to get to her. Eventually, Nora comes outside. She admits that she read the article and that it broke her heart. Ruby admits to being ashamed that she wrote it. Nora tells her daughter that she trusted her, and she now knows she was right to trust her. She feels that the article showed the real Nora, and she insists that Ruby publish it. She also tells Ruby that she will appear on the talk show with her and that she’s ready to fight back.

Ruby, in another piece of writing, describes her newfound fame. She ponders the purpose of fame, particularly who is worthy of fame and who is not. She explains that people especially loved seeing her relationship with Nora, and that Nora has matured and can now take criticism about the scandal from her viewers with grace and aplomb. She writes that she learned the importance of mother-daughter relationships and how important and valuable time is. She knows that in looking into her mother’s life, she found who she was supposed to be all along.

The narration switches to Dean. Eric asks him if he thinks Ruby and Nora will be back soon from their media tour. He worries that Ruby, who now has the fame she’s always wanted, will not want to return to him. Eric asks to go outside, and Dean agrees. He decides to get his camera and take pictures of his brother. Eric and Dean discuss Ruby’s newfound fame, and Eric assures Dean that Ruby will return. Dean asks Eric what his relationship with Charlie, his partner, was like, and Eric describes their deep love.

Ruby and Nora arrive at the house, and Ruby announces that she has turned down a deal writing a sitcom in favor of writing a book, which is something she could do from the summer house. When Nora goes to Eric, she tells him it’s time for their Fourth of July party, despite it being almost a month early. Ruby and Nora start prepping for the party, which Dean appreciates. They enjoy the day together and use sparklers to write messages in the sky.

Eric is close to death and is getting more and more confused. He discusses his wishes not to have a funeral and to have a party instead. He asks for his mother, and Dean tells Nora. Ruby goes to Eric. He asks her to take care of Dean, and she promises him she will. He then asks for his mom, and Nora goes to him. He tells her she was always his mom, and then he dies.

Nora and Ruby wait outside Summer Island’s chapel for the rest of the wedding party and guests to arrive. They joke about the fact that Ruby wouldn’t let Nora decorate the chapel or plan a big party. Ruby wears her expensive evening gown, which she impulse-bought with her advance money from the article. The rest of the family and Dean arrive, and they enter the church. The only decoration is a picture of Eric and a small Christmas tree. Nora and Rand give Ruby away. At the end of the ceremony, an Elvis impersonator rushes in and begins singing.