Chapter 41: I Am So Fucking in Love with You
Dr. Briana Ortiz grapples with the aftermath of her intimate encounter with Dr. Jacob Maddox, feeling disoriented and guilty. At Amy's bachelorette party, Briana's internal turmoil erupts when the maid of honor, Shannon, insults Jacob, calling him "too anxious to function."
Briana, fiercely protective, unleashes a verbal tirade, defending Jacob's character and his struggles with social anxiety. She storms out, drives to a gas station, and finds Jacob's grandfather in the sunroom. In a moment of shared rebellion, she gives him a cigarette. Amy joins them, revealing the family secretly indulges Grandpa's habit. Amy apologizes for Shannon's behavior and admits she never fully appreciated Jacob's anxiety. Briana confesses she thinks she loves Jacob more than he loves her, but Amy reassures her that Jacob is head over heels for Briana.
Briana returns to Jacob's house and finds her air mattress deflated, symbolizing the end of their temporary arrangement. She tells Jacob she is going home, but Jacob confesses his panic attack wasn't about Amy's pregnancy but about seeing Briana text her ex, Levi. He reveals that his fight with Amy at the luau was because Amy worried Briana was using him for his kidney. Jacob lays his heart bare, telling her, "I don't care about Amy, Briana. I don't love her... I am so fucking in love with you." Briana confesses her love in return, and they embrace in a tender kiss, their relationship finally real. This scene is a powerful resolution to the theme of Communication and Misunderstanding.
Chapter 42: Living the Dream
One month later, it's Amy and Jeremiah's wedding day. Jacob's perspective reveals his blissful relationship with Briana. They are openly affectionate, and Jacob reflects on his profound happiness, noting that he has stopped journaling because he is too busy "living the dream."
At the wedding venue, Jacob's sister, Jane, arrives with a date: Briana's brother, Benny Ortiz. Benny looks healthy and happy, a testament to the second chance Jacob's kidney donation is giving him. Jacob and Briana discuss marriage; he is serious, while she is playfully hesitant. During the ceremony, Jacob feels "complete tranquility," genuinely happy for Amy and Jeremiah. He whispers to Briana that if he could send a message to his past self, he would say that on this day, he would be "madly in love with someone else." The chapter solidifies their relationship, showcasing the deep love and stability they have found, a perfect example of the theme of Healing and Second Chances.
Chapter 43: The Tower of Terror
From Briana's perspective, the wedding reception is one of the best nights of her life. Jacob is relaxed and attentive, Benny is thriving, and the atmosphere is joyous. Briana catches the bouquet, making her seriously contemplate Jacob's earlier questions about marriage. For the first time since her divorce, she entertains the idea of being a wife again, picturing a life with Jacob and his family.
After the last dance, Briana and Jacob head to the elevator, flushed with love and champagne. They kiss passionately, planning to continue their celebration in their hotel room. The mood is idyllic and full of promise.
The chapter ends on a shocking cliffhanger. The elevator doors open, and standing before them are Briana's ex-husband, Nick, and his new wife, Kelly. They are holding hands, and Kelly is visibly pregnant. The joyous atmosphere shatters instantly. Briana freezes, her world tilting on its axis, and she vomits all over Jacob's shoes as the elevator doors close.
Chapter 44: Every Man Is Him
The following morning, Jacob drives a silent and withdrawn Briana home. She leaves the bouquet she caught on the hotel dresser, an ill omen. Back at his house, she physically recoils from his touch and announces she is going home for good, shattering the idyllic future they had just begun to build.
Briana's trauma from her divorce erupts. She projects all of Nick's betrayals onto Jacob, laughing hysterically as she recounts the painful details of her past: discovering Nick's affair with her best friend via a Bluetooth connection in her car, and subsequently suffering a miscarriage, alone, in her childhood bedroom.
Her pain and fear manifest as rage directed at Jacob. "Every man is him! You are all the fucking same!" she screams, yanking her arm away from him. She tells him to leave her now to save her the future pain she believes is inevitable. Jacob is left stunned and helpless as Briana, convinced he will eventually hurt her, walks out of his life. Her reaction is a stark manifestation of the theme of Mental Health and Anxiety, as her unresolved PTSD hijacks her ability to trust.
Chapter 45: You're Being Ridiculous
Briana is at her mother's house, feeling hollowed out by the previous night's events. The chapter reveals the true source of her visceral reaction: in the elevator, as she felt the first wave of nausea, she realized she is pregnant. Seeing Nick and a pregnant Kelly at the exact moment she discovered her own pregnancy triggered a profound trauma response, linking her new hope with her past devastation.
She confesses the pregnancy to her mother, who is initially shocked but then supportive, insisting that Jacob is a good man who would be a wonderful father. But Briana is terrified. She explains that her father's abandonment and Nick's betrayal have taught her that men always leave. She pushes Jacob away not because she doesn't love him, but because she loves him too much and cannot bear the thought of him eventually breaking her heart—and the heart of their child.
Briana is caught in an intense "flight" response, a desperate need to protect herself from what she sees as inevitable pain. She tells her mother, "I want to be brave enough to love him with my eyes closed. I just don’t think I can." She views their whirlwind romance as reckless and impulsive, especially now that a baby is involved. The chapter ends with Briana trapped by her past, unable to believe that her future with Jacob could be different, highlighting the devastating, long-lasting impact of betrayal. This decision is rooted in the theme of Family, Illness, and Sacrifice, as she believes she is sacrificing her own happiness to protect her unborn child from future pain.
Key Events
- Briana's Defense: Briana publicly defends Jacob against insults about his social anxiety.
- The Confession: Jacob and Briana confess they are in love with each other.
- The Wedding: Jacob and Briana are a blissfully happy couple at Amy and Jeremiah's wedding.
- The Elevator Encounter: Their perfect night is destroyed when they run into Briana's ex-husband, Nick, and his new, pregnant wife, Kelly.
- The Breakup: Triggered by the encounter, Briana's past trauma resurfaces, and she ends her relationship with Jacob.
- The Pregnancy Reveal: Briana confesses to her mother that she is pregnant with Jacob's child.
Character Development
- Dr. Briana Ortiz: Briana transforms from insecure to deeply in love, but her unresolved trauma causes her to self-sabotage her relationship with Jacob. The pregnancy reveal adds a layer of terror and responsibility.
- Dr. Jacob Maddox: Jacob evolves from anxiously pining for Briana to being a confident partner. He is blindsided by Briana's sudden rejection.
- Amy: Amy completes her transformation from a perceived antagonist to a genuine friend.
- Benny Ortiz: Benny's appearance at the wedding symbolizes his significant progress and recovery.
Themes & Symbols
- Mental Health and Anxiety: Briana's defense of Jacob's social anxiety shows her deep understanding. However, Briana herself suffers from severe, unresolved PTSD, making her mental health the primary obstacle to their happiness.
- Healing and Second Chances: Jacob and Briana's confession and their month of happiness are a testament to their ability to heal. However, the elevator scene demonstrates that healing is not linear.
- Communication and Misunderstanding: Chapter 41 resolves this theme, as Jacob and Briana finally talk openly.
- The Bouquet: The wedding bouquet symbolizes hope and marriage. Briana's decision to leave it behind symbolizes her abandoning that future.
Significance
These chapters mark the novel's most critical turning point, shifting the central conflict from an external one to Briana's internal trauma. The revelation of her miscarriage and her subsequent pregnancy raises the stakes to their highest point. The conflict is no longer about whether Jacob and Briana love each other, but whether Briana can overcome her past to accept the love she deserves.
Analysis
Abby Jimenez masterfully uses pacing and emotional whiplash. The narrative builds to a peak of romantic fulfillment before shattering it with the shocking elevator scene. This sharp juxtaposition highlights the fragility of happiness and the pervasive nature of past pain. The narrative provides a nuanced and empathetic exploration of trauma, portraying Briana's reaction as a legitimate PTSD response.