The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Chapters 19 and 20 Summary & Analysis

Summary: Chapter 19

“My karma ran over my dogma.”
—Bumper sticker

Bridget tries to write to Carmen so that she can send her the Pants, but she has a hard time figuring out what to say. While she sits on her cabin porch, Eric comes over to talk, pretending nothing happened between them. Bridget doesn’t want to pretend, but Eric grows awkward. He says what happened was his fault, and he apologizes, which angers Bridget. She finally writes to Carmen, saying only that she’s confused.

Tibby and Bailey interview Carmen for the documentary. Carmen tells Bailey she and Tibby had an argument, but Bailey says it doesn’t matter since they love each other. Carmen is taken aback when Bailey asks direct questions about Albert and the upcoming wedding. Carmen denies being angry at Albert, then starts sobbing. Bailey tells her it’s okay to be angry.

One day, when Tibby’s shift ends, Bailey is nowhere in sight. Tibby is alarmed, not minding anymore that Bailey spends so much time with her. She rides her bike to Bailey’s house, which is empty, but a neighbor tells her the family is at the hospital. Tibby hurries over, reassuring herself that Bailey is fine. At the hospital, however, Mrs. Graffman tells Tibby how sick Bailey is. The cancer keeps coming back. Bailey’s parents decided to let her live normally for a few months, but now Bailey has an infection and things don’t look hopeful. Mrs. Graffman tearfully thanks Tibby for being Bailey’s friend. Tibby, overcome with emotion, quickly leaves.

Summary: Chapter 20

“You can take a road that gets you to the stars. I can take a road that will see me through.”
—Nick Drake

Lena returns to the olive grove near the pond at the beginning of August. She loses herself in her painting. When she’s done, she decides to give the painting to Kostos as an apology.

Tibby doesn’t go to work because she hates knowing that Bailey won’t be meeting her afterward. She tries to play with Mimi, but when she taps on Mimi’s box, Mimi doesn’t move. She lifts Mimi up and realizes she’s dead. Unwilling to admit this fact, Tibby puts Mimi in a paper bag and puts the bag in the freezer, sure that she’ll be able to revive Mimi someday when science comes up with a method. She tries to write to her friends, but she gives up.

Lena writes to Carmen about how she and her grandfather have eaten breakfast together in silence all summer. She vows to learn a little Greek so they can talk before the summer ends.

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