The Turning: Reunion Summary & Analysis

Vic Lang, his mother Carol, and his wife Gail (once again the first-person narrator) are celebrating a hot Christmas day together. After lunch, Carol surprises Vic and Gail with the news that Vic’s uncle and aunt, Ernie and Cleo, have invited them over; Vic’s grandmother will be there, too. Vic is shocked, but agrees to go, if only briefly. As the three of them drive through an upscale suburb to the address of Ernie and Cleo’s new house, Gail reflects on her relationship with Carol, which is marked by a sense of distance. Gail respects Carol but is unable to break through to her. Ernie and Cleo, on the other hand, she has never met, but she has heard plenty about them, little of it flattering.

Eventually they arrive at an enormous, tastelessly designed suburban house. Nothing is recognizable to Vic, but Carol points out that he has not seen Ernie and Cleo since he was in university. They knock on the door, but no one answers. As they can hear the faint sounds of people playing in the pool, they decide to check the backyard; a house this large must have a pool, Gail reasons. The enormous backyard, complete with a cabana, is empty, though it is clear that celebrations recently took place. As they look around, Carol trips on a ball and falls into the pool. All three of them are caught up in a fit of laughter, and Gail jumps in, too.

Vic is about to jump into the pool as well, when he looks concerned and asks if they are even at the right house. He looks inside while Gail and Carol swim and emerges in a panic. They run to the car, losing Carol’s shoe in the process, and speed out of the cul-de-sac. As they leave, they see Ernie, Cleo, and their family across the street, but speed away nevertheless, reasoning that they cannot stop now that they have trespassed in the neighbor’s home.

Back home, Vic opens a bottle of champagne. Carol, who admits she must have written down the address incorrectly, asks for a glass too, much to Vic’s surprise, as she does not drink. She insists, telling Vic she has a good excuse this time. Vic is still worried that the neighbors saw his car, but Carol and Gail insist on making merry. Gail tells them this is the most fun she has ever had at Christmas; growing up, her strict religious parents avoided any profane celebration of the holiday, including drinking. She then quickly apologizes to Carol, as she remembers that Carol does not drink because Bob was an alcoholic. Carol is not offended, and tells them her mother was an alcoholic, too.

Carol and Gail continue to talk about their childhoods as Vic does the dishes. Vic becomes increasingly angry at Gail’s parents as he hears of how they treated her. Carol tells them that she wanted to be a teacher, not a housewife her whole life. They then discuss Ernie’s family; the wobbegong cousins are all married with children now. Carol then tells Gail about Ernie’s depredations, and the way that her husband Bob always had to clean up after them, without any recognition from his mother, Nanna. As they talk and drink more champagne, Gail feels that she and Carol finally start to connect with each other.