Summary

Catherine Grace reads the telegram, indicating that her father has passed away. She breaks down in Flora's arms, crying, knowing, as she did not at the age of six, how permanent the death of her father is. She asks Miss Mabie to get her to the bus station. However, the two women pack up Catherine Grace's things and cart her back to Ringgold in Miss Mabie's car. Flora tells Catherine Grace that sometimes God knows when it's someone's time to die, but Catherine disagrees. She feels personally responsible for her father's death.

They arrive at Catherine's house to a whole flood people, standing nearby to pay their respects to her father. Catherine and her friends fight through the crowd to the house, where Gloria Jean holds Catherine through her tears. Catherine tells Gloria Jean she feels responsible and Gloria Jean tells her...