Summary

Malcolm is smitten with Sophia, but she remains aloof, only seeing him on occasion. Shorty takes Malcolm to a jewelry store to buy her a gift, but when the necklace he wants to buy is too expensive, Shorty encourages him to steal it, which he does. This causes Malcolm to recall stealing apples from a grocery store with Philbert a few years prior in Lansing. Afterwards, they had fought over the apples, until they arrived home and found social services there. Malcolm feels bad for stealing the necklace, because he did not really need it, the way he needed the apples to feed his family.

In Chapter 13, Malcolm and Sophia go dancing at the Roseland, and Malcolm gives her the necklace. She tells him she is seeing other men, and he pretends to be okay with that. Ella catches a glimpse of Sophia...