Summary

This chapter jumps a few years ahead, and takes place when Catherine has reached high school. In her home economics class, her teacher announces that instead of the girls simply making a gift for their mothers for Mother's Day, she would hold a Mother's Day tea party at the school. This news is obviously distressing to Catherine Grace, who has no mother. The other girls in the class titter at her discomfort, and the teacher, Mrs. Gulbenk, asks Catherine to be her "special helper," and make the tea and serve it. The other girls know that Mrs. Gulbenk is just trying to soften the blow for Catherine Grace, but they give Catherine fake sympathetic glances and giggle at her all the same.

Catherine's best friend Lolly is actually sympathetic; Lolly herself has a mother, but her mother is unkind and cruel. Their...