Summary

Chapter Thirteen starts as Elsa stands in the root cellar, looking at their bare shelves with dread. Loreda comes downstairs and Elsa notices her bob has grown out, but also how beautiful she is. Loreda confides in her Mom that she thinks she gave her dad the idea to leave. Elsa says it is not her fault. Loreda then says they should leave. Elsa says she loves this land and family. She says she is not sure it will be better in California. She takes Rafe’s chambray shirt off her neck and hands it to Loreda who says she can still smell his hair pomade.

Soon it is March and springtime, and Elsa prepares for Loreda’s thirteen birthday party. Tony takes out the fiddle and they all start dancing. Suddenly Tony stops playing and they hear a “plunk-plunk-plunk” of...