In West Mills

The next day, as Knot reads a newspaper on her porch, Otis Lee appears with a goose. After explaining that he offered it to Pep, his “one and only” (109) first, he gives Knot the goose. Knot suggests that Otis Lee visit Valley. Otis Lee, who distances himself from Valley because Valley is gay, declines. He tells Knot about Fran and Eunice’s fight and their continued efforts to win over Breezy. Knot asks whether Breezy “got enough sense to know he can’t have ‘em both?” (134). Otis Lee responds defensively, and Knot tells him, in profanity-laced language, that she considers Breezy spoiled and that the situation is not her fault. She returns the goose before telling Otis Lee “and the Waterses, and the Mannings” to “go to hell” (135).

A few days later, Knot comes up with an excuse to visit the Mannings’ store. On her way out, she passes Eunice whom she has not seen up close for more than three years. Seeing elements of herself, her father, and William in Eunice, Knot drops her groceries in surprise. Eunice asks whether Knot “got everything,” then describes her parents as “good people” before going into the store (137).

The next day, Knot takes a pecan pie to Otis Lee, who tells her that Eunice caught a train to New York, where she intends to pursue a singing career. Otis Lee is relieved, but Knot feels sad, so she goes home and drinks. 

In the fall of 1962, Otis Lee is across the street visiting the Waterses when Phil sees a Cadillac pull into Otis Lee’s yard. Hurrying back, Otis Lee talks to the driver, who tells him that his “boss lady” is inside the house (141). Otis Lee immediately thinks of Essie, whose husband hired a driver for her in New York.

Otis Lee finds Essie, now about 70 years old, inside. She begins to speak, but Otis Lee interrupts and suggests that she leave. Crying and shouting, he accuses her of leaving their family; Essie corrects him, saying Noni sent her away. Essie explains that her father was Leland Edgars, Jr., a White storekeeper who did not acknowledge Essie as his daughter for 15 years. Noni, who understood the risks of having a “white-looking” daughter, somehow convinced Edgars to provide a significant sum of money for Essie to start a new life in the north while she was in her teens. Essie is on the verge of telling him more when Otis Lee, who was brought up believing that Essie sold some of Noni’s land behind her back to finance her trip north, cuts her off. He sends her away before she can continue and goes to Knot’s house for a drink.

The next day, Knot checks on Otis Lee. Pep scolds her for letting him drink too much. Suspecting that Valley may have had a role in Essie’s return, Knot pays him a visit. Valley admits to helping Essie find Otis Lee in exchange for help paying his gambling debts. He is surprised to learn that Otis Lee still doesn’t know that Essie is his mother and expresses his view that Otis Lee deserves to know the truth. Knot is glad he didn’t find out, thinking the knowledge would cause him more pain.

After Eunice moves to New York, Fran and Breezy continue to date. Fran becomes pregnant, later giving birth to a girl. Two weeks after she is born, Fran calls to Knot, who is passing by, and invites her to see the baby, Cedar Marie Loving. Meanwhile, Eunice returns to West Mills after only a few months. Before Cedar begins to walk, Eunice gives birth to a son, also Breezy’s, whom she names Robert La’Roy Loving. Eunice and Breezy marry, and Knot is confused to see that Fran appears unconcerned.

A few days before Christmas, 1964, Knot is cleaning at the Penningtons’ house. She is surprised to see Otis Lee arrive in a car with Mary and her son, who are dressed in black. Mary tells Knot that their father is dead and buried, saying that they had to hurry the funeral because the Black undertaker left town and the White one wanted to charge an exorbitant price. Knot disbelieves the story and is angry with Mary, until she realizes that it was Dinah, not Mary, who did not want Knot to attend the funeral. Knot comforts Mary, who offers her a ride home. Instead, she walks with Otis Lee.

Two weeks later, Lady Waters dies of pneumonia. Fran delivers the news to Knot, who is pleased that Fran would come to her at such a difficult time. At the funeral, Knot watches Eunice conduct the choir while Fran, in the front row, cries. At the end of the service, as Phil walks out, he falls to the floor and dies shortly thereafter. Three days later, at the meal following the graveside service for Phil, Knot watches Fran struggle to eat while holding Cedar, turning down offers from various women to hold the baby. When a seat opens next to Fran, Knot takes it and instinctively holds out her arms; Fran lets her hold Cedar without a word.

After the other guests leave, Knot helps Fran clean up and offers her a drink. Fran begins to play a tune on the piano that reminds Knot of music Pratt played at Miss Goldie’s Place. Suddenly, Fran stops playing. After a moment, she asks Knot whether she drank while she was pregnant with her. Caught off guard, Knot says she drank while she was pregnant but not as much as usual. Fran begins to play more somber music. Assuming that Lady must have told Fran that Knot was her mother just before she died, Knot decides to ask a few questions in return.