Ruby

From her bed, Ruby watches Ephram cleaning the house. She imagines the way various acquaintances from New York would react to him. Because he is not a charity chase and would decline their pity, they would all unite in “one common hypocritical judgment against this singular Black man” (171). As Ephram moves around the house, he continues to track the powder around. He feels sick and pained.

At eleven thirty, a crowd of men arrives at Ruby’s door to fetch Ephram for Junie’s funeral. He assures her he will be back.

At church, Righteous Polk prepares for the service. She remembers the fate of her daughter Honey. At 16, Honey was impregnated by a traveling reverend named Swanson. Honey left the church and abandoned her son to live with a girlfriend. Righteous and her church friends dragged Honey back to Liberty and performed a grueling exorcism on her. Shortly afterward Honey died by suicide. Righteous blames herself for not saving her daughter’s soul.

Junie’s funeral is a performative affair. The guests arrive in their Sunday best, and the women of the Rankin family compete to prove who loved him the most. After the burial, Chauncy heckles Ephram for spending time with Ruby. Ephram’s distress compels him to throw up.