Summary

The family gathers after Abby’s cremation and tries to plan a funeral. They inevitably turn to blaming each other for not keeping a closer eye on Abby. Stem goes to the study to see if Abby had left instructions for them. He finds a collection of poems and journals, letters, and photos in a bottom drawer. Red joins him and goes through some of the papers and photos. He can’t bring himself to read the journals or poems. Stem finds an unmarked manila envelope and reads the contents. Stem goes white as a ghost.

The papers are an agreement between Stem’s birth mother and Abby. Abby agrees to keep his birth mother’s identity a secret until she is ready to assume full time custody. Stem asks Red of the signature meant that his mother was really BJ Autry, the woman...