Summary

Roy recalls how, after his release, he looked at his family’s names inside the family Bible. He recounts running into Davina Hardrick, an old friend, at Walmart. Davina invited him to her house for a home-cooked meal. During the meal, Davina asked if Roy was still married. She then asked if he had seen her 17-year-old son in prison; he says he had not. Later, after a couple rounds of drinks, Davina and Roy had sex: “Two days after I got out of prison, she laid me out on her bed and took care of me” (271). Davina allowed Roy to enter her without protection.

The narrative shifts to Celestial’s memories of her mother teaching her to pray. She explains that around the time of Roy's release she began...