Summary

This chapter begins before all of the other young men whose stories are told in the other chapters have died. Ward has earned two college degrees and her father now has six more children with four different women. Ward says that this chapter is where all of the other stories come together.

Ward moves home in April 2000 after completing her masters coursework at Stanford. She has missed being at home. She has felt lonely, confused, small, and alone in the big world outside of Mississippi. Her mother and Joshua, who is now 19, pick her up at the airport. Nerissa is now 17 and Charine is 14.

Ward and Joshua wake at noon each day after Nerissa and Charine have left for school and her mother has gone to work. Ward fills out endless job applications. Despite her degrees she is unable to find a...