Summary

In 44: She Cried, Stella returns home to find Mrs. Hawkins and Mrs. Winston tending to Mama, in addition to Papa. Papa admits to Stella and Jojo that there is no way of knowing if she will survive. Suddenly, Mrs. Odom and her daughter Claudia arrive with Dr. Hawkins. Mrs. Odom, who owns an automobile, drove to Raleigh and back to retrieve him. Dr. Hawkins dispenses the antivenom to Mama. He tells Stella that her work cleaning and treating Mama’s wound is likely what kept her alive long enough for him to arrive. Finally, Stella cries.

45: Snakes is the latest edition of Stella’s Star Sentinel. She thanks everyone who helped her family with Mama’s recovery. She also notes new facts she learned about snakes from a book that Mrs. Grayson brought her. Stella notes that Mama might...