Summary

Chapter 11 opens after the passing of another few months and focuses on Georgie, whom Clover Tobin has taken “door to door to spread the Good Word” (138). Georgie is now six months pregnant with a child fathered by David, who has since returned home from the CAIL mission, but Georgie claims, “He’ll be back to me once he sorts things out” (143).

Clover leads Georgie up to the steps of her old brothel and forces her to preach to Maureen. Maureen sees Georgie’s discomfort and invites her in. As Georgie attempts to explain CAIL, Maureen consistently responds with light-hearted cynicism about Christian missions and Georgie’s motivations for joining one. Maureen tells Georgie that the home was once a brothel, and from her reaction realizes that Georgie once worked in the building. This leads Maureen to tell Georgie that she mothered the...