It is the middle of January when Ruth is discharged from the hospital. Ruth has been diagnosed with toxemia, which she looks up to learn that it means “arrow poison.” Ruth stays with her Aunt Sid, waiting for her baby to be born in May. Aunt Sid goes to school to conduct the choir every day, but she has rented Ruth a hospital bed and equipped her room with records and audiobooks for her. She finally gets to see Justy, who begins to attend daycare in a home across the street. Ruth notices that Justy is quiet but that he cries at night. She wonders whether she will ever be able to heal his trauma left by the violence he witnessed.

Matt calls Ruth regularly, and Aunt Sid encourages Ruth to be receptive and agreeable. One day, when Aunt Sid is away at choir rehearsal, Ruth finds a letter addressed to Aunt Sid from Matt, postmarked the day after her wedding. The letter reveals that Matt and Aunt Sid both disapprove of Ruth's marriage to Ruby. Matt also admits that he has taken pains to distance himself from both his overly attentive mother and his abusive sister. The letter makes Ruth feel conspired against and betrayed.