On the day Isla is scheduled to leave, Cal hitchhikes across Lewis to visit his mother, Grace, avoiding goodbyes at home. On the moor, he meets his younger half-sister, Abby, who is returning from a dance competition with her friends.

At Grace’s unfinished house, Cal is greeted by his other half-siblings, Thomas and Bella. He also sees his uncle, Uilleam Macleod—Grace’s partner and John’s brother—who is has a degenerative illness that causes severe confusion and delusions. Grace confronts Cal about his seven-week absence and the faded bruises on his face. She explains that Uilleam’s condition is worsening and recounts a recent encounter where she saw John hiding and watching her at the supermarket.

Cal asks for money, and Grace gives him about £20. After he plays with the children in the rain, Grace reveals that his grandmother, Ella, plans to assign the tenancy of the family croft to her, to be held in trust for Cal, placing John in a precarious position. Furious, Cal accuses Grace of trying to shame his father and asserts she is the reason the family fell apart. He suspects John already knows about the plan through local gossip. As they argue, Ella arrives at the house.