With Lulabelle’s recommendation, Annie and her friends find a place to stay, and Bobo gets a job working at a hotel. Annie writes four letters. To her grandmother, she sends two dollars, apologizes for leaving like she did, and assures her that she is safe. To Vernice, she describes her relationship with Bobo, insisting that she is in love and that he treats her well. To Mr. Daniel, she writes for a letter of recommendation to get a job in a bar in Memphis. She also asks him for advice for what to say to her mother. Last, to Lulabelle, Annie thanks her for everything and for being the only one that has ever shown her maternal love. Their relationship gives Annie hope that her birth mother can love her the same way even though they’ve never met.

Mr. Daniel responds first. He urges Annie not to seek out her mother, insisting that Hattie will only disappoint her. He does enclose a letter of recommendation like she asked, wishing her luck. Her grandmother thanks her for the money, warns her not to get pregnant as Annie’s grandmother does not want to raise any more of her family’s children, and urges her to visit at Christmas. Vernice responds that she is heartbroken that Annie chose to leave. She is happy for Annie, but wants her to reevaluate how she treats people. Lulabelle’s letter comes via a young woman who writes for Lulabelle. In it, Lulabelle urges Annie to stop looking for her mother and not to return to Lulabelle’s, instead Annie should “live [her] life” (141).

Vernice enjoys learning how to improve her social life, practicing how to pronounce words, and focusing on dressing appropriately for different occasions. Joette helps her, taking her to the theater and bridge games with other wealthy girls. Vernice and Joette fall in love, with Vernice noting that Joette helps her explore both her body and her mind. However, when they talk about their relationship, Vernice insists that she wants a husband and children one day.

Alumnae often visit Spelman College, which excites Vernice but annoys Joette. Many of them know Joette’s parents, so they scold her for her clothes or her behavior. They also gently correct Vernice’s dress and grammar, which Vernice takes as an opportunity to improve. One alumna, Mrs. McHenry, likes Vernice because she knows Miss Jemison.

One day in early spring, Annie and Babydoll are walking in Memphis when they see a sign seeking help in the Elektra bar. Inside, owner Mr. Wilson immediately hires Babydoll because of how attractive she is. Babydoll insists that he hire Annie, too. Annie works as a janitor while Babydoll serves drinks. Bobo continues to work at the hotel but also gets involved with a jazz band, largely playing at events for white people. Although Bobo loves it, he is bothered by the fact that they are only allowed to be there while playing; they are treated disrespectfully and sent away as soon as they are done with their set.

One afternoon, Mrs. McHenry invites Vernice over for tea. Her husband used to be a doctor, but is now a lawyer. The McHenrys have three sons: The eldest is a doctor, the middle one is a writer outside the United States, and the youngest son, Franklin, is a lawyer like his father. Mrs. McHenry warns Vernice that Franklin was prone to illness when he was younger and now walks with a limp. He picks Vernice up and takes her to their home.

In the sunroom, over sandwiches and tea, Mrs. McHenry speaks about her life: She grew up impoverished and worked hard to go to college. She sees some of herself in Vernice. When she asks Vernice about her past, Vernice tells her about her parents’ deaths; Mrs. McHenry praises her for honesty.

At the end of the afternoon, Mrs. McHenry explains that she believes the Lord brought them together for a reason: Vernice must marry Franklin so that they can become a family.

One day, Annie is convinced that a woman coming out of the bathroom at the Elektra is her mother. Before Annie can stop herself, she goes up to the woman, calling her “Hattie Lee” and introducing herself. In response, the woman spills her drink, then demands another from the owner. Embarrassed, Annie hides in the back.

That night, Annie talks with Bobo about what happened. He also complains about his job, expressing his desire to return to Louisiana to work for an oil company. He suggests that Annie work at the Peabody hotel with him as a bathroom attendant, citing better hours and the fact that they can be together. Annie claims she can’t leave Babydoll alone at the bar; in reality, she is hoping to see her mother and knows Hattie would never come to a fancy hotel.

Each Sunday, Vernice goes to church with the McHenry family, and then back to their home. One day, her visit runs long, causing Vernice to miss curfew. Franklin drives her back to campus. On the way, he promises to be patient with Vernice but asks if there is hope that they will ever be together. Vernice is unsure how to answer.

When they get to campus, Franklin explains that he had polio as a child. Vernice should consider his limp as proof of his strength as a survivor. She watches him walk as he comes around the car to open her door. He pulls her into an embrace and then gives her his business card in case she gets in trouble for missing curfew.

Inside, Joette is waiting for Vernice. They go back to their room, where Joette criticizes Vernice for having been with a man. Vernice counters that she did not sleep with him, and points out that they will both need to get married someday. She climbs into bed with Joette, who puts her arm around her.

Annie writes back to Vernice. She expresses her excitement at Vernice having two paramours, though she is disappointed that Vernice didn’t give their names. She acknowledges the predicament that Vernice is in: The first lover makes her incredibly happy, while the second is wealthy and has a good family. She asks Vernice for more information.

Vernice notes how different things are in Atlanta for Black people. Although segregation still exists, many of the Black-only sections are significantly better than those in Honeysuckle. For example, the only movie theater in Honeysuckle only has a tiny section for Black people, and there are rarely enough working seats. In Atlanta, there is a large, luxurious movie theater, where the Black section has functioning seats as well as concessions.

One night, Franklin takes Vernice to the movie theater to see Some Like It Hot. She enjoys being with him and they hold hands throughout. During intermission, Vernice looks over the balcony into the white seating. She spots Marylinda with her father. She is shocked by how light skinned he is, but Franklin explains that he is actually a white man from Brooklyn who passed as Black to move to the south and marry his Black girlfriend. Vernice is upset that Marylinda is championing Black rights while also living life as a white person, but Franklin believes that “everybody needs to take a break sometimes” (177).

A few days later, as Vernice and Joette prepare for bed, Vernice says that she needs a break from their relationship now that she has a boyfriend. Joette bitterly asks if Franklin knows that Vernice also has a girlfriend.

Annie continues seeing her mother in various women at the Elektra. One night in early winter, a woman wearing tangerine lipstick comes in and sits at the bar. Annie gives her nuts, then helps her get a drink. Before approaching her, she asks Babydoll for advice. Babydoll calls her deluded, insisting that she needs to be careful about making scenes at work. That night, Annie stays up until Bobo gets home. She tells him about her experience, but gets upset when he sides with Babydoll.

At Christmas, Mr. Wilson has a staff party. He recently learned that Annie could make mixed drinks from her time in Louisiana at Mr. Daniel’s bar. As she makes him one, the tangerine-lipstick woman comes into the bar. She asks to join the party; when Mr. Wilson turns her away, Annie calls out to her. Babydoll tries to stop Annie, but Annie pushes around her and runs out into the street calling her mother’s name. By then, the woman is gone, so Annie sits alone on the curb. Eventually she returns to the party.

On their walk home, Babydoll again warns Annie about upsetting people in the bar. She insists that Annie is ruining Babydoll’s own chances of working there, as people see them as a package. When Annie gets home, she writes to Vernice, asking if Vernice thinks Annie is deluding herself about seeing her mother in various women. Annie describes another incident: when Bobo was playing music at the Eureka Hotel, Annie and Babydoll went to watch, then a couple joined them at their table. Annie became convinced that the woman was her mother and started asking personal questions to get more information until the couple got up and left. During intermission, Bobo angrily scolded Annie for her obsession. Annie ends the letter by insisting that “wanting to find [her] mother is the most normal thing in the world” (187), despite what everyone says.