In mid-May, Annie decides to go to the address her mother left with Mr. Daniel, adamant that she needs to meet her mother to stop her obsession and save her relationship with Bobo. She convinces Babydoll to go with her.

As Annie and Babydoll make their way to the address, Babydoll warns Annie not to let her mother disappoint her. When they get there, a neighbor’s dog barks aggressively at them. When Babydoll picks up a rock to throw at it, a man comes out on the porch and scolds them. Annie explains that they are looking for Hattie. He tells them that she has been dead for about a month. Annie passes out.

When Annie comes to, two men and Babydoll are comforting her. The men introduce themselves as Sweet and Isaiah, who rented to Hattie. Sweet describes Hattie as kind, which shocks Annie because it is the first time she’s ever heard anything good about her mother. Sweet admits that he didn’t know a lot about Hattie; there was a young pregnant woman living with her, though he doesn’t know who she was.

When Annie gets home, she tells Bobo that she wants to find her mother’s grave and get a proper headstone. Although Bobo is hesitant, he supports her. A month later, Annie writes a letter to her grandmother to tell her the news. She includes five dollars to put in the tin at church to support any girl who wants to go to college.

Vernice goes to Marylinda’s home for the summer, not wanting to disturb her aunt in Dayton or return to Honeysuckle. Marylinda’s parents are welcoming despite their dislike of the McHenry family. At dinner, they debate the civil rights movement, with Marylinda pointing out that few activists have actually done anything helpful.

Vernice gets a letter from Annie explaining that her mother died. Vernice realizes that, somewhere inside, she has always been afraid that Annie would find Hattie, leaving Vernice the only one who is motherless. Despite this, she is devastated by Hattie’s death.

Marylinda’s mother allows Franklin to come over and spend time in Vernice’s room. As he sits awkwardly at the desk, Vernice notes how they have been engaged for six months but never been in a room together. He asks to move to the bed, then asks for permission to talk about work. He often works with the NAACP to help Black people fight laws in the south. He recently received a letter from a pastor about a woman killed near Augusta, Georgia. She was accused of stealing nuts from a barrel in a store. When she walked outside, the store owner came out and killed her with the handle of an axe in front of her children.

As Franklin cries, Vernice comforts him. He tells her that the case mostly made him think of Vernice and her parents. Vernice realizes that no one has ever offered her this much sympathy before; she admits that she is now truly falling in love with Franklin.

For a month, Annie grieves her mother’s death. She rarely showers, does not let Bobo touch her, and only leaves the apartment to go to work. However, one day, the woman with the tangerine lipstick returns. Seeing Annie is upset, she asks what’s wrong, and Babydoll tells her that Annie’s mother died. The woman offers sympathy and explains that Annie now has an angel in heaven—and one that is truly happy. The next morning, Annie wakes up feeling like she can move on.

Annie and her friends have several good weeks after that. Bobo gets a better job at the hotel and forms a duet playing the piano, allowing him to be happy and to bring in extra money. Clyde also gets a better job, while Babydoll and Annie earn more money at the Elektra. Annie starts bartending occasionally, making fancier drinks. She feels “normal,” especially since there is no longer any speculation about her mother.

One night, as Bobo’s band plays at the Elektra, frontman Luster Lee invites Babydoll onstage to sing with him. When the duet becomes sensual, Clyde in the crowd becomes angry. He confronts Luster Lee, who insists that, since they Clyde and Babydoll aren’t married, he is doing nothing wrong. Clyde watches the rest of the set, clearly troubled. Afterwards, he proposes to Babydoll, she accepts, and the bar celebrates. Caught up in the moment, Bobo also asks Annie to marry him, and she agrees.

The next morning, Isaiah knocks on the door and wakes Bobo and Annie. He was at church but struggling to pray, as something is weighing too much on his conscience: He lied about Hattie, who is not actually dead. He lied to protect Sweet, who liked her, because Hattie stole all their money and left, three months behind on rent. Isaiah didn’t mean to harm Annie but has felt guilty about it ever since. He gives Annie Hattie’s new address.

Bobo angrily calls Isaiah selfish for upsetting Annie all over again just to ease his own conscience. When Isaiah begs forgiveness, Bobo punches him in the face. The two fight until Clyde shows up and breaks them up. Bobo demands that Isaiah leave.

Bobo begs Annie not to go looking for her mother. He insists that she has already mourned Hattie and that her life is better now. However, Annie can’t ignore the fact that her mother is still alive and living nearby.

After Marylinda’s protests helped to desegregate Rich’s, Vernice and Mrs. McHenry go there to eat and run into Joette and her mother, Tina. Tina congratulates them both on Vernice’s engagement, then shares that Joette is engaged, too. They decide to do some wedding shopping together, choosing plateware and registry items. Joette largely ignores Vernice but then suddenly tells her mother that she is going dress shopping with Vernice. Vernice hesitates but follows.

Vernice and Joette sit outside on a bench. Joette is dreading getting married, as she wants no part of marriage or pregnancy. She invites Vernice to get on a bus with her, insisting that they can still get away together and stop pretending they aren’t in love. However, when the bus stops, Vernice turns away and goes back inside to Mrs. McHenry.

Annie writes to Vernice to update her on Hattie and her engagement to Bobo. She acknowledges that Bobo is angry at her but insistent that she needs to meet her mother. In response, Vernice expresses excitement at the news. She has talked about it with Franklin, who asked whether it was good or bad that Hattie is alive. Vernice questions whether Annie feels less like herself, as having no mother has always defined her. Annie writes back that she is trying to be angry at Hattie. She wants to confront her about leaving, but cannot bring herself to cut her from her life. She asks Vernice to come visit for a few days at Christmas, promising her a bus ticket.

A few days before Christmas, Annie prepares for Vernice to arrive. Bobo is annoyed. Their relationship has been difficult; he no longer tells her that he loves her.

Annie goes to the train bus station to get Vernice. She waits in the station and plays with a little girl, wondering if she will have a daughter of her own. However, when the girl asks to go to the bathroom, Annie realizes that there is no restroom for Black people. A woman nearby suggests that the mother take her outside, while a man offers his handkerchief. The mother hesitates, then quickly leaves the room. A few minutes later, they return, the daughter having clearly been disciplined by her mother.

Vernice arrives and Annie embraces her. They walk together back to Annie’s apartment but Vernice asks to stop on the way to sit on the steps of a church. Annie asks Vernice what’s wrong, but Vernice insists that it was just the bus ride. To get her to talk, Annie admits that she and Bobo might break up. Vernice then confesses that she is in love with someone who is wrong for her, even if she wants to be with Franklin. They cry together on the steps.

The next day, Vernice and Annie go to find Hattie. When they knock on the door, a teenage girl answers, bouncing a small baby on her hip. She introduces herself as Annie Kay. Hattie, who is Annie Kay’s mother and the baby’s as well, is sleeping. Annie introduces herself and tells Annie Kay to let Hattie know that they stopped by but won’t be back. As Annie and Vernice walk down the path, Annie sees that the newspaper covering the window is pulled back. She knows that her mother is looking out and wonders if she recognizes her. After a moment, the newspaper falls back, and they leave.

A few days after Vernice leaves, Bobo gives Annie money and tells her that he is leaving. However, seeing Annie upset, he asks what has happened. Annie she tells him that her mother has replaced her with other children. Bobo apologizes for not being there to support her and Annie is sorry for making him unhappy. They reconcile.