Long Shot

Iris discovers that her journal is missing. She accuses Caleb of taking it, and he becomes violent. He pushes her onto the bed and holds a gun to her. He threatens to use the gun if she doesn’t open her legs so that he can penetrate her. He rapes her, promising to kill her if she tells anyone about this or tries to leave again.

August has surgery and recovers back home in Baltimore. He wakes from a dream of Iris. His mother, Susan, stays by his side and nurses him. Jared is there, too. They talk about August’s injury and basketball future. His healing will take “at least eight months” (157).

A social-services employee comes to the house to check on Sarai. Caleb filed a report against Iris, and Iris insists that she is innocent. The agent confirms that Sarai shows no signs of abuse. After she leaves, Caleb rapes Iris again.

Caleb has his brother, Andrew, tend to Iris’s injuries. Andrew is a medical student. Iris begs Andrew for help escaping Caleb. Andrew insists that he can’t do anything, especially because she and Caleb are engaged. A horrified Iris looks down to see MiMi’s ring replaced with a diamond ring.

August continues recovering at home. He digs through his father’s old basketball memorabilia while thinking about Caleb. He wasn’t punished for his dirty play. He hopes Iris is okay. Later, he and Susan look through old photos and talk about Perry. Then, August opens up about Iris. Susan suggests that Iris is still with Caleb because of Sarai. She encourages him to be patient and “[l]et the game come to [him]” (174).

August gets in touch with Sylvia about volunteering in Baltimore. He is thrilled by this opportunity to reach his community while recovering. He is even more excited when he learns that Iris will be there, too.

Iris grows accustomed to Caleb’s abuse. He continues to threaten, beat, and rape her. Meanwhile, she tells herself that she’ll find a way out. The night before her volunteering job in town, Caleb threatens to kill her again if she tries to rebel.

Ramone chauffeurs Iris and Sarai to the volunteer site. There, she meets fellow volunteers Sheila and Torrie. Iris likes them but feels upset when they start talking about another volunteer woman who’s in an abusive relationship. They suggest that the woman should just leave her husband if he’s violent. Then, August shows up. A shocked Iris flees.

August catches up to Iris. She calms down and asks about his recovery. They chat until Sylvia interrupts. Afterward, August’s mind races. He saw Iris’s ring and now fears that she’ll go through with marrying Caleb.

August tries to refocus and gives a talk to middle schoolers about his basketball career. Afterward, he sees Iris and Sarai and becomes overwhelmed by emotion. Iris informs him she’s in a tough position but is figuring things out for herself and Sarai. Jared appears as Iris is leaving, surprised that August and Iris know each other. He confronts August about his feelings for Iris, warning him not to get involved with her because of Caleb.

Ramone stays close to Iris and Sarai throughout the rest of their time at the community center. Iris replays her encounter with August, wondering if he still cares for her and if they might have a future. At the end of the day, Iris breaks away from Ramone and the volunteers to meet August on the basketball court. They play HORSE, joke around, and talk about their lives. Iris admits that she and Lotus are in a fight. She takes off Caleb’s ring, musing on her and Lotus’s rings from MiMi. Then, August wraps Iris in a hug. Just as they’re about to kiss, Ramone appears and demands that Iris leave.

The next day, Iris avoids August at the community center. He can’t make sense of what’s happening. Finally, he asks to speak with her and leads her into a utility closet. They admit that they have feelings for each other. August takes off her ring, and Iris pockets it. They engage in oral sex. Iris momentarily pulls away, convinced that she heard Caleb. August reminds her that he’s out of town, but a nervous Iris insists that she has to leave.

Iris opens the closet to find Caleb standing outside. August begs Iris not to go with Caleb, but she insists that she has to leave for Sarai’s sake.

A fuming Caleb drives Iris and Sarai home. Caleb attacks Iris and rapes her again. Afterward, Iris taunts Caleb, revealing that she orgasmed with August. When Caleb attacks her again, Iris fights back, but Caleb doesn’t back down, eventually knocking her unconscious.

Andrew appears to nurse Iris’s wounds again. She begs him to help her, but Andrew insists that he can’t. Iris refuses to let him tend to her injuries and demands that he leave. Afterward, she contacts Lotus using their code word.

Lotus arrives at Iris’s house, pushing past Ramone. She’s horrified by Iris’s injuries and shepherds her out. Iris promises to tell her everything once they’ve escaped.

Lotus takes Iris to the doctor. They get photos of her injuries and medical confirmation that she was raped and abused. Then, she and Lotus meet with Caleb; his father, Donald Bradley; and Caleb’s agent, Maury. Iris offers to sign a non-disclosure agreement if Caleb lets her go and doesn’t pursue custody of Sarai. Otherwise, she will go to the police and ruin Caleb’s career. Donald and Maury accept the deal. Afterward, Lotus helps Iris return home to Louisiana with Sarai.

At the community center, Sylvia informs August that Iris won’t be volunteering with them any longer. August is worried but has no way of finding Iris. He asks Jared, but Jared urges August to let her go. Then, August runs into Caleb. He confronts him about Iris and Sarai’s whereabouts. Caleb insists that August will never find her, implying that Iris was using him for his money and ran off after she got what she wanted. August is skeptical but doesn’t know what to believe. He desperately hopes that Iris is okay.