For the first time since Henry’s death, Cassie appraises her gaunt appearance in the mirror. Anna insists on arranging a full salon makeover for Cassie before her date with Nick. When Nick arrives, he gives Birdie a tattered copy of a Dr. Seuss book that was his childhood favorite.

At an Italian restaurant, Cassie begins to panic, overwhelmed by the reality of being on a date. Nick puts her at ease by sharing his own history: His parents died in a house fire when he was a child, and his Ukrainian grandmother, who raised him, passed away in 2003. Emboldened, Cassie tells him about Henry’s death and its impact on Birdie. After a comfortable evening, Nick walks her to the door and kisses her on the cheek. Later that night, Cassie writes about her first date with Henry in a memory journal. Then, she opens a new notebook and begins writing about her date with Nick.

In January 1933, Katya wakes to the silence of her mother’s room and realizes she has died. Alongside her grief, Katya feels a sense of relief that her mother no longer has to experience starvation and pneumonia.