The Strawberry Patch Pancake House

Early on a June morning, Iris wakes up feeling unwell in her bedroom at Archer’s house. Despite her illness, she agrees to attend Dream Harbor’s first Strawberry Fields Forever Festival when Olive excitedly reminds her of her promise. Archer suggests that she rest instead, but Iris insists on going. Before leaving, she vomits.

At the bustling festival held at Logan Anders’s farm, Archer buys Olive new strawberry hair clips from Bernadette’s craft stand. Olive becomes excited seeing the baby animals on display. When Ivy tells Olive to ask her “mom” for goat food, Olive firmly corrects her, stating that Iris is “just [her] nanny” (300). This casual clarification visibly upsets Iris. Hazel provides quarters for the goat food machine, and the girls—Olive, Ivy, and Cece—visit Kira’s bunny hutch to hold the rabbits named Cookie, Alexander, and Stormy. While watching Olive with the bunny, Iris feels emotional about their connection.

Later, Archer and Iris share a private laugh and briefly hold hands. When Olive catches them, she asks Archer if he was holding Iris’s hand, and he tells her yes, but only because he didn’t want Iris to get lost. Olive then instructs him to “hold Iris’s again so she doesn’t get lost” (305).