- That afternoon, Pearl's mom gets ready for a job interview. She's going for a job at a bookstore in addition to subbing.
- She's lost a lot of weight from running again, so she's wearing Pearl's clothes.
- Pearl can tell that they need money since her mom is taking another job. She tries to cheer her mom up about the fact that it's with books at least, which she loves.
- Her mom leaves for the interview, feeling old and tired, and for a while, Pearl tries to do her homework, but then she gets bored.
- Things are looking up when Greenie calls with news that Hickey found an envelope with her name on it in the woods.
- She bets it's from Amiel, but she can't tell Greenie that. So Pearl pretends not to know anything about it and promises to be by that afternoon to get it.