- Now Lily is reminiscing about a day when she was labeling honey jars with August. While chatting during this task, Lily learned more about the origins of the black Madonna imagery.
- August also shared more information about her family and her own background.
- Then, they went on bee patrol. Lily got a bit overwhelmed thinking about everything that was weighing on her and then feeling that the bees were "comforting" her (8.115).
- Seeing that Lily was struggling with something, August said they really did need to have a talk, but Lily resisted. Instead, she hightailed it back to the house for lunch.
- When she got there, she found that May was cooking a kind of celebration lunch to commemorate five days of not having a crying fit, which she tended to have commonly.
- Over lunch, Zach announced that there were rumors that movie star Jack Palance was coming to town to take an African American woman to the movies in an attempt to help integrate the movie theater. Rosaleen's comment was, "Lord, here we go" (8.149).
- After lunch, Zach and Lily headed over to Clayton Forrest's office to drop off some honey. On a whim, while they were there (and Clayton and Zach were otherwise occupied), Lily decided to call T. Ray collect. Lily seemed to be hoping to get something out of him other than anger, but mostly he just threatened physical violence once he found her.
- Afterwards, she wrote T. Ray a letter venting her anger. She then tore it up without sending it.
- Later that night, Lily was on her way to the bathroom when she decided to go into the parlor. She prayed to Our Lady of Chains, finally able to touch her with her palm.