- The poem that starts this chapter is different from the others. It's about grief, so, you know, brace yourselves.
- "Grief is a house" (10.21), Lennie says. She goes on to describe a nonfunctional house, one where the chairs forget to hold, mirrors to reflect, and walls to contain.
- Cut to Lennie freaking out about packing Bailey's things. She has the boxes, she's kneeling in front of Bailey's stuff, but she can't handle the idea of Bailey never touching that stuff again.
- Lennie wonders if her mother felt anything when Bailey died.
- Gram always explained that her mother had the family "restless gene," which is why she left.
- Lennie opens her curtain, unprompted, and sees Toby on the grass.
- Lennie and Toby go on a night walk to the river. But while Lennie inwardly vows not to kiss him, we are raising our eyebrows.
- Both Toby and Lennie confess that they feel everything more intensely now that Bailey's gone; Lennie says she feels guilty for being the sister who is still alive.
- Toby talks about the plans he and Bailey made for their wedding, Lennie starts crying, and then they start kissing.
- Another poem sort of explains, or attempts to explain, the kissing: When Lennie's with Toby, the house of grief feels less scary because he can walk through the rooms beside her.