Homecoming

Dicey wakes feeling refreshed. She takes a shower, which empowers her to continue on their journey. Her siblings meet her at the bathroom door, taking turns in the shower. When Dicey prepares to leave, Windy and Stewart insist on feeding the children breakfast and driving them to Bridgeport, a plan that brings Dicey immense relief. A journey that would take another four days will end in a few hours. However, when Stewart checks his wallet to loan Windy money, his cash is missing. Dicey quickly reasons James stole the money. She explodes at James, wanting to hurt him with her words. Dicey forces James to apologize to Stewart; he does so without remorse, declaring that Stewart can afford to lose $20, and they will all die anyway. Stewart agrees with James that the lost $20 wouldn’t hurt him as much as it would help James; however, Stewart states his desire to die an honorable man, and he encourages James to adopt the same goal.

Though Dicey assumes Windy and Stewart won’t want to help them anymore, the young men insist on feeding and driving the Tillermans. Looking at a map, Dicey realizes Aunt Cilla’s house is nowhere near a beach, though her house resides on “Ocean Drive.” Though Sammy feels eager to see his mother and strongly believes Liza will be at Aunt Cilla’s house, Dicey, James, and Stewart decide to stop at the beach on the way to Bridgeport. Dicey shares her worries with Stewart about Aunt Cilla not accepting four children into her house, and she’s certain Liza won’t be present. She thanks Stewart for his kindness, especially for taking the children to the beach. Stewart encourages Dicey to keep the siblings together at all costs.

They finish their journey to Aunt Cilla’s house, and Stewart drives away while the children wave goodbye. The house looks plain, unkempt, and empty, shattering the children’s belief that Aunt Cilla is wealthy. Nervous, Dicey approaches the front door and knocks.

No one answers the children’s knocks, which the children observe as odd; they believe Aunt Cilla is quite old, as she is technically Liza’s aunt. Sammy remains hopeful that Liza found a job and will return from work at the day’s end. They wait all day, watching the neighbors come and go. Finally, a woman dressed in all black approaches, looking frightful. The children explain their relationship with Aunt Cilla, and the woman explains that she is Cousin Eunice, Aunt Cilla’s daughter. Cilla died several months prior. Eunice invites the children inside and serves them tea.

Dicey considers lying to Eunice, unsure if she can trust the woman. She finds it odd that Aunt Cilla never mentioned her daughter in her letters to Liza. Eunice tells the children about their grandmother, though she’s not sure if she’s still living. Dicey apologizes to Sammy, explaining that their mother is still missing. He cries while Dicey explains their situation to Eunice. Eunice excuses herself to make a phone call to her Catholic spiritual advisor. She then instructs Dicey to walk to the convenience store and purchase TV dinners and a light cake to go with tea. Father Joseph joins the family for dinner.

Dicey tucks her younger siblings into bed before speaking with Father Joseph and Eunice. With Father Joseph’s encouragement, Eunice agrees to look after the children for now, though she ensures Dicey understands this will not be a permanent arrangement. Sammy and Maybeth will attend summer camp programs at the church while James takes summer school classes. Dicey will perform domestic chores while Eunice works during the day. In the meantime, Father Joseph will attempt to locate another family member for the children. Eunice believes her mother, Cilla, became estranged from her sister, Abigail, the Tillerman children’s grandmother. She knows Abigail’s address in Maryland; Abigail never responded to Eunice’s invitation to Cilla’s funeral. Dicey memorizes the town's name in Maryland as Eunice recalls Abigail’s husband worked as a farmer.

Father Joseph and Eunice pass judgment when Dicey explains her parents were never married. She defends Liza, reporting that her mother is kind and sensible; she doesn’t have boyfriends, and all siblings have the same mother and father. Eunice expresses disapproval of Dicey speaking firmly to Father Joseph. Father Joseph encourages Dicey to file a missing persons report for Liza, though Dicey hesitates to talk to the police. Dicey falls asleep mentally repeating her grandmother’s address.

Eunice wakes Dicey early, and Dicey momentarily forgets where she is. Eunice leaves Dicey with a long list of chores and instructions. She mentions Father Joseph will stop by to collect the three younger children and enroll them at the church school. Dicey spends the morning dusting and grocery shopping, mindful of Eunice’s request to eat fish on Friday. She buys a red ball for Sammy and feels proud of herself when watching her siblings play together. Father Joseph delivers a bag of nice dress clothes for the children before leaving with James, Sammy, and Maybeth. He returns with a police officer, who asks Dicey about Liza. Crass and insensitive, the officer explains that if Liza is dead, they will know sooner than if she is missing.

James especially seems excited about their new school, though Maybeth remains quiet about her day. James finds the priests intelligent and likes how they treat him respectfully. Eunice returns home from work exhausted; she works as a foreman in a sewing factory and is on her feet most of the day. Eunice explains how Cilla would prepare dinner for her every evening, and Dicey mentally notes the time to have supper on the table. Eunice is disappointed that Dicey didn’t wash the windows or wet mop the floor. Dicey explains that the children need new underwear, shoes, and, ideally, play clothes so as not to dirty the nicer items Father Joseph donated. Eunice seems overwhelmed with the chores and mounting expenses accompanying the children. She leaves for a religious studies class, telling Dicey to have the children in bed before she returns home.

Dicey grows weary of her daily routine of caring for the children, keeping Eunice’s house clean, and preparing dinner for Eunice at the same time every day. She realizes her fatigue could be stemming from their long, arduous journey. Summoned to the police station, Dicey learns that her mother hasn’t yet been located. The authorities found the Tillermans’ car; they will sell it and send money to Dicey, but she shouldn’t expect much. The police officer scolds Dicey for not reporting her mother missing sooner, seemingly unsympathetic to her situation.

Dicey feels disconnected from her siblings as they advance in their new lives. She looks through Cilla’s photo albums and finds pictures of her grandmother, Abigail. Father Joseph summons Dicey to his office. He reports on his investigation into Dicey’s family tree. The Tillerman children’s father is Francis Verricker, who worked as a merchant mariner when he met Liza. All four children’s birth certificates list him as their father, much to Father Joseph’s surprise. The police search for him, and Father Joseph wants to see him accept responsibility for his children. Their grandmother still lives in Maryland alone; her husband died several years prior. Father Joseph believes that Dicey’s grandfather was physically, verbally, and psychologically abusive to his children, explaining why the family doesn’t keep in contact.

Father Joseph changes the topic of conversation to Dicey’s younger siblings. He labels Maybeth with the r-word and doesn’t believe that she reads or practices math at home. Moreover, Sammy’s teachers find him a nuisance. Father Joseph suggests that Dicey consider the benefits of a “loving” foster home or adoption for Sammy and Maybeth. He thinks James would make a good fit for some of the parishioner’s families, as he is academically gifted. Dicey feels older than she should as she leaves Father Joseph’s office without expressing gratitude.

Dicey receives a check in the mail for $57 for the sale of the Tillerman family car. She cashes the check and hides the money from Eunice. Dicey secures work at several grocery stores, washing windows and restocking items; she earns an average of $30 per week. The negotiations of her contracts and work outside the home satisfy Dicey more than the housework and childcare she completes daily. Eunice seems increasingly uncomfortable with the children in her house, regularly lamenting about how much more work she must do, though Dicey completes all domestic chores and parental responsibilities. Eunice scolds Sammy for fighting at school, but James is pleased with his brother’s boldness. James and Eunice argue about the significance of knowledge over duty, Eunice believing duty trumps all other pursuits.

Eunice summons Dicey to tea after the younger children are tucked into bed. She explains her ambition of becoming a nun, though she must sacrifice this dream to care for the Tillermans. However, she thinks this is God’s plan. Father Joseph encouraged Eunice to share her previous life plan with Dicey so she can better understand why Eunice occasionally feels sad. Father Joseph also suggested Eunice adopt Dicey, James, and Maybeth. Eunice believes doing so would make her a good Christian woman, though she doesn’t feel she can handle Sammy’s misbehavior. Eunice believes Dicey could be her daughter; she thinks Maybeth might want to become a nun. Dicey wants to scream at Eunice that the children already have a mother; she refuses to be separated from her siblings. Dicey wants to run away from the table but holds her composure.

The heat of August settles over Bridgeport. Maybeth accompanies Eunice to church every Sunday. Eunice’s friends compliment Maybeth for being pretty and quiet while insinuating she will make a good wife someday. Dicey dislikes this attempted indoctrination. Eunice invites Dicey to sit with her for tea every evening, during which Eunice laments about her life and sacrifices, many of which were made while Cilla was still alive. Dicey feels sorry for her and wishes she could pursue her dream of becoming a nun.

Dicey meets with Maybeth’s teacher, who expresses concern about Maybeth’s mental and academic abilities. The teacher refuses to believe Dicey’s claims that Maybeth reads, writes, and completes simple math problems at home. Dicey adamantly advocates for Maybeth, but her teacher pushes Dicey to consider a state institution for Maybeth. Dicey asks to check Maybeth out of her school program early. She also collects Sammy, who sports a bruised eye and bloody lip from a playground scuffle. Sammy explains another boy teased him about being placed in foster care soon.

The police return to Eunice’s house; they inform Dicey that Liza is in a psychiatric hospital where she is in a catatonic state. The doctors don’t expect her prognosis ever to improve. Father Joseph accompanies the police officer with documentation for Eunice to become the Tillermans’ official guardian. Dicey understands that Eunice won’t permanently allow Sammy or Maybeth to live with her. Sammy remains hopeful that Liza will improve.

Having finally saved enough bus fare, Dicey intends to visit her grandmother, Abigail, in Maryland. She wants to scout the family farm and gauge Abigail’s interest in caring for all four siblings. However, James discovers Dicey’s plan. Though James loves his school, he insists on accompanying Dicey with Sammy and Maybeth. Dicey leaves a note for Eunice, informing her of their plan and telling Eunice to pursue her dream of becoming a nun. The children depart for the bus station.