Damnation Spring

On the way home from the dentist, Rich and Chub visit the cemetery and pay their respects to Chub’s dead grandparents, as well as to his miscarried little sister. At home, Rich sees Colleen wince when Chub jumps on her, so he asks if she is somehow pregnant. Colleen snaps back, “How could I be?” (178) and says she just has cramps.

Colleen gossips with her sister Enid and their great-aunt Gertie. The topic of Helen’s baby arises: It turns out that it too was born without a brain. Colleen remembers Melody’s baby and bursts into tears. Her period has finally come and it is a heavy one. Gertie mentions another similar case and notes, as Eugene washes his infant Alsea in cold water, that the baby doesn’t seem to be feeling the cold. Gertie also thinks Alsea should be crawling already, but so far she is not.

The two families grill together. Colleen worries Marla will reveal her secret to Rich. She fends off a joke from Enid about being pregnant, still angry about her lack of intimacy with Rich.