Momly and Maddy drop Patty off at school on their way to a field trip at a local farm with Maddy’s class. Patty jokes that Maddy should sit in the front seat, to which Momly snaps “No, Patty, she is not'' (149). This foreshadows the car accident that Momly and Maddy get in after dropping Patty off at school.

Uncle Tony picks up Patty from school in the middle of class and informs her that something has happened. Patty’s thoughts turn to Ma, but he assures her that Ma is fine, but that Maddy and Momly were in a car accident. Patty reels from anxiety over whether Maddy and Momly have been seriously injured or even killed in the crash. Uncle Tony informs Patty that he has not yet called her mother, and that he wants to wait to call her until they have a better understanding of what’s happened.

Uncle Tony and Patty arrive at the hospital and learn that both Momly and Maddy are alive. Maddy has sustained no injuries, but Momly has a concussion and a broken arm. Momly’s doctor, Dr. Lancaster, assures the family that Momly will be fine, but Maddy is anxious that the doctors will have to “anfiltrate” (amputate) Momly’s arm (159).