Brady's father catches him dumping the crabs overboard, but it's too late to save more than a couple of bushels. When the two return home, Brady returns to his room and listens to his parents talking worriedly about him. His mother eventually calls Carl and asks him to come over.

Brady's parents leave to give him and Carl some privacy. Carl returns Brady's coat, which Brady had wrapped around Ben to keep him warm. Carl begins to talk about his experiences as an emergency worker. Accepting a death can be difficult even for professionals, he says, but there's ultimately nothing to do but "talk it out and put it behind you so you can move forward" (64). Brady nearly opens up about what he's feeling, but before he can, Carl stands up to leave. Brady does manage, however, to ask one question before Carl leaves, wondering why Ben died after having been revived. Carl explains that Ben contracted pneumonia from inhaling water, and repeats that Brady wasn't to blame for his death.

Brady decides to try to move on by packing away his LEGOs and studying for anschool test. When he goes to school the next day, though, he feels isolated and awkward.