The next day, Delsie finds Ronan walking to Henry’s house. Ronan brings Henry a box of eels to use as bait to apologize for losing the pole. Ronan promises to one day pay in full for the pole, but Henry asks him to promise him to let the subject go.

Delsie sits outside watching through the windows of Henry and Esme’s house. Olive approaches and tells her the history of Olive’s father growing one of the neighborhood trees and hanging Christmas lights on it. She reminisces about her parents and says that they were not demonstrative in their affection but were good people. She then says that some people “love plenty” but struggle to show their love, unlike Henry and Esme. She tells Delsie that she would “have to count all the waves in the ocean to know how much [Grammy] loves [her]” (178). Looking at the Laskos, Olive wishes she had learned to show affection freely like Esme.

Delsie realizes that both she and Olive are orphans. Delsie asks Olive about her mother, and Olive claims that Mellie was “careless.” However, Olive also tells Delsie that she has “faith” in Delsie and that she thinks one day Delsie will win the Boston Marathon.