Skeeter’s house does not have air conditioning, so she sleeps on a cot on the porch during the hot month of July. She remembers Constantine singing beautifully to her on the porch when she was a young girl, and wonders if she’ll ever see Constantine again. By now, Minny’s stories are typed and ready to go, and Skeeter is simply waiting and hoping to get more maids who are willing to tell their stories. Meanwhile, her mother’s health seems to be worsening.

Skeeter and Stuart have been going out for two months now, and Skeeter is falling for him. She’s never had a boyfriend before and loves the way he makes her feel. Stuart invites Skeeter and her parents to come to his parents’ house for dinner in a few weeks, and as things grow more serious between them, Skeeter feels the need to know more about Patricia, his ex-fiancé. However, Stuart won’t tell Skeeter what Patricia did; not even his father knows the whole story.

One morning, when Pascagoula gets Skeeter her usual breakfast, Skeeter thinks about all the preferences Pascagoula has to remember for everyone in the house, and for the first time, thanks her sincerely. Pascagoula says Yule May is her cousin and wants to help with the stories.