About a week later, Ms. Clayton picks up an envelope from the mail at the rented office. She presents it to the girls the next day. Inside, they find a letter from Natalie’s mom attached to a copy of the manuscript. There are dozens of markings throughout the manuscript. The letter indicates that it is time for Cassandra Day to begin polishing the book. Hannah Nelson has marked up page after page with suggestions and edits. Natalie feels overwhelmed by how much work she now must do and discouraged that the book has so much to fix. Ms. Clayton tries to encourage Natalie, pointing out the praise for the book in her mother’s letter. Zoe tells Natalie to stop whining because now this is in her hands. The girls get heated for a moment before Ms. Clayton calms them down. 

As they leave school, Zoe stops Natalie and apologizes. Zoe feels powerless now that everything is out of her hands. Natalie expresses that she wishes they’d never done this because it put her mother’s job at risk and now Natalie has a load of work. Natalie worries no one will buy the book anyway.