While Mary Call is walking down the plowed country road to town, Mr. Connell stops and offers her a lift to the hospital to visit Kiser. First, he takes her to a cafe for breakfast. Afterward, she notes three churches in one block, but Mr. Connell assures her people are “just running scared like everybody else” (153).

This is the first time Mary Call has ever been inside a hospital. She is surprised to see it is not very clean, efficient, or bright. Kiser actually looks somewhat pleased to see her. He has had a rough time, not being able to eat and thinking no one cares about him since he hasn’t heard from his sister. He asks about Devola, Roy Luther, and the animals. Without fanfare, Mary Call asks Kiser to marry her. He cannot believe his ears, his body jerking and shifting. He agrees, though he rattles off all the ways he will take care of Devola and the family. Mary Call stops him, reiterating that she is asking him to marry her, because she promised her father that Devola would never marry Kiser. Kiser reveals he is actually 30.