- A year passes before Mary Beth works up the courage to get in touch with Pearl.
- It's at a football game, and she tells Pearl she's sorry about what happened to Hoyt.
- She wanted to go to the funeral, but Robby asked her not to come. She doesn't get why.
- Pearl explains it's because of the affair she had with Hoyt.
- Huh? Mary Beth didn't have an affair with Hoyt—that was all one big misunderstanding.
- She was over one day and Hoyt went upstairs to get her an address. Naturally she followed him there, but at that exact second, Robby came home.
- Since both Mary Beth and Hoyt were in the room together, they thought it might look weird for Robby to see them up there together. So she hid.
- Later, as she was leaving, they laughed about it. She leaned in to tell him goodbye, they kissed accidently, and she left. There was absolutely no affair.
- Pearl knows the story is far-fetched, but she believes Mary Beth.
- She sits down and writes a letter to Robby explaining everything—he might not be talking to her, but he deserves to know the truth.
- A month and a half later, Robby sends a note to her mom thanking Pearl for the letter.
- Pearl also writes a letter to Agnès, taking the blame for Hoyt's death.
- Agnès sends back a note telling her that a fault acknowledged is already halfway forgiven. That makes her feel a little better at least.