4

Summary

• Hazel the dog waits in the grass, and together with the narrator, they walk to the barn, past cherry trees near hemlocks and white pines.
• The narrator observes the challenge of picking all the cherry fruit before it rots and notes that fewer families are working the farm.
• Joe, the narrator's husband, has divided the farm among the workers, who now operate at a distance.
• The narrator casually interacts with the farm workers, leaving sandwiches for them and acknowledging the lack of outside help, such as Benny, who is now working on his own family's farm, the Holzapfels.
• The close-knit orchard community relies on and is intimately acquainted with each other, including various families like the Whitings and their dog Duchess.
• The narrator reflects on the friendly relationships between neighbors and the family dreams about Emily, their daughter, marrying Benny and potentially joining the farms.
• There is a deep bond between the families at the orchard, which allows them to rely on each other and have their lives intertwined over generations.
• Thoughts of shared dreams and family plans are tinged with a cautious love towards their daughter Emily, whose past troubles with a man named Duke have left them wary even as she affirms her commitment to the farm.
• Benny has been a fixture in their lives since childhood, discussing farm-related ambitions with Joe and subtly expressing interest in Emily.
• Emily's interest in both the farm and Benny eventually pushes Duke aside, leading to her deeper involvement in the farm and thoughts about improving it, like adding their own cold storage.
• The chapter shifts to recollections of the past, with memories of dead family members buried on the farm, such as Joe's aunt who meticulously maintained the graves.
• Emily prompts the narrator to share memories about an audition and fleeting fame, revealing her as Lara Kenison, the reluctant actress who stood out by simply being herself.
• Lara reflects on her journey to Hollywood for a screen test, her experiences on the set, and the fear that was surprisingly absent during her audition.
• Despite a seamless screen test, Lara was hastily returned home without any concrete outcome about her role in the film.
• Lara was eventually called back to L.A. for a second screen test, this time involving a swimming test, which she defiantly passed to show her skill.
• But after impressing everyone again in L.A., Lara is sent back without confirmation, only to be called back once again later as they needed her for a "second test."
• The Hollywood experience continues with unexpected luxuries, acting opportunities, and an unforeseen delay in the film’s release despite Lara's evident talent.
• Lara's journey in California leads to more roles and a lifestyle far removed from New Hampshire until uncertainties with the film’s release arise.
• Back in the present, the family’s cherry-picking session turns into a discussion about Lara's past acting career and Nell's feelings of entrapment in the orchard life.
• Despite Nell's frustration with her current situation and longing for the opportunities Lara had, the family decides to refocus on the present moment and their life on the farm.
• Benny Holzapfel abruptly interrupts their contemplation, and Lara reflects on the joy of love as they watch him ride away from their moment of familial bonding beneath the cherry trees.