8

Summary

• The mother's sleep is interrupted by thoughts of her daughters coming home, signaling their safety.
• Her daughters, Maisie and Nell, sleep in the same room despite an available one, and the mother muses about their close relationship.
• In the morning, the mother finds eggs on the counter, a payment to Maisie for assisting a calf birth overnight.
• The family converses over breakfast, Nell sharing about playing Pictionary and teasing information about Emily, the third sister.
• Nell reveals that Emily and her partner Benny discussed marriage plans, surprising everyone at the table, including the mother.
• The family heads out to work in the cherry orchard, their morning routine intertwining with the discovery of Emily's marriage discussions.
• The family sees the Ramirez family, farmhands, and shares a moment of contentment despite felt distance from eldest daughter Emily.
• Nell and the mother visit the cemetery, noticing daisies Nell planted, leading to a memory of Emily as a child.
• The mother contemplates her bond with her daughters, particularly her complicated relationship with Emily.
• Emily confronts her mother about the marriage plans with Benny and they reconcile with an emotional embrace.
• The chapter concludes with the mother reflecting on her past love with Duke and contrasting it with Emily's current situation.
• The narrative shifts back to the mother's past in Michigan, with tumultuous relationships and the struggles of summer stock theatre.
• The mother recalls a disastrous understudy who could barely read his part, contrasting with Uncle Wallace's expected reliability.
• Memories of past loves and experiences blend with present realities, illustrating the fluidity of life's experiences.