The Vanishing Half Summary
Description
Here you will find a The Vanishing Half summary (Brit Bennett's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters
Chapters The Vanishing Half Summary Overview
In the late 1960s, Desiree Vignes returns to her hometown of Mallard, a community obsessed with light skin, after a 14-year absence. She has with her a dark-skinned daughter, Jude. The narrative then delves into Desiree's past, her separation from her twin sister Stella, her abusive marriage and her reasons for returning to Mallard. While there, Desiree reunites with a former lover, Early, who was hired by her husband to find her. A decade later, the focus shifts to Jude in Los Angeles, where she's attending UCLA on a track scholarship. She begins a relationship with Reese, a trans man, and starts working a second job to help him fund his surgery. A chance encounter with a woman who looks like her aunt Stella shocks her while she's working at a catering gig. The narrative then jumps back to the 60s, detailing Stella's life as a white-passing woman in a predominantly white neighborhood. Her peaceful existence is disrupted when she sees her daughter playing with a black girl, revealing her own deeply ingrained prejudices and the lengths she would go to maintain her facade. The final part of the narrative weaves together the lives of Jude and Stella's daughter, Kennedy. Jude has not forgotten the woman who looked like Stella, leading her to Kennedy. Meanwhile, Stella is living a lie, teaching at a community college and fretting over Kennedy's decision to pursue acting over education. The truth of Stella's past, her relationship with Desiree, and their shared lineage is revealed to Kennedy. Despite this, Stella continues to deny her past and her connection to Mallard, revealing the deep-seated racial tension and self-hatred at the heart of the narrative. The novel concludes with Stella coming clean about her past to Kennedy and Desiree's comforting embrace, symbolizing forgiveness, acceptance, and the inescapable ties of family.
chapter 1
In 1968, Lou LeBon spots Desiree Vignes, who had been missing from the small Louisiana town of Mallard for 14 years, with a young girl. The locals, surprised by the child's darker complexion, engage in gossip about Desiree's return. Mallard, established in 1848 by light-skinned ex-slave Alphonse Decuir, was a place for light-skinned African Americans. Over time, the obsession with skin color intensified among the locals. In 1954, twins Desiree and Stella, decedents of Decuir, lived here. Desiree wishes to become an actress, while Stella aims to be a teacher. Forced into housekeeping by their mother, they plan to leave Mallard during the Founder's Day celebration. The sisters move to New Orleans but soon get separated, with Stella choosing to live as a white person. Desiree, after waiting for Stella, relocates to D.C. where she works as a fingerprint analyst. She marries Sam Winston, a dark-skinned lawyer from Ohio, and they have a daughter, Jude. When the marriage turns abusive, Desiree escapes to Mallard with Jude. By 1968, Desiree is back in Mallard, expecting criticism from her mother for marrying Sam. She contemplates leaving and even justifies Sam's violence due to recent events, including the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. However, her mother reassures her she is safe. Later, a bounty hunter named Early Jones gets hired to find a woman who has fled her abusive husband. Early is taken aback when he learns the woman is Desiree, a childhood crush from his time in Mallard.
chapter 2
The Vignes family history is fraught with tragedy. Stella and Desiree's father, Leon, was the last of four brothers to die. Their demise spanned from heatstroke, wartime death, a bar fight, to Leon's lynching by a mob of white men who accused him of sending a distasteful letter to a white woman. The twins' witnessed their father's first lynching, a memory that haunted them. Although Leon survived the initial attack, he was eventually murdered in his hospital bed. At his funeral, Willie Lee, a local butcher, informs the girls that even in Mallard, racial violence is rampant. As time progresses, Adele contemplates the twins' upbringing after Desiree and Jude's arrival. She wonders if her parenting caused the twins to disappear fourteen years ago. While Jude plays with one of Stella's handcrafted dolls, Adele and Desiree discuss Desiree's future. Despite her hesitation to stay in Mallard, Adele convinces Desiree to settle down with her family and enroll Jude in school. On Jude's first school day, Desiree outfits her in vibrant clothing to set her apart from her lighter-skinned peers. Jude is curious about the attention she receives, but Desiree attributes it to her novelty. Post dropping Jude to school, Desiree tries to secure a job as a fingerprint examiner in the Sheriff’s Department in Opelousas, but her Mallard residency hinders her application. Desiree then spends the afternoon at a bar founded by her grandmother, The Surly Goat, where she encounters Early Jones. Desiree reminisces about her relationship with Early Jones the summer she and Stella left Mallard. Despite her mother's disapproval of her association with darker-skinned boys, Desiree enjoyed Early's company. Their friendship ended abruptly after Adele caught Early with Stella. Now, reacquainting with a matured Early in The Surly Goat, Desiree is taken aback when Early unveils the bruises left by Sam. This confrontation leads to Desiree angrily dismissing Early. However, when Sam later inquires about Desiree's whereabouts, Early buys more time by lying.
chapter 3
Stella and Desiree settle into New Orleans life, securing employment at Dixie Laundry. The girls stay with Farrah Thibodeaux, an older acquaintance from Mallard. As time passes, Desiree begins questioning the sustainability of their New Orleans life, but she keeps her doubts to herself, feeling guilty for initiating their departure from Mallard. A week following her confrontation with Early Jones, Desiree finds herself amid town gossip. The Mallard community grapples with Stella's white-passing and Desiree's relationship with a dark-skinned man. Desiree starts working at Lou’s Egg House, where she encounters Early again. He discloses that Sam had hired him to locate her. Desiree shares that Stella had vanished a year after securing a secretarial job at Maison Blanche, having passed as white. Early offers to locate Stella. Early, while on a job in Texas, loses Desiree's track but regularly calls her. Meanwhile, Desiree's longer-than-usual stay in Mallard and Jude's presence spark town chatter. Early shares a personal anecdote about being left with his relatives, reminding Desiree of her own fears of separation after her father's death. He then reveals his past criminal records and reiterates his offer to find Stella. After discussing with Adele, who shares a story of Stella's first time white-passing, Desiree agrees to Early's offer, despite Adele's pessimism. Early returns to Mallard, meeting Jude, who's initially reticent. Desiree and Early travel to New Orleans, finding no clues about Stella. They contact Farrah, who last saw Stella with a white man. They decide to visit Stella's former workplace, with Desiree passing as white for information. They learn Stella's last address was in Boston, Massachusetts. Early promises to investigate before starting a new job, while Desiree starts to trust him more.
chapter 4
In 1978, Jude makes her way to UCLA on a track scholarship. On her journey, she becomes engrossed in a mystery novel given to her by Early. Growing up in Mallard, she was constantly ridiculed for her dark skin, but she paid no attention to the bus driver's stare. Jude has a history with mystery novels and Early, often reading them while he cleaned his gun. She once asked Early to find her absent father, labeling him a 'bad man.' Consequently, Jude fantasized about her father whisking her away from Mallard, but when he never showed, running became her escape. Jude was often bullied by her peers, with Lonnie Goudeau being especially cruel, labeling her as "Tar Baby". This abuse reminded Jude of her father's treatment of her mother. When questioned about her parentage by a classmate, Jude began questioning if Desiree was her real mother. This, coupled with her mother's unfulfilled promises of leaving Mallard, led Jude to fantasize that Stella was her actual mother. As she got older, Jude became used to the taunts and found solace in running. Early gifted her her first pair of running shoes when she was 11, marking the start of what Jude called the "Early season". During these periods, Jude noticed changes in her mother's behavior and her grandmother's disapproval of Desiree's relationship with Early. Early dropped Jude off at the bus station, then took Desiree to her shift at Lou’s Egg House. Since returning to Mallard, Desiree had settled into life there, building a relationship with Early and appreciating the safety and love she found, a stark contrast to her previous life with Sam. In Jude's first year at UCLA, she took pleasure in the fact that her hometown was not on any map. She even took her friend Reese to the library to prove it. Jude and Reese met at a party, and he was astonished to find out that she was telling the truth about Mallard.
chapter 5
After traveling from El Dorado, Arkansas, to Los Angeles, Therese Anne Carter becomes Reese. He changes his appearance and mannerisms, and learns where to get testosterone injections from Thad, a man he meets at the gym where he works. After saving for a month, Reese gets his first injection of steroids in a bar bathroom. Seven years later, Reese barely recognizes his former self, Therese Anne Carter. One day, Jude, a girl Reese met at a Halloween party, starts running at his gym. They start talking and Jude discovers Reese's ambition to be a professional photographer. Reese reveals his transition to Jude, who finds it unfamiliar but sympathizes with the desire for a different identity. When Jude was younger, she tried products to lighten her skin, but they didn't work. Reese tells Jude her skin is beautiful, which makes her uncomfortable due to her belief that people are obligated to say that. Their friendship deepens and they spend more time together. During weekends, Jude accompanies Reese for his photography outings. Despite not being romantically involved, Jude starts developing feelings for him. She shares her past with him, including her first kiss, with a boy named Lonnie. Jude tells Reese this story on the rooftop of their friend Barry’s apartment, where Barry, a schoolteacher by day and a drag queen by night, often hosts afterparties. Barry can't understand Reese and Jude's relationship, but agrees to tutor Jude in chemistry. Jude, in return, helps Barry shop for makeup. Jude decides not to return to Mallard for the summer and moves in with Reese. They spend their weekends exploring the city. One day, Jude walks in on Reese changing and notices his bruised chest. When she suggests he remove the bandages for his comfort, Reese shuts her out. Jude spends the night at Barry's apartment and is woken up by a drunk Reese who apologizes and reveals his plan for a chest surgery. He assures Jude she is special to him, and they share a kiss. Later, at a party, Jude avoids Reese, fearing he regrets the kiss. But during a city-wide blackout, Reese assures her that the kiss was not a mistake, and they end up spending the night together.
chapter 6
During a hot summer day, Jude prepares for a beach day with her friends when she gets a call from Desiree who notices a shift in Jude’s tone. Jude had assumed that Reese would eventually realize their relationship was a mistake, but he continues to express his love for her. This is a contrast to her past relationship with Lonnie, who was very open about his body and desires. Notably, Barry also observes Jude's improved mood. At Venice beach, Jude supports a timid Reese while their friends swim. Later in the evening, Jude suggests they keep the lights on while making love, but Reese declines and opts to sleep on the couch instead. During another call with Desiree, Jude discloses her relationship status and the problems they're facing. Desiree comments that all men act similarly. Jude secretly acquires a new job to contribute towards Reese’s costly breast reduction operation. She finds work through a client at Mirage, Dr. Reed, a plastic surgeon. She discloses her plan to Barry at his birthday gathering and secures a job with Barry’s cousin Scooter as a caterer. Jude lies to Reese about her reason for obtaining the job. In her second year, Jude takes an anatomy class and continues catering, serving Hollywood's rich. Despite disapproval from Desiree and Reese, Jude enjoys her work and the lifestyle of the wealthy. She also starts having dreams about her absent father. Reese empathizes with Jude, recounting his past in Arkansas where he was caught kissing a girl and was subsequently beaten by his father. Jude expresses her willingness to accompany Reese if he ever wishes to return home. When Reese first came to Los Angeles, he had no specific plan and initially resorted to selling his body. He was once assaulted by a man who "discovered his secret." Barry was the first who showed Reese kindness, offering him food and shelter. In December, Jude caters a retirement party for a wealthy client, Mr. Hardison. She is asked to behave professionally. An underage girl asks Jude for a drink and then begins chatting about her absent mother. The party is interrupted by the sudden arrival of a dark-haired woman, causing Jude to drop the wine bottle she is holding.
chapter 7
On an evening Desiree comes back to Mallard, a meeting takes place at the Palace Estates Housing Association in Brentwood's wealthy neighborhood to discuss the possible sale of the Lawsons’ house to a black family. Stella Sanders, usually reserved, expresses her indignation, shocking those present, including her husband, Blake. Stella and Blake's relationship began in New Orleans, where she was his secretary. Blake hails from a rich white family in Boston, contrasting with Stella and Desiree's background. They've been married for eight years, but Stella feels a bit embarrassed by the mundane details of their love story. Returning home from the meeting, Blake promises Stella the housing association won’t let a black family move in. The prospect unnerves Stella; she fears being recognized as African American. She recalls an incident from her childhood in Mallard where she posed as a white girl at the South Louisiana Museum of Art. A black security guard winked at her, scaring her as she remembered her mother's words about people recognizing their own. She worries that a black family in her neighborhood might expose her racial identity. The next night, Stella's daughter, Kennedy, wakes up from a nightmare. Stella calms her down, sharing she had similar experiences as a child. She omits the fact that her nightmares were related to her father's lynching by white men. While pregnant with Kennedy, Stella feared her child might inherit her dark skin. She breathed a sigh of relief when Kennedy was born with white, blonde, and blue-eyed features. She always lies about her past, stating she was an only child who moved to New Orleans after her parents' death. She prefers her family to consider her past life as tragic, hence off-limits for discussion. The next morning, Stella drinks a gin and soda in her pool, still worried about a black family moving in. She reminds herself of her wealthy lifestyle, something she once couldn't have imagined when she and Desiree were housekeepers for the Duponts. She recalls the summer when Mr. Dupont sexually abused her multiple times, a secret she's never shared. Despite her luxurious life in Los Angeles, Stella feels unfulfilled. She finds the PTA meetings at Brentwood Academy monotonous and is irritated by the insipid discussions the mothers have. They perceive her as aloof, unaware of her discomfort around white women. After a meeting, Cath Johansen praises Stella for expressing her views at the housing association meeting. Blake believes Stella and Cath could become good friends. A week later, the Lawsons' house is sold to a black man who had threatened to sue the association for racial bias. Stella can't understand why someone would want to live where they're unwelcome. She reflects on the nationwide riots following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, hiding her tears from Blake who made derogatory remarks about the protestors. She realizes her husband and neighbors may admire King's oratory skills, but wouldn't want him as a neighbor. Stella feels unsettled when Dale, Cath, and Blake discuss plans to keep the black family from moving in. Days later, Stella observes her new neighbors, the Walkers, moving in. After several weeks of avoiding them, she encounters Loretta Walker. She obsesses over the encounter, wondering why Loretta felt at ease with her. That evening, Stella informs Blake about meeting their new neighbor.
chapter 8
When the locals discover that Loretta's husband, Reginald, is a TV actor, their hostility towards the Walkers lessens. Blake, a fan of Reginald's show, enjoys living near them. Stella, although distant, observes the Walkers. One day, she catches Kennedy playing with Cindy, the Walker's daughter, and abruptly pulls Kennedy away, warning her against playing with Black kids. That evening, Loretta returns a doll Kennedy left behind. Stella, feeling embarrassed, avoids Loretta for a while. Later, Cath tells Stella that the Walkers are trying to get Cindy enrolled in the local school. In June, Stella decides to apologize to Loretta and bakes her a cake. Loretta, having a party, invites Stella in. Stella declines a drink and insists on apologizing. Before leaving, she suggests that Cindy and Kennedy could possibly play together. After a few days, Stella and Loretta watch Cindy and Kennedy play in the park. Loretta shares her story of meeting Reginald at Howard University and moving to Los Angeles for better schools and neighborhoods, which are the same reasons Stella and Blake moved to Palace Estates. As summer progresses, Stella and Loretta become friends, but Stella keeps this a secret from Blake and asks Kennedy to lie about her playdates with Cindy. During a card game, Stella and Loretta disagree on sending Cindy to Brentwood Academy. Stella cautions against it, thinking it would bring trouble. In spite of this, the Walkers enroll Cindy in St. Francis in Santa Monica. As summer comes to a close, Stella opens up to Loretta about being a twin, and her sister Desiree, finding that Loretta reminds her of Desiree. This makes Stella emotional as memories of her estranged family surface.
chapter 9
Stella and Desiree's past in New Orleans is revealed. Stella, after losing her job at Dixie Laundry, lands a role at Maison Blanche marketing department by pretending to be white. She becomes secretary to Blake Sanders and morphs into Miss Vignes, her white alter-ego. She keeps her work life and fantasies about living as Miss Vignes hidden from Desiree. In the present, Stella's interactions with Loretta arouse suspicion in her Brentwood neighborhood. Blake also senses a shift in Stella but she deflects, saying she is merely spending time with the other mothers. As Christmas Eve approaches, the couple plans a party. Stella misrepresents the scale of the event to Loretta. The party sees the entire neighborhood in attendance but the Walkers. Stella's relationship with Loretta becomes a point of gossip, leading Stella to publicly deny their friendship. Later, Blake confronts Stella about her relationship with Loretta. She attributes her frequent visits to the good relationship between their children, Cindy and Kennedy. Blake, perplexed by Stella's deceit and change, suggests she find a hobby. The next day, Stella finds Cindy and Kennedy upset. Loretta reveals Kennedy's racist comments towards Cindy and warns Stella to keep their distance. Following this incident, the Walkers' house is defaced, leading them to ultimately leave Brentwood for Baldwin Hills. In their absence, Stella visualizes revealing her secret to Loretta.
chapter 10
Jude loses her job at a Beverly Hills party after accidentally spilling wine on a costly rug. She later secures work in the UCLA cafeteria, but her academics falter as she becomes fixated on a woman at the party who resembled Stella. By autumn 1982, she's waitressing at Park’s Korean Barbeque and has applied to several medical schools. To economize, Jude and Reese shift into the dilapidated Gardens Apartment. Besides working at a Kodak store, Reese also serves as the building's informal repairman and works part-time as a bouncer at Mirage. In November, a musical titled The Midnight Marauders debuts. Barry, who has a part in the play, invites Jude and Reese to the premiere. Despite work commitments, Reese persuades Jude to go as they haven't done anything fun in a while. Jude is startled to find the main actress is the blonde, violet-eyed girl from the Beverly Hills party, named Kennedy Sanders. Post-show, Kennedy recognizes Jude from the party, sparking her curiosity about Kennedy's potential link to the Stella look-alike. Jude decides to attend the Sunday matinee in hopes of interacting with Kennedy. Outside the theater, Kennedy invites her backstage to help her dress for the play. During their conversation, Jude discovers that Kennedy’s mother, known as Stella, is originally named Estelle Vignes.
chapter 11
After the encounter with Loretta, Stella decides to follow Blake's advice and take up a class to keep her busy. Soon, she finds herself studying at Santa Monica College, before moving on to Loyola Marymount. In her last year there, she lands a job as an adjunct professor, teaching an Introduction to Statistics course. She arrives late to a retirement party in Beverly Hills due to her work at the university, much to Blake's annoyance. This is ironic considering it was Blake who suggested she obtain an education. Fast forward to 1982, Stella tries to persuade Kennedy to return to college by inviting her for lunch near USC campus. The two end up arguing about Kennedy's decision to pursue acting, something that Stella cannot fathom, given the chance Kennedy has to get educated. Kennedy retorts by saying that college is not for everyone. Stella finds comfort in her school advisor, Peg Davis, who reassures her that many students take a break from studies. However, Blake isn't pleased when Peg exposes Stella to some feminist concepts, leading Stella to question her relationship with him. When Peg inquires about Stella's life before Blake, Stella simply says, “I can’t even remember.”
chapter 12
Jude secures a position at the Stardust Theater to grow closer to Kennedy, hoping to ultimately encounter Stella. She works over the weekends for The Midnight Marauders and serves as Kennedy's unofficial aide, catering to her needs and grievances. Despite their differences and Reese's disapproval, Jude persists in her pursuit of Kennedy. She spends November in anticipation, waiting for Stella to attend the show; however, Stella never shows up.
chapter 13
Stella attends the last performance of The Midnight Marauders and is confronted by Jude during intermission. Jude introduces herself as a friend of Kennedy from the play and shocks Stella by revealing that she's Desiree's daughter and was raised in Mallard. Initially, Stella can't believe that Desiree has a child as dark-skinned as Jude. Upon hearing intimate details about her and Desiree's past, Stella questions Jude about their mother's wellbeing and how Jude and Desiree returned to Mallard. Jude proposes they contact Desiree, who has been searching for Stella. Stella storms off, nearly getting hit by a car. At the post-show party, Jude accompanies Kennedy who's upset about Stella's absence and consuming tequila. Jude announces her plan to leave. A tipsy Kennedy tries to convince Jude to stay but fails, instead making a derogatory remark about Jude's complexion. A shocked Jude lashes out at Kennedy, enlightening her about Stella's connection to Desiree. That night, Reese provides comfort to a distressed Jude at Mr. Park's restaurant, and Jude resolves to keep her encounter with Stella hidden from Desiree. The next morning, Stella reflects on the previous night's events. Noticing Stella's elevated heartbeat, Blake comforts her about a recurring nightmare. They then make love. In the rush to work, Stella runs into Kennedy and apologizes for missing the end of the play due to feeling unwell. When Kennedy brings up Mallard, Stella denies knowing about it. In the evening, Stella tells Blake about a girl who declared being Kennedy's cousin. They deduce that Jude was trying to extort them. Several months later, Blake and Stella secure an apartment for Kennedy to support her acting auditions. Kennedy questions Stella about a past reference to an apartment in New Orleans, but Stella remains tight-lipped.
chapter 14
In 1988, Kennedy, aged 27, scores a major role in the soap opera Pacific Cove, playing a character trapped in a basement for nine months. During a flashback, it's revealed that Kennedy used to pester her mother Stella about her past. Despite Stella saying she was from Opelousas, Kennedy recalled her mother mentioning a place beginning with M. This memory led her to search for a town called Mallard during college. Later, at a cast party, Jude comments Stella is from Mallard and Kennedy remembers the town's name. In 1985, Kennedy had moved to New York to chase her acting dreams and to create distance from her mother. While working at a bar, she becomes acquainted with Frantz, a Haitian-born, Bed-Stuy-raised, physics professor. They initiate a relationship and move into a basement apartment in Queens. When Stella visits for Thanksgiving, she expresses her disapproval of Frantz. Despite Kennedy defending him, Stella voices her concern about his distinctive character. Kennedy finds it hard to adapt to the cold winter and becomes obsessed with staying healthy after securing a part in an off-off-Broadway musical, Silent River. She becomes a barista to avoid straining her voice, as her previous bartending job involved too much talking. One day, she is taken aback when Jude walks into the coffee shop. Jude leaves her contact details for Kennedy, if she ever wants to talk. Kennedy, despite her initial hesitation, calls Jude the next day to find out she's in town for Reese's surgery. Jude imposes an invitation to Kennedy's play, saying she has something to disclose to her.
chapter 15
Following Kennedy's performance, she, Jude, Reese, and Frantz visit the 8 Ball bar. While the men get drinks, Jude shows Kennedy a childhood photo of Stella and Desiree. Examining it in the restroom, Kennedy verifies her doubts about her mother. At home, she rebuffs Frantz's suggestion that she's friends with Jude and Reese, admitting she doesn't associate with Black people apart from him. The following day, Kennedy's attempts to reach Jude at Hotel Castor prove futile. She eventually discovers from the hotel reception that Jude and Reese are spending the day at a hospital. Taking a bus there after work, Kennedy learns from Jude that she isn't allowed to visit Reese since they're not related. Kennedy realizes that, should anything happen, her cousin Jude would be her nearest family. Kennedy learns from Jude that the picture was taken on the day of their father's funeral, explaining their black attire. Jude elaborates on their father's murder by white men in their childhood, bringing back memories for Kennedy of a fearful Stella with a baseball bat. The two agree that their mothers never discuss their father. As they await Reese's discharge, Kennedy learns about Stella's background and their grandmother Adele's Alzheimer's. Once Reese is discharged, Kennedy assists Jude in getting him back to the hotel. In a conversation about Mallard, Jude suggests Kennedy would be accepted due to the town's preference for light-skinned Black people. Kennedy objects, stating her father is white. When she gets back to Frantz, she acknowledges their relationship's end. Days later in California, Kennedy attempts to prompt Stella into discussing her past by showing her the photo again, but Stella dismisses it. Following this, Kennedy embarks on a European trip, creating a new life and identity in each place. In the early '90s, Kennedy's acting career dwindles. She spends two years teaching a spin class before enrolling in realty school in 1996. Her first year as a realtor proves successful, leading her to believe it's as simple as acting.
chapter 16
In 1986, Stella is taken aback to find out that Mallard is now part of Palmetto due to a 1980 census. Stella and Blake hear from their daughter Kennedy after a long silence, who informs them she has moved to Europe to discover herself. Stella doesn't approve of this and with Blake on a business trip, she decides to go back to Louisiana to ask Desiree to stop Jude from contacting Kennedy. Since Mallard's name change, townsfolk have humorously suggested renaming Lou’s Egg House to Desiree’s, as she's virtually in charge of it. Recalling her visit to Jude and Reese in Minneapolis, Desiree remembers questioning Jude about her marriage plans with Reese. Reese expresses his love for Jude, assuring Desiree of his intentions. During her visit, Desiree inquiries about a girl in a photo who is actually Kennedy, though Jude and Reese simply refer to her as a former friend from Los Angeles. After Big Ceel's death, Early gives up bounty hunting for a job at an oil refinery. He also looks after Adele, whose memory is deteriorating. One day, they return from fishing to find a strange white woman on the porch, whom Adele identifies as Stella. In the kitchen, Stella struggles to clean the fish, forgetting the process midway. Adele, despite her memory loss, instructs Stella to fetch Desiree from work. At Lou’s, Desiree initially acts coldly towards Stella but soon they embrace and Stella pleads for her sister's forgiveness. Marvin Landry, a customer present during this reunion, later recounts seeing “Desiree Vignes wrapped around herself.” At dinner that night, Stella and Desiree catch up, discussing Blake, Kennedy and Stella’s return to Mallard due to Jude's discovery of Stella's past. Stella assures Desiree that Jude’s decision to withhold this information from her mother is proof of Desiree’s good parenting. Stella insists that Kennedy must never find out about her years of deceit. The next morning, Stella plans to leave without a goodbye, but Early stops her and offers a ride to the airport. Stella gives him her wedding ring to sell for Adele's care. A heartbroken Desiree finds Stella gone when she wakes up. A month after Stella's departure, she picks Kennedy up from the airport. When Kennedy asks about her missing ring, Stella confesses that she gave it to her sister and promises to answer any questions Kennedy has about her past.
chapter 17
At Minnesota University, Jude is engrossed in her dissection studies when Desiree breaks the news of their grandmother Adele's death. She also learns about the devastating AIDS crisis in West Hollywood through Barry. Adele's death makes Jude contemplate her grandmother's staunch Catholic beliefs against cremation and body donation. This prompts Jude to inform Reese about her travel plans for the funeral. The day Adele dies, Jude communicates the news to Kennedy, even if they never met. She also invites Reese to accompany her to Mallard, reminding her of their breakup and eventual reunion in the past. Upon returning to Mallard with Reese, driven by Early, Jude is struck by its familiarity and her grandmother's absence. While helping Desiree in the kitchen, Jude questions whether her father loved her, to which Desiree responds with her bitter experiences. In another conversation, Desiree nudges Reese about marrying Jude, knowing that they need a new birth certificate to proceed. Following the funeral, Desiree and Early relocate to Houston for their respective jobs, and Jude takes up a call center job. Desiree's initial work anxiety is eased by Early's reassurance. However, she can't help but wonder if Stella would recognize her voice. On the funeral day, Jude and Reese opt out of the traditional repast to spend time by a river, seeking a symbolic cleanse of their past.
