Love, Ruby Lavender

Ruby races inside the schoolhouse to find Bemmie hopping across the piano and Melba in hysterics. Ruby lunges for the chicken as Melba collapses, but when Bemmie races across Melba’s back, she knocks a ladder holding a can of blue paint. Bemmie scrambles out the door as the bucket topples, pouring paint all over Melba’s head. Everything goes quiet, including Melba. The adults usher Melba to the bathroom, and Ruby tries not to cry as she runs off toward the Pink Palace.

Ruby writes to Eula about the accident and how she found Bemmie in a neighbor’s yard. Melba is telling everyone that Ruby did it on purpose. Ruby prepares for Ivy’s chicks, though she feels lonesome and misses her grandmother.

Evelyn tells Ruby that she and Melba need to sort things out, but Ruby won’t go. Dove arrives to watch the chicks hatch, and Ruby promises that what happened with Melba was an accident. Dove believes her but says Melba had to have all her hair cut off. Dove feels bad for Melba. Ruby hates that Dove likes Melba, and Dove asks why Ruby dislikes Melba so much. Ruby says it’s because Melba hates her, though there’s no good reason for it.