The Parker Inheritance

Chapter 31 continues in Siobhan’s perspective on the day of the fated tennis match between Wallace and Perkins. Siobhan talks briefly to Chip, who references when her “boyfriend” plays (192), making her realize that Chip knows about Reggie too. They argue after this about why Siobhan would date Reggie, then they head into the game.

As the match begins, it becomes clear that Perkins is going to win. Reggie, at Coach Dub’s direction, baits Glenn Allen into thinking he is winning, then turns the tables quickly, “toying with Glenn” (197). One of the other adults, Coach Hicks, tells Siobhan that it’s time to get her out of there; Siobhan disobeys and gets closer to the game to hear the coaches arguing about the outcome. Coach Hicks pulls her out just in time as glass began “smashing against the ground” (200). As Siobhan leaves, she looks around for Reggie, but all she can see is “a sea of white faces… all angry” (201). 

Candice and Brandon continue their research on Saturday morning by gathering a list of famous Negro League Oilers players, “but [they] didn’t know what to look for after that” (202). When they get home, they find their mothers on the porch, waiting for them to be ready to go to the Juneteenth festival.