The Darkest Child

Harvey returns to Rozelle’s house and doesn’t explain why. Rozelle has been staying in her bedroom crying for days about Sam being in jail. Wallace inherited Hambone’s window-washing job. Harvey stopped working at Carol Sue’s father’s funeral home and looks for work each day at the train station. Tangy feels more at ease at the Whitmans’ house than at home.

Pearl gives the Quinns a turkey for Thanksgiving, and they receive some food donations from the school, as a “needy family.” Arlisa has given birth, and Tarabelle points out that Rozelle should have birthed a baby by now, too. Rozelle’s invisible bugs return. Tarabelle says the bugs are really men. Harvey tells Tarabelle to shut up, and Tarabelle tells Harvey to go home and hit his wife again so that Carol Sue’s dad can kill him. She says it was stupid for Harvey to hit Carol Sue. Rozelle argues that men have a “right” to hit their wives.

Mushy sends Martha Jean a letter saying she’ll be visiting for New Year's Eve. Tangy tells Rozelle about the letter, and Rozelle beats Tangy in the head repeatedly with a belt. She also hits Velman. Rozelle asks when Martha Jean’s baby is due, but Velman doesn’t know what she’s talking about.