One Crazy Summer

Vonetta gets on Delphine’s nerves with her attention-seeking rehearsal of her poem for the rally. Big Ma blames Vonetta’s constant need for attention on Cecile, who refused to pick up Vonetta when she cried as a baby. That night, Cecile is upset by Vonetta's loud recitation of the poem and tells Vonetta that her poem isn’t good. Delphine suddenly remembers being accused of lying when she told her fourth-grade teacher that her mother was a poet, just like the poets they were studying in school.

Vonetta sulks after Cecile yells at her. Instead of comforting Vonetta, Delphine tells her that she is just like Cecile. She also asks Vonetta if she would rather see her daughter or appear on a TV show. When Vonetta answers that she would rather appear on TV, Delphine says that she is definitely like Cecile.

When Delphine returns home from the center, she notices that Cecile has placed a stool in the kitchen for her to sit on while she prepares her sisters’ meal. Delphine interprets this as a sign of welcome. The quiet in the kitchen reminds Delphine of when she and her mother spent time together in their kitchen in Brooklyn before Cecile abandoned their family.