In this flashback, the farm’s old oak is declared dead by David, Frank, and a tree surgeon. Bobby is devastated at the idea of losing it, because the tree has always felt magical to the family. David gently explains that the oak is dangerous and exhausted, and Bobby reluctantly accepts that it must come down. The men plan to fell it themselves on Saturday.

On the morning of the job, Bobby is excited and full of questions about the noise and force of the falling tree. Beth is anxious and says Bobby should not watch, especially because she is leaving to meet Helen and fears the men will be too busy to supervise him. Frank brushes off Beth’s worry, jokes about her fretting, and promises that Bobby will not be out of his sight. Reassured only by that promise, Beth leaves.

When Beth returns, she finds that the crown has been removed but the trunk is still standing. She feels sad at the sight of the mutilated tree and does not immediately see Bobby, assuming he has wandered off. At that moment the trunk begins to fall. Beth then sees Bobby suddenly running straight into its path, screaming first with excitement and then terror, and before anyone can stop him the oak crashes down and crushes him.

Frank, David, and Jimmy run toward the fallen trunk. Frank desperately tries to lift it with his hands while David goes for towropes and tells Frank to call an ambulance. Frank says that Bobby had promised to stay in the tractor, but Beth is horrified by the excuse because Bobby was only nine. As Beth waits in shock, she realizes she already blames Frank for the accident because he promised to keep Bobby safe and failed. When Frank moves toward her, Beth tells him not to touch her.

David uses the tractor to winch the trunk upward inch by inch. As soon as Beth sees Bobby’s body beneath it, she reaches him before the paramedics do. Bobby is catastrophically injured, and Beth lies down beside her son, silently repeating that she is there with him. The chapter ends with Beth’s helpless promise arriving too late, fixing this moment as the source of her lasting grief and estrangement from Frank.