In the afternoon behind Grandma Ruth’s house, Bela walks with Daddo through the Loblolly pines while Mommy stays in the front yard on her phone. Daddo explains that Mommy is struggling with what happened, then tells Bela she has been brave. He uses the walk to ask directly what Other Mommy says and whether Bela has ever answered the question about letting her into Bela’s heart.

Bela says she has answered nothing, which relieves Daddo at first, but his concern grows when he asks whether Other Mommy ever touched her. Bela admits that they held hands and that once Other Mommy floated over her bed and touched faces with her. When Bela explains that she thought they were friends at first because Other Mommy only made funny faces from the closet and made her laugh, Daddo realizes the contact began gradually before becoming more threatening.

Daddo tries to give Bela clear rules in the middle of the adults’ confusion about whether Other Mommy is an intruder or a monster. Kneeling in front of Bela, he tells her that nobody is allowed to touch her or enter her heart, and that she must say no without guilt or fear. His talk shows both his uncertainty and his attempt to protect Bela with something firm and practical.

Grandma Ruth interrupts them and says Ursula has taken the car and left to see a friend. Daddo is shocked, and Grandma brings Bela and Daddo back toward the house. On the way, Bela stops and says she is worried Other Mommy has followed them there because the presence feels closer and keeps pressing Bela to answer about her heart.

Daddo and Grandma react urgently, even though Bela has not seen or smelled Other Mommy. Grandma orders Daddo to get Bela inside, and Daddo again tells Bela that if she answers, she knows what to say. But once they head inside, Bela privately admits that she does not actually know the answer. Although Bela understands Daddo is trying to help, Bela is still emotionally tangled by the memory that Other Mommy once felt like a friend.