After learning that the haunting follows them wherever they go, Bela and her parents return home and immediately focus on defense. Mommy and Daddo spend heavily on alarms, cameras, beepers, and motion detectors throughout the house, despite worrying about the cost and the effect on their jobs. Daddo admits the expense scares him, but not protecting the family scares him more.

The family sleeps together on a mattress in the living room, and Mommy and Daddo take turns staying awake through the night. Nothing happens, but the vigilance leaves both parents exhausted. They also arrange for Cane Corso dogs and a trainer to come, hoping the animals will provide another layer of protection.

Daddo repeatedly tells Bela to stay beside Mommy or him at all times, showing how serious the danger has become now that both parents have seen Other Mommy. Bela asks whether Grandma Ruth is coming, but Daddo says Ruth needs a break and shuts down further questions. When another security van arrives, Bela runs to the door, and Daddo scolds her because he wants her constantly supervised.

As workers bring more equipment and neighbors watch the house, Bela notices how strained her parents are. Mommy keeps checking that Bela is with Daddo, and the adults installing the system react awkwardly to the family's fear. Bela senses that the pressure has made Mommy and Daddo tense and alarmed in their own bodies, not just in the house.

The chapter ends with Bela's private fear that the stress might lead to her parents' divorce. Bela remembers an earlier exchange in which Other Mommy said she would keep asking for Bela's answer "like a friend" and implied that Bela's heart would mean a whole life. With every closet now alarmed, Bela wonders what will happen when Other Mommy appears again and discovers that the house itself is resisting her.