Back at the house, Mommy tells Grandma about the new alarms and guard dogs while Daddo works from a desk he has moved into the living room so the family can stay together. The house no longer feels normal to Bela. Kami and Kamael sit alert at the front door, and Bela understands they are not pets but working guards. The family eats in near silence, with no music or television sound, because Mommy and Daddo want to hear every part of the house.

While Mommy makes macaroni and cheese, Bela asks whether they can keep the dogs or get dogs like them permanently because she wants to feel safe forever. Mommy then returns to an earlier alarming subject and asks whether Bela meant what she said about Other Mommy giving Bela a present. Before Bela can answer, one of the dogs growls at the front door. Daddo and Bela follow Mommy into the hall, but they find only a neighbor passing outside. Even this ordinary moment shows how tense the household has become.

As they eat at Daddo’s desk, surrounded by cameras and alarms, Bela silently blames herself for the family’s fear, the house’s defenses, and Grandma’s frightening experience at Evelyn’s house. Bela thinks that if Bela had simply said yes to Other Mommy, none of this would be happening. That thought leads Bela to wonder what would happen to Bela if Other Mommy took over, and whether the place Other Mommy comes from is worse than the life Bela still has.

Bela then remembers an earlier encounter from when Kelvin was babysitting. After hearing Kelvin talk on the phone about reincarnation and helping a friend come to life, Bela came out of the bathroom and found Other Mommy in the bedroom. Other Mommy first laughed like Kelvin and then revealed that she could sound like anyone Bela knew, demonstrating how thoroughly the entity can imitate familiar people in order to manipulate Bela.

When Daddo notices Bela staring into space, Bela admits to missing Kelvin. Daddo says the family will not be seeing anyone for a while, and Mommy presses Bela to admit that Bela understands why. Bela knows the family is isolated because Other Mommy grows more threatening each time Bela refuses. Bela apologizes, but neither parent responds; Daddo keeps checking the camera feed and Mommy stares ahead. The chapter ends with Daddo wondering how long they would need to go without another incident to feel normal again, and with no answer, the family seems trapped in endless fear.