Part 2: Re-Encounter

This section returns us to the present, October 1927 in New York City. Irene is deeply irritated that Clare would attempt to contact her again. She is still very angry about the meeting with Clare's husband. What further annoys Irene is that she is still letting it bother her two years later and that she felt enough loyalty to Clare, that day, not to stand up for herself to John Bellew. Irene is also annoyed that after all this time Clare should have the desire to be around her 'œown people.' While Irene is contemplating what happened that day, her husband, Brian, enters the room. Irene gives Brian the letter to read so he will not notice that she is not ready for the day yet. Irene wonders, silently, how she is always so late getting dressed. Brian, who remembers the story of Irene's meeting with John Bellew, asks Irene if she plans to see Clare again and Irene tell him she does not. Over breakfast, Brian warns that Clare will continue to pester Irene to see her. Brian explains that those who are passing always have to urge to slip back from time to time. They end their discussion of race and Irene asks Brian if he can take her downtown to run some errands for a dance she is planning. He notes that 'œuplifting the brother' (a reference to Irene's charity work) is no easy job and says how much he hates his own job as a doctor. Irene gets upset and he tells her to hurry up because he has a lot to do.

While she does not say anything to Brian, she thinks he should stop blaming her for keeping them in the United States, where he has become a successful doctor. Apparently, Brian wants to move to Brazil and leave the U.S. and its racism behind. Irene thinks about how knowing Brian so well has kept their marriage together. As they make their way downtown, she raises the subject of how their oldest son, Junior, is doing in school. She tells Brian she thinks Junior is going too quickly, but tells Brian that he is a better judge and she would like his opinion. Brian disagrees with her and Irene tells him Junior is learning about sex from the older boys. Brian tells her she is babying him and the sooner he learns about sex, the better it will be. Irene, not pleased with the way the conversation turned out, tells Brian she will take the bus back home. They part ways. Irene hoped Brian would agree with her and they could send Junior to a European school for a year. This way, Brian could take Junior over to get settled and have something to look forward to. She cannot understand why Brian finds their life so monotonous.

Five days later, Irene has thrown away Clare's letter, once again angered that Clare does not trust her discretion and did not leave an address. Irene is still preoccupied with Brian's desire to leave the country and is sitting, worrying, when she learns Clare has come to visit. Irene is about to refuse to see her, but then relents. When Clare enters the room, she kisses Irene and Irene is overcome with awe at Clare's beauty. Irene tries to convince Clare that she is putting herself in danger by coming to Harlem to socialize with other African Americans. Clare tells Irene she is very lonely and that no one is really ever safe anyhow.

Their conversation is interrupted by a phone call from Hugh Wentworth, a famous white writer, who is an active member of the Harlem social scene. Hugh and Irene discuss the upcoming Negro Welfare League dance. Clare does not understand why a white man would be interested in such a dance. Irene explains that it is Harlem and the year is 1927; lots of white people are socializing with black people. Clare asks Irene to let her come to the dance. Irene tells Clare she should be careful because someone she or John Bellew knows might see her and tell him her secret. Finally, Irene concedes, telling Clare she can come.

Chapter three details Irene's recollection of the dance. Clare looked stunning and Irene noticed that Brian did not seem displeased with this at all. Irene remembers that Clare danced with many men that evening' frequently with Brian. Hugh Wentworth asked Irene about Clare, calling her a woman from a fairytale. Hugh and Irene discussed the topic of passing and concluded it would be harder for a white person to pass as black than the other way around. Finally Irene remembers that Brian told her he would drop her off first and then drop Clare off. Irene told him he did not have to because someone else had offered. More or less, the dance was uneventful in Irene's memory and blurred with all the other dances she had attended.

However, at the beginning of Chapter 4, we learn that the dance was important because it was the beginning of Clare and Irene's friendship. Clare visits frequently and spends time in the kitchen with the servants and in the playroom with the children, which bothers Irene, although she does not say anything. Brian does not seem to mind Clare's presence. Irene asks Brian if he's attracted to Clare. Brian says he is not really attracted to her, although she is not bad looking for a 'œwhite' woman. He tells Irene that he prefers darker women. One day, as Clare and Irene are discussing Clare's imminent departure from New York, Clare expresses how sad she is to leave. When Irene points out that she will be very happy to see her daughter, Clare tells Irene that children are not everything. Irene is offended because she is dedicated to raising her sons and running the house. Clare tells Irene that they are different: Irene is moral and good. Clare, on the other hand, will do whatever she has to do to get what she wants. Irene tells her what she is saying is wrong. The chapter ends with Clare sobbing.