Thomas J. often accompanies Vada when she visits the doctor, who assures her that she is not sick. During the summer, Vada befriends Shelly DeVoto, the new makeup artist at the funeral parlor, who provides her with guidance. Vada has a crush on Mr. Bixler, her fifth-grade teacher, and hears about an adult poetry writing class he is teaching. Wondering how to pay for the class, she takes money from a cookie jar in Shelly’s camper. During her first class, when suggested to write about what is in her soul, Vada fears that she killed her mother, who died two days after childbirth. When Harry and Shelly start dating, Vada’s attitude towards Shelly changes. One night, she follows them to a bingo game and brings Thomas J. along to disrupt it.