There's something off about Sister's new husband, and about Sister now, too. Marianne is suspicious of him, and seeks comfort in the familiarity of the faerie tree in the front yard. A few days after Sister's return, their parents are found dead in their beds, seemingly having passed away in their sleep. Marianne is sure it is the fault of Sister's husband, and in her intense anger, vows to get rid of him.

She calls the faeries for help, drawing on knowledge imparted to her by her Mamaw. In exchange for the faeries' help getting rid of the husband and his baby that is inside Sister, she agrees to give up her feelings for her parents, her love and devotion. It is revealed here that Marianne is not the real Marianne—a changeling, perhaps—a fact that only Mamaw knew, and the reason why Marianne is considered strange by the rest of society.

When the husband shows up at the tree to call Marianne back inside, Marianne stabs him with a boning knife in a fit of anger, which causes him to show his true, monstrous form. The faeries hold up their end of the deal and save Marianne from the husband. After they get rid of him, Sister comes out to Marianne and the faeries take her baby, along with Marianne's emotions for her parents.

Afterwards, Sister remembers nothing, and Marianne keeps quiet, because she did all that so that Sister could live a happy life. But Marianne's lack of emotion, lack of grief, for her parents ensures that she is still marked as strange, and different, by society and Sister too.