Allegedly

Mary overhears Kelly speaking to her dad on the phone and envies her because Kelly knows who her own father is. Kelly’s dad is not coming to get her, and Kelly pleads with him. Kelly is enraged when she realizes that Mary has overheard the conversation. 

Ms. Cora persuades Mary to go to the precinct and tell the whole story of Alyssa’s death to the original detective. Mary agrees and tells Mr. Jose a convincing version of what transpired; one that both paints Momma as “having a day” and as the killer who manipulates Mary into accepting blame. Before Mary leaves, she gives the detective one important piece of information: a description of the cross Momma always wore around her neck. 

Ms. Cora invites Mary for Thanksgiving. Mary declines but agrees to come for Christmas. Mary daydreams of Momma’s cooking as the girls prepare Thanksgiving dinner from boxes and cans. Two of the girls, Marisol and Kelly, have gone to their families’ houses, and New Girl prepares to leave with her dad. China asks Mary why she is not spending the day with her Momma and Mary doesn’t know. While the turkey is cooking, Mary gets a call from Ms. Cora telling her their hearing is set for the first of the year. Mary is happy.

When Mary returns downstairs, New Girl is still waiting for her dad. The meal is complete, and while it is all processed food, Ms. Stein has bought Thanksgiving-themed paper goods. Mary makes eye contact with New Girl, “both knowing it ain’t that simple to give up on people you love that don’t love you the same” (232). Eventually New Girl joins the others at the table. They begrudgingly look for something to be thankful for and say grace. 

Mary goes to the DMV to get an ID. Ted had overheard her plans to do so and shows up to try and get her to talk to him. Mary ignores him for as long as she can, but he will not leave. Ted tells Mary he has an “arrangement” with Leticia that is allowing him to make the money he’ll need to care for Mary and their baby. When Mary asks Ted if he is sleeping with Leticia, he looks away, indicating he is and explains, “Baby, I would’ve been out on the street” (241). Mary is devastated and does not care that Ted thinks he is doing it for them. He tells her she is young and doesn’t understand. The betrayal cuts deep and “there is nothing he can say to save himself” (241). Ted goes on to explain his arrangement, one which paints him as a pimp with many girls. Mary demands to know why he didn’t tell her; he says for the same reason she didn’t tell him about Alyssa. When Mary’s number is finally called, she learns that she doesn’t have the right paperwork: “Another roadblock. It never ends” (244). Mary breaks free from Ted, telling him she didn’t ask for his help. 

At the home, Ms. Reba finds her cat, Mr. Giggles, mutilated, dismembered, and soaked in bleach. The killer is not known, but all the girls are required to clean up the cat. 

Mary continues to study her SAT and read the New York Times at the recommendation of Ms. Claire. Unannounced, Mrs. Richardson, Alyssa’s mother, comes to see Mary at the home. Mary thinks she is there for revenge, but she is not. The transcript of Mrs. Richardson’s interview interrupts the narrative and reveals how the Richardsons came to know Momma and Mary. 

Mrs. Richardson tells the interviewer about her early observations of Mary and how smart Mary was at a young age. Being a teacher, she realized that Mary was not being challenged, so she gave Mary reading and math work. Mrs. Richardson recounts Momma’s helpfulness after Alyssa’s birth and how Mary was particularly nurturing and loving toward Alyssa. 

Mrs. Richardson visits Mary in the home and says, “Damn you grew up beautiful. You don’t look a thing like your mother” (259). Mary stares at Mrs. Richardson, her eyes a reminder of Alyssa, thinking Mrs. Richardson is there to kill her. Mrs. Richardson is no longer a “beauty queen” as Momma had called her, but “a washed-up version of her former self, potbelly, thinning hair” (260). 

She asks Mary if she is in school and still reading.

Mary tells Mrs. Richardson that Momma said she’d come to visit. Mrs. Richardson is taken aback and says, “I’m going to kill your son […] Suffocate him with pills and beat him till he’s black-and-blue” (261). Mrs. Richardson continues giving Mary the tragic details of what it will be like for her after her son is killed, and then Mrs. Richardson asks Mary, rhetorically, if she’ll come visit her. Mary is confused and feels sick. 

Mrs. Richardson asks Mary if she killed Alyssa; Mary says she did not, confirming what Mrs. Richardson had always believed. Mrs. Richardson asks Mary why she never told her the truth, and Mary says she didn’t think she’d believe her because Mrs. Richardson had accused Mary of lying about having broken a crystal rabbit, making it clear to Mrs. Richardson just how young Mary had been at the time of Alyssa’s death. She tells Mary she had been an old soul and acknowledges Mary’s role as Momma’s caretaker. Mary wishes Mrs. Richardson would hug her and does not want Mrs. Richardson to be mad at her, but she is “cold as ice pops” (264). Mrs. Richardson asks Mary why they’re going to “dig up Alyssa” (264). Mary knows nothing of it, only that she wants to keep her baby. Mrs. Richardson is enraged and turns to leave: “‘YOU want to keep YOUR baby!’ she screams. ‘Well, isn’t that rich? We have something in common’” (265).

It is Christmas Eve and Winters takes Mary to the DMV. He tells her college isn’t for everyone, that it’s hard work and expensive. He does acknowledge that if anyone can do it, Mary can. Winters knows she is different. He also knows she is preparing to reopen the case, and he challenges her ability to remember the details because it was so long ago. Mary knows this is where Winters “and everyone else are wrong […] [she] remember[s] every single detail that happened that night” (270).

On Christmas Day, Mary is in front of Ms. Cora’s Bed-Stuy brownstone when she runs into Ms. Claire and her two daughters. Ms. Claire chastises Mary for again leaving the house not dressed for the cold and “takes off her beautiful gray coat with the black buttons and wraps it around [Mary’s] shoulders” (273). The coat, still warm from Ms. Claire, is the second item of clothing she’s given to Mary. 

Ms. Cora’s house is festive and filled with her family. They are eating and drinking, sharing laughs. Ms. Cora gives Mary “another gift [she] doesn’t deserve” (277). It is a large bag of her cousin’s maternity clothes. Mary can tell Ms. Cora believes her and acknowledges such. Ms. Cora explains how closely she had followed Mary’s case in law school. Ms. Cora didn’t understand how “they could offer a plea without a thorough investigation in [Mary’s] case. There were so many holes and possibilities in the story, and so many disgusting people who wanted [Mary], a child, dead. It just made no sense” (276). Ms. Cora tells Mary it was fate that brought Mary to her. Mary is scared of all that will come from reopening her case. She worries for herself and her ability to keep her baby. Ms. Cora tells Mary she is brave and that all she must do is tell the truth. Mary wonders how she can when she “doesn’t even know what that is anymore. [She’s] been living a lie for so long” (277). Ms. Cora expresses pleasure in Mary’s interest in attending college. Mary recollects Mrs. Richardson telling her college will change her life and allow her to become who she really is.