Jane spends the evening at her parents' house with Dane while Ziggy sleeps in Jane's old bedroom. The family works on a jigsaw puzzle and discusses the petition against Ziggy, with Jane's father angrily dismissing Renata's campaign and questioning Amabella's name.

Feeling comforted by her childhood home, Jane considers moving back and leaving Pirriwee behind. The thought seems like an escape from the school hostility, but memories of Blue Blues, Tom, Madeline, Celeste, the beach, Ziggy's happiness, and new local bookkeeping clients make Jane realize that some of her happiest recent moments have been in Pirriwee.

Jane admits that she and Ziggy love living there, but Ziggy's tears over being excluded by other children make staying feel painful. Jane's parents insist Ziggy cannot be a bully, while Jane tries to acknowledge that Renata genuinely believes Amabella has been hurt and that Jane cannot prove Ziggy did nothing.

Jane's mother compares Ziggy to Jane and to Poppy, which frustrates Jane. Jane angrily says they do not know what traits Ziggy may have inherited from his father, then nearly reveals the truth about the assault before stopping herself.

Jane's family senses that something is wrong. Jane lies and says Ziggy's father did not hurt her, explaining only that he was a stranger. Dane appears unconvinced, but her parents accept the denial because they need to believe it. The chapter ends with Jonathan's later comment that Pirriwee Public's playground had many hidden places where things happened out of teachers' sight.