Chapter 42

The morning after Shannon’s arrival, Natalie plans to fire her but finds Shannon already integrating with the household and proposing early-morning filming. Despite discomfort at taking direction, Natalie follows Shannon’s cues and sees a markedly improved rough cut, delaying the firing.

Shannon pushes for varied content: greeting the chickens on camera and involving the children. A chaotic blueberry pie session is transformed by Shannon’s edit into serene motherhood, revealing Shannon’s skill and deepening Natalie’s ambivalence—resentment mixed with reliance.

They stage a golden-hour picnic with Clementine, whose ready smiles for Shannon contrast with her usual reserve toward Natalie. On the hillside, Shannon confronts Natalie about presenting an image of doing it all alone. Natalie defends her highlight-reel approach as providing “a temporary escape” for followers. The exchange exposes tensions about authenticity and privilege.

When Shannon mentions travel and the ocean, Clementine reveals she doesn’t know what an ocean is, unsettling Natalie. This moment underscores the family’s isolation and controlled information within the ranch’s ecosystem.

Over the following year, Natalie cycles between wanting to fire Shannon and craving her approval, concluding that both women want to like each other. Their interdependence peaks when Natalie homebirths their fifth child, Junebug, and rejects help from Caleb and the midwife to command, instead, that Shannon film the birth.