Contents
Chapter 37
Overview
A rare calm settles on the ranch as Mary’s spirits lift and Abel begins secretive outings with Old Caleb. Natalie experiences intense religious ecstasy intertwined with sex, briefly savoring family warmth before sinking into grief for absent children. The chapter ends with Natalie realizing she’s missed her period, hinting at pregnancy and escalating stakes.
Summary
Peace returns to the ranch for several days. Mary’s mood improves, and Abel goes on repeated outings with Old Caleb, returning elated and telling Noah he will explain “when you’re old enough,” which leaves Noah awed and unsettled.
Natalie feels the Lord’s presence constantly, a revival of the ecstatic intimacy she once experienced as a girl. This sensation fuses with evenings when Old Caleb reaches for her, giving her a powerful sense of satisfaction, chosenness, and spiritual ascent.
As winter deepens, the family gathers early by the fire. Mary repurposes Old Caleb’s worn socks into puppets for Maeve, whose joyful tears trigger a fleeting moment in which Natalie believes she can bear—and even enjoy—this life.
The joy collapses when Natalie thinks of her other children somewhere beyond her reach. The room’s mood shifts as the girls retreat and the boys watch warily, and Natalie withdraws into brooding silence.
One morning, time’s blur resolves into a realization: it has been nearly two months since Old Caleb slapped her that cold morning, and she has not gotten her period. The implication of pregnancy crystallizes, heightening the personal and spiritual stakes.
Who Appears
- NatalieNarrator; experiences fervent religious ecstasy linked to sex with Old Caleb; suspects pregnancy.
- Old CalebPatriarch; takes Abel on secretive outings; initiates intimate nights that intensify Natalie’s devotion.
- MaryHer mood lifts; crafts sock puppets for Maeve, briefly brightening the household.
- AbelReturns from outings with Old Caleb elated, hinting at mysteries he withholds from Noah.
- NoahLeft awed and dazed by Abel’s secrecy, sensing a looming initiation or fate.
- MaeveReceives a new pair of sock puppets, crying with joy and momentarily warming the family.