So B. It

Heidi sleeps in and wakes to learn that Roy has gone to a place called Monticello for his workday. She wants to know if he can take her later to Hilltop Home, where she wants to show the photographs to Elliot. Ruby puts her off, telling her that she (Ruby) is taking the day off to spend with Heidi and would like to see the photos herself. Heidi is frustrated. Ruby comforts her with pancakes and homemade blueberry syrup: “This ought to make up for the frozen potpies last night” (198). After pancakes, Heidi shows Ruby more of the photos. Suddenly Heidi recognizes the Santa as Thurman Hill.

Roy calls, and Ruby tells him that Mr. Hill must have seen himself in the photos the day before, but still insisted that he did not know Heidi’s mother. When Roy arrives home, they show him the photos. Heidi goes to put on the red Christmas sweater as further connecting proof between herself, Mr. Hill, and the photographs of the Christmas party; she also collects her notebook “in case there were new things to add to the lie list, and [she] also want[s] to start a list of questions to ask Thurman Hill” (202).

Roy, however, leaves for Hilltop Home without Heidi. Roy takes several of the photos with him, and Heidi grows upset. Ruby tells her that in this situation, grown-ups will answer the questions, to which Heidi responds, “Grown-ups are the ones who tell the biggest lies of all!” (203). She returns to search for the sweater, determined to walk the ten miles in the cold to Hilltop Home. In a drawer in the spare room, she finds dozens of infant outfits. Ruby tells her that she (Ruby) lost three babies. The mood changes as Ruby’s sorrow is suddenly tangible to Heidi, and Heidi’s anger fades. She gives Ruby the jellybeans, the only item she can offer in comfort. Soon the phone rings; Roy is coming to pick Heidi up to bring her to Hilltop Home.

Before Roy arrives to get Heidi, Bernie calls to tell Heidi that she needs to come home. Heidi does not want to discuss coming home in the moment, as she is about to find out important parts of the puzzle. Bernie tries again: “You need to come home, Heidi […] Right away” (208-9). Heidi, however, tells Bernie she will phone later and hangs up. Heidi accidentally brings along a newspaper with an article saying no one will ever know for sure what color the dinosaurs were. On the ride, Roy asks her if that matters. Heidi says no but insists that if someone wanted to know badly enough, he or she would determine a way to find out. Roy warns Heidi that what she learns at Hilltop Home might be difficult. Heidi tells him that not knowing is worse.

Mr. Hill’s lawyer first brings up Diane DeMuth, a woman who was born in Liberty and had a child with “significant damage” thirty years before. Heidi does not understand. She asks Mr. Hill to stop lying and tell the truth. Mr. Hill requests to speak with Heidi alone. Heidi protests, but Roy and the lawyer leave the room.

Mr. Hill tells Heidi everything. Diane DeMuth was Heidi’s grandmother who persuaded Mr. Hill to take Heidi’s mother, Sophia, as a charity case at Hilltop Home. Elliot and Mama became good friends and spent lots of time together; without Mr. Hill becoming aware of their increasing closeness, they conceived a child (Heidi). Diane threatened to expose Mr. Hill and Hilltop Home for allowing her daughter to become pregnant, so Mr. Hill agreed to set up and fund a bank account for all living expenses for Diane, Sophia, and the baby in another city. Diane chose Reno. Elliot experienced great sadness and frustration missing “Soof” everyday—his name for Sophia. When Bernie called Mr. Hill, he assumed it was Diane trying to extort more money from him; consequently, he refused to talk with Heidi the previous day. Roy and the lawyer return. They tell Heidi that Diane DeMuth was hit by a bus on February 19th almost 13 years before—the same day Mama showed up at Bernie’s door.

Heidi calls Bernie, excited to tell her Mama’s name, but Bernie strangely puts Heidi off and tells her to call back once Ruby arrives there at Hilltop Home. Ruby shows up in a taxi a few moments later, and Heidi realizes Bernie has terrible news: “That sorrowful mist I’d loosed from the drawer hadn’t come looking for Ruby at all. It had come looking for me” (224).