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Hum If You Don't Know the Words

Bianca Marais

Hum If You Don't Know the Words

Bianca Marais

Hum If You Don't Know the Words Chapters 46-58 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 46 Summary: “Robin. 8 May 1977. Yeoville, Johannesburg, South Africa”

Returning from a trip, Edith notices that her jewelry is missing. As Robin knows, Morrie took it as a joke so that Robin would have to find it like a real detective but doesn’t want to be in trouble. However, Edith accuses Beauty of stealing it and doesn’t believe her when she denies it. She fires Beauty, but before Beauty walks out the door, Robin confesses. Beauty forgives Robin and Morrie but doesn’t as quickly forgive Edith. Edith tries desperately to regain Beauty’s trust.

Chapter 47 Summary: “Beauty. 16 June 1977. Yeoville, Johannesburg, South Africa”

On the anniversary of both Nomsa’s disappearance and Robin’s parents’ deaths, Beauty and Robin make memory altars. Robin asks Beauty if people change in heaven, trying to understand whether her racist dad would be upset that a Black woman is raising her. Beauty says that those things don’t matter anymore: People in Heaven care only that the people they love are happy. Robin says a prayer for her parents, and Beauty says a prayer for Nomsa in her head. She’s both proud of Nomsa and angry with her. She hasn’t given up hope of finding her.

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