The narrative resumes in December 1995. Casey has been working at Kearns Davis for two-and-a-half years, and she is close to turning 25. Casey also now works part-time at Sabine’s store on evenings and weekends. She hasn’t spoken to Jay since they broke up in the spring of 1994. Casey remains close friends with Ella, who is now pregnant with her first child. Casey often feels uncertain about her future, and she struggles with her finances: “[T]he craziest thing was that though her debts terrorized her, the desire for more […] only grew stronger” (160).

Sabine and Casey remain close, but Sabine often pressures Casey to make up her mind what she wants to do in her future; Sabine is worried about Casey wasting her potential, and thinks Casey should apply to business schools as soon as possible. Sabine even offers to pay for Casey’s business school tuition, and hopes that Casey could one day inherit her store.

Ella is experiencing a difficult pregnancy, and her relationship with Ted is sometimes strained. Ella is shocked when her obstetrician diagnoses her with genital herpes, since she has only ever had sex with Ted.