Chapter 9: Dream, Confrontation, and Racial Slights

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Chapter 9 opens with Ellice in a dream: she floats peacefully on the Chattahoochee River in a rowboat, then rises into the air before plunging into dark water, calling for Sam. She wakes to her doorbell at 8:17 a.m. on Sunday. It is Grace, her best friend from Georgetown, who has come unannounced because Ellice has been ignoring her calls after Michael’s death. Grace immediately presses Ellice for the truth: she knows the news reported that Michael was murdered. Ellice reluctantly admits she was promoted to replace Michael as general counsel of Houghton Transportation. Grace thinks the rapid promotion is normal succession planning, but Ellice finds it suspicious that the CEO offered her the job the same day Michael died. They go to brunch and then shopping in Buckhead. At a store called the Port, a salesclerk and security guard racially profile them—the clerk refuses to check for a dress in size twelve and implies Ellice cannot afford it. Ellice and Grace leave in disgust. Grace continues to probe about Michael, asking if he had enemies and whether Ellice was sleeping with him. Ellice deflects by mentioning a work party in Savannah where she felt singled out and unwelcome, especially by the VP of Operations Maxwell Lumpkin. Grace bluntly asks why Ellice would follow Michael to a company with a poor minority-hiring record, and whether she was having an affair. Ellice sidesteps again, hooking her arm into Grace’s and suggesting they find another store.

Key Events

Ellice has a nightmare about drowning in the Chattahoochee River.
Grace arrives unexpectedly and confronts Ellice about avoiding her after Michael’s murder.
Ellice reveals her promotion to general counsel; she suspects it was prearranged.
The friends go to brunch and then shopping in Buckhead.
At the Port, a salesclerk and security guard racially profile Ellice and Grace.
Grace questions Ellice about Michael’s enemies and the nature of their relationship.
Ellice describes the awkward Savannah party where she felt racially othered.
Grace directly asks if Ellice was sleeping with Michael; Ellice changes the subject.

Character Development

Ellice Littlejohn: Her defensive, evasive coping style is on full display. She buries traumatic events (Michael’s murder, her own role) under work and shopping. The dream reveals her underlying anxiety and fear of losing control. Her reaction to the racist incident shows a weary but assertive side—she calls out the clerk without escalating. Still, she cannot bring herself to be honest with her best friend, reinforcing her isolation.
Grace Sampson: Loyal, perceptive, and persistent. She reads Ellice’s deflection instantly and keeps circling back to the key question about Michael. Grace represents a moral anchor and the possibility of genuine connection, but Ellice refuses to let her in. Grace’s bluntness (“Were you sleeping with your boss?”) shows she is not afraid to challenge Ellice.
Secondary characters: The salesclerk and security guard serve as stand-ins for systemic racism embedded in luxury retail, even in a majority-Black city. Maxwell Lumpkin is introduced as a hostile colleague.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Racism as a stealth undercurrent: The scene at the Port illustrates how people of color face constant assumptions about their worth and belonging, even when they have the means to buy. Ellice’s internal monologue makes explicit that discrimination is exhausting and embarrassing.
Water and drowning: The dream of floating then plunging into black water foreshadows Ellice’s emotional state—she is barely keeping above the surface. The “muddy river coffin” suggests she feels trapped by secrets.
Secrets and evasion: Ellice’s refusal to answer Grace’s questions directly mirrors her approach to life; she hides inside “her condo, her work, her pain.” The chapter title could be read as “Chapter 9” but the content centers on how Ellice dodges every opening Grace gives her.
Corporate succession vs. conspiracy: The rapid promotion feels too neat to Ellice, hinting that her hiring may have been planned as part of a larger scheme tied to Michael’s death.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the mystery around Michael’s murder by showing that Ellice herself is suspicious of the timing, but unwilling to investigate. It introduces Grace as a key ally who could potentially uncover the truth—if Ellice would let her. The racist encounter at the store reinforces the novel’s critique of white corporate culture and reminds readers that Ellice navigates both personal trauma and systemic bias. The dream serves as a vivid metaphor for Ellice’s precarious grip on her life.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Ellice have a dream about drowning after Michael’s death? What might the dream symbolize?
Answer: The dream reflects her subconscious fear of being overwhelmed by the secrets and grief she suppresses. The peaceful floating followed by a violent plunge mirrors her attempt to maintain control while knowing she is about to hit a crisis. The presence of Sam (her brother) in the dream—she calls for him—suggests unresolved guilt about him.

2. How does Grace’s questioning reveal Ellice’s pattern of avoidance?
Answer: Grace repeatedly tries to get Ellice to open up about Michael—whether he had enemies, why she followed him to Houghton, and if they were lovers. Each time, Ellice changes the subject (to the dress color, to another store) or gives a flimsy excuse. Grace even notes that Ellice acted the same way in college when hiding a relationship. This pattern shows Ellice’s deep-seated habit of using deflection to protect her secrets.

3. What does the incident at the Port reveal about the setting of the novel?
Answer: The store’s treatment of Ellice and Grace highlights that even in Atlanta—a city with a long history of Black political power and a Black mayor for decades—racism is still embedded in everyday interactions, especially in luxury retail. It underscores the systemic barriers Black professionals face, and it parallels the racial hostility Ellice encounters inside Houghton Transportation, where she is often the only Black person in executive ranks.