Where the Heart Is

Novalee sits for a while on a bench just inside the Walmart. A woman, Sister Husband, mistakes her for a girl named Ruth Ann and gives her a welcome basket. A little later, Novalee meets a photographer named Moses Whitecotton. He tells her a strong name is important and offers to take the baby’s picture when she is born, gifting Novalee a decorative baby photo album. Later in the evening, Novalee meets Benny Goodluck, a young man who works with his father at Goodluck Nursery. He gives Novalee a buckeye tree sapling. At closing time, Novalee is sick in the bathroom of the Walmart. When she finally feels better, she is surprised to find herself locked in the closed store.

Willy Jack makes it nearly to Santa Rosa, New Mexico when his car runs out of gas and he is out of money. He walks to a small bar where he meets a girl named Jolene. She gives him a couple of beers before they get caught by a woman who throws Willy Jack out of the closed bar. Jolene meets up with Willy Jack outside and tells him she has some money she’ll give him if he will take her with him. He agrees and waits all day for her to show up. As they drive out of town, they are pulled over. The cop searches the car and finds stolen cigarettes in the trunk. He arrests Willy Jack who insists he wasn’t in town when the burglary took place, but his alibi witness is Novalee and he cannot prove it because the Walmart is closed. In truth, Jolene stole the cigarettes.

Novalee has developed a routine. She wakes early with alarm clocks, washes in the bathroom, and hides in a water heater closet until the last of the early shift employees arrive. She then sneaks out the employee entrance in the back. On this particular day, she takes her buckeye tree and walks to the library, stopping to watch a parade that passes through downtown.

Novalee hides the tree in some bushes in front of the library and goes inside. A tall, bearded man wearing a brown cap informs her the librarian is not available. She browses for a minute, unsure where to find what she wants. The man criticizes her for not replacing a book on the shelf properly. She tells him she needs help finding a book and explains she thinks her buckeye tree is sick. He finds her several books that she studies carefully. When she tells him what she thinks is wrong with the tree, he responds by quoting a poem.

Novalee takes the buckeye tree to the house of Sister Husband, an older religious woman she met at the Walmart. Inside, she meets Sister Husband’s gentleman, Mr. Sprock. Sister Husband tells Novalee the name of the man at the library, Forney Hull, and explains that he runs the library for his sister, the librarian, because his sister is an alcoholic. When Novalee asks to plant her tree in Sister Husband’s front yard, Sister and Mr. Sprock are both glad to help. However, Novalee insists on doing all the work herself.

Forney and Novalee have become friendly as Novalee spends more time at the library. He learns the date of her birthday and arranges a dinner for her. Novalee is impressed with his gourmet dishes and even more impressed to learn he taught himself to cook with books. As they settle into the entrée, a noise upstairs pulls Forney away. Novalee follows and finds him helping his sister back into bed after she broke a bottle of whiskey and soiled herself.

In early May, Novalee has a few pains as she settles into her sleeping bag in the Walmart but doesn’t think anything of it. She is woken by a sharp pain deep in her pelvis, and when she stands her water breaks. Novalee cleans up and tries to focus on the names she chose for her baby, but the pains are coming too hard and fast. Forney breaks through a window and comes to her, delivering the baby, a girl Novalee names Americus.

Novalee’s situation causes a great deal of media attention once she arrives at the hospital. The nurses are annoyed by them, but one nurse’s aide, Lexie Coop, is kind, and they become quick friends. Novalee gets a visit from Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart. He gives her five hundred dollars and offers her a job at the Walmart once she has recovered. Forney visits often, sometimes when she is awake and sometimes when she is asleep.

Novalee receives many letters from people who heard about her and Americus. Most are kind and contain money, but a few are filled with mean words and threats. Novalee’s mother, Momma Nell, shows up after leaving her ten years before. Momma Nell wants to help Novalee with the baby, so Novalee gives her all the cash Sam Walton gave her, plus money people have been sending her. Novalee believes her mother is going to put a down payment on an apartment for the three of them and will buy baby supplies. Instead, when Novalee is released from the hospital the next morning with Americus, her mother never shows up. Novalee goes home with Sister Husband.

It takes a little time for Novalee to feel comfortable staying at Sister Husband’s, but they eventually have a long conversation and become good friends. All the neighbors also step up for Novalee and Americus, providing them with supplies and babysitting duties. Forney comes over every night and brings two books, one for Novalee and one he reads to Americus for 30 minutes at a time.

Willie Jack arrives in New Mexico State Prison and struggles. However, he meets a librarian, Claire Hudson, who thinks he looks like her deceased son, Finny. She gives Willy Jack Finny’s guitar. Willie Jack teaches himself how to play the guitar and even writes a song called “The Beat of the Heart.”