Where The Watermelons Grow

After their shift at the farm stand, Della and Arden paint the inside of the playhouse they built last summer. Arden laments that summer is half-over. Arden is homeschooled, so Della will not get to see her as much when school starts. Della worries about starting seventh grade.

Arden tells Della about the aeronautics lesson that Arden’s mom is planning when they start school again. They’ll end the lesson with a day trip to Kitty Hawk on a nice fall day. Della wonders what her family will be doing in the fall. She worries Mama might go back to the hospital. Arden can sense something is wrong with Della, but Della insists she’s fine. She desperately wants to talk to Arden about what’s happening with Mama, but she can’t find the words. Ladybugs flit past them.

When Della was eight, and Mama’s father died, Mama’s sickness got so bad that she had to be committed to a mental health hospital for over a month. Della stayed with Arden’s family when Daddy would drive into the city to visit Mama. Della would crawl into bed next to Daddy every night and ask when Mama would be home. Some of the Emily Dickinson poems Della has read remind her of the grief she felt back then.

Della worries telling Arden about what Mama has been saying and doing would make it too real. She wants to feel like things haven’t gotten as bad as they were four years ago. Della thinks she can figure out a way to fix Mama, and she hopes it’s not too late to save Mama from going back to the hospital.

On Saturday morning, Della collects the eggs, then takes a small break to read more of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, which soothes her even when she doesn’t always understand it.

Arden’s mother sends her to Della’s to ask if their family can borrow a dozen eggs. Della leads Arden inside the house. The fans are on full blast, but Della can hear Mylie screaming in the bedroom. Della finds Mama sitting tensely on the couch, chewing her lip and wringing her hands. Della asks Mama if she’s going to go get Mylie, but Mama doesn’t respond. Della continues asking Mama questions until Mama says that it’s safer for Mylie to stay in the crib, where nothing can hurt her. Mama’s face is twisted and her eyes are wet. She expresses that she has to keep Della and Mylie safe. Della realizes that, with Daddy way out on the farm, this is something she must deal with herself.

Arden asks if Della needs help, but Della refuses. Arden leaves without the eggs. Della stops her and makes her promise not to tell her parents what she saw today. Arden reluctantly agrees before leaving.

Della feels guilty for reading her book out by the chickens. She feels she could’ve prevented the situation from getting so bad. Della finds Mylie with a dirty diaper and damp clothes, hiccupping from crying. Once she cleans Mylie, she soothes her.

Della tells Mylie another story about the Bee Lady. In this story, the Bee Lady’s honey cured a little girl’s black cloud, which followed her everywhere after her father died. The Bee Lady’s honey dissolved the cloud completely. After the story, Mylie asks for Mama. Della’s hands are shaking as she thinks about what Mama said about leaving Mylie to cry in the crib. Della worries Mama is sicker than she’s been in years.

Mama and Daddy met in college, but Mama’s schizophrenia did not show up until after Mama gave birth to Della. She’d hear voices of people who weren’t around and struggle to express the right emotions. The doctor explained the sudden onset of schizophrenic symptoms as a result of a hormonal trigger. He gave her medication, and Mama was fine until her father died, and she began to get sick again, leading to her stay in a hospital. Mama switched medications and was fine since then until she had Mylie, and the symptoms began again. Daddy has spoken to Della about how hard having a baby can be, even for women without Mama’s illness.

Della comes up with a plan to fix Mama. She plans to ask the Bee Lady for a special honey that can fix Mama’s brain the way it fixed Grandpa’s leg. She worries that if the honey won’t work, nothing will.

Mama is quiet for the rest of Saturday and all through church on Sunday. Della isn’t sure if Daddy notices the grimaces Mama makes every so often. As they leave church, Della spots Miss Tabitha and makes an excuse to run back inside and talk to her.

At first, Della struggles to speak. She recalls another story about a jilted bride. The Bee Lady’s honey cleared up the rainstorm she made with all her tears. Della manages to ask if Miss Tabitha has any honey that can fix Mama. Miss Tabitha gives Della a firm no, adding that Mama has a good doctor taking care of her. Della argues that Mama’s pills aren’t enough and aren’t permanent. She believes that if Mama’s schizophrenia could just suddenly start, there has to be a way to stop it, too. Miss Tabitha apologizes and says she has nothing that can heal Mama, but she adds that she has some honey that can heal Della if she’d like. Della argues that nothing is wrong with her and is upset that the Bee Lady does not understand that Mama needs help, not Della.

Della is quiet on the way home from church. She believes it’s her responsibility to heal Mama because she’s the one who made Mama this way. That night, Della begins to formulate a new plan. When Mama was in the hospital, Dr. DuBose told Della that Mama’s brain needed to rest in order to heal, and that’s why Mama had to stay in the hospital. Recalling this advice, Della decides she’s going to ensure Mama gets as much rest as possible. Her new plan is to help in any way she can, so Mama can get so much rest, she heals permanently.

Della hopes Arden didn’t say anything about what she saw. Della pretended to be sick to avoid her shift at the farm stand because she couldn’t face Arden. Della isn’t ready to talk to Arden about Mama, and she hopes she won’t have to. Della feels that she can make Mama better before anything else goes wrong.

The next morning, after gathering eggs, Della makes breakfast for the family. Mama is surprised, and a bit concerned, but ultimately thankful for Della’s sudden desire to do chores. Della promises to help Mama more from now on, so Mama can rest. Mama is confused but doesn’t question it.

Over breakfast, Daddy tells Mama he’s concerned about the watermelons. They have some sort of fungus. Daddy is going to try applying a special oil, but if it doesn’t work, he may have to use pesticides. When Daddy inherited the farm, he decided to make it organic. Della notices Mama zone out and back in during the conversation.

Della wipes up Mylie and offers to watch her for the day, but Mama refuses. Della has too many chores, and Mama needs to keep them both safe. Della is disappointed that Mama will not allow her to help more. She hopes for rain.

Outside, Della and Daddy pick butter beans. Sometimes when they work, Della will tell Daddy riddles or Daddy will give Della math problems. Della knows nothing will cheer him up today. Della brainstorms ways she can make Mama’s life easier, even working out a plan to get groceries. Della knows cleaning wouldn’t be much help, as Mama has a particular way of cleaning—Daddy once told Della that part of Mama’s sickness was making sure everything felt clean, as it gives her a sense of control when things are getting bad.

Daddy gives Della a ride to the farm stand on his tractor, but the tractor suddenly dies before they can get there. It needs a new belt. Daddy sends Della to the stand alone while he calls the gas station owner, Mr. Anton, about ordering the replacement belt. Della notices how heavy Daddy’s movements are.

Arden is upset with Della for missing their shift on Saturday, and she asks for an explanation. Della finally confesses that she’s worried Mama is getting sick again. Della doesn’t want anyone to know because she doesn’t want Mama to go to the hospital again. Arden wonders if being in the hospital is good for Mama, but Della insists that Mama needs a cure. For a moment, Della wants to tell Arden’s mom about Mama, but she knows that wouldn’t help. Della knows Arden’s parents are busy with their own kids. Daddy is busy worrying about the farm. Della knows that if she wants her Mama to be well enough to see her through her teenage years, it’s up to Della to fix Mama.