On a visit back to Transkei, Beauty takes in the village where she grew up. She misses its customs and the trees and rivers. She feels sad that she’s mostly absent as her sons grow up, but she tells them that she can’t come home until she brings Nomsa with her as she promised. She tends to the graves of her first son, Mandla, and her husband, Silumko.

A last-minute call from work forces Edith to depart, so she arranges for Robin to stay with Victor for Christmas. Wearing new hot pants, Robin marvels at the stylish decor of Victor’s home. She recalls Christmas and how her parents argued about the lights and the star. She tells Victor that Edith gave her clothes and records and Beauty gave her a heart-shaped locket containing her parents’ pictures.

She changes into something more comfortable and accents her outfit with makeup and heart-shaped glasses. When she comes downstairs, she’s greeted by a dozen men attending Victor’s Christmas party. Victor introduces each person to Robin, and they have a feast better than any Robin has eaten before. She listens to the conversation and tries to keep up. After dinner, as Victor plays the piano and sings, a brick with a note attached shatters the window, hitting Johan’s temple.