Chapter 55: Francie passed her college entrance exams with Ben's help, and as soon as her mother is married, she will be leaving Brooklyn to attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Ben chose the college because he believes that leaving home is an important part of maturing and attending college. Francie knows that, in her heart, she will always be a girl from Brooklyn. Ben has given Francie a ring with their two sets of initials engraved on the inside, but he is not pressuring her to make a decision about loving him. He has another five years before he can finish law school and marry, and he is willing to give Francie that long to know what she wants. Readers learn that Willie simply disappeared one day, leaving Evy as the sole supporter of their family.
Chapter 56: In this final chapter, Francie says goodbye to her neighborhood and to the life the family lived in their apartment. The next day, Katie and Mr. McShane will marry and leave the apartment for good. Katie insists on working on the last day, even though McShane gave her $1,000 as a wedding present.
Francie visits many of the neighborhood stores that she visited in the opening pages of the novel. She also visits her old school and is surprised at how tiny it looks. Francie next visits the library to turn in the last of her books. When she returns to the apartment, Neeley comes in looking for a clean shirt to wear to work. He calls her Prima Donna, just like Johnny used to, and sings, just as her father once did. He hugs her goodbye and kisses her.
Francie packs up her things, including her diary and the four compositions that she saved from school. She thinks she may try writing again. When she is finished packing, Francie prepares for her date with Ben that evening and admits that she does not love him, but she is willing to give it time and perhaps she will learn to. As she dresses for her date, she sees a young girl sitting on the fire escape watching her, just as so many years ago she watched other young women dress for dates. It is the end of one part of her life and the beginning of another.
