The war of wills continues at 124 Bluestone Road. Beloved, whose belly expands while Sethe starves, becomes Sethe's sole focus after she spots the scar on "the kootchy-kootchy-coo place under her chin"—the scar left by the handsaw. Obsessed with Beloved, Sethe loses her job because Sawyer can no longer depend on her. As demented as Baby Suggs was at the end of her life, Sethe spends her remaining $38 on extravagances, including "ribbon and dress goods. . . . Bright clothes—with blue stripes and sassy prints." The family members eye each other warily. Denver fears for Beloved's life, Beloved demands constant attention and coddling, and Sethe searches for absolution for killing her baby girl. At length, Sethe unloads the hurt of the past, and Beloved accuses her of abandonment. Sethe counters with her hopes that the family can reunite "on the other side, forever."
Accusations and counter-accusations continue. Denver fears that Beloved may stab Sethe in retaliation for leaving her. Sethe and Denver grow faint with hunger and weary from emotional conflict. Denver, encouraged by her grandmother's example and wisdom, goes to her former teacher, Lady Jones, for help. Rejecting charity, Denver insists on working. Through Lady Jones, Denver taps into the generosity of the neighborhood women, who supply food regularly to the starving trio.
Denver's home life deteriorates further as Beloved continues to fatten and falls into despair, screaming "Rain! Rain!" and clawing her throat. Sethe recedes further from sanity as Beloved avenges her murder. Meanwhile, Denver serves her mother and sister as cook, laundress, and nurse. At Nelson Lord's suggestion, Denver seeks work in the Bodwin household.
Denver confesses to Janey Wagon, the Bodwins’ servant, the truth about what’s happening at 124—her mother's madness, the visiting "cousin," and her own need for a job. Janey deduces that the cousin is a ghost and spreads this news to the community. At 3 p.m. on the Friday when Denver is to assume the role of night nurse to the aging Bodwins, 30 women approach 124 as Denver awaits Edward Bodwin’s arrival. The women pray and begin singing at the edge of the yard as the unsuspecting Bodwin drives up in his cart.
Sethe is chipping ice with a pick, trying to cool Beloved's head, when Bodwin arrives. Hearing the women singing at the edge of the yard, Sethe and Beloved move to the porch to see what is happening. The sight of Bodwin triggers a flashback in Sethe’s mind to the day schoolteacher and the other slave catchers came to reclaim her family. Racing toward the cart, Sethe fails to recognize the generous Mr. Bodwin, seeing only a white man with a whip in his hand. The ice pick becomes an extension of her hand and her will to protect Beloved.
