Irene has no intention of seeing Clare, but on Tuesday morning the phone at Irene’s family home continues to ring. The maid answers the calls several times and tells Clare Irene is not home, just as Irene instructed her. But that does not stop Clare. She waits for a while and then redials the number. Finally Irene gives in. Clare insists that Irene meet with her. Irene must alter her plans and make room in her day for at least a brief visit. So Irene acts against her own wishes and concedes.

When Irene arrives at the address Clare gave her, she is surprised to find another woman sitting in the living room. She is a heavyset, light-skinned woman around Irene and Clare’s age. It takes several minutes for Irene to recognize her as a fellow classmate from childhood, Gertrude Martin. Gertrude’s history quickly comes to mind, especially the similarity Gertrude shares with Clare: both women married white men. The difference between the two women, though, is that Gertrude is not “passing.” Gertrude’s husband had also gone to school with them. He knows that Gertrude is mixed-race, which means according to social standards at the time that Gertrude is a Negro.

During the course of the women’s conversation, the topic of children is discussed. Gertrude has two boys, as does Irene. When Clare talks about her daughter, she confesses that she will never have another child because she has a terrible fear that a child of hers might turn out to have dark skin. Her daughter is light skinned, for which Clare is extremely thankful. If the baby had been born with black skin, Clare's secret would be revealed. Gertrude’s boys are also light skinned, she tells them. She asks, who would want to have a dark-skinned child? At this, Irene tells them that one of her sons looks black. Irene’s statement causes a sudden, awkward silence.

Clare changes the subject and asks what happened to old school friends. And a short time later, Clare’s husband, John, comes home. When he greets Clare, he called her “Nig.” Clare senses Irene’s and Gertrude’s reaction on hearing this, and she asks her husband to explain why he used that name. John tells them he has been teasing Clare about how dark her skin is becoming, saying that if she is not careful, people might think she is a “Nigger.” At this, Irene cannot contain her feelings and bursts out laughing. Attempting to quell the rising emotions she feels, Clare asks her husband what difference it would make if she were partially a Negro. John’s reaction is quick and to the point: there is no room for “Niggers” in his family. When Irene wants to push him a little further, she asks John if this means he dislikes Negroes. In his response, John makes it clear that he hates and mistrusts them. In his opinion, all black people are criminals.

Shortly after this, Irene stands and tells everyone she must leave. Gertrude also makes preparations to end her stay. As Irene and Gertrude make their way out of the hotel, they discuss how dangerous Clare’s situation is. They wonder what would happen to Clare if John found out she is black? They both conclude that Clare must be crazy to choose to live under those circumstances. Irene and Gertrude are thankful their husbands know their true histories. But Irene concludes that if Clare had told John about her background, he would not have married her.

When Irene arrived home, she continues to berate herself for having gone to see Clare. She so many emotions were stirred caused by the conversations she had heard. She felt frightened for Clare, but she also felt disgusted with the whole situation, especially having to sit there in that hotel room and listen to John say awful things about black people. Then she concludes that she cannot blame Clare; she alone is responsible for having given in to Clare’s insistence that she visit. Irene vows never to see Clare again.