At a village meeting neighbors confront Nicole about her plans to remarry three years after Arthur's death. Kevin, her brother-in-law, loudly objects, calling remarriage disrespectful, while others argue a widow can move on. The dispute escalates into money and survival: Kevin says he sent half his salary and ration stamps through Aunt Rachel each year, but Nicole and her daughter Leah reveal they never received those funds and have gone without meat or full meals. The crowd turns to Rachel when someone says, "You better ask Rachel what the truth is," leaving the missing support and Nicole's choice unresolved.