The Bean Trees

One evening, Mattie takes Taylor and Estevan and Esperanza into the hills around Tucson to watch the first rain of the season. She tells them that this is the new year to the Indigenous people of this region, since all life renews itself after the rain comes. They watch the storm approach and then hit the desert. Estevan and Esperanza dance, and they all enjoy the rain. Taylor realizes that she’s still in love with Estevan.

The greasewood bushes produce a chemical with a clean, fresh smell that Taylor enjoys. Life in the desert begins to bloom and flourish again, showing that it was dormant rather than totally dead. Esperanza saves Taylor from walking into a rattlesnake in a tree, and Mattie observes that every living creature has to do what it must to survive.

When they return home, however, Taylor sees Lou Ann looking upset and realizes that something is wrong. While Turtle and Edna Poppy were walking in the park, a man tried to grab Turtle, and she has now become silent again. The police come and investigate while Turtle clings to Edna’s skirt. They determine that Turtle wasn’t molested, but she has bruises in the shape of fingers on her arm. Edna hit the perpetrator with her cane but can’t give any information about his appearance because of her blindness.

As the police investigate, Virgie Parsons is wielding a broom as she chases a bird that accidentally got into the house. Taylor sees how terrified the bird is and intervenes, opening the screen door so that the animal can escape into the night.

After this incident, Taylor becomes melancholy. She neglects to eat and tells Lou Ann that she’s hopeless about the state of the world after seeing how cruel and pitiless most people are toward those in terrible situations. She compares the lack of compassion for refugees to the lack of care people show toward those who have financial difficulties or are unhoused. Taylor fears that she’ll be unable to protect Turtle from such a terrible world. However, Lou Ann reminds Taylor that she’s not alone.

Taylor remains unsure of her ability as Turtle’s caretaker. While Turtle demonstrates resilience and resumes talking and interacting, Taylor fears that she’ll inevitably fail again because the world is so dangerous and uncaring. In addition, Cynthia, a social worker from the state, informs Taylor that she has no legal claim to be Turtle’s guardian and that the state may take Turtle away and place in her foster care. Taylor accepts this outcome, but Lou Ann is furious and can’t understand why Taylor isn’t planning to fight the decision.

Meanwhile, Estevan and Esperanza need to leave Arizona and find sanctuary elsewhere or risk deportation. However, Mattie can’t find anyone trustworthy to drive them to California or Oklahoma. When Taylor comes in early to work one morning, she decides to volunteer. She talks with Mattie about how she has realized that she has poor parenting skills, and Mattie reminds her that no parent can perfectly protect a child from the world but that she’s more fit to try than the state of Arizona.

Inspired, Taylor meets with Cynthia again and learns that she could legally adopt Turtle if she had the written and signed permission of her legal guardian back on the reservation. Cynthia gives her the contact information of another social worker in Oklahoma if she wants to try. Mattie is reluctant to allow Taylor to take Estevan and Esperanza to Oklahoma because she could face fines and legal penalties if she’s caught. Taylor accepts the risks, claiming that she’s not doing something heroic but rather treating her friends as anyone ought to.

Before they leave, Edna Poppy and Virgie Parsons come over to show Turtle, Lou Ann, and Taylor a rare flower called a Cereus that only blooms at night. Edna can identify the flower by its smell. Taylor wonders if this is an omen of good luck and in the morning decides that it might have predicted good weather, at least. Taylor, Estevan, and Esperanza set out for Oklahoma together in Mattie’s Lincoln because Taylor’s Volkswagen still lacks an ignition starter.