A thudding knock on the door brings all three women back to reality. Inke goes to answer it and is greeted by a man. He asks if Gilly is here. At this, Gilly moves to the door and sees her brother.
Namshita relaxes as soon as he realizes that Gilly is found. He is familiar with the fact that his sister comes here on bad days, but he wasn't aware that today was going to be a bad day. He embraces his sister and whispers in her ear, "I found you. We need you back at the temple."
Gilly can't disobey her brother. So she says goodbye to her friend and walks out the door. Gilly and Namshita begin to walk back to the temple. Gilly begins to speak about why she left home when her brother cuts her off. He brings his hand to his mouth and shushes his sister. Then, he stops to look around and see who is within earshot.
The family has prestige in the community. They have lived here for generations and worked as emissaries for the gods. People come from all over to have the family supplicate the gods. Namshita has spent the last few years learning from his parents, all the rituals needed to have a direct line to the heavens. He has made himself worthy and taken on the role of the priest in the last year. And while he may not have wanted to marry so young, he needed a partner who could also become worthy of being a priestess. His wife, who was currently with child for the second time, had just recently taken over the role of priestess from his mother. With this, his parents had stepped back from their roles and been doing everything they could to help Namshita and his wife succeed.
Yet, everyone in the town was unaware of why Namshita took over things when he was so young. His father was still young himself. Namshita did everything to make sure that no one had any speculations. And this is why, when he and his sister walked through town, he stopped her from speaking. They must continue to act as if they lived a completely unremarkable life.
Gullah, with her large belly, is waiting for the two siblings to return. She had to turn away a few visitors to the temple today because her father-in-law was making too much noise. She had found a room where he had thrown many things in a fit of rage and instantly sent her husband to find Gilly. They were all acutely aware that their father directed the majority of his feelings at Gilly. As the three walk into the temple together, they are greeted by their mother. She gives Gilly a big hug and tells her, "I was so worried about you. When Gullah told me about the vase.." Mother stops herself there. She cannot finish that sentence because she would then be speaking ill of her husband. Which she never would do. He had enough going on.
Namshita, Gullah, Gilly, and Mother walk into a room with a large table and chairs. There, Namshita pulls out a chair for his pregnant wife and then asks his sister to follow. "We wanted to talk to you about your temple work, not about dad," he clarifies.
Gilly forces herself to sit down. She was surprised that the family had closed the temple for the day. They tried to avoid that at all costs. Gilly begins to feel guilty. It was her fault. If she hadn't gone in to see her father this morning, he never would have been set off. Her father never reacted to anyone else the way he did to Gilly. And if Gilly had just avoided her father altogether, there would be peace in the temple. But she had wanted to offer him some of her breakfast. Her intentions had been good. But that didn't matter anymore to him. Gilly goes on to apologize, "I am so sorry Mom. I know when he gets like this it is hard on you too."
Gilly's mother responds, "Gilly, it isn't your fault. It's the curse."
Gilly replies, "I know it's the curse. But it still feels like I could be doing better."
Namshita chimes in, "Gilly, just try to realize that our father is gone. We are all doing our best. No one is upset with you. It's the opposite. Gullah and I have an idea for how to get you some freedom."
Gilly looks shocked. She had spent her entire life working at the temple and she thought that would never change. She greeted guests, cleaned, organized offerings, and kept everyone fed. While Gilly was not a priestess, she was necessary. Someone had to play this part. And since the family was trying to hide the curse from the rest of the world, it had to be her. No one else could be trusted to protect her father's condition. As these thoughts run through Gilly's mind, reality sets in. "It has to be me. No one else can know."
Gullah starts to explain her idea. "Gilly, it must be family so it has fallen to you. But Nams and I think that my younger sister is old enough to help us now. She already knows that she doesn't see your father anymore. And seeing as how my child can also carry the curse, I will have to tell her eventually. What if we bring her in now to take over your responsibilities? You would have to stay long enough to train her in everything, but it would mean that you eventually would be able to leave." At this Gullah smiles. She and her sister-in-law aren't the best of friends, but Gullah has watched Gilly sacrifice any opportunity for her own life for the sake of her family. It's different from her husband, who got both the role of priest and his own family. Gilly has not gotten anything. And Gullah wants her sister to be happy. She has endured enough strife and should now be given the chance to do something that brings her joy.
Gilly is still in shock at the thought of not being tied to the temple and her family. She has known nothing else. Then, she realizes this would mean leaving her mother alone in the temple with her father. "I can't leave mom alone with him," Gilly reminds her family.
But her mother steps in, "You know I won't be alone. I know you worry about me and your father but stop. I am a grown woman and I can take care of my husband. If your father was himself, he would want you to take this opportunity to make something of yourself. Do you have any idea what you would do if you weren't stuck coming to the temple every day?"
This question silenced Gilly. She had never thought about what else she would be doing if she left the temple. It just seemed like the type of thought that would only bring her sadness because she could never leave. On top of that, her family had a curse, and she has spent her whole life worried that she would be claimed by it too. Why live a life for yourself when you are destined to bring all those in your life pain and sadness? But now, she has her family all telling her to leave. She honestly didn't know what to do or how to react to this.
Namshita speaks to his sister. "You don't need an answer yet. Just train up Gullah's sister and figure it out later. What do you think?"
Gilly is speechless. She never would have expected in a million years that her family cared this much about her. She reaches for Gullah's hands and says the one thing she can bring herself to say, "Thank you."