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Squeak visits the warden and tells him that she is interested in seeing
justice being carried out. Reminding him also of their relationship as
uncle and niece the warden disavows this kinship by raping Squeak. She
returns to the house bruised and molested but she has renewed
self-confidence. She tells Harpo to refer to her as Mary Agnes, and not
Squeak, her pet name and asks him why he loves her.
As a new woman Mary Agnes aims to make a career from singing. Inspired by Shug Avery her voice is "meowing" though soon Celie, Shug, Albert, Odessa and Harpo begin to like it. Now Miss Millie’s maid, Sofia and Celie talk about white people. While they do, Billy, Miss Millie’s son orders Sofia to fetch his ball after Eleanor Jane, his sister fails to catch it. In a freak accident, Billy turns to kick Sofia but only succeeds in impaling his foot on a nail near to where Sofia is seated. Miss Millie sweeps to his aid accusing Sofia.
In letter forty-four, Sofia tells Celie of the pressures of living with white people. While she is there, she is forced to teach Miss Millie how to drive her new car. On Christmas Day, following her lessons with Sofia Miss Millie offers to drive Sofia home to see her family. Despite having racist tendencies, Miss Millie is a well-meaning woman. Sofia returns home for the day and is greeted by her sons and sister Odessa. Meanwhile, Miss Millie is still in the driveway. Unable to reverse the car, Millie ends up by flooding the engine. Jack, Odessa’s husband offers to drive Sofia home, but she refuses on account of his colour, and Sofia is forced to spend only fifteen minutes with her family.
Back at Albert’s house Celie gets excited as news spreads that Shug is returning after a vacation with a surprise. Both Celie and Albert have ideas as to what the surprise might be but she surprises them both by bringing home Grady, her husband. Though upset Celie continues her friendship with Shug.
While Albert and Grady are away, Celie talks of her past with Alphonso, how he lied to his wife while he continually raped Celie. Celie becomes immensely upset, and Shug comforts first by kissing her and then by sleeping with her. As soon as Grady and Albert return both women are forced to pretend like nothing has happened. Later Shug tells Mary Agnes that she should sing in public. Harpo opposes this at first but he is soon goosed by the thought of money.
Letter forty-nine opens with a long-awaited letter from Nettie who informs Celie of her and her children’s safety. She plans to return home within a year. In Georgia, Shug and Albert are friends again. Shug uncovers Albert’s secret – that he has been keeping Nettie’s letters all this time. Revengeful, Celie contemplates killing Albert while feeling dead herself. While she ponders this, Shug explains her love for Albert ad realises that he has changed considerably from the time when they used to court each other. Apparently Albert and Shug had planned to marry, but instead Albert was given Annie Julia the women his father wanted him to marry. In spite of this, Shug and Albert still had sex with each other. At the end, Shug apologises for the way she treated Celie when she first arrived.
Written by Matthew Kane [2001]
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