The Tobacco Wives

When Mitzy returns from the hospital, Maddie tells her everything that’s happened with Dr. Hale: his threats, Richard’s advertising plans, and the letter. Maddie is distraught and scared that no one will believe her, but Mitzy tells her that she did the right thing, and she promises to act.

Mitzy confronts Richard about the medical study, the letter, and his advertising plan. He dismisses and downplays her concerns, questioning the validity of a “foreign study [that has] got nothing to do with Bright Leaf Tobacco, no bearing on our business at all” (297). Mitzy grows increasingly irate with him, blaming him for putting their family at risk and not considering her health and that of their baby, especially after they already lost one child. She wonders how he could do this to the women of Bright Leaf. She draws conclusions between the study’s findings and the health issues of the factory workers and all the premature babies and miscarriages. Richard goes on a tirade, explaining that every aspect of their lives and of the town runs on tobacco, and if they were to conduct a study that showed that Bright Leaf Tobacco was dangerous, it would severely threaten the town’s economy and their family’s existence. He demands Mitzy give him the documents, but she refuses, saying that the situation is in her hands now.

Maddie works to finish the gowns for the Gala, and she doesn’t see much of Mitzy or Richard in the days that follow. Maddie feels guilty about the situation that she feels she caused, and she worries about Dr. Hale following through on his threats. David reassures her that he will be by her side no matter what, telling her that she was brave and did the right thing. Mitzy insists that Maddie attend the Gala, though Maddie is hesitant and wonders what her life will hold after the Gala and whether she will return to the Holler. The night before the Gala, she has a nightmare that she is back home in the Holler, until suddenly the living room turns into her bathroom at the Winstons’, while her bathtub overflows with thick brown sludge as Maddie attempts to stop the flood.

On the night of the Gala fundraiser, Maddie is a bundle of nerves. It is an extravagant event with champagne, music, and lavish decorations. Cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco leaves are everywhere. She is proud to see her hard work come to fruition in the gowns of the tobacco wives and reflects on how much she has changed from that very first night leaving the Holler, but she is distracted and uneasy around the powerful men in town. She cannot read Mitzy’s behavior; one minute she is warm and complimentary of Maddie and the next she is standoffish and cool. David and Maddie find each other in the crowd and sit together, anxious about how the night will unfold.

During Mr. Winston’s speech, as he finishes thanking the veterans for their service and exclaims that “our women can get back home where they belong” (315), Mitzy rises from the crowd to interrupt him and begin her own speech. She thanks the tireless efforts of the factory workers and recognizes Ashley, Cornelia, and the strike leaders, Sadie and Margaret, for the work they’ve done to grow business, make improvements, and keep the lights on. She shares that all women workers will get to keep their jobs at Bright Leaf Tobacco, with Sadie and Margaret promoted to supervisors, and they will ensure post-war job security for all women. Cornelia, Mitzy, and Ashley will serve on the board of directors. Maddie expects her to say more, but when Dr. Hale and Mr. Winston step in to exclaim that MOMints will be going on sale nationwide tomorrow as they unveil the new advertisements, Maddie is devastated that Mitzy doesn’t speak up against it. Instead, Mitzy toasts to tobacco, calling it the town’s lifeblood. When Maddie rushes out of the party, Mitzy finds her outside and explains that she did what she could with the choices she had, and she hopes one day Maddie will understand and forgive her.

Maddie returns to Aunt Etta’s house after putting on a brave face for the rest of the evening. David again tells her that they’ll face everything together and he’ll always be there for her, but she can’t fathom how they could have a future after everything that has taken place, especially because of how close he is to Mitzy and Richard. There is a letter from Momma waiting for Maddie, in which she explains that she wants to move to Nashville with the rich music producer, Johnny, who helped her settle her debts with the bank. She tells Maddie that the bank was going to get the home in North Carolina, but she didn’t want to tell Maddie. Johnny has helped her set up Daddy’s veterans benefits so that they will get regular payments and not have to worry about money anymore. She apologizes for dropping Maddie off at Etta’s and tells her that she’s tried to make the best choices that she can in the moment, and she hopes that Maddie understands. Maddie cries for all the injustices that she has witnessed over the past month, and especially for her own loss of innocence now that she sees the world differently than before.

Mitzy visits Maddie at her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1990. Maddie and David have been married for 30 years. Etta has died but Frances remains close with Maddie. Maddie owns a custom dress shop, Cornelia’s Custom Dresses, with Anthony, and spends her time and resources volunteering with the American Cancer Society and Better Business Bureau to lobby Congress to put an end to cigarette advertising now that the harmful effects of smoking—including its cancer-causing and addictive properties—are well known. Executives from Big Tobacco are being called on to testify under oath about the part that they played in marketing tobacco to men, women, and teenagers. Barred from using television and radio ads, tobacco advertisers have moved to billboards, newspapers, and magazine ads.

Maddie reflects on how she and David have tried over the years to talk sense into Mitzy, but she had always put them off and refused to talk about the study, even after she lost her second child before birth. In the years that followed, she instead emphasized the good that came from Bright Leaf Tobacco: the steady jobs for female factory workers, Ashley’s business coalition and mentorship of women in the state, and the fact that Cornelia’s reputation and well-being remained intact because her son’s wrongdoings were not revealed. However, Richard has recently died. Mitzy now comes to Maddie and asks for forgiveness, telling her that she wished she had exposed the news and handing over Dr. Hale’s letter and Richard’s advertisement plan. Maddie plans to take the documents before Congress in the hopes of holding people, including Dr. Hale, accountable. Mitzy hopes that Maddie can do the right thing—what Mitzy wishes that she had been able to do four decades ago—and commends Maddie on having more courage and strength of character at 15 than Mitzy herself ever had. The novel ends with David and Maddie ruminating on the possible risks to their family when Maddie brings forth this information, including to her business and their children and grandchildren, but Maddie is compelled to do the right thing. Maddie wonders how different her life would look had she not spent that summer in Bright Leaf and concludes that it’s the “what ifs” that make a life. She understands now that no one leaves this life unscathed and it’s best to open yourself up to all that life has to offer you.