I better go now, but I ain’t never go’n forgit you and please don’t forgit me, Will.

Lightfoot McLendon speaks these words of farewell to Will at the end of Chapter 46. Her words show the impact of Rucker’s kindness to downtrodden people like Loomis and Hosie. Lightfoot makes it clear that without Rucker’s help, she and Hosie would not be able to marry. The fact that Rucker hires Hosie means that Rucker has undermined Will’s chances with Lightfoot, but we feel little sympathy with Will because, ashamed of Lightfoot, he has neglected her. Lightfoot says she will never forget Will, suggesting she feels genuine affection for him even though she loves Hosie. This turn of events reinforces a lesson for Will. Rucker’s relationships with Mattie Lou and Miss Love suggest that people can feel affection for more than one person, and now Lightfoot shows that Will that she feels tenderly toward both him and Hosie.