Why is Janie jealous?

A little, chunky girl named Nunkie begins to flirt with Tea Cake, tapping on his shoulder and then running into the fields hoping that he will chase her. Sometimes he does. Janie is worried that Nunkie is weakening Tea Cake's loyalty to her.

One day, Janie leaves Tea Cake's side to chat with another woman. When she looks back, Tea Cake and Nunkie have disappeared. Janie runs into a row of sugar cane and finds them on the floor struggling. Janie tries to grab Nunkie but she runs off. She asks Tea Cake what he is doing, and Tea Cake says that Nunkie took his working tickets and he had to fight with her to get them back. Janie goes home.