, ▁gas , ▁or ▁electric ity . ▁When ▁the ▁family ▁has ▁not ▁e aten ▁in ▁days , ▁R ex ▁takes ▁their ▁remaining ▁money ▁to ▁buy ▁food , ▁but ▁returns ▁home ▁dr unk ▁after ▁a ▁fight . ▁S ew ing ▁up ▁his ▁w ound , ▁Je ann ette ▁asks ▁him ▁to ▁stop ▁drink ing , ▁and ▁R ex ▁t ies ▁himself ▁to ▁his ▁bed , ▁successfully ▁end uring ▁withdraw al . ▁He ▁lands ▁a ▁job ▁as ▁a ▁construction ▁worker ▁and ▁the ▁family ▁enjo ys ▁a ▁comfortable ▁Christmas . ▁ ▁The ▁parents ▁attend ▁the ▁fun eral ▁of ▁Rose ’ s ▁mother ▁in ▁Texas , ▁leaving ▁the ▁children ▁with ▁their ▁grand par ents ▁in ▁Wel ch . ▁The ▁sister s ▁discover ▁Ir ma ▁sex ually ▁assault ing ▁Brian ▁and ▁attack ▁her , ▁but ▁are ▁pulled ▁away ▁by ▁Stanley . ▁When ▁their ▁parents ▁return , ▁R ex ▁ref uses ▁to ▁listen ▁to ▁his ▁children ▁about ▁the ▁incident . ▁The ▁family ▁returns ▁home ▁and ▁he ▁res umes ▁drink ing , ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁violent ▁alter cation ▁with ▁Rose . ▁Je ann ette ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁conv ince ▁her ▁mother ▁to ▁leave ▁R ex , ▁and ▁the ▁sib lings ▁promise ▁to ▁care ▁for ▁each ▁other ▁and ▁escape ▁their ▁pover ty . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁Je ann ette ▁is ▁drawn ▁to ▁journal ism . ▁The ▁sib lings ▁save ▁enough ▁money ▁for ▁L ori ▁to ▁leave ▁for ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁inf uri ating ▁R ex ; ▁Je ann ette ▁prepar es ▁to ▁do ▁the ▁same .