Summary

Chapter 11 is “The Happy House,” and it is set from the summer of 1988 through January of 1998. After Cookie went home, Grandpa Mike discovered that things were missing from his house. Cookie had mailed items during her stay, saying she was sending things to Rose, but she was actually stealing things from her parents' home. By that point, Rose had moved out of Cookie's house. A teacher had guardianship of Rose, who had cut ties with her sisters. Regina knew Rose felt the older three girls had failed to protect her, and her distance was part of her healing process.

Regina's friends began to enter the work force, but Regina was having trouble finding a job she felt “passionately about” (232). She had terrible typing skills, which limited some of her options. She found a position with the Easter Paralyzed Veterans Association and felt she could...