Jeannette moves in with Lori at the women’s hostel and lands a job at a burger joint. A few weeks later, the two of them move into an affordable apartment in the South Bronx. In the fall, Jeannette enrolls at a public school that allows students to take internships rather than attend classes. She obtains an internship at The Phoenix, a Brooklyn weekly newspaper run by Mike Armstrong. One day, Mike needs a reporter to cover a zoning board meeting on short notice. Jeannette agrees and is made a full-time reporter at the age of 18.

In letters from Brian, Jeannette reads that Dad is always drunk or in jail, Mom has retreated into her own world, and Maureen is usually at neighbors’ houses. Over the phone, Jeannette convinces Brian to move in with her and Lori. The day after he arrives, Brian finds a job at a Brooklyn ice cream shop. Although Jeannette loves her job at The Phoenix, Mike convinces her to apply to college. She is accepted to Barnard College. While there, Jeannette lands a job as an editorial assistant at a major magazine. With the situation in Welch deteriorating further, Jeannette convinces Maureen to move in with Lori.