Franklin leaves her family's home in Rustburg, Virginia, and moves to Lynchburg, Virginia, where she resides with her Aunt Rachael. Her aunt runs a bootlegger's establishment from her home, catering to those seeking refuge from the hardship of the era. Rose secures a job as a domestic. She and her employer's son, Charlie, become involved in a taboo relationship which results in Rose getting pregnant. Fearing Charlie no longer wants to be with her, she turns to her parents. Her father severs his relationship with her. Her mother is pregnant with her eleventh child and cannot be the support Rose needs. Rose has twins. The dual heritage of her children is evident in their appearance. Her son, Robert, resembles his father, a white man, and her daughter, Sarah, mirrors her, a Black woman. Rose, who is determined to do whatever she has to do to assure her children have the best life, makes a decision that determines the trajectory of her children's lives.