Time passes, and winter turns to early spring. Rose tries to cope with Rain being gone, spending her time out of school alone at her house while Wesley is gone, supposedly out looking for work. Rose is lonely and sad without the companionship Rain used to provide.

More time passes. When he drops Rose off after school one day, Weldon suggests to Wesley that Rose might like to have another dog to keep her company, especially since Wesley is gone so much. Wesley angrily says that Rose doesn’t deserve another dog since she gave away the one he had gotten for her. Weldon uneasily leaves, knowing that Wesley doesn’t like his “interference” in bringing up Rose.

Late one night, Wesley abruptly wakes up Rose and tells her that he’s taking her to Weldon’s house. The way that he tells her makes Rose thinks that she’ll be with her uncle for a while, so she hurriedly packs some of her belongings. When she gets into her father’s truck, it seems that he’s packed some of his own things as well. At Weldon’s, Wesley leaves before Weldon knows Rose has arrived to stay with him.