What Is Ruby's Relationship?

When Ruby’s mother abandons her, Ruby is forced by child services to live with Cora and her husband, dot-com millionaire Jamie Hunter. Jamie grew up in a close family and wants to share that type of life with Cora and Ruby. Ruby is not happy with this arrangement and finds it difficult to trust anyone. She wears the key to her former home on a chain around her neck. She tries to run away upon learning that she will have to transfer to a new high school but is discovered and stopped. Jamie and Cora’s neighbor Nate Cross helps Ruby, and she and Nate slowly become closer over time.

Ruby begins to accept and settle into her new life. She finds out that Cora has not been ignoring her over the years as she had assumed. Cora had been attempting to save Ruby from the life she was living with their mother but was always blocked in her efforts. This realization is too much for Ruby to deal with. She skips school and turns to drugs and alcohol. Later, she finds herself in a car with Nate who has picked her up. Jamie is extremely angry at Ruby when she arrives home that day. He tells her that she is being ungrateful to both him and Cora. When Ruby thinks about this, she realizes there are similarities between her and her mother. Upon this realization, she resolves to change her behavior. …show more content…
The necklace Ruby wears with her key inspires a line of pendants in the shape of keys, which become big sellers, increasing business for Harriet’s store. Harriet, meanwhile, is struggling with an inner conflict. She strives to be independent and because of this, she is unsure of entering into a relationship with Reggie, the owner of a kiosk next to her