Thirteen-year-old Ruthie Carmichael and her mother| Rita teeter on the edge of poverty| despite Rita working multiple jobs. When their landlord kicks them out| Rita uses her looks to instantly reel in a boyfriend| who takes them in. Before long| Ruthie convinces her mother to leave and they head East in search of a better life. When money runs out and their car breaks down| they find themselves stranded in a small town called Fat River where their luck finally takes a turn. Rita lands a steady job waitressing at the local diner. With enough money to pay their bills| they rent a house and Fat River becomes the first place they call home. Peter Pam| a transgender waitress| becomes Ruthie's closest friend. Arlene| the no-nonsense head waitress| takes Rita under her wing. The townspeople become Ruthie and Rita's family. Into this quirky utopia comes smooth-talking mortgage broker Vick Ward| who entices Rita with a subprime loan. Almost as soon as Rita buys a house their fortunes change. ...