This is a story about a young girl named Lesa who is adopted by her aunt and uncle. She is raised with a lot of hostility by her aunt, and she is the victim of her male cousin, who later by adoption becomes her brother. Her birth mother and aunt were sisters, and they were also enemies. The hate between them lived on through Lesa. Lesa blames herself for being a "bad, bad girl who nobody wants." There are some happy times that she will never forget, but her aunt (mother) and cousin (brother) teach her all about fear and self-hate. When Lesa is hurting and needing comfort, she turns to her own little world ... her closet.