They were moving. Finally.

Laura and Mary had gone back to Alabama to be with their mother. Stephen was out of the hospital, but had refused to come back to the house. He was staying with his aunt until they were moved out. Even then, he guaranteed nothing; he was still very cautious with them and, once they'd moved out, they would have to take their relationship from there and try to patch up all the holes.

The important thing at the moment was that they were, finally and at last, moving out of the house in which their lives had been such a hell.