Shaw, South Carolina

Shaw, South Carolina is the Air Force base where Hough is stationed when somebody lights her car on fire. Having previously received death threats while working in Egypt, Hough knows that she is being pursued by someone who knows she is gay. At Shaw, Hough has to keep her queerness a secret due to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. When the police investigate the car fire, Hough herself becomes a suspect and she has to stand trial to determine whether she is guilty. She is found not culpable, but is treated like a pariah after the trial. She eventually tells her commanding officer that she is gay and is discharged from the Air Force.

Washington D.C.

After leaving the Air Force, Hough moves to Washington D.C. with her friend Jay. While in D.C., Hough contends with homelessness and poverty. She...