Emily Timeline and Summary

When Emily is born, her mother is only nineteen. Shortly thereafter, the father abandons them.
Emily is in the care of babysitters and family members while her mother seeks work.
At the age of two, Emily returns from her father's family's house to live with her mother again.
A few years later, Emily catches the red measles. Her mother and her new stepfather send her to a convalescent home for eight months.
As Emily grows up, she helps her mother care for the other children.
In high school Emily's talent for comedy is discovered and she performs at high schools, colleges, and many different venues in different cities across the state.