Twenty-something Mae lives with a foul and foul-smelling man called Lloyd in a modest home. Mae is uneducated, but has an ironclad work ethic and a profound desire to better herself and her situation through education. Lloyd, on the other hand, loves Mae deeply but has sex with animals, something that Mae finds contemptible.
One day, Lloyd falls ill and Mae races to find a diagnosis. She is unable to read, however, and invites a man called Henry into her home to help her learn, read, and form a diagnosis for Lloyd. Henry initially helps Mae, but the three start to become at odds with each other and a love/hate triangle forms.
This, in turn, creates a toxic environment which Mae struggles to survive and get ahead in. Finally, she determines that she must escape her toxic environment and the men who depend on her if she wants to succeed and thrive in her life. In an act of feminism and empowerment, Mae escapes the situation and starts a new journey.