Mr. Ferri takes the Rizzo family under his wing, becoming a mentor for Carmela's youngest son, Alfredo, but his motives may not be entirely altruistic. Young prostitute Rosa comes to Little Italy with a newborn child and an agreement to marry Rocco, Carmela's son, by proxy. However, she falls in love with Michele instead. The relationship between Rosa and Carmela grows increasingly tense, but Carmela still wants to help her, so she teaches Rosa the basics of ironing and accompanies her on a job search. Meanwhile, Maria continues to blame her mother for leaving her in Italy as she lay ill, and she feels torn between her first love, Alfio, and her new life in New York with her husband and child.