Jeannette's mother had an excuse for everything, she consistently pretended everything was okay.... that her children were well and cared for. In this instance, Jeannnette does the unthinkable by coerrecting her mother's foggy reality and stating the truth. The children had nothing to eat, and Rose Mary talked about imaginary meals and food that wasn't there..... Jeannette finally had the gumption to say, "I was hungry."
Paris, and the meaning behind this is to show that they both honor and respect each other. That their love will kill the pity they feel. Their love will last forever.