A widow emerges from her mourning after a year. She moves into a new apartment, gets a new job, and a gains a 'gentleman caller,' her late husband's partner and former best friend. Her daughter opposes the relationship and causes considerable confusion. As she tries to work out her problems, she confides in a fellow worker. The friend offers her a shoulder to cry on and ultimately suggests that they have a relationship. Surprised and more confused than ever, she does find herself drawn to her friend.

Connie, the fifteen-year-old black sheep of her family, finds her summertime idyll of beach trips, mall hangouts, and innocent flirtations shattered by an encounter with a mysterious stranger.

A dedicated social worker organizes a train trip for a group of slum orphans in 1894, taking them from New York City to the Midwest in search of new families and new lives.