The outcome of Camille's teen-age pregnancy follows her for decades. It negatively affects her relationship with her father and the soldier she loves dearly. When she gets the news that he is "Missing in Action," she becomes very depressed and has a near- fatal accident that, she believes, was prevented by her deceased mother. This brings her hope. Alone, and through times that change drastically, she succeeds at building a new and fulfilling life. Then Alzheimer's strikes, and she is left with nothing but "on and off" memories--and her tiny white purse where she has been safeguarding a very precious treasure for almost fifty years.