Homecoming

On a hot summer night in Pewauket, Connecticut, Liza Tillerman abandons her four children in a mall parking lot. The kids—Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy—are left with little more than a change of underwear, socks, a map, and nine dollars. They decide to head toward Bridgeport to find Aunt Cilla.

Dicey takes the lead as the siblings begin a long trek on foot toward Bridgeport, struggling with heat, fear, and responsibility far beyond their years. Dicey protects James, Maybeth, and Sammy while keeping hope alive for a better future. The group faces the challenges of a summer night and an uncertain road ahead.

They reach Aunt Cilla's home only to learn that Aunt Cilla died the previous spring. Eunice explains that their grandmother, Abigail Tillerman, lives in Crisfield, Maryland, and could be a new anchor for the family. The news shifts the children's immediate plans from Aunt Cilla to seeking Abigail.

Eunice reveals that the police had sent money for the children's care after their mother's car sale, but she keeps it. She also says Dicey and Maybeth would be kept with her, while James and Sammy would be placed with other families.

Unable to bear the thought of separation, Dicey resolves to take her siblings to Abigail's house and slips away into the night with their money. They set their sights on Crisfield and a chance at a real grandmother.

They buy bus tickets to Crisfield, Maryland, but upon arriving realize they do not know where Abigail lives. A store clerk tells them she is isolated and hard to contact, heightening their uncertainty.

Dicey travels to Abigail's farm, disguising her identity and offering to help. Abigail questions Dicey about death and other sensitive topics, testing Dicey's resolve and loyalty.

Abigail reveals that she cannot take the children in—she is too old, has little savings, and fears making the same mistakes with her own past children. The confrontation leaves Dicey feeling hurt and rejected.

Despite the rocky start, Abigail begins to warm toward the children. She and Dicey take a boat to pick up the other kids, and they discover Sammy; James and Maybeth had already planned to meet Abigail themselves.

For several days the children help with chores and meals, and Abigail's attitude softens toward them. Yet she still tells Dicey that permanent guardianship isn't possible.

A letter from Eunice informs Abigail that Liza Tillerman has suffered a mental breakdown and is hospitalized with catatonia. Doctors worry about her recovery prospects.

Abigail plans to send the children back to Bridgeport on an early morning bus, but she wavers at the last moment and decides she will keep them after all. The moment marks a decisive change in the children's fate.

Grateful and hopeful, the children return to the boat and begin their journey home, buoyed by Abigail's final decision to keep them. They set off with a renewed sense of family and protection.