Over 21

The teletype at the New York Bulletin reports that editor Max Wharton is resigning to join the army. Gow is furious about both the news and the way it arrived, sensing the newspaper's future hinges on Max. The revelation sets the stakes high for the paper and its owner.

From Hollywood, Paula Wharton calls Max to congratulate him on his decision. Max explains the plan for basic training and potential officer candidate school. Paula decides to move to wherever the school will be to stay close to him.

After basic training, Max sends Paula a telegram stating that officer's candidate school is at Tetley Field, Florida. Paula understands little of his motivation but wants to see him succeed. Their distance between them begins to widen as plans take shape.

Paula arrives at Palmetto Court looking for bungalow 26D and meets Jan Lupton, the last tenant, whose husband has just become a second lieutenant. Jan explains life for the enlisted at Tetley Field is all work. She also shares a cautionary tale about life in the army schooling.

Max drops by the bungalow to surprise Paula and they share a loving reunion. The Luptons bid them farewell, foreshadowing the temporary strain on the married couple. The moment reinforces their newly separate lives in the base housing.

The couple talks about life in army housing; Paula hopes to be like other army wives, while Max worries about his schooling and duty to the newspaper. He insists his aim is to witness the war firsthand so the paper can report from credible experience. The exchange reveals their differing perspectives on duty and personal fulfillment.

A frantic knock reveals the Luptons with a delayed train, forcing the Whartons to offer the bedroom for the night. Paula sleeps on the sofa, and the moment marks how plans must bend under practical circumstances. The late visit postpones the more passionate part of their reunion.

Robert Gow calls Max to discuss the newspaper's future, peppering him with demands and urgency. Paula defends Max, telling her husband not to be disturbed during this critical period and she abruptly ends the call. The confrontation highlights the tension between professional duty and personal life.

Over the next several weeks, Max buries himself in study while Paula handles housework at Tetley Field. They both adjust to their separate roles, trying to sustain support for one another from afar. The strain slowly tests their bond, even as they press forward with their goals.

After a field exercise, Max is approached by Paulson, a reporter at Tetley Field Sentinel, who asks him to write a story about himself. Max is reluctant due to limited time, but Paulson leaves him to consider the offer. The moment foreshadows a growing tension between duty to reporting and time for personal life.

In Colonel Foley's office, Max is told that both his wife and mother-in-law plan to drop by the bungalow that afternoon. Max is surprised by the news and somewhat unsettled by the prospect. He remains unaware of Mrs. Gates’ encounter with Paulie.