The Very Thought of You

After three years fighting in the Aleutian campaign, Sergeants Dave and Fixit are pulled from the front lines and sent back to the United States. The men transition from combat duty to civilian life, awaiting a new chapter stateside.

Dave and Fixit spend Thanksgiving in Pasadena, trading war news for food, warmth, and a glimpse of home. The mood is hopeful, with the prospect of reconnecting with loved ones in the near future.

Dave visits his alma mater, Caltech, and reconnects with old friends and professors. The trip deepens his sense of return to civilian life and the path ahead after the war.

In Pasadena, Dave and Fixit meet two young women who work in a parachute factory. Cora catches Fixit's eye, while Janet remembers Dave from school days, setting up future possibilities.

Janet invites Dave home for Thanksgiving dinner when she realizes he has no family nearby. The dinner reveals the friction between Janet's family and a man who has spent long stretches away.

Ellie, Janet's younger sister, notices the growing attraction between Dave and Janet and secretly arranges a date for them on Thanksgiving morning. The setup foreshadows their budding romance beyond family tensions.

Dave and Janet spend a day at Mount Wilson, and the outing runs long. They are late returning, but their connection deepens as they sneak away to Cora's apartment and fall asleep together around 3 a.m.

Dave and Janet marry and begin a brief honeymoon in San Diego, as the war winds down and the prospect of a settled life together grows. Molly disapproves, adding to the family tensions surrounding the couple.

Molly intercepts Dave's letters to Janet, worsening the rift between Janet's family. The couple's hope for privacy and stability is strained by nosy relatives and in-law friction.

Feeling unwelcome at the family home, Janet moves out and finds refuge in Cora's apartment. Dave supports her as they navigate the pressures of wartime separation and looming parenthood.

With all hotels and trailer parks full, Dave and Janet steal a moment to be together, sleeping on a San Diego beach. The improvised tryst solidifies their commitment despite external obstacles.

Janet learns she is pregnant, a development that intensifies the family conflict but also deepens Dave and Janet's bond. The news shifts the dynamic from rebellious romance to responsibility.

News arrives that Dave and Fixit have been wounded in the war, prompting Janet's family to reluctantly relent and accept the couple's marriage. The shared danger briefly softens long-standing tensions.

Months later, Dave returns to his wife to meet their newborn baby boy. The family reconciliation becomes complete as they welcome the new addition to their small wartime family.