In 1942, two young women give birth in a home for unmarried mothers. One of them hopes they will never meet again. Thirteen years later, Dorothy Wilson is a successful actress, offered her first major part in a feature film. But accepting the role would mean spending time apart from her policeman boyfriend Sam. Should Dorothy stay in Liverpool and become a fulltime wife and mother, giving up her dream of stardom? Meanwhile, Lynne Donegan, having lost her childhood sweetheart in the war, is bringing up her daughter on her own, eking out a meagre living as a dressmaker. She too has dreams for the future.