In a small Southern town, 12-year-old tomboy Frankie Addams feels disconnected and restless during the summer of World War II. She is on the cusp of adolescence, struggling to find her place in a world that seems to be changing without her. Frankie lives with her father and their African-American housekeeper, Berenice, who provides a nurturing and stabilizing presence. As the days go by, Frankie becomes obsessed with her older brother Jarvis's upcoming wedding, seeing it as a potential escape from her mundane life. She fantasizes about running away with the newlyweds and becoming an integral part of their new life together. Meanwhile, her loneliness amplifies, making her more desperate for acceptance and belonging.

Frankie's close companionship with Berenice and her young cousin, John Henry, illustrates the complexities of race and family in the South during this era. Berenice shares stories of her own hardships and imparts wisdom about life's challenges, while John Henry provides a glimpse of innocence and childhood that Frankie is quickly leaving behind. As the wedding day approaches, Frankie's yearning for connection reaches a fever pitch, leading her to make bold and impulsive decisions. Her internal journey reveals the difficulties of growing up and the often-painful realizations that accompany it.