Missie, now a single mother after her husband Willie was killed during a poker scuffle, moves back east near her parents, Clark and Marty. She settles right into a new teaching job but has lost all faith in herself, until a chance encounter at church leads her to adopt homeless orphan Belinda Marshall and start to raise her along with Mattie. She also finds interest in Zack Tyler, the town's sheriff. Some subplots and incidents mirror Missie's tragic losses; through the experiences, will she find a way to bring hope and joy?—Anonymous