In Bombay, India in 1945, American soldier Ira Enright encounters Patsy Weatherby, a former acquaintance, who tells him that his ex-wife Sally had a baby boy shortly after their marriage ended and gave the child up for adoption. Back in his room, Ira remembers the beginning of his relationship with Sally in California: Eighteen-year-old mechanic Ira meets seventeen-year-old Sally Sawyer, an aspiring actress, while she is dating his friend, Johnny Cole. Soon Ira and Sally have fallen in love, and three weeks after meeting, they elope to Nevada and are married. Ira's parents warmly welcome Sally into the family and fix up a cottage behind the house for the couple. On Sally's eighteenth birthday, Ira plans an evening alone for the two, but when Sally returns home late, she brings her gang of friends with her. Ira's surly attitude soon drives the gang away, and after they leave, Ira and Sally quarrel bitterly. Hoping to improve the marriage, Ira suggests that they move to Laguna, where he has been offered a job. The couple is happy for a while, but one night when Ira returns from work, he finds Sally's gang visiting. Ira is again rude to them, and this time, leaves Sally for good. As he remembers these events, Ira realizes that Sally must have known she was pregnant the night he left. Later, Major Bruce, Ira's commanding officer, recommends a short leave for the distracted soldier. As soon as Ira arrives in Burbank, he contacts Sally. Although Sally is happy to see him, Ira suspiciously prods her for information about her nice apartment and her late hours. He then demands to know where his son is. Sally responds that she does not know and would prefer for the boy to stay with the family who has cared for him for the last three years. Ira refuses to accept this and tries everything he can think of to find his son. Finally, Johnny introduces Ira to judge Benjamin Boller, who questions Ira carefully before agreeing to help him, although he warns Ira that he will only act in the child's best interest. The following day, while Ira visits his family, Boller talks to Sally. Ira returns to Boller's office while she is there and listens as she explains her state of mind when the baby was born. When Ira reveals that he saw a naval officer enter her apartment with a key and accuses her of living with him, Sally explains that she lives with the officer's wife, her co-worker on the night shift at the parachute factory, while her husband is away at war. Boller asks Sally if she would return to Ira if it meant she could have her son back, but she responds that they are still unsuited. Boller then tells Ira that although Sally was wrong to give up the child without his consent, he has failed in his obligations too and has no right to upset the child's life. Later, Ira apologizes to Sally for the way he acted when they were married and asks her for a fresh start. After Sally agrees, the couple asks Boller to remarry them, with the understanding that the child will stay with his new family. Boller readily performs the ceremony and afterward, gives the newlyweds a present--their son. A grateful Sally tells the adoptive parents that they can see the boy anytime they choose as he will now have two sets of loving parents.
