In an orphanage in Maine during the 1940s, a young boy named Homer Wells grows up under the care of the benevolent Dr. Larch, who has raised him since childhood. Over the years, Homer becomes Larch's apprentice, assisting in clandestine abortions and discovering the moral dilemmas surrounding life's difficult decisions. Although Larch wishes for Homer to take his place as the orphanage's doctor, Homer struggles with the idea of leading a life where he feels torn between loyalty and his own desires for freedom.
Everything changes when Homer falls in love with Candy, a young woman who visits the orphanage with her boyfriend, a soldier named Wally. Deciding to explore the world beyond the walls of the orphanage, Homer leaves his home and starts a new life in an apple orchard, where he works on a cider-producing farm. With rural life comes new challenges and dilemmas, including his relationship with Candy and the fact that love can be complicated in times of uncertainty.
As the story progresses, Homer is forced to confront his own beliefs and the influence of Dr. Larch, leading him to a crossroads where he must decide what his true vocation is and what it means to be a compassionate human being in a world filled with gray.