In 1866, eleven-year-old Addy and her family gather in Cape Island, later known as Cape May, New Jersey, where she encounters an impoverished white girl who treats her badly.
Though her parents "jumped the broom" to get married when they were slaves, now that they are living free in Philadelphia after the Civil War they plan to have a church wedding and Addy works to complete a special quilt to give them as a wedding gift.