From her widow's walk, Bessie King, watches and waits for her husband, Adam. For many months, day after day, she climbs that ladder and looks out over the Texas plains. Her sons watch and see her pain and heartache. Andrew, thirteen, slips away early one morning to search for his stepfather. After a year of waiting, Bessie is certain she has lost them both. Now she is left to survive on the Texas panhandle with her son, Matthew, and an orphan Kiowa baby, she has named Ki. Matthew's anger grows each day as he sees his mother climbing down from the structure Adam built for her, with tears in her eyes. For his mother's sake, he decides it is time to chop down the widow's walk. So, for one last time, Bessie climbs those steps to see if her prayers will be answered.