1969 - Jacques Carpentier returns from Vietnam to attend elite Latham University located in the heart of the Pennsylvania country-side. Although he's haunted by war memories, he finds friendship and comfort with a fellow veteran and with other students whose personal loses and conflicted lives resonate with his own. 1969 becomes a watershed year him when he and his friends, although innocent, are implicated in the murder of a fellow student.

With the help of a friend, Janie Schweigart flees an abusive family, leaving central Pennsylvania for Philadelphia where she finds employment and advances her education. Things go well for a short time until Tom, the friend who helped her, is accused of crime he didn't commit, falsely identified and sentenced to prison for armed robbery. Janie drops out of college and works two jobs, trying to save enough money to afford the legal fees demanded to to get Tom a new trial. Eventually, her need for money drives her to accept a position with "Elegant Escorts." The job with "Elegant" brings her...