Sal and Issie would never have met had it not been for WWII; their lives were completely different, Sal living a leafy-suburban existence in Birmingham, working in a dress shop, Issie coming from the poorer part of the city. Sal longed to work at 'the aero' with all the sophisticated girls making munitions and earning good money. As the war approaches she gets her wish and meets the vivacious Issie. There starts their longest most enduring friendship, that would eventually bring them together as family; sharing many moments of joy and sadness, fear and sacrifice along the way.