It's 1940 in the British-controlled Bahamas. While the war rages on in Europe, the islands are only peripherally affected by it, with Captain Ralph and his crew smuggling the occasional refugee escaping the war. Twice divorced American Thomas Mann, a man's type of man who works primarily as an industrial artist, has a small close knit group of friends including: Eddy, who, like Tom, drinks a little too much, and who gets into too many fights of his own making especially when he's had a few too many; Lil, a lady of the evening; and Joseph, who takes care of and captains his boat which is used for fishing among other exploits. Three chapters in this phase of Tom's life are told in chronological order. In "The Boys", Tom is expecting a visit from his three sons, who he has not seen in four years and who are going to spend the summer with him: nineteen year old Tommy from his first marriage to Audrey, and fourteen year old Davey and ten year old Andy from his second marriage to Joan. While Audrey was the love of his life but the two who could not be married in destroying the other, Tom and Joan had an abusive relationship, that abuse which Davey is old enough to remember, hence he being the one of the three offspring who does not want to spend any time with his father. In "The Woman", Tom receives an unexpected visit from Audrey, who he has not seen in years. Beyond the reason Audrey has come to the island from New York, further aspects of Tom and Audrey's relationship are illuminated, those aspects past and present, and arguably future. And in "The Journey", Tom decides to sail back to the States largely because of what Audrey had to tell him. Tom's trip ends up not being as he expected, with the war and Eddy affecting what happens.