The story starts when young Euphemia Ashby (Tina Majorino) and young Georgia Lawshe (Rachel Leigh Cook) are by the creek playing when a rider rushes by. When they get back to the house they find out that the rider has told Georgia's parents that Phemie's father is dead. So Phemie's brother-in-law Bartlett comes to take Phemie to Texas to live with him and Phemie's sister Sarah.