Abigail Tillerman Timeline and Summary

Abigail grows up in a home with her mother, father, and her older sister, Priscilla.
Eventually, she marries a man named John Tillerman and they move to Crisfield, Maryland together. There, they have three children—John, Samuel, and Liza.
Abigail stands by her husband throughout their marriage, even as his uncompromising behavior drives each of their three children away.
Later, Abigail's son, Samuel, is killed while fighting in the Vietnam War; Abigail responds by throwing her phone through the window of the phone company.
Around 1977, Abigail's husband dies and she finally feels some freedom.
In the summer of 1981, a local priest tries to visit Abigail to ask her about her grandchildren, but she refuses to listen to him.
A few weeks later, her granddaughter, Dicey shows up on her doorstep. Abigail pretends to be mentally ill, but eventually reveals who she is and tells Dicey that she cannot stay in her home permanently.
She does, however, offer them a place to sleep for the night.
Over the next few days, Abigail slowly warms up to her grandkids, but her failures as a mother make her reluctant to give them a permanent home with her.
Abigail writes a letter to her niece, Eunice, telling them that the kids are with her. But she never mails it.
She decides to enroll the kids in school, and on the way, she home tells them they can stay. Yay.