Sarah Russell’s (Amber Tamblyn) rare visit from Chicago to her small hometown is a welcome surprise to her parents, her 21-year-old brother, Daniel (Daniel Clark), and her former boyfriend, Evan (Paul Wesley). None of them know the true reason for her homecoming, which she decides to withhold from them after an old conflict resurfaces during an uncomfortable encounter with Lorraine Morrisey, who lives across the street from the Russells with her husband, Howard, and two teen-aged boys (Ben Lewis, Max Morrow).
Sarah’s sudden presence has a debilitating effect on Lorraine, who rebuffs Sarah’s attempts to make amends. However, Sarah musters the courage to keep trying, knowing that she must finally deal with her past as a means of being able to face her future. It takes time for Lorraine to put the past behind her and to grasp that forgiving Sarah will not only ease Sarah’s burden but also her own.