In many ways, Nora and Fern are just like any other mother and daughter - their tumultuous relationship marked by brooding silences and curt exchanges. But Fern has never really forgiven her mother for detonating their nuclear family in the process of coming out as a lesbian, and replacing Fern's father with her lover, Jeanne. For Nora, Fern is an enigma - incomprehensible.
Nora's relationship with Jeanne has settled into domestic stability, triggering in Nora a familiar restlessness that leads to an affair. When Fern discovers her mother's indiscretion, she looks for support from her best friend, Tracy, who is struggling to raise a baby. As Fern begins to take on more of the baby's care herself, she discovers some of the powerful ambiguities of parental love - and starts to find her way back to her own mother.
