The story begins in the present, with Lynn (the sister) and her brother Bob—now in their 60s—living a peaceful, happy life. 

As Lynn begins to share her memories, we shift into the past. We meet younger versions of Lynn and Bob and see just how protective Lynn is, standing up to bullies and navigating a very difficult childhood. The mother isn’t a strong presence in these early scenes, but there’s a powerful flashback to her own past—before Lynn and Bob were born—when she was living with her first husband, Jay. In a harrowing sequence set on an abandoned island in Florida, Jay shoots her and tries to strangle her, leaving her to die. She escapes, but the trauma stays with her. This scene is short but crucial—it adds depth to her character and helps explain her later fears. 

The second act focuses on Lynn at age 13–15, when her mother is diagnosed with lung cancer. With her father largely absent due to drinking and a strained relationship with her mother, Lynn is forced to step in and care for both her mom and her brother, Bob. This act is deeply emotional as we see the toll of illness, both physical and emotional. It ends with a heartbreaking moment: as paramedics take the mother away, she tells Lynn she loves her—for the first and only time. 

In the third act, Lynn is 17. After her mother’s death, she goes to live with her father, where she faces abuse from her stepmother and stepbrothers. One attacks her with a knife and baseball bat. Another throws a rock through a window, blinding her in one eye. Eventually, Lynn takes Bob and leaves—they live out of a car. Homeless.

The final scene from the past is Lynn at her mother’s grave, reading a poem she never got to share. We then return to present-day Lynn and Bob to close the story.