Roy and Irma have been married for twenty-five years. They have two children. They live in the heartland, respected members of their church and their community. When Roy and Irma go to their pastor for marriage counseling, Roy confesses to a secret that puts them in a situation where they not only have to wrestle with the meaning of their marriage, they must deal with the delicate dynamics of their family as well. Roy is burdened by his father's stubborn assessment of his manhood and his mother's sad acceptance of life's cruelties. Irma, in the midst of menopause, is struggling with her adolescent tomboy daughter, Patty Ann, who is raging against the injustices of her own budding hormones.