Ruth Anne Bond has been happily married for more than 25 years. Judging from appearances, things couldn't be better: her relationship remains loving, her spouse owns a thriving restaurant, and she spends her days aiding the good Father Carroll in a small-town Indiana parish. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a confluence of events shatters this domestic peace. First, Ruth Anne's adult daughter, Laurel, announces that she is a lesbian. While Ruth Anne loves her child, this news sends her reeling, forcing her to reconsider the homophobia promulgated by her beloved Catholic Church. But before she can fully process what is happening, a disturbing e-mail from a man who claims to be Ruth Anne's son causes her to confront a history she has spent decades denying. Vexing questions about commitment, faith, forgiveness, and love make Ruth Anne scrutinize the personal politics that control her life.