A story of loss, evolving friendship and self discovery. Hilary has never left home and at fifty-five uncomplainingly looks after her progressively disabled but feisty mother. Hilary's mother dies suddenly and she is thrown into a spiral of despair. With support from her friends she lifts herself out of her despondency, and begins to come to terms with the loss, until the discovery of a manuscript amongst her mother's things throws her into turmoil. How could she have lived with someone for so long and not had an inkling of their history? With no one else in her life, she again turns to her friends for help and in spite of their own troubles they rally round to help her through.