An unhappily married teacher, Olive, shares a bond with a fellow teacher who is hated by her son. Olive's husband Henry struggles in the face of her blunt, dismissive attitude.
As old faces roll back into town, Olive manages to help Kevin in a way she couldn't back when he was her student. At Christopher's wedding, Olive antagonizes her brand new daughter-in-law and her family.
With Christopher's marriage coming to an end, Henry and Olive go through a traumatizing experience that puts their lives on the line. Olive is forced to confront her actions in the wake of a tragedy.
Olive's visit to her married son takes a disastrous turn when her normal venomous self rails on everything in his life. As she returns home to encounter a severe loss, Olive considers if there is something left for her in life.