A widow recalls the black hole of depression her husband succumbs to when life overwhelms him, and his family is unable to save him.

Eva is a young and promising child psychiatrist whose lonely childhood helps her understand and relate to the problems of kids and teenagers. Single, she dreams of starting a family of her own. She meets Lyman, an adventure-seeking environmental scientist who charms her. Soon, the two are married and set out to build a life together. However, all does not go as planned.

Years later, now the parents of three children, they plan an entire summer as a family, but Lyman stops medical treatment for depression, and sinks into a dark and irritable isolation. Eva tries to help but cannot reach him, nor can the children break through his withdrawal. He wants to be left alone and asks for space. Without an end in sight, Lyman commits suicide and leaves his family to navigate the painful aftermath and an uncertain future.