CAMPBELL KEATON (40’s) is a successful interior designer with high-end clients and a meticulously orderly life. She’s single, annoyingly smart and extremely driven. But everything is thrown into a tailspin when she gets a call that her father, WELLS KEATON (late 70’s), a notorious author who’s known for his wild ways and polarizing personality, can no longer live on his own.
Campbell and Wells have been estranged since she was in her 20’s. But he’s in the early stages of dementia and has no one to care for him. Against their better judgment, Wells comes to stay with Campbell.
From the get-go, they are not good roommates. They have opposite ideas about design, cleanliness and noise levels. Wells is prone to outbursts and memory lapses. And he refuses to take his medication. As Campbell tries to design a home for an important client, Wells is doing everything he can to disrupt her life and derail her career.
Campbell hires a free-spirited caretaker, KAI (20’s, sexy, adventurous) to take care of her father so she can work. Kai is exactly the buffer and peace-keeper that Wells and Campbell need. He’s fun, outgoing and is genuinely fond of them both.
Kai and Campbell begin to grow closer and one evening by the lake it turns into something romantic. Is it the beginning of a relationship? Or is it just fun? Campbell’s not sure but for the first time in ages, she's relaxing and having fun.
Wells and Campbell even begin to find common ground and have moments of tenderness and understanding between them. But dementia is knocking on Wells’ door. Simple tasks are a struggle. His outbursts increase. His memory is failing him. And an accident with the stove makes Campbell realize he’s a danger to the house and himself.
Kai and Campbell have a falling out after she tells him she might be pregnant. Kai is a free spirit. He’s definitely not looking to be a dad. He quits and abandons Campbell and Wells just when they need him most.
Campbell is put in the terrible position of having to care for Wells herself, or put him in a memory care facility. As his condition worsens, she has guilt over the inevitable. He’s only been living with her for a few months, but they’ve grown closer and she’s come to understand why her father left when she was just a teenager.
In a heartfelt, gut-wrenching moment, Campbell has to choose between clinging to her anger from the past, or forgiving her father for his shortcomings. In their brief time together, she’s had to rethink everything about her life and decide who she wants to be moving forward.
It turns out a visit from her estranged father was exactly what Campbell needs to find her happiness and family of the future.
