SYNOPSIS
MEL SHERIDAN, a quirky mid-thirties book nerd, enjoys a jocular relationship with her mother’s oncologist, HENRY SHAW. Just banter at first, nothing serious. But after her mother’s funeral, in a moment of weakness, she invites him to her bed. The passionate affair that follows is almost too much for her. She’s never been in a serious relationship, especially with such a popular, outgoing guy.
Henry had fallen in love with Mel not long after they met but couldn’t do anything about it while her mom was his patient. He’d had an active love life up till then, but nothing serious; nothing that would distract him from his career. Until he met this funny, sassy, beautiful woman. Herelies on his best friend TRISHA for advice.
As a child, Mel had had kidney disease but survived because she received her mother’s kidney. Since then, she has accepted and prepared for an early death when this kidney wears out, not willing to deprive another person’s child that same chance at life. Well past the “expiration date” of her borrowed kidney, she tries to hide her growing symptoms of exhaustion, loss of appetite, and constant urination, because knowing Henry’s ‘never say die’ approach to her mom’s cancer, he will try to convince her to get on the donor list.
Complicating her feelings for Henry is that she believes his friend Trisha is in love with him. Mel’s relationship with Henry is doomed in her mind, and she can’t see how either of them will get through it without getting hurt. Her crippling insecurity gets the better of her, and she breaks up with him.
What she had interpreted as symptoms of impending kidney failure are actually caused by pregnancy. Suddenly, she understands why her mom risked her own health to give Mel a chance. How could Mel throw her life away now when a new life is just beginning? She’ll have plenty of time to tell Henry about the baby, but not now, not while they’re both feeling raw. Then come the wrenching cramps, and Mel miscarries. Losing hope for her future is more devastating than never having hope in the first place.
Henry is crushed by the breakup. While it’s clear he can’t win Mel back, he feels he can’t go back to his old social life, either. Trisha confesses to him that she’s in love with him, just as Mel had suspected all along. She wants to get married. He does care for her, she is a big part of his work, and they never fight, so he goes along with the idea, hoping he can at least make Trisha happy.
Some months later, out of the blue, Henry’s dad PERRY invites Mel to join them on his boat. She’d grown close with Perry and his girlfriend LILY before but doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize Henry’s upcoming wedding. They reassure her that the wedding is on hold, and that Henry would like to be friends again. On the boat, Henry and Mel learn that Perry has a brain tumor and is refusing treatment. Henry is appalled at first. It’s a repudiation of his whole life’s work that Perry wants to give up without a fight. Mel understands Henry’s pain; it’s exactly what she was trying to protect him from when she broke up with him. Trisha stays away at this point, and Mel senses some tension there. Mel volunteers to help the family through the crisis but tries to avoid getting in the way of Henry’s relationship with Trisha.
Spending time with Henry’s dad, Mel is struck by how courageous Perry is, living every day of his life to the full. It’s driven home to her at last that she has allowed fear to control her life, even to the point of pushing Henry away. Henry and Trisha decide to call off their wedding, and, after Perry’s death, Mel summons all her courage and gives Henry a gold ring. She asks him not to say anything right away, but someday, if he ever wants to talk about a future with her, and if she’s not too late, she’s willing to have that conversation. Happily, she’s not too late at all.
