Adam Davis is devastated after the death of his close friend Madeline Donohue who’s aged in her 20s. Adam and Madeline are first cousins who shared their hopes, their dreams, their fears, and their desires. In a series of flashbacks during the funeral service, Adam reflects on some of the more precious moments they had together: the family gatherings, the parties and the holidays. He recalls with some humour their teenage years and their many heart-to-hearts. Who will find love first, who will marry first, and how many children will they have?

Adam meets Monica at age 12 and is convinced they will eventually be together while Madeline meets her future husband on a desert safari in the Northern Territory. While touring the Australian outback, they meet an array of unusual characters who add to the overall fun of the holiday. But several years after marrying the man of her dreams, Madeline is diagnosed with cancer. While initially beating the disease, she eventually succumbs.

During Madeline’s final months, Adam begins to question why the God Madeline so much believed in would let her suffer such a painful death. Brought up Catholic, he also finds himself questioning his own beliefs at a time the church is plagued by an abuse scandal that rocks its very foundations.