When a young girl in a contemporary northwestern American town dies, one of her neighbors and former friends rethinks her relationship with death.

When a day hike for people 60 and older has to turn back midway through their hike in Sequoia National Forrest, the hiking leader finds himself at the base of the trail without his wife and without his former friend, both of whom had accompanied him on the trail. With the company of an over-eager widow, the man finds himself contacting search and rescue and waiting to see what morning will bring.

A white couple host a child from Kenya. While their guest is not disruptive, the wife's initial affection wanes as she finds the girl to not act as she wishes.