Oliver's seemingly perfect family life falls apart when Sarah decides to leave for graduate school.
Key Events
Perfect Life Introduction — Oliver's seemingly perfect family life Characters: Oliver Watson, Sara Watson, Ben Watson, Melissa Watson, Sam WatsonLocation: Home
Sarah's Announcement — Sarah reveals plans to attend graduate school Characters: Oliver Watson, Sara WatsonLocation: Home
Children's Reaction — Children react negatively to mother's decision Characters: Ben Watson, Melissa Watson, Sam WatsonLocation: Home
Family Fractures
The children react negatively to their parents' separation, with Ben rebelling and getting Bobbi pregnant.
Key Events
Children's Reaction — Children react negatively to mother's decision Characters: Ben Watson, Melissa Watson, Sam WatsonLocation: Home
Ben's Rebellion — Ben meets promiscuous teenager Bobbi Characters: Ben Watson, BobbiLocation: Town
Bobbi's Pregnancy — Bobbi becomes pregnant Characters: Ben Watson, BobbiLocation: Town
Marriage Crisis — Sarah admits to seeing someone else Characters: Oliver Watson, Sara WatsonLocation: Home
Grandmother's Death — George pulls plug on wife's life support Characters: George Watson, Oliver Watson, Sara WatsonLocation: Hospital
Divorce Announcement — Sarah reveals divorce plans at funeral Characters: Sara Watson, Oliver WatsonLocation: Funeral
New Beginnings
Oliver moves to California and starts a new relationship with actress Charlotte Sampson.
Key Events
Divorce Announcement — Sarah reveals divorce plans at funeral Characters: Sara Watson, Oliver WatsonLocation: Funeral
Move to California — Oliver accepts job and moves to California Characters: Oliver Watson, Melissa Watson, Sam WatsonLocation: Los Angeles
New Romance — Oliver falls in love with actress Charlotte Characters: Oliver Watson, Charlotte SampsonLocation: Los Angeles
Engagement — Oliver and Charlotte become engaged Characters: Oliver Watson, Charlotte SampsonLocation: Los Angeles
Broadway Offer — Charlotte offered Broadway role Characters: Charlotte SampsonLocation: Los Angeles
Broken Engagement — Oliver breaks off engagement Characters: Oliver Watson, Charlotte SampsonLocation: Los Angeles
Bobbi Leaves — Bobbi takes Alexander and leaves Ben Characters: Ben Watson, Bobbi, AlexanderLocation: Home
Second Chances
Oliver and Ben fight for custody of Alexander, and Oliver reconciles with Charlotte.
Key Events
Bobbi Leaves — Bobbi takes Alexander and leaves Ben Characters: Ben Watson, Bobbi, AlexanderLocation: Home
Father-Son Bond — Ben turns to Oliver for help Characters: Oliver Watson, Ben WatsonLocation: California
Custody Battle — Oliver and Ben fight for custody of Alexander Characters: Oliver Watson, Ben WatsonLocation: Court
Charlotte's Decision — Charlotte rejects Broadway role Characters: Charlotte SampsonLocation: New York
Christening Invitation — Ben invites Charlotte to Alexander's christening Characters: Ben Watson, Charlotte SampsonLocation: California
Reconciliation — Oliver and Charlotte reunite Characters: Oliver Watson, Charlotte SampsonLocation: California
Story Breakdown
Marital Crisis — The breakdown of Oliver and Sarah's marriage
Sarah's Decision — Sarah decides to attend graduate school
Marriage Attempts — Oliver tries to save the marriage
Affair and Divorce — Sarah's affair and divorce plans
Parental Challenges — Oliver and his children face various difficulties
Children's Reactions — Negative response to parents' separation
Ben's Rebellion — Ben's acting out and teenage fatherhood
Oliver's Parenting — Oliver's struggles as a single father
New Beginnings — Oliver starts fresh in California
Career Move — Oliver accepts job in Los Angeles
New Romance — Relationship with Charlotte Sampson
Engagement Crisis — Charlotte's Broadway offer and broken engagement
Reconciliation — Family healing and new relationships
Ben's Crisis — Bobbi leaves with Alexander
Father-Son Bond — Oliver and Ben unite for custody battle
Love Rekindled — Oliver and Charlotte reunite
Oliver Watson has never been luckier: he is a successful advertising executive, shares a marriage of eighteen years with Sarah and has three loving kids: 17-year-old Ben, 15-year-old Melissa, and 9-year-old Sam. His perfect life suddenly falls apart when his wife Sarah announces that she wants to enter a graduate school 200 miles away from home, as she regrets that she gave up her bohemian protester's life and promising writing career to become the wife of a conservative traditionalist. Oliver unsuccessfully tries to save his marriage, until Sarah announces that she is seeing someone else. The children start acting out as a reaction and life is complicated by the death of Oliver’s mother and accepts a job in L.A. where he falls in love with Charlotte Sampson. Life again challenges Oliver when Charlotte is offered her dream job on Broadway.
