Dee Dee returns to her hometown with her 11-year-old son Trooper, 13 years after she ran off with her boyfriend. Her childhood best friend Sam is now married and he and his wife Lydia are the town's veterinarians. Lydia is a little wary about Dee Dee after Sam tells her that they were best friends growing up and Dee Dee was his first crush. But Dee Dee and Trooper find their way into many of the townspeople's hearts with their sweet helpfulness and friendship. Dee Dee sets up a candle-making business in the town square and invites many of the town ladies to weekly candle-making parties, and through these parties she and Lydia become good friends. One evening, after dinner with Lydia and Sam, Dee Dee tells Sam she's very sick and she doesn't have much longer to live and she needs his help to find a good family in town to adopt Trooper. Sam later tells Lydia everything and they decide to adopt Trooper themselves if/when something happens to Dee Dee.—baylormoviechic