At the end of the previous school year, Carlyle’s wife Eileen left him and his two children, Keith and Sarah, for one of his fellow teachers at the high school where he works. Over the summer, Carlyle cared for them himself, but as the school year begins, he desperately needs a babysitter.

For a month after his wife Eileen left, Carlyle put all of his time and energy into the children. While they slept, he paced around the house, drinking and oscillating between wanting Eileen back and wanting to tell her off as he tried to forget the things he loved about her.

After talking on the phone with Carol, his new girlfriend and a principal’s office secretary at his school, Carlyle briefly considers calling Eileen. The one time Carlyle called her since she left, Eileen told him that “her head was in the right place for the first time in a long time” (150). She rambled about karma and promised that Carlyle’s karma would improve very soon. Stunned, Carlyle abruptly ended the call and ignored her when she tried to call back. The phone rings and Carlyle answers, knowing immediately that it’s Eileen. He tells her he was thinking of her then immediately regrets it. Eileen cheerfully tells him that she thought he might be in need of having trouble finding childcare. Her new boyfriend Richard gave her the information for Mrs. Webster, a woman who once helped care for his mother, and Eileen asked her to call Carlyle. When Eileen asks about the children, Carlyle considers telling her that they still weep for her every night. He ultimately decides to say neither that nor the truth, which was that the children stopped asking for her.

Mrs. Webster calls an hour later and agrees to come over to meet at seven the next morning. He doesn’t really expect this strange woman to show and decides to give her five minutes before calling the school to take the day off. But a truck pulls into the driveway and an old woman gets out. As soon as he leaves for work, Carlyle realizes that he feels calmer than he has in months. He is completely present while teaching his classes. At lunch, he finds Carol and takes her arm, leading her to a table. Carol is thoroughly embarrassed that Carlyle is so obvious about their relationship. Carlyle tells her about Mrs. Webster and how he suddenly feels so relieved and happy. He invites Carol to come over that night and she accepts.

Carlyle returns home to find his house clean, his children happy, and Mrs. Webster helping them make gingerbread. She gives him a phone message from Eileen that reads, “what goes around, comes around” (158), a reference to karma. That night, after the children are asleep, Carol comes over. They are in bed when the phone rings. Carol suggests that he answer because it could be her babysitter, but Carlyle knows that it’s Eileen and ignores it. Six weeks later, Carlyle’s life is transformed. Mrs. Webster put his house and children in order, and although he still loves Eileen, he now accepts she is not going to return.

Around Christmas, Carlyle becomes so sick that he is barely able to get out of bed to call the school. Mrs. Webster arrives and takes care of the children. Later, she tells Carlyle he has a high fever and cares for him as well. She brings him aspirin and feeds him when he is too weak to feed himself. The day passes in a blur, and at one point, Carlyle hears Mrs. Webster speaking to her husband. Later, Eileen calls, and somehow knows that Carlyle is ill, commenting that Richard is also sick. Eileen suggests that he write down his experiences during his sickness, explaining, “At least you’d have that to show for it. Right now you’ve just got this discomfort. You’ve got to translate that into something usable” (164). Carlyle ends the conversation, certain that she has lost her mind.

Mrs. Webster informs Carlyle that her husband’s son from a previous marriage asked them to live with him in Oregon, which would be an easier situation for them as they age. She tells Carlyle that she will stay for the rest of the week and the beginning of next week if necessary, but then they plan to leave. Carlyle expresses gratitude for everything she did for his family. He begins to feel ill again and Mrs. Webster feels that he still has a fever. Laying on the couch, Carlyle tells Mrs. Webster about his relationship with Eileen. As Mrs. Webster cares for him, she encourages him to keep talking. When Mr. Webster arrives, he waits while Carlyle talks. Finally, Carlyle finishes telling her everything about Eileen. Mrs. Webster tells him that he and Eileen are both good people. The Websters leave, and although Carlyle knows that she will be back in the morning, he waves and feels as if the part of his life with Eileen is over.