During the women’s marches following Donald Trump’s election in 2016, Wendy knits a “pussy hat” for her sister Pam and mails it to her. However, Wendy never hears from Pam. Wendy’s wife Jill urges her to contact Pam about the package, but Wendy is reluctant to do so. Pam never treats Wendy how she wants to be treated, but Wendy can’t stop trying to engage with her family.

As more days pass without word from Pam, Wendy begins to worry that something is wrong with her sister. She calls Helen, who informs her that Pam’s cat has died. Wendy draws Pam a picture of her late cat and mails it to her with a sympathy card. Several days later, Pam texts Wendy to thank her for the package. Jill thinks that Pam’s text is dismissive and suggests that Wendy end the relationship, but Wendy feels sorry for Pam because she is single and has depression.

Before Helen’s birthday, Wendy and Jill make plans to attend the annual celebration. Sylvia has been disinvited because she did “something unforgivable, involving a cake” (103). Wendy feels obligated to attend but confronts Helen about her estrangement with Sylvia. Helen doesn’t want to hear Wendy’s opinions.

The next day, Pam arrives late for Helen’s birthday party. During a lull in the event, Jill takes Pam’s dog outside and is shocked to discover the dog playing with the “pussy hat” that Wendy made. Later, Jill stays up late with Pam, sharing drinks and talking, and confronts Pam about her unkindness to Wendy. Jill threatens to kill Pam’s dog if Pam doesn’t start showing Wendy gratitude for all she does for her. Pam shares a story about a time when she and Wendy were children and Wendy saved a sick bird.

Shortly after Wendy and Jill return home, Pam writes to Wendy, thanking her for another recent gift. Wendy shows the effusive message to Jill, who insists that this is how Wendy deserves to be treated.

Dan and Melanie host the first night of Passover celebration, and Steve and Andrea host the second. The brothers find the holiday challenging because their late father Irving “had been a [Holocaust] survivor, and he’d [always] ruined the holiday for everyone” (113). Before the event, the couples discuss the menu and worry about their respective nights. Melanie is irritated with Dan’s bad attitude and insists that he is traumatizing everyone else because of his bad memories of the past.

Meanwhile, Dan and Melanie worry about Phoebe attending the holiday with her new boyfriend. They still don’t understand her decision to stop school and disapprove of her lifestyle of living in a van and playing music around the country with Wyatt.

The Rubinstein family gathers together, and the holiday traditions begin. Arguments quickly ensue between Steve and Dan. Dan tries defending Phoebe, but she only gets frustrated with him. An irritable Dan excuses himself, insisting that he is sick.

The next day, Phoebe invites him on a walk. They discuss yesterday’s events, and Phoebe begs him to attend seder at Steve’s despite his frustration. Then they discuss Phoebe’s upcoming travel plans.

At Steve’s, the family shares the seder plate and reads the Exodus story. Then they each share ideas about what freedom means to them. After the dinner, Dan and Steve sit together and sip wine, discussing what their parents would say and do if they were still alive to see this celebration.

Jamie lives in Boston with two roommates and works as a dogwalker. One day, her friend introduces her to a young man named Simon, whom she thinks Jamie would like. Jamie is surprised that they get along so well and agrees to let Simon accompany her on her walks. She introduces him to all the dogs, and they share pleasant conversation. One day, Simon comes over and accidentally leaves the gate open. One of Jamie’s canine charges, Sheba, escapes and runs away.

Jamie panics when she discovers that Sheba is missing. Simon blames himself, but Jamie assumes responsibility. They search everywhere for Sheba. Finally, one day, a man on the street tells Jamie that he has the dog and will only return her if Jamie pays him $200 in cash. The dog is well enough but a bit battered, and the man doesn’t let her and Jamie go easily.

Jamie takes Sheba home, apologizing profusely to her owner, Hal. She tells Hal that she can’t keep walking Sheba because she is too irresponsible. Hal refuses to accept Jamie’s resignation.

Sitting with her son Richard on his porch, Sylvia recalls the many times when she and her sisters would picnic at Tanglewood with their families. Sylvia laments how much has changed, and Richard’s attempts to reassure her are unsuccessful. He realizes that he and his mother have similar personalities and parenting styles.

Sylvia and Lew stay overnight with Richard and the girls. The next morning, Phoebe and Wyatt show up unannounced while the family is having breakfast, and the mood instantly changes. The girls are thrilled by their cousin and her boyfriend’s arrival, showing them their room and dollhouse. Lily is particularly pleased that Wyatt is interested in her things. Afterward, the family shares apple cake and enjoys pleasant conversation.

The mood dampens as soon as Sylvia announces that they are all going to Tanglewood. Lily and Sophie hate these outings, as they dislike the music and the necessity of sitting stiffly in chairs on the lawn. During the concert, Richard repeatedly scolds them for texting and bickering with each other. Finally, at the behest of his parents, Richard takes the girls aside, scolds them, and takes their phones. He feels bad when they say they’re bored, because he privately feels the same way, but he doesn’t think he can tell them this. He ends up taking them home early.

Back at the house, the girls hear the rest of the family return home. Richard worries that his parents will scold him for the girls’ bad behavior, but they don’t. Instead, they drink champagne and exclaim over the concert with Phoebe and Wyatt.

Hours later, Phoebe and Wyatt tipsily head up to bed, stumbling over Lily at the top of the stairs. Wyatt tells Lily to go to bed, promising to play his cello for her so she can sleep. Everyone else lies in their beds, wondering about the racket, but Lily lies back and imagines the music as vines wrapping around her body.