Luke Ripley, a fifty-four-year-old divorced father of four, lives in northeastern Massachusetts. He runs a stable, taking care of thirty horses, offering riding lessons, and providing boarding services. Despite the passing years, Luke still finds himself ruminating over the day his wife, Gloria, left with their children.

Friendship and Spiritual Guidance

Although he leads a mostly solitary life, Luke has formed a close friendship with Father Paul LeBoeuf, the sixty-four-year-old pastor of the local Catholic church. Father Paul, of French-Canadian descent, often visits Luke. Their friendship began before Luke's marriage ended, and Father Paul has remained a constant figure, sharing in activities such as walking and occasionally fishing or hunting ducks. This earthy clergyman, though unable to ride horses anymore, provides Luke with both companionship and a patient ear for his spiritual conflicts and misgivings about a church he struggles to fully respect, despite his devotion to it.

Finding Contentment Alone

Luke has found a measure of happiness, or at least contentment, in his self-sufficient lifestyle. The absence of his wife has become less painful, although he regrets not witnessing his children grow up. Accepting the church's restrictions on remarriage for divorced Catholics, he admits to a couple of transient affairs over the years. Through a deep appreciation of nature and a structured daily routine, Luke has come to terms with his loneliness. He occupies his time with cooking, sporadic detective novels, and following the baseball season, relishing the opportunities his business offers to explore the surrounding countryside.

Personalized Faith

In line with many Catholics of the late twentieth century, Luke has adapted certain church teachings to better fit his life. His alterations are sometimes unconventional, such as his decision not to financially support his parish. This choice, which Father LeBoeuf patiently accepts, stems from Luke's belief that church funds are often misallocated. Instead, he prefers his donations go directly to helping those in need.

Reconciliation with the Church

Luke harbors lingering resentment towards the Catholic Church's stance on birth control, which he blames for marital strife caused by the rhythm method he and Gloria practiced. Nevertheless, he has reconciled with his faith. Rising early at 4:45 a.m., he dedicates time to prayer and reflection while preparing breakfast, offering his day's actions to God. He openly acknowledges the relationships he had after Gloria's departure, yet he remains thankful for those experiences. After his morning ritual, he rides to Father Paul's church to participate in mass.

Concern for His Daughter

Every summer brings a visit from Luke's daughter, Jennifer, as part of the divorce agreement. Though his sons are now settled throughout the country, Luke finds himself particularly concerned about Jennifer. He admires her athletic skills and mature demeanor but feels uneasy about the societal changes she must navigate. He does not explicitly disapprove of her lack of virginity or belief, but he longs for the clarity of bygone days, despite their constraints.

A Night of Crisis

One summer evening, Jennifer and her friends decide to go to a movie and later to the beach. Over the night, they consume four bottles of beer each. On her way home, after dropping off her friends, Jennifer finds herself cresting a dark hill. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appears, and a thudding impact follows. Panicked, with only a vague understanding of what transpired, she drives the rest of the way home.

A Father's Dilemma

Luke is jolted from sleep by Jennifer's distressed cries and questions her in the kitchen, calming her with whiskey. Venturing into the darkened night, he discovers the body of a young man in a ditch, his efforts to assess the man's condition futile. Luke momentarily thinks he hears breathing before silence envelops him. He returns home without alerting the authorities.

Desperate Measures

After sending Jennifer to bed, Luke inspects the car's damage and disposes of the beer bottles. He spends the rest of the sleepless night listening to opera, plotting how to protect his daughter. In the early morning, he drives her car to church in the rain, deliberately crashing it into a tree in the parking lot. Then, with a heavy heart, he enters the church for mass and communion.