12-year-old Lou's life was instantly turned upside down when her father walked out on her mother and her two sisters. Feeling lost and betrayed, she copes by building a hard, angry shell around her heart. Life suddenly becomes more interesting when her estranged grandfather moves in to the family's cramped, rented home. Doyle brings chaos with him, not least because he is suffering from the degenerative Alzeihmer's disease. In his confused state, Doyle mistakes his granddaughter for his ling departed wife, showering her with attention in an attempt to win her affections. Lou plays along with the deception, using Doyle to hain power over her bother but, as the dangerous game progresses, Lou begins to experience genuine love for the first time in her life. Having started the pretence as a means of gaining power, Lou ultimately understand what it is to be loved in the most unexpected of circumstances.