Dave Rafter was looking forward to a 'second youth', alone again with his wife Julie, after daughter Rachel and lately successful son Nathan's marriages and immature adult son Ben moved out.

Dave still finds his new situation stressing, he can barely cope with giving up his electrician job, or the fact that his wife dumps her father on him.

Rachel sends her family over the edge with her growing alcoholism, as her actions become more and more erratic. Julie tires to smooth things over, with disastrous results.

Sammy and Nathan's marriage is in crisis when she can no longer bear keeping the secret reason for their move into the Rafter home, which leaves Nathan with no option but to rely on his family.

Julie makes some tough decisions, and tells a lie that she later regrets. Meanwhile, Ben finds himself in uncomfortable possession of a devastating secret which could blow his family apart.

A desperate Rachel begs for forgiveness as she discovers her humiliating mistakes have forced a beloved family member to leave the Rafter nest.