Nora Eldridge is a reliable, but unremarkable, friend and neighbour, always on the fringe of other people's achievements. But the arrival of the Shahid family-dashing Skandar, a Lebanese scholar, glamorous Sirena, an Italian artist, and their son, Reza-draws her into a complex and exciting new world. Nora's happiness pushes her beyond her boundaries, until Sirena's careless ambition leads to a shattering betrayal.