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One morning, Arthur unexpectedly tells his wife that he wants a separation and would like to live apart. The shock unsettles the entire family and sets a tone of upheaval. The revelation triggers immediate questions about the future of the parents’ marriage and the sisters’ loyalties.

Gripped by clinical depression, Eve makes a suicide attempt in her new Manhattan apartment. The act devastates the family and heightens the emotional strain on the sisters. It highlights Eve's vulnerability and the precarious state of the parents' relationship.

Arthur comes back from a trip to Greece with Pearl, a buoyant and normal-seeming woman. He declares his intention to marry Pearl, which shocks the daughters who still mourn Eve’s fragility. The sisters worry about Arthur discarding Eve and destabilizing the family further.

Arthur and Pearl hold a spontaneous wedding at the family beach house on Long Island, attended by Renata, Joey, and Flyn. The ceremony underscores the rapid dissolution of the family’s previous life and deepens the rift among the sisters. The event feels abrupt and politically sensitive for everyone involved.

During the evening, Pearl accidentally breaks one of Eve's vases, prompting an outburst from Joey. The confrontation exposes lingering resentments toward Pearl and magnifies the tensions caused by Eve’s fragile status. The sisters’ dynamics become visibly strained.

In the middle of the night, Flyn drinks cocaine in the garage while Frederick, intoxicated, makes an attempt to assault her. She manages to escape the danger, highlighting a dangerous, chaotic undercurrent running through the family. The incident adds to the sense of collapse surrounding the parents’ separation.

Joey finds Eve at home and learns how much Eve has sacrificed for her family. Eve then walks out onto the beach and into the surf, a stark act that escalates the peril surrounding her and the sisters. The moment foreshadows further tragedy for the family.

Joey attempts to rescue Eve and ends up nearly drowning herself. Mike pulls Joey to shore, and Pearl resuscitates the drowned victim by performing rescue breaths. The rescue highlights the fragility of life and the way the family’s bonds can surface in crisis.

The family comes together for Eve’s funeral, each placing a single white rose on her wooden coffin as a symbol of hope. The ceremony forces the sisters to confront their shared loss and the consequences of their fractured family life. The scene marks a solemn turning point for the family.

After the funeral, the three sisters stand at the former family beach house and look out at the sea, remarking on the sea’s peacefulness and the possibility of renewal. The image juxtaposes beauty and sorrow, suggesting a fragile sense of hope. It closes the central arc of the family’s upheaval.

Renata’s success as a poet draws attention within the family while Frederick, her husband, feels eclipsed by her achievements. The dynamic underscores the ache of parental favoritism and the competitive undercurrents among the sisters. It reinforces the emotional distance that divides them.

Joey resents her mother for the perceived favoring of Renata and the sense that Eve’s attention is directed elsewhere. The resenment compounds the sisters’ ongoing struggles to find their own paths. This tension lingers beyond the immediate crises, shaping their later relationships.