We Were the Mulvaneys

The Mulvaneys enjoy a respected, close-knit life on their High Point farm in Mount Ephraim. The family is warm, generous, and deeply rooted in community traditions. Michael Sr. leads the household as a successful roofing contractor, and Corinne anchors the family.

A night of celebration turns dark as Zachary Lundt lures Marianne into his car after drinking. The assault casts a shadow over the Mulvaneys and shatters the family's sense of safety and trust.

Marianne hides the event at first, leaving Corinne to sense something is deeply wrong. The family anxiously awaits truth while Marianne wrestles with fear and guilt.

Dr. Oakley confirms the assault and urges the family to listen to Marianne rather than rush to judgment. The doctor’s intervention reframes the crisis as a need for care and support.

Michael pushes hard for formal charges against Zachary, determined to vindicate Marianne and restore the family's standing. Corinne tries to mediate, while Marianne doubts her own actions.

Marianne ultimately declines to testify, torn between telling the truth and protecting herself from pain. The decision fractures the family’s unity and intensifies the rift between father and daughter.

News of the assault leaks through the town, and Marianne becomes the target of gossip. The Mulvaneys’ public image collapses as debt grows and social circles shrink.

Michael’s impulsive anger fatally strains finances and relationships, causing Mike Jr., Patrick, and Judd to drift from home. The once-harmonious farm becomes a place of tension and quiet bitterness.

Frustration and revenge push Patrick to enlist Judd in a dangerous plan to obtain a gun. They track Zachary to the swamp and forcibly confront him in a confrontation that reaches toward tragedy.

Patrick abducts Zachary and drives him to the water’s edge, where Zachary sinks into the mud. In a sudden reversal, Patrick stops short of killing him and tries to save him instead.

Many years pass as the family recomposes its life. The event remains a wound that reshapes relationships and choices, even as some members drift toward new lives.

Michael Sr. battles cancer, becoming the fulcrum around which old wounds begin to heal. His struggle forces the family to reassess loyalties and rebuild trust.

Marianne returns to the family, and Corinne asks for forgiveness for her earlier ferocity. The household grows again as trust gradually resumes and the family reconnects.

The Mulvaneys find a path to closure, honoring the endurance of family ties even as memory lingers. The farm becomes a symbol of tempered resilience, with new spouses and children widening the circle.