Della has always had the gift of second sight. As dementia steals her sharp mind, she relies on her journals to keep safe her thoughts and memories. A series of dreams command her to write letters to family and friends who will receive them following her death. Della's words offer comfort in the face of unexpected troubles and heartaches.

Della's granddaughter, Abbie, is reeling from the discovery that her marriage vows were a farce. As she heals from a devastating divorce, her relationship with her thirteen-year-old nephew, Caleb, becomes a source of understanding a new life. Caleb seeks out Abbie after a failed attempt at suicide, and her Charleston home becomes his refuge.

In the meantime, Alex, an art history professor grieving over the death of his wife, arrives in town to begin a new career at the College of Charleston. Abbie wants to remove Caleb from his neglectful parents, but she'll need Alex and her friends' help to get through a difficult transition. Fortunately for Abbie, they are all in her corner-as is Della, whose letters from beyond the grave provide her with crucial, but mysterious, advice.