Sara Perkins rebels against her overprotective mother by hiring Monica as her new photography assistant. Though the angel understands why the woman has covertly taken a freelance assignment to Bosnia, Tess–a volunteer helping Charlotte at the public library–thinks Sara’s actions are inconsiderate. Noting the mother and daughter act differently when the other is not present, Monica wonders what Tess does in her free time, but the supervisor is tight lipped. Sara returns from the trip and describes it to her mother, who becomes enraged and attacks her.

While she receives treatment at the hospital, the angels comfort a confused Charlotte. Regaining consciousness, Sara identifies her mother as the assailant. A police detective attempts to arrest Charlotte, but she resists violently and must be subdued. Jeff, the journalist who sponsored the Bosnia trip, and Monica visit Sara, who is shocked by her mother’s attack. Over the years the pair’s relationship has been troubled, but she never thought it would result in violence. A doctor soon sheds light on the problem: Charlotte has a massive, life-threatening brain tumor. Even if she survives the risky operation, she may have significant memory loss.

Devastated by the diagnosis, Sara tries to understand why Charlotte smothered her. Working with mother and daughter, respectively, Tess and Monica piece together the past. Sara needed an eye operation when she was seven. Since her father had abandoned the family, Charlotte took a job as a “photographer’s assistant, “which entailed posing nude. Understanding her mother sacrificed self-esteem to ensure she had that operation, Sara is crushed when Charlotte has a seizure and lapses into a coma. Monica and Tess, having revealed themselves as angels, encourage the woman to talk to her comatose mother.

Special Dispensation is granted, and the two women are able to openly express the love they never admitted before. Charlotte promises to try to hold on to one memory–the day she gave Sara her first camera. Though mother doesn’t recognize daughter after the successful operation, she has managed to hold on to their special memory. The women pledge to rebuild their friendship. Monica, meanwhile, persuades Andrew to show her how Tess spends her free time–training a cute, but incorrigible dog.