Relative Strangers

Irish ex-pat Maureen Lessing is a married secretary with two kids and a comfortable life in Germany, but her world is upended when her husband, James, suddenly dies from a heart attack. In the aftermath, she discovers that not only was James deeply in debt, but he also had a mistress and five-year-old son back in Ireland.

Maureen clandestinely follows Lena and Jamie around before confronting Lena with the brutal truth. When one of Lena’s friends comes to see Maureen, Maeve overhears their argument and runs off. Meanwhile, back in Germany, Brian has decided to take charge of the family’s financial situation, but he remains in denial about his father’s failings.

Maureen refuses to consider helping Lena and Jamie, and her reluctance has unintended consequences for Nora and Sean’s relationship. Finally, overcome by emotion, Maureen confesses everything to Brian, who agrees that they should have nothing to do with his father’s other family. But when Maeve finds out about Jamie’s illness, she wants to undergo testing to see if she could be a donor.

When Maeve’s results come back negative, Lena is devastated; Brian is now Jamie’s only hope. After his heart-to-heart with his girlfriend, Brian surprises everyone by agreeing to be tested. With the boy’s life hanging in the balance, both families must confront the depths of grief, anger, and betrayal that James left behind.