Rita Tyler,a school teacher,is knocked off her bicycle and killed by a police car during a high speed chase,leaving her photographer husband Dave to look after their three children and Lucy,her 15-year old daughter from her first marriage. He is angry,suicidally driving his motor bike at dangerous speeds in the rain and almost coming a cropper himself. In the weeks following the death he finds himself at odds with Lucy,who is skipping school and who sets out to find her birth father. Despite help from Anna,Rita's adopted sister, and her solicitor husband Robin,the person to whom Dave feels closest is Rita's best friend Sarah and,even though she has a boy-friend,they end up in a passionate embrace.