The story focuses on a man who suffers "anesthetic awareness" and finds himself awake and aware, but paralyzed, during heart surgery. His mother must wrestle with her own demons as a turn of events unfolds around them, while trying to unfold the story hidden behind her son's young wife.

Dr. Jack Harper: He really did love you, Sam.
Sam Lockwood: He didn't even know me.
Dr. Jonathan Neyer: Clayton, this time next year, I will be surgeon general, I write text books on this procedure.
Clay Beresford: Really, that's, that's great, I sure hope you've read em Jack.
Clay Beresford: Am I supposed to still hear you?
Dr. Jack Harper: At 6:32 this morning, on Thursday the first of November, Clayton Beresford Junior died on my operating table, two and a half hours later, his life was saved.
Dr. Jack Harper: There are no excuses for what we did, there's no defense, no one to blame but us, we got what we deserved. Clay would have his revenge, and justice would finally be served, but despite all the secrets, despite all the lies, and a terrible loss, one thing really matters now, he....is....awake.
Clay Beresford: [on being scolded on Dr. Jack] He's my friend mother, I trust him.
Lilith Beresford: Clay, you've got your whole life ahead of you.
Clay Beresford: Do I?
Sam Lockwood: Jack, grow some fucking balls.
Sam Lockwood: But hey you know what? As soon as you get out of here, we're gonna start from scratch. Get a little house on the beach, do it right, ya know? Chase seagulls, what do you say? As soon as you get out, I'll be right here.
Clay Beresford: I think my new heart will love you as much as my old one.
Dr. Puttnam: [after cutting up Clay's chest] Ooh, that's going to hurt in the morning. Sorry, Clay!
Clay Beresford: [thinking] Yeah, you better be FUCKING sorry!
[first lines]
Dr. Jack Harper: People die. You may think you can control when or where or how it happens, but you can't. When your number is up, your number is up, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. I've lost patients before, seen them die on my table, under my knife. But I've never lost a friend. I lost Clayton at 6:32am on Thursday, the first day of November. There's not much I can tell you about that day. I don't know if he woke up that morning thinking he might die. I only know the day started much like any other day, and that he was probably thinking of her.
Clay Beresford: So it's tough love today, huh?
Dr. Jack Harper: You think this is a joke?