Sarah LaMere had loved Michael Rome Matthews for a long time. She witnessed him marry her best friend, only to lose her along with two sons in an accident. Now that they are together at last she is devastated to learn that she can never have children. While Rome tries to accept this, Sarah believes motherhood is her only path to happiness and security with the man she loves and she becomes increasingly unbalanced. Seemingly out of nowhere children's clothes and toys appear in the house and then a strange young girl named Melissa appears, whom Sarah treats as her own child. When their landlady is horribly murdered after questioning Melissa, Rome fears the line separating reality and fantasy has been crossed..