Against Expectations

What would you do if your spouse offered you the "gift" of an open marriage? Thirty-eight-year-old Nicholas Dawson appears to have it all: he’s the happily married father of two precocious pre-teens and a successful architect who lives with his family in a beautiful house outside of San Francisco. When his wife, Suzanne, suggests they explore an open marriage on their thirteenth wedding anniversary, Nic is intrigued, but his Catholic upbringing causes him to resist such an unconventional lifestyle. Suzanne reassures Nic that an open marriage is about honesty and convinces him that it will only enhance their relationship. After deciding on specific rules and boundaries, they agree to explore these uncharted marital waters.

When Nic meets 28-year-old Macari at a secondhand bookstore in Berkeley, their immediate connection and chemistry is both unexpected and undeniable. Cari, a joyful and adventurous aspiring fashion designer, is taken aback when Nic reveals that he has a wife and is in an open marriage, but finds herself drawn to the generous and charismatic man. Their romance, electricity and passion ignite up on a private yacht near Catalina Island and during trips to Napa Valley and Italy and they experience an ecstasy beyond either of their imaginations. Accepting that Nic will never leave Suzanne, Cari surrenders her preconceived ideas of love and embraces her place in the open marriage. But when Suzanne realizes how much Nic and Cari truly adore each other, she demands that Nic end the affair immediately. Devastated but believing that his vows to Suzanne must come first, Nic feels he has no choice but to break Cari’s heart.

Soon after, Suzanne's dark secrets begin to surface. As their marriage disintegrates, Nic dedicates himself to creating a new future for his kids and wonders if Cari will ever be a part of his new life.

-- Abbie de Vera