Groundskeeper and ex-union activist Marlie Mendíval and her nine-year-old granddaughter, Samantha, turn mildly haunted, ramshackle Rainwood House into a collective residence, hoping renters will overlook its quirks: crumbling rooms, whispers of past racial justice struggles, musical plumbing.

Radical garden enthusiast Demetrius moves in, offering friendly conversation and comforting meals that help Marlie cope with eviction threats, her newfound notoriety as a campus workers’ movement leader, and Samantha’s school troubles.

Then Marlie discovers  her amiable new housemate is on the run, accused of cop-shooting. Should she turn him in? Or risk hiding him to help him find the truth?

As their lives intertwine, the collective residents find themselves increasingly depending on each other for encouragement, solutions, and perhaps even their lives.