The novel follows Thomas Sanders, a man who is attending a professional conference abroad when he learns that his mother is dying. Torn between his career obligations and his urgent need to be with his family, he struggles to find a way back in time.
Over the course of a single, stressful day, delays, travel complications, and physical discomfort intensify his anxiety. His thoughts become increasingly fragmented, shifting between memories, family tensions, and worries about his marriage and personal life.
The story explores themes of mortality, guilt, pressure, and psychological breakdown, using a fast-paced, stream-of-consciousness style