When Mary Scott learns that she has cancer and has less than a year to live, she asks her doctor, Ralph Frene, not to tell her husband Bradford and daughter Polly. As Christmas approaches, Mary becomes particularly aware of how quickly time is passing, but still does not tell Brad of her illness. On New Year's Eve, Mary and Brad invite Brad's new draftsman, Chris Radna, to attend a party with them. Brad is pleasantly surprised when, for the first time, he sees Chris wearing a beautiful dress, rather than her usual sturdy trousers and jacket. At the party, Brad dances often with Chris, causing some of the women to gossip about them. Realizing that Chris and Brad are falling in love, Mary decides to visit her father in San Francisco, but Mary is unable to tell him about her illness. She later meets an old friend, now a widower, and the woman he is currently dating. Mary's dislike of the woman spurs her to consider what will happen to Brad and Polly after she dies. Mary arrives home and, believing that Brad no longer loves her, considers suicide. Later that evening, Brad tells Mary that he had an affair with Chris, but has ended it and adds that Chris is leaving town. Secretly, Mary visits Chris, who apologizes for her affair with Brad, explaining that her own husband died during the war and, until she met Brad, she had believed that she would never love anyone again. Mary intends for Brad to marry Chris, a woman she likes, after her death and starts to include her in their lives, introducing her to friends and allowing her to make friends with Polly. When Brad accidentally finds Mary's pain pills, he calls Ralph and finally learns of her approaching death. Without telling her, he decides to make the remaining weeks of Mary's life as wonderful as he can. Thanks to his efforts, Mary enjoys a brief idyll with Brad in Mexico before she dies.