Coffee Killed My Mother

Anna Lee is an anxious 17-year-old whose life is stuck, largely because of her strained relationship with her mother Jacqueline, a quirky recovering alcoholic who is now addicted to coffee. Anna Lee’s distant memories and dreams leave her with an unease and sense of fear. She worries that pushing back may cause her mother to lose her fragile sobriety.

With no college plans and a workaholic father who is burdened to spend even a few hours a week with her, Anna Lee is forced into long stretches of time on the road with her mother. The two take off on a trip to explore independent coffee shops along the U.S. east coast, but Jacqueline’s real agenda is an opportunity to reveal a series of disturbing family secrets to her daughter.

Anna Lee struggles to understand the impact of each secret on her life—a twin who died in utero, an abusive grandfather, a drunk driving death, a near drowning, and deceit against a woman Anna Lee cherished.

Her mother also reveals letters and cards that she’s kept in a shoe box. These messages were sent to Anna Lee from her father’s ex-wife, June. She was the one caring family figure and Anna Lee thought June had forgotten her.

At stops in beach towns, Anna Lee pours though June’s letters. She is heartened to know that her stepmother has always wanted a relationship with her, and furious that Jacqueline has prevented that from happening.

As the two edge closer to the south, where Jacqueline grew up, Anna Lee finds the courage to ask long unanswered questions about her maternal grandparents. The when they visit the hometown, Jacqueline shares closely-held stories about her parents.  After talking with a cousin who fills in the gaps, Jacqueline finally forgives her father—an alcoholic whose drunk driving resulted in his wife’s death.

Hearing about Jacqueline’s tragic childhood and youth, Anna Lee starts to understand her mother and looks forward to exploring their next stop—Florida.

 At a roadside hamburger stand, the two order food and watch the busy roadway while they await their order. Jacqueline decides to walk down the road to get an iced coffee—her daughter’s favorite. While Anna Lee starts to think about her future optimistically, she hears a series of sounds, including screaming. She runs toward the scene, where her real mother lies on the ground hit by a tractor trailer.

In the months after her mother’s death, Anna Lee hears stories about the people that Jacqueline helped to maintain their sobriety. Her father grows closer with his daughter. And, June renews her relationship with her stepdaughter, all as Anna Lee puts the repressed anger behind her and begins moving toward her future.