Double Life

Engineer Mark Nuyens dies from a fall on site. Now housewife Karen Van Dijck, the mother of his rascally adolescent son Maarten, getting in trouble during dad's frequent long professional absences, discovers he was married to Nina Overstijns, in another province. Only his brother Ruben was in the know. Will the rival women go public or remain discrete?

The widows volley blindly against each other and Mark's poor brother/confidant Ruben about everything, notably the impending funeral. Their respective families share considerations concerning life with and after Mark. Maarten resents being told only his dad was married to another, and bites at his mom she must have failed to keep him, not the kids.

Maarten's teacher Johan Van Neygem tells Ruben his mother ignored his advices to arrange therapy for the angrily grieving lad. At a reunion, Ruben revives his affair with Sandrine, but she wants a steady relationship. Obsessed with his dad's other life, Maarten follows Nina, breaks in and graffitis her walls.

Maarten adopts his late father's hobby, photography, despite his mom's lame objection the chemicals are 'dangerous'. His teacher enjoys a dance evening with her, but Ruben's advice to take the initiative backfires. Taunted by his ex's cocky boyfriend in class, Maarten pierces his hand. Now Karen accepts to see a therapist, but rudely rejects her analysis Maarten's way of mourning should be respected, yet gives in later.

Maarten seeks to conjure dad by reproducing some of his pictures with himself in his dad's spot an flying his kite until his ghost comes to coach him.

Maarten is furious to find his teacher now sleeps with his mom, so he pulls a public stunt with his hairpiece. She cowardly puts the affair on hold for a day. Ruben has accepted to father Nina's baby without conditions, but she refuses any romance, even a gift, while he falls in love.

Ruben is dating until his first tour guide duty in Cambodia. Maarten's shyness to bring her to his old mates gang's costumed party turns off Goth girl Romy, whom Johan considers a good match. Karen starts as an orderly, thereto chucking in her shop clerk job without notice, but after a patience dies from cardiac arrest while she stands by uselessly decides to quit, and somehow blames Johan either way.

After a bad exam, Maarten falls for the temptation to steal exam questions, but is caught, likely to have to repeat his year. Ruben has accepted a desk job at the travel agency to stay with his unborn baby, yet Nina plays vicious jealous tricks on his ex Stephanie.

Ruben and Johan finally convinced their vindictively reluctant girls to have a joined long beach camping weekend, with brat Hannah.

Maarten is happy, although repeating his school year with extra chores, due to a photography prize and his Goth girl Romy, who entered the picture for him. Pregnant Nina is mean to Ruben, who only wants to be a real dad. Her own, still ignorant pa Bert announces his wedding plans, which implies divorcing her ma.

Karen selfishly insists to further ruin her son's life by uselessly dragging him to Bolivia for a whole year, although her parents offer to take him in. Only after learning Ruben convinced him to wait till age 18 and girlfriend Romy being dumped, she sees reason.