Marian Winters returns home from South America to attend her father's funeral. It is the first time in years that she sees her mother, sister, brother and Frits, an old friend of her father's and editor of the publication she worked on in South America. No one realizes she has come home for good, even though she has no plans for the future. She also keeps from her relatives that she has married to Enrique to help him get a residence permit. As Enrique finds it hard to adapt to the Dutch way of life, he seeks contact but she is very evasive. Simply being married to Marian is not sufficient to entitle him to a permit. She strictly vetoes his request to share a flat with her. Most of her attention is absorbed by her mentally retarded brother who she feels has a right to a life of his own in a normal environment.