In the outskirts of São Paulo, the former teacher Carmo was forced to quit teaching by her chauvinist husband and lawyer, Henrique, and misses her students and colleagues from the public school. Rosa, a former teacher, has a love affair with Soares and feels uncomfortable with the situation. Dália, also a teacher, supports her brother, Affonso, an addict who lives with her. Affonso has an affair with Carmona, a journalist, after leaving her lover Fernanda. When Aninha is raped by Nivaldo, her partner João beats her. Henrique takes her to his home under custody and she helps Carmo with the housekeeping. All these lives entwine in tragedies and are affected by their ultimate decisions.