Eddie lives with his 5-year-old nephew Mark and his sister Clara, who is married to a merchant seaman named Leo Brady who makes good wages. Clara indulges in the money Leo sends by buying extravagant food among other things but despises when he comes home. 

The day Leo does come home, Clara pretends to be ill and instructs Eddie to tell Leo she has botulism. Despite the fuss, Leo looks at Clara with affection and kisses her hair. 

Eddie reminisces on Clara’s poor past, and her unfortunate marriage with Leo that consisted of a misunderstanding where Clara had been drunk for days and Leo had taken her behavior to be a celebratory gesture towards marriage. 

Eddie enters Clara’s studio and sees Clara in distress with her eyes open and Leo wanting to call a doctor for her. Clara speaks badly about Leo even in his presence and Leo leaves the room offended. Eddie meets Leo outside to pick up Mark from school, call the doctor, and get Italian pastries. While they are in the bakery, however, they realize Mark had gone up to the studio already and find him crying as Clara does not recognize him in her delirium. 

Clara passes away and Leo carries her ashes to the spot of their first kiss. He leaves to board a freighter sailing to Hong Kong. Leo rarely comes home and writes letters only to inquire about Mark.  After some time, Eddie runs into Leo on the street and sees him with another woman named Evelyn. They have a meal together and Eddie hides his impatience with Leo. 

Life goes on for Eddie, until Leo comes home. Over breakfast, Leo says he broke up with Evelyn and takes out a box with some of Clara’s ashes. He mumbles bitterly about women having fickle natures.