Ellen, a young girl, bonds with her father while on vacation in Puerto Vallarta as they ride horses alone without her mother. Before they back up with her mother, her father winds his watch back so that it looks like they lost track of time. This is the last vacation their family goes on for a long time, as her father becomes too busy with work, and goes on frequent business trips. Five years later, when Ellen is sixteen, her friend takes her to a Chicago-area bar where her friend's brother works. There, Ellen sees her father with a woman; he is supposed to be on a business trip in Australia. Ellen considers whether or not to tell her mother, but decides against it. When her mother mentions that they haven't been on a family vacation in a while, Ellen's father suggests they return to Puerto Vallarta for Easter. In Puerto Vallarta, Ellen spends another afternoon with her father without her mother, and asks if he's ever committed adultery. He replies that he has not, and she asks if he would tell her if he had. He replies that he would not. The two are supposed to meet back up with her mother, but the city is crowded for the Easter celebration. While her father looks for her mother, Ellen gets into a dangerous situation with some local men who attempt to kidnap her. Her father returns just in time to save her. When they finally reunite with her mother, her father suddenly reveals that he had an affair, once, five years ago in Missouri. Ellen reveals that she knows that he's lying, as she also saw him with a woman recently in Chicago. After this confession, Ellen runs off towards the beach. A while later, Ellen's mother joins her on the beach, and they swim in their clothes. When they're done, Ellen asks what they're going to do. Ellen's mother replies that first, they will dry off, and then they will get out of this situation.