Sasha won't look at or speak to her husband Jerry after the affair - she calls the shots, she makes him buy a new house and furnish it himself under her supervision. She says she can feel the sweat of Jerry's lover, Brianna, all over the old house.

Jerry meets Brianna at Lillian's promiscuous party, where she spellbinds the entire crowd with her singing. He drives her home, longing to spend more time with her. Two days later he comes back and lets himself in despite her protests. Something is dripping behind her, and Brianna admits reluctantly that she has hyperhydrosis, a rare condition that causes her to sweat profusely, nonstop. She's had an awful time trying to restrain the condition and withstanding teasing and rejection all her life, and she can't afford the surgery that cures the condition. She grows upset and sweats more, saying she's never kissed or touched anyone, and Jerry tells her to kiss him. The two become lovers. Jerry takes many, many pictures of her, capturing her sweat in novel ways, producing what everyone deems his best work yet. Then Brianna tells him she's pregnant. Jerry remains in denial, hiding everything from his wife, until one day he comes home to find Brianna sitting on his marital bed. She has had the baby and had the operation, but she can no longer sing. She sobs into Jerry as they have sex, and suddenly Sasha appears behind them. Brianna flees and Jerry decides to remain with Sasha, choosing the one relationship he believes he can fix. Brianna commits suicide, her face splayed across the papers, and Sasha and Jerry take the baby boy, Jake, into their care.