In the late twentieth century, Bonnie, a middle-aged American divorcée, lives with her daughter Flor and son-in-law Bob in their Paris apartment. Flor is mentally ill and seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Linetti, to help with her issues. Both Bonnie and Bob are concerned about Flor, though the two of them have a silent tension. In August, Bonnie’s nephew George is supposed to come stay with them, but Bonnie attempts to discourage his parents from sending him then as Bonnie will be on a trip to Deauville, Bob will be on a business trip, and George will be stuck with unstable Flor. One day, Flor skips her appointment with Dr. Linetti, and wanders the streets experiencing vertigo and a discomfort with others’ perception of her. She comes back to the apartment with Doris Fischer, another American who she happened to meet in the building. They invite Doris to stay for dinner, and she agrees. She tells the group about her husband Frank, who is a cameraman working in Rome. Something about her story seems off, though, and none of them believe her. Doris is off-put by Bob and Bonnie, and decides that she only wants a friendship with Flor. Bonnie decides to encourage Flor and Doris’s friendship, because she has grown afraid that Flor will want to come with her on her Deauville trip and will embarrass Bonnie.