On Easter morning, Eunice is awakened by the clean scent of spring air. Instead of getting ready for church, she goes to the window to breathe in the possibility of the new season. She sees her Uncle Joe outside planting a bed of canna lilies. Uncle Joe’s wife, Aunt Emma, recently died, and he’s been bouncing among various relatives’ homes ever since. He is good natured despite his loss. Later that morning, Eunice goes to church with her brothers. While repeating her prayers, she notices the art on the walls: haloed Jesus, who is omnipotent even on the cross, and silent, suffering Mary who watches helplessly as her son dies. Eunice compares this duality to the dynamics within her own family. Men are always pure and unburdened, while women are destined to bear the weight of the world. When she gets home, the family has dinner. Eunice contrasts her soft spoken, pensive mother and her easygoing father. Her mother is hollow as if someone chiseled out her dreams to make room for her husband’s. Saddened, Eunice escapes the house and goes for a walk. She goes to the drugstore to buy candy and notices a gaggle of boys from her school. She is scared one of them will approach her, but she also dreams of talking with them. They leave her alone, and she goes to the lake to eat her candy. On her way back home, Eunice passes her house, imagining what'd it be like to live behind the other doors down the street. Eventually, Eunice turns back toward home. She peers in the window and sees her family laughing and eating dinner without her. She remains outside in the shadow of the house. After the meal, her mother comes outside and softly whispers her name. When Eunice doesn’t respond, her mother goes back inside.