While on vacation in the countryside, Isabel prepares lunch for her family. She sets a carrot aside for her daughter Elizabeth to eat when she comes in after playing outside. As she begins peeling potatoes, her husband Peter comes into the kitchen, wanting to kiss his wife. She rejects him, uncomfortable about showing any affection, even when they're alone. Peter angrily leaves. When Isabel sees Elizabeth coming home through the window, she notices that the girl is running straight there rather than singing to the birds and meandering down the path like she normally does. When Elizabeth gets there, she is bursting with excitement. She tells her mother than she won't be eating lunch with them today because a goat is about to give birth at Juddy's farm down the road and Elizabeth wants to be there. Isabel does not want her daughter witnessing a birth and tries to get her to come inside, but Elizabeth runs away. Isabel chases after her for a minute, but runs out of breath. When Peter asks what all the commotion was about, Isabel doesn't say anything about the goat. Peter and Isabel eat lunch awkwardly because Peter is still upset about the incident in the kitchen. Isabel is antsy for the rest of the afternoon, anxious about her daughter. She still won't tell Peter what's going on. That evening, Elizabeth arrives late. Isabel expects her to be horrified by what she witnessed, but Elizabeth comes back happy, despite the blood on her dress. She tries to tell her mother about how wonderful the birth was, but Isabel won't hear any of it and starts beating her daughter. Peter sees this and stops her, then goes to comfort Elizabeth, reassuring her that the birth was wonderful.