Beatriz and Henrique fall in love and marry on the day of her 21st birthday. Henrique, a naval officer, spends long periods at sea and travels to Angola and other former Portuguese colonies. He dreams of being a bird. Ashore, Beatriz, who learned everything from the verticality of plants, takes great care in raising their six children. Henrique and ‘Triz’ correspond by letters. One day, she suddenly dies. Henrique orders their letters to be burned upon his death. The children, grown up with kids of their own, hesitantly comply with his wishes.