Author Manoel Carlos likes to write family dramas and only dramas. This one tells the story of Helena, a 50's single mother of Camila and Fred, both young adults, trying to live by herself. Everybody spontaneously loves her, from neighbors to unknown people. Yet, her life is not as easy as she would like. She has a problem with her daughter-in-law, with her half-sister Iris and with her old father, whom she abandoned for good 20 years ago. In a courageous move, she gets a boyfriend, young doctor Edu, the same age as Camila. It is not a surprise when Edu and Camila fall in love for each other, and Helena gets vulnerable to new lovers, rude farmer Pedro and romantic bookseller Miguel, both of her age. As if it wasn't enough, Camila develops leukemia, and there is only one way to save her: a transplant from one of her close relatives. But none of them are compatible. Now Helena must do whatever she can to save Camila, in spite of the daughter's lack of character.