The beginning and end of the relationship between the physical beings of William Ward, a black man, and Venus Ward née Redhawk, a Native American, is presented. The end is marked by Venus' passing, about which William makes no medical intervention based on Venus' wishes. This lack of action places a strain between William and Venus' young adult son, Ricky, and William. In the aftermath, William displays some behavior which Ricky finds unusual, William stating it all having to do with Venus, making Ricky believe that William is becoming unhinged in denying his mother's death. These actions, all based on William indeed searching for Venus - his "Juliet" - become all the more clear as the beginning of their relationship is presented starting in the early 1970s.