The joy of motherhood of the film's main character is marred by tragedy – her newborn son is seriously ill and needs urgent, expensive surgery. A high-ranking official, Cyril, with whom Vari has had a painful love affair for many years, refuses to acknowledge paternity and help save the child's life. Varya is facing a dramatic choice: to abandon her son and give him up for adoption to a wealthy lover's family, where he will receive full treatment, or try to fight for herself to the end. But even then, her only support, a doctor at the hospital, Yaroslav, cannot guarantee that the baby will survive.