[2] Tula, a 31-year-old unmarried woman, whose sister has just died, decides to bring her brother-in-law Ramiro, a bank employee, and his two children into her home.

She acts as a wife mother figure, but does not accept the sexual commitments or maternal responsibilities of her new role.

Tula insists on maintaining a platonic relationship as she is used to being her own mistress, but rather than expel them from her house decides to take them to her village and with the presence of more relatives redirect Ramiro's feelings to the memory of her dead sister.

Ramiro is forced to marry her, taking his children and new wife to a life out of the provinces and into the city.

The closing scene shows Tula waving goodbye to the ménage as the train departs, resigned to her spinster status.