In Tehran, August 1987, Roya Shams reflects on her marriage to Ali and her exhausting life of being constantly perceived. She cherishes the rare solitude she gets when Ali leaves on annual fishing trips to Rasht with his old military friend Gilgamesh, a Tehran police officer.

Roya reveals she suspects she is pregnant with Cyrus but has avoided confirming it, dreading how Ali's devout attention and pity will change everything. She wants to remain 'vacant' a little longer.

When Gilgamesh arrives to collect Ali, he brings his new young wife Leila, asking that she stay with Roya during the trip. Ali agrees without consulting Roya, robbing her of her anticipated solitude. The two husbands depart, leaving the women alone.

Over a poorly cooked dinner of zereshk polo, Leila's shy demeanor vanishes. She mocks Gilgamesh's strange habits—eating salt and sumac, putting cough syrup in his tea—and dismisses talk of husbands. Roya finds her brash, rude, and irritating.

Leila insists on taking Roya to the lake to show her something. Despite Roya's reluctance and resentment over the long evening drive, she relents out of obligation as a host. As they prepare to leave, Leila admires herself in the mirror—a habit Roya later understands as wonder rather than vanity. Wearing oversized sunglasses despite the darkening sky, Leila leads Roya out into the evening.